Princeton University Supplemental Essay Prompts & Writing Guide 2025-2026

This essay is your chance to demonstrate that you'll be a thoughtful contributor to Princeton's intellectual community, so focus on one or two formative experiences rather than creating a laundry list of every lesson you've learned. Princeton wants to understand how your personal experiences will impact what kind of academic and social community member you might be, so be strategic in choosing moments that genuinely shaped your worldview or approach to engaging with others. Consider experiences rooted in your cultural background, family dynamics, a significant challenge you've overcome, or how your role in a community taught you something unexpected about yourself. The key is specificity: instead of vaguely stating that you value diverse perspectives, show the reader a concrete moment when you realized your viewpoint was incomplete or when navigating a difficult conversation changed how you understand an issue.

While the 500-word limit gives you substantial room to develop your narrative, you must demonstrate both self-reflection and a forward-looking mindset to show Princeton that you understand the impact these experiences have had on you and will continue to have. Don't just recount what happened; dig into why it matters and what it taught you about engaging across differences. Princeton often looks for students who can have respectful, open conversations with their peers even when those conversations challenge their beliefs, so pay attention to the words "challenge" and "respectful" in the prompt. You might write about realizing mid-argument that you needed to listen rather than convince, or about learning to ask questions instead of making assumptions. The admissions committee wants to see evidence that you can both contribute your unique perspective and remain genuinely curious about views that differ from your own.

As you write, avoid repeating content from your Common App essay or activity descriptions. This is new real estate to show another dimension of who you are. You can briefly mention Princeton resources if they connect naturally to your story (perhaps 10-15% of the essay), but don't force it; the focus should remain on your experiences and growth. This essay functions almost as a second personal statement, which admissions officers will use to understand where you come from, how you view your identity, and what you will bring to campus. Be authentic rather than trying to guess what admissions wants to hear. Whether you write about navigating two cultures, mediating conflict in your friend group, learning from a mentor with a radically different background, or questioning assumptions you grew up with, make sure your voice comes through clearly. Princeton values students who bring genuine curiosity, humility, and the capacity for meaningful dialogue to their community, so let those qualities shine in how you tell your story.

This essay is not an opportunity to list your community service hours or reiterate what's already on your activity list. Princeton wants you to reflect on the values and perspective that drive your engagement, not just the activities themselves. The prompt uses the word "story" deliberately: you need to show how a specific experience (or set of experiences) shaped your understanding of service and how that understanding connects to Princeton's motto, "Princeton in the nation's service and the service of humanity." Think about a moment when service became more than a task for you, when it transformed how you see your responsibility to others or to your community.

Rather than discussing broad issues like global poverty or climate change, drill down into a manageable subset that you've personally impacted. Perhaps you didn't just volunteer at a food bank, you noticed that many clients struggled with literacy and started a program to help them fill out job applications. Or maybe you tutored younger students and realized that building their confidence mattered as much as improving their test scores. Princeton is looking for thoughtful reflection about how your perspective on service has been shaped by your life experiences and where you see service fitting into your future, both in college and beyond. Show that this isn't just something you did in high school to check a box, but something that has become part of how you see your role in the world.

To strengthen your response, think about how you'll continue this work at Princeton by mentioning student organizations with similar missions or specific programs that align with your interests. You might reference the Pace Center's Breakout Princeton trips, Community Action orientation program, or specific student-led initiatives that connect to your service focus. This shows you've done your research and see Princeton as a place where you can deepen your commitment. Keep your future vision concrete: instead of saying you want to "make a difference," explain how a particular Princeton resource will help you expand the work you've already started or tackle a related challenge you've identified through your service experience.

For Princeton's "new skill" prompt, you have just 50 words to reveal curiosity, personality, and the "why" behind your choice. Think of this response as a tiny window into who you are, not just what you want to learn. Be specific (not just "coding," but "machine learning for climate modeling"), and don't hesitate to show vulnerability or excitement. Admissions officers want to see your willingness to learn through campus resources and your openness to trying something completely new, so steer clear of skills you've already developed or that you've discussed elsewhere in your application. Focus on something genuinely unfamiliar to you, whether it's an academic pursuit, a creative hobby, or a niche extracurricular interest.

Because you're given space for 50 words for an answer that could easily be one or two words, use it up. Instead of stating "I want to learn pottery," explain that you want to learn pottery to honor your grandmother's craft, or because you're fascinated by the intersection of art and engineering in ceramic design. The explanation matters far more than the skill itself. You might also consider referencing a specific Princeton student organization or opportunity that would help you develop this skill, such as joining a quirky club or taking advantage of a unique campus tradition. This shows you've done your research and are thinking concretely about how you'll engage with the community.

Finally, keep your tone authentic and personal. If you smile while writing your response, you've likely landed on the right topic. Avoid generic answers or anything that feels forced or overly polished. Princeton values students who contribute diverse perspectives to campus conversations, so let your individuality shine through. Whether you want to master beekeeping, learn improv comedy to overcome stage fright, or pick up wilderness survival skills, own it fully and make sure the reader understands why this skill genuinely excites you.

With only 50 words, you need to bypass clichés like "spending time with friends" or "traveling" and instead pinpoint one specific, vivid thing that genuinely sparks happiness. Think about something small and repeatable: the ritual of perfecting pour-over coffee, the rhythm you feel on a long bike ride, or even the quiet satisfaction of finishing a challenging puzzle. Whatever you choose, drill down into the sensory details or emotional connection. If it's baking, maybe it's the smell of caramelizing sugar and the calm you feel watching dough rise. Don't just name the activity, evoke the feeling.

Princeton admissions readers are looking for authenticity and personality, not a generic "safe" answer. Successful responses often avoid broad concepts and instead share something unexpected or personal that reveals who you are. One strong example described the meticulous process of pour-over coffee (weighing beans, timing the bloom, spiraling water) to convey a love for mindful ritual and small moments of clarity. Another wrote about cycling up a steep highway climb, capturing the joy of endurance and exploration. These essays work because they are vivid, specific, and show rather than tell.

Finally, remember that you can subtly hint at how this source of joy might connect to life at Princeton, though this isn't required. For instance, if nature brings you joy, you might look forward to quiet moments at Princeton's outdoor spaces or botanical gardens. If it's a hobby like coding or pottery, you could nod to how campus resources might deepen your practice. However, keep this connection brief and natural, never forced. The primary goal is to let Princeton see a genuine snapshot of what lights you up, so they can picture you as a real person, not just a collection of stats.

With just 50 words for this prompt, you need to be highly strategic and avoid simply naming a song without context. Princeton wants to see personal significance, not a popular track with a generic explanation. Choose a song that captures where you are emotionally, mentally, or situationally right now, and make sure to explain why it resonates with this specific moment in your life. The key is to avoid vagueness ("it makes me want to dance" doesn't reveal much about you) and instead connect the song to meaningful experiences, values, or transitions you're currently experiencing.

Since this is one of several short-answer questions Princeton uses to get to know you beyond test scores and grades, treat it as a tiny window into your personality and current mindset. Authenticity matters far more than selecting an obscure or impressive-sounding song. You should use most or all of the 50-word limit to explain your choice rather than just stating the title and artist. Consider what this song reveals about your character: are you in a period of growth, self-discovery, or challenge? Does it capture a passion, a mindset, or a recurring theme in your life right now?

Be specific and creative in your explanation. For example, if you choose a children's TV theme because you worked at a daycare all summer, explain what that experience taught you. If you select an unconventional "song" (like the creaking of floorboards while you pace and think, or even the Super Mario Bros. death jingle), use the space to show how it connects to your habits, rituals, or perspective. Avoid repeating information from other parts of your application. This prompt is your chance to surprise the admissions committee with something fresh, so lean into what makes your connection to this song uniquely yours.

Princeton's optional additional information section is truly optional, so you should only use it if you have something genuinely important to clarify or explain that doesn't appear anywhere else in your application. This space is not for rehashing achievements already listed in your activities section, adding another personal statement, or forcing content just to fill the space. Admissions officers have limited time and will view unnecessary additions negatively, so be strategic and purposeful. Use this section only when there is a legitimate gap, weakness, or exceptional circumstance that deserves context.

The most appropriate uses of this section include explaining academic anomalies (such as a semester with lower grades due to family illness, a gap year, or extenuating circumstances that affected your performance), clarifying unusual choices in your application (like why you chose a non-traditional recommender or why your course load changed), or providing brief context for circumstances that impacted your high school experience (such as significant family responsibilities, financial hardship limiting extracurricular participation, or a school environment with limited resources). According to College Essay Advisors and other experts, if you're addressing a challenge or weakness, keep your tone factual and concise: state what happened, provide necessary context, and briefly note what you learned or how you've grown. Avoid making excuses or being defensive.

One key principle: this section should be brief. Most effective additional information responses are just a few sentences to a paragraph, rarely exceeding 200 words unless explaining truly complex circumstances. If you find yourself writing more than that, reconsider whether the content belongs here or if you're simply repeating information. Remember that Princeton values intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and genuine engagement with their community, so any additional information you provide should align with presenting yourself as a thoughtful, self-aware applicant who takes responsibility and demonstrates growth.

Finally, if your application is already strong and complete without needing clarification, skip this section entirely. Leaving it blank when you have nothing substantive to add is far better than forcing content that doesn't enhance your candidacy. Princeton's holistic review process means they'll already have a comprehensive view of you through your essays, activities, recommendations, and transcript. Use this space only when it genuinely adds value to your story.