How to Ace the Texas A&M Supplemental Essays: Tips for Crafting Standout Responses

How to Write the Texas A&M Supplemental Essay: "Tell Us Your Story" (750 words)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Understand the Prompt Texas A&M wants to know how your high school experiences shaped you. This essay isn't just about challenges but can also highlight the opportunities that allowed you to grow. Your essay should focus on personal development, showcasing the values and strengths that make you stand out.

2. Choosing Your Topic You don’t need to write about life-altering hardships to make a compelling essay. Think about moments when you had to adapt, grow, or persevere, even if they seem minor. The key is to make your essay personal and authentic.Topics to Avoid (Unless You Have a Unique Angle):

   • Overcoming mental illness

   • Working to raise a bad grade

   • Winning or losing a sports game

   • Death of a pet or family member

   • Realizing privilege during a mission trip

3. Unique Angles Matter Even overused topics can work if you add a fresh twist. For example, instead of focusing on a bad grade, you could discuss how learning about your ADHD led to founding a school club that raises awareness for students with similar challenges.

4. Don’t Feel Forced to Choose a Challenge If you're still processing a recent challenge, consider writing about a positive experience that allowed you to explore new opportunities, like discovering a passion for robotics or leading a club.

5. Brainstorming Ideas Think back on high school and ask:

   • What are the core values that drive you?

   • What achievements are you most proud of?

   • When have you had to take a risk, and how did it pay off?

   • What opportunities shaped your future?

6. Writing a Vivid Story Your essay should center on personal growth. Here’s a suggested structure:

   • Hook: Start with a vivid moment or sensory detail.

   • Background: Give context about your life before the key event.

   • Turning Point: Highlight the challenge or opportunity that led to your growth.

   • Reflection: Discuss how you’ve changed. Are you more empathetic, resilient, or confident?

   • Conclusion: Acknowledge that you are still growing and learning, showing humility.

7. Consider Playing With Structure You could start with a successful moment and reflect back on what led you there. Alternatively, use flashbacks to demonstrate growth over time.

8. Showcase Growth Focus on how a difficult situation turned into an opportunity to learn. Texas A&M is looking for resilient, reflective students who are capable of personal development.

9. Stay Humble Balance your strengths with vulnerability. Show that you're still evolving and that your story is ongoing.

10. Outline and Execute Intro: Set the scene with an engaging moment. Middle: Discuss your challenge or opportunity and how it helped you grow. End: Reflect on the experience’s lasting impact and how it prepares you for the future.

Example Essay:

"Bouncing Back from the Bench"It was the fourth quarter, and we were down by two points. As I waited to be called back into the game, I realized that my story wasn’t going to be about the winning shot I’d been practicing all year. My basketball career had peaked early when I’d broken the school's three-point record as a sophomore. But I struggled to balance academics and sports, and by junior year, I was benched.At first, I saw it as a failure. But soon, I realized that being off the court gave me time to tutor my younger teammates, which became the most fulfilling part of my year. Instead of resenting the bench, I leaned into leadership. I started helping them with both basketball drills and algebra homework.This experience changed my perspective. By the end of the season, my coach praised me not for my shooting skills but for my dedication to my teammates' development. This lesson in teamwork and perseverance has stayed with me, and I know it will help me face the academic challenges of college.

Feedback:

This essay effectively uses a sports setback as a platform for showing personal growth, with a focus on teamwork and leadership. It avoids common clichés by focusing on tutoring teammates rather than winning a game.

How to Write the Texas A&M Supplemental Essay: "Describe a Life Event That Has Prepared You for College" (250 words)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Understand the Prompt This question is about preparation, so think about an event that taught you valuable life skills, whether academic, personal, or both.

2. Choosing Your Topic Choose an event that had a meaningful impact on your outlook or approach to learning. It can be tied to your intended major or demonstrate qualities that will help you succeed in college.

3. Brainstorming Ideas Ask yourself:

   • What event sparked your interest in your future major?

   • Have you developed skills like time management, self-discipline, or collaboration?

   • What life experiences have made you more adaptable or resilient?

4. Link to Your College Goals Connect the event to the skills you’ll need in college. If you’re undecided about your major, highlight broader skills like critical thinking or time management.

5. Be Concise With only 250 words, stick to the main points. Be specific and clear.

Example Essay:

"The Ukulele Teacher"When I first picked up a ukulele, I thought I was just learning a fun hobby. But over three years, this small instrument taught me more than just music—it taught me discipline and time management. Balancing practice with schoolwork and tutoring younger students in the evenings, I learned how to prioritize, set goals, and keep myself motivated.Teaching myself the ukulele required patience and resilience, especially when I struggled to master difficult chords. Now, as I prepare for college, I know these skills will help me navigate the challenges of managing coursework, extracurriculars, and personal growth.

Feedback:

This essay is concise and uses a creative, non-traditional event (learning the ukulele) to highlight time management and self-discipline, which are key to succeeding in college.

How to Write the Texas A&M Supplemental Essay: "Tell Us About the Person Who Has Most Impacted Your Life and Why" (250 words)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Choosing Your Role Model Think beyond family members to avoid clichés, and focus on someone whose influence truly shaped you.

2. Provide Granular Detail Use specific stories and examples that show how this person impacted your life.

3. Balance Anecdotes with Reflection Include brief stories, but ensure the essay centers on your personal growth and what you’ve learned.

Example Essay:

"My Teacher, My Guide"Mrs. Davis didn’t just teach me how to analyze Shakespeare; she taught me how to think critically about life. During our senior seminar, she encouraged me to question everything, pushing me to debate literature from angles I never considered. One afternoon, while discussing Othello, she asked me, “What drives people to make tragic choices?” That question stayed with me.Through her mentorship, I realized my love for asking questions, which ultimately led me to pursue a career in civil engineering—another field where asking the right questions leads to solving complex problems.

Feedback:

This essay uses a teacher-student relationship to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and the influence that shaped the student’s academic goals.