Guide/04 School-by-School Supplements
Top Liberal Arts Colleges: Supplements 2026–27
The 2026–27 supplements at Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, and Harvey Mudd, from no essay at all to a graded paper option, and how to approach each.
The most selective liberal arts colleges ask very different things. Williams has no supplemental essay at all (just an optional academic paper). Amherst lets you submit a graded paper instead of an essay. Pomona, Swarthmore, and Harvey Mudd ask two short essays each, and Bowdoin's essays are optional.
At small colleges where professors know every student, your writing shows how you'd be in a seminar. This guide covers all six...
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What’s in this chapter
- 1At a glance
- 2Williams
- 3Amherst
- 4Pomona
- 5Swarthmore
- 6Bowdoin
- 7Harvey Mudd