Discover the big questions you’ll explore this year—and how innovation can supercharge your answers.
American University.
The upgraded way.
American Supplemental Essays
— The Class of 2026 Guide —
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Start your Supplemental Essay Success below by previewing this guide’s three sections:
Information ⋄ Inspiration ⋄ Innovation
Discover strategies designed by an Ivy Alum and over three hundred success stories!
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— Supplemental Essay Prompts —
Through Guide Section 1 of 3—Information—explore this college’s supplemental essay prompts for Class of 2026 applicants, along with this college’s Supplemental Styles to streamline your essay-building process!
Supplemental Length
250 Word Maximum
Supplemental Style
Major & Missions
Optional Supplemental Essay
— American University —
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— American University Prompt 1 —
Optional: American University students identify as changemakers and describe themselves as passionate. Describe a belief, hobby, idea, issue, or topic about which you’re excited. (250 words)
— 250 Word Maximum —
Supplemental Essay Information
— American University —
Supplemental Strategy
Class of 2026 Applicants
Supplemental Essay
Insider Information
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— Supplemental Essay Strategy —
Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring American within your reach!
Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.
Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at American University!
— Upgraded Class of 2026 Essentials —
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— Supplemental Essay Examples —
Through Guide Section 2 of 3—Inspiration—read Successful Supplemental Essays from our Accepted Alumni! Discover ideas that stand out to admissions at American, and find inspiration for your own success story.
Accepted Alumni
Essay Example
Supplemental Style
Major & Missions
Supplemental Essay Example
— American University —
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Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For American University Applicants:
American University students identify as changemakers and describe themselves as passionate. Describe a belief, hobby, idea, issue, or topic about which you’re excited. 250 Word Maximum.
Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:
Not many may appreciate the aroma of decomposing banana or the presence of fruit fly larvae, especially in their dorm room. However, I welcomed these peculiarities as I embarked on research—and navigated mishaps—at Governor’s School.
My student team aimed to evaluate conditions for cultivating a potential alternative food source—D. melanogaster. Our first batch of larvae proved unviable, but our mentor, Dr. [Name], brought rotten duck feed from her own backyard for us to sift through (holding our breath, of course). Our self-constructed respirometer had limitations, but Dr. [Name] mentored us as we refined our project, sought new data, ran ANOVA, and more.
With our project’s mishaps, I was nervous—but I felt fulfilled as I saw curiosities come to life, as I shared laughs with labmates to keep spirits up. Dr. [Name] even shared her own past research mistakes—and unexpected breakthroughs—and credited our persistence.
I returned home, reflecting on inspirations and insights. Before remote learning, I had witnessed relentless curiosity from the kids I worked with in downtown [City]. I saw inquisitiveness that transcends institutions, as they laughed with me—and often at me—at slime squishing, spaghetti-constructed towers toppling, Coca-Cola spraying onto my t-shirt.
When my Governor’s School team had scrapped our initial plans, dug through dirt—chased curiosities like my [City] students—we learned as we laughed through the absurdities. We discovered more in those moments.
What matters to me—what truly excites me—is finding humor in the quest for knowledge. It’s laughter at my own mistakes. And it’s smiling as I try again.
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— Supplemental Essay Strategy —
Through Guide Section 3 of 3—Innovation—learn success-proven methods to streamline your entire supplemental essay process. Our methods are designed by an Ivy Alum and 300+ student success stories!
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— American Application Upgrade —
From guiding hundreds of students, we know that your success story takes much more than one essay—especially in 2025.
We are passionate about helping students master the process from start to submission—and to have clarity and confidence at every step. That’s why our innovative guides are curated for Class of 2026 students with big dreams.
A successful American University Application requires the Supplemental Essays you see above, and much more. Below, learn what success looks like—from start to finish.
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— Start-To-Submission Success —
Embrace our success-proven methods to build your application essays—and find inspiration to help you at every step.
During the Upgraded Process, College Application Phase Five is the time to embark on some of the most challenging yet rewarding college application components—the specific Supplemental Essays essential for most colleges.
During this phase, learn to master the process of crafting successful College-Specific Supplemental Essays—and bring more colleges within your reach!
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— Upgraded Application Process —
Start your admissions success story with methods built by our Ivy League Founder and over 300 student success stories!
Our success-proven Five Phases Application Approach helps students streamline the entire college application process through success-shaping frameworks and more opportunities for aligned action.
We are passionate about guiding students through our start-to-submission application approach—because success stories require much more than one essay.
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— Supplemental Essay Strategy —
Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring American within your reach!
Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.
Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at American University!
