Ready to apply to Johns Hopkins? Here’s what you need to know about its supplemental essay section: The prompt: How has your life experience contributed to your personal story—your character, values, perspectives or skills—and what you want to pursue at Hopkins? (350 word limit) What the Prompt is About: This prompt is a combination of the “why you” and “why us” essays, or, in other words, it wants to know what you, as a unique individual, plan to do at Hopkins. Tips: Organize your essay. As John only has one supplemental essay, you should spend your time and efforts making sure yours is as polished as possible. This means before writing, create a strategic outline for a 3-5 paragraph essay that includes space for a hook, introduction, personal details, and research about Hopkins. Highlight a unique aspect of your character. As this prompt is part “why you,” you should assess your strengths and think about which ones you want to highlight in this essay. Let’s say you’ve always been a problem-solver who likes to help your friends, and a recent family trip to the Philippines made you aware of its shortage of hospitals and medical equipment. This is a great way to transition into your desire to pursue public at Hopkins and emphasize that you’re an empathetic person who hopes to proactively assess and tackle global health issues. Include vivid language and details. Although this prompt is just 350 words, you still have room to create a storytelling narrative that draws your reader in. Spend extra time on your hook and try to capture your readers’ attention with some vivid imagery or exciting details. The more engaged your readers are, the more they’ll feel like they “know you”—which is exactly what you want. Do your research. For the “why us” part, you’ll need to prove you’re passionate about Hopkins, so do some intense research and look into its courses, majors, research opportunities, and unique programs. Plan out what your trajectory at Hopkins would look like and include some of those details in your essay!
