Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For University of Vermont Applicants:

Student-Selected Prompt: Established in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, VT, Ben and Jerry’s is synonymous with the ice cream business. The company’s success and unique brand identity are due in part to their one-of-a-kind flavors. Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you? 500 Word Maximum.

Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

Thinking of the ice cream flavor that best describes me, funky, fun flavors come to mind. Maybe it's Peanut Butter Cup because each Christmas, my mom and I make peanut butter treats coated in melted chocolate. Maybe, I’d add some Sour Patch Kids for a sweet-and-sour twang, paying homage to my sass.

But, as great as all these mix-ins are, what ties them all together is the ice cream base. That’s why the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor that best describes me is, tried and true: Vanilla.

From teaching experiences to my own adjustments through insecurities, I’ve found that my Vanilla-like adaptability and reliability has served me well.

Last summer, I took up a job as a counselor-teacher at a local enrichment camp. On my first day, I was told that I would be working with the K-2 age group. In my classroom, I met little students adamant that they couldn’t spell, do math, or read well. But I was able to help them because I recalled the struggles I had when I was younger. The mastery I felt as I found an affinity for science—especially during AP chemistry—made me certain that these kids would find theirs, too. I taught them not only facts and figures but aimed to embrace diversity of learning styles and intellectual diversity amongst neurotypical and neurodivergent students.

I was reliable and sturdy but also kind and approachable, reminiscent of Vanilla.

Years prior, my dance journey had told me I was never perfect: tall, lanky, and awkward in my performance group, always the last-picked dancer situated in the back row. At 13, I remember having an emotional breakdown at a dance competition. Frustrated with my imperfections, I even contemplated quitting.

But, as I cried in the bathroom in that competition venue, I heard our studio name called on the loudspeaker, and I regained my composure almost instantly. Something told me to perform, so I dried my runny mascara and adjusted my hair.

We won in our division that day. But the win that day really wasn’t the growth that mattered. It was the growth I have had through persisting in my insecurities. With time, I secured numerous dance titles—and even assistant taught in my dance studio.

Last spring, I was selected to become a brand ambassador for [National Dance Organization], serving as a role model for dancers. I utilize social media to uplift and empower younger dancers, showing them that tap—my forte—can still be cool, that all body types can be dancers. I show them that insecurities and flaws make us better artists—and better people.

As Vanilla, the singular ingredient being the humble vanilla bean, I remind others that what matters most isn’t their perfection, or their ability to always be right. Being over-the-top with the fanciest add-ins would mean nothing without our sturdy, reliable base.

What matters is that we keep showing up—and always trying our best.