College of William & Mary
The second-oldest college in the United States, a public with the character of a selective liberal arts college.
College of William & Mary supplemental essays and deadlines
College of William & Mary has 1 school-specific supplemental essay for the 2026-2027 cycle in our current record, with fresh source verification still pending. The next listed deadline is Early Decision on November 1, 2026.
- Supplement status
- required
- Application cycle
- 2026-2027
- Essay count
- 1
- Primary source
- Official source configured
Application deadlines
Supplemental essay prompts
- Supplement300 words2026-2027
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? We know this is a fun question, but keep in mind that your response will be evaluated as a writing sample.
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How to approach College of William & Mary's supplemental essays
Choose a role before you draft
Decide what this essay should add to the application: evidence, range, bridge, or a new window into your life. Avoid repeating the Common App essay in miniature.
What this page answers
College of William & Mary is a university in Williamsburg, VA. Use the prompt list, deadline table, and source note together before deciding how much drafting time to reserve.
Essay workload
1 listed prompt, totaling 300 listed words with a highest single limit of 300 words. Start by assigning each prompt a different story role.
Admissions angle
With an acceptance rate around 33.0%, The safest essay strategy is to prove one clear trait with evidence, then make the school connection specific enough that it could not be sent unchanged elsewhere.
Use this as a blank structure for a College of William & Mary supplement response, then replace every bracket with your own specifics.
- Open on [specific scene, object, problem, question, or conversation].
- Name the tension: [what you wanted], [what made it hard], and [what you tried].
- Show the evidence: [choice/action/constraint] that reveals your role in the application.
- Connect that trait to [program, community, lab, class, tradition, or value].
- End with the contribution you want to make at College of William & Mary, not a compliment.
Frequently asked questions
How many supplemental essays does College of William & Mary require?
College of William & Mary has 1 supplemental essay listed for the 2026-2027 application cycle, in addition to the shared application essay.
Does College of William & Mary accept the Common Application?
Yes — College of William & Mary accepts the Common Application.
What is College of William & Mary's acceptance rate?
College of William & Mary's most recently reported acceptance rate is 33.0%.
When is College of William & Mary's next application deadline?
College of William & Mary's next listed application deadline is the Early Decision round on November 1, 2026.
What does College of William & Mary's supplement essay prompt ask (300 words)?
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? We know this is a fun question, but keep in mind that your response will be evaluated as a writing sample.
Sources and verification
We prioritize College of William & Mary's official admissions pages for school-specific prompts and deadlines, then use application-platform and federal sources as cross-checks. This record is labeled for the 2026-2027 cycle but still needs a fresh verification pass.
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