How to Write the Amherst College Essays 2024-2025
Amherst College is a private liberal arts school in picturesque Amherst, Massachusetts. A small school with a student body of just under 2,000 undergraduates, Amherst is very selective.
Amherst boasts an open curriculum, which means that students have only one required writing seminar outside of their major, rather than a full set of general education requirements. Around 40% of juniors study abroad, and Amherst’s financial aid follows them, so students don’t pay any more than they would if they were studying on-campus. Students can also take classes at one of the four nearby colleges—Mount Holyoke, Smith, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst—through the Five College Consortium.
For the 2024-2025 application cycle, Amherst is requiring one supplemental essay, for which there are three options to choose from. Let’s break down each prompt.
Read this Amherst essay example written by a real student to inspire your writing!
Amherst College Supplemental Essay Prompts
Prompt: In addition to the essay you are writing as part of the Common Application, Amherst requires a supplementary essay from all applicants. There are three options for satisfying Amherst’s supplementary writing requirement: Option A, Option B or Option C. You may select only one of these options. Before deciding, carefully read the descriptions of all three options.
- Option A: Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.
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Quote 1: “Amherst College is committed to learning through close colloquy and to expanding the realm of knowledge through scholarly research and artistic creation at the highest level. Its graduates link learning with leadership—in service to the College, to their communities, and to the world beyond.” – from the Mission of Amherst College
Quote 1 Question: What do you see as the benefits of linking learning with leadership and/or service? In your response, please share with us a time where you have seen that benefit through your own experience.
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Quote 1: “Amherst College is committed to learning through close colloquy and to expanding the realm of knowledge through scholarly research and artistic creation at the highest level. Its graduates link learning with leadership—in service to the College, to their communities, and to the world beyond.” – from the Mission of Amherst College
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Quote 2: “We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world.” – from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community
Quote 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
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Quote 2: “We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world.” – from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community
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Quote 3: “Strong commitment to the freedom of inquiry lies at the heart of Amherst College’s mission to create a home in which the liberal arts may flourish. As a small residential liberal arts college that prides itself on the ability, curiosity, and diversity of its students, Amherst seeks to create a respectful environment in which members of its community feel emboldened to pursue their intellectual and creative passions.” – from the Amherst College Statement of Academic and Expressive Freedom
Quote 3 Question: Tell us about an intellectual or creative passion you have pursued; what did you learn about yourself through that pursuit?
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Quote 3: “Strong commitment to the freedom of inquiry lies at the heart of Amherst College’s mission to create a home in which the liberal arts may flourish. As a small residential liberal arts college that prides itself on the ability, curiosity, and diversity of its students, Amherst seeks to create a respectful environment in which members of its community feel emboldened to pursue their intellectual and creative passions.” – from the Amherst College Statement of Academic and Expressive Freedom
- Option B: Please submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. If you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common Application writing section, you should NOT select Option B.
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Option C: If you are/were an applicant to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. Option A, Prompt 2 is the same prompt as the A2A application essay; if you would like to submit an updated version of your A2A application essay, please choose Option A.
[Please note that Option C is available only to applicants to Amherst’s A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B.]
Before getting started, make sure you’ve carefully read the instructions, as other elements of your application may impact which prompt you should select. For instance, if you applied to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you can use your essay from that application for this supplemental requirement by choosing Option C.
However, we always recommend taking advantage of each and every opportunity you have to make an impression on the admissions officers. Even though you could recycle your A2A essay if you’re applying to that program, we encourage you to respond to one of the other prompts, to demonstrate that you are truly invested in Amherst.
Furthermore, if you already submitted an analytical paper on the Common App for the “essay of your choice,” don’t choose Prompt B. With that general guidance out of the way, let’s get into each of the three essay options.
Option A
Choose one of the following quotations, and respond to the question posed, in an essay of not more than 350 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.
Option A has three sub-options of quotes to choose from, but the general guidelines for each are similar. This prompt is a chance to disclose more information about your identity and background – remember, the prompt says twice that your response should be personal.
Typical responses might connect the provided quote to your culture or ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, family history, or socioeconomic background. However, you can choose to center your response around any part of you that you feel has influenced your perspectives, values, and opinions, especially with Quotes 1 and 2. That could be a cause that’s meaningful to you, an experience you had with someone who’s different from you, or even simply a favorite hobby.
Regardless of your topic, make sure you support your points with personal anecdotes, and then use in-depth analysis and reflection to connect those anecdotes back to the quote and question.
Option A, Quote 1
“Amherst College is committed to learning through close colloquy and to expanding the realm of knowledge through scholarly research and artistic creation at the highest level. Its graduates link learning with leadership—in service to the College, to their communities, and to the world beyond.” – from the Mission of Amherst College
Quote 1 Question: What do you see as the benefits of linking learning with leadership and/or service? In your response, please share with us a time where you have seen that benefit through your own experience.
This quote and question want to know how you personally have experienced the benefits of linking learning, leadership, and service, and how these experiences have shaped your broader perspective. It’s an example of the Impact on Community/Community Service archetype prompt, which provides space for you to show how you engage with the people around you. Amherst wants students who positively impact the world they live in, so emphasize how you’ve contributed to your community!
To brainstorm, consider any longstanding involvements you have with a service-based club, organization, or activism project, situations in which you showed true altruism, activities you do that have a positive impact on your community, and your dedication to social change or justice.
However, make sure to avoid short-term projects and stand-alone events. Deep involvement, ideally over several years, is what reflects genuine commitment to your cause. A weeklong Habitat for Humanity trip or an afternoon working at the local food bank don’t pack much of a punch on their own.
That said, sometimes a shorter term involvement, or even a single-day event, can make a big impact on you. If that’s true for you, you can discuss those experiences – just make sure to clearly connect them to your deeper commitments and values.
Finally, include how your values will continue shaping your life in the future, and maybe even demonstrate how you would positively contribute to the Amherst community. Amherst admissions officers should be able to clearly see why this story matters for understanding what kind of college student you’ll be.
Avoid the following common mistakes made with this archetype:
Don’t use a privileged or pretentious tone. You don’t want to cast yourself as some kind of savior, or the people you helped as existing only to help you learn about yourself.
Don’t come to a cliché conclusion. Be original in sharing your experience. Cliché messages like “I learned that people can be happy with so little” or “I learned the importance of giving back” are red flags of inauthenticity.
Don’t be detached or impersonal. Make sure to write about the impact you made, what you felt, and your personal experience throughout. Being vulnerable, and acknowledging and uncertainty or discomfort you felt, typically makes your essay stronger, and those sentiments are evidence of true growth.
Don’t focus too much on the “what,” but rather the “why” and “how.” More than just what you did, describe why you did it, and how it connects to your learning and personal growth.
Don’t use a generic or overused example like volunteering at a soup kitchen or picking up litter unless you have a genuinely unique perspective or narrative. For example, maybe you started doing deliveries from the soup kitchen on your bike, to reach people who were unable to travel there, or you started creating found art with some of the pieces of litter you found.
Now, all of this being said, remember to return to the wording of the prompt, which specifically wants you to discuss service and leadership in relation to learning. To do this, think about how learning influenced your actions in the situation you describe, and vice versa. Cast a wide net with your definition of “learning” – it could be academic knowledge, a moral or life lesson, or a skill you developed.
See the example below for an idea of how to tie all these different strands together:
“The sound of saws and hammers echoed through the crisp morning air as my classmates and I began constructing the first of many benches for our local park. The project had started as a simple assignment in my environmental science class—design a practical solution to improve our community’s green spaces. But for me, it became an opportunity to lead my peers in turning theory into action. As I coordinated materials, managed logistics, and even navigated a few conflicts, I realized that my understanding of environmental stewardship was coming to life.”
The essay begins with a visual hook, which the writer then immediately connects to learning, leadership, and service. The writer establishes that the project began in their environmental science class – checking the learning box – and explains their leadership role they took, by assuming coordination and managerial responsibilities.
The last part of this excerpt delves into the personal growth aspect of the prompt: why was your service important, and what did you learn or gain from it that you’ll take with you to Amherst? Make sure that the broader takeaways you provide are expressed in a way that concretely connects to your personal experience, as otherwise you risk them sounding cliché. For example:
“By the end of the project, we had built not only benches but also a stronger sense of community pride. That day, I saw firsthand the power of linking knowledge with leadership, to turn a sketch on a notebook into a bench where people of all backgrounds will be able to sit for years to come.”
Overall, this prompt wants to know how you have improved the lives of others in your community. To do so, provide a narrative that shows how you used some sort of knowledge to take on a leadership role in an act of service, and make sure to explain your motivations, contributions, and values related to this experience.
Option A, Quote 2
“We seek an Amherst made stronger because it includes those whose experiences can enhance our understanding of our nation and our world. We do so in the faith that our humanity is an identity forged from diversity, and that our different perspectives enrich our inquiry, deepen our knowledge, strengthen our community, and prepare students to engage with an ever-changing world.” – from the Trustee Statement on Diversity and Community
Quote 2 Question: In what ways could your unique experiences enhance our understanding of our nation and our world?
This prompt is an example of the very common diversity archetype, which seeks to know more about your personal background and its impact on your worldview.
A quick note if you intend to write about your racial background: In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.
Of course, even if your racial background is important to you, you’re still welcome to write about some other aspect of your identity. Just be aware that if you do so, Amherst admissions officers will be unable to factor your racial identity into their decision in any way.
Regardless of which part of your identity you choose to focus on, make sure to also discuss what it’s taught you about diversity more broadly, and how those lessons connect to your overall life experience. Simply listing things that are commonly associated with diversity should be avoided – sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but just writing that laundry list out doesn’t help Amherst understand your deeper perspectives on the world.
Make sure to avoid these common mistakes:
Don’t solely write about negative experiences. You may have had negative experiences as a result of your background or identity, and while it’s generally fine to mention adversity, college essays usually call for a positive outcome or lesson at the conclusion. Otherwise, admissions officers may feel confused about how this experience is going to help you thrive in college.
Don’t use a cliché topic like immigration, traveling, or moving. These events are very common, which doesn’t mean they can’t be an important part of your own background, but within the context of the college essay, you want to highlight experiences that are more distinctive.
Don’t write a laundry list of identities and demographics. As noted above, this prompt isn’t just about who you are – it’s about what you’ve experienced and how you see the world because of that part of yourself. So, make sure to provide deeper analysis. Most of the essay should be about your reactions, growth, and the evolution of your worldview, not just stating “[x] is a key part of who I am.”
Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. There are other aspects of identity that contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses and disabilities, or even interests and hobbies.
Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, so choose something that will allow you to showcase individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to set yourself apart from other academically qualified applicants, by sharing your unique perspective on life.
So, rather than relying on some bland dictionary definition of “diversity,” think about what the word means to you personally, and the significance it’s had for your own growth and development. From there, think of anecdotes and stories that can demonstrate this impact to Amherst admissions officers. For example:
“The smell of kimchi being fermented in the garage would often waft through our house, a stark contrast to the Midwestern meatloaf dinners my friends’ families enjoyed. Growing up as a Korean American in a small town in Ohio meant navigating a dual identity—my mother’s voice singing Korean lullabies at night and my teachers’ Midwestern drawls echoing through my school days.
This blend of cultures, initially a source of confusion, became my greatest asset. I learned to appreciate the subtleties of different worldviews and, more importantly, to bridge them. When my classmates questioned why my lunchbox contained seaweed and rice instead of sandwiches, I didn’t shy away. Instead, I shared my food, my stories, and my heritage.
Through these small but significant exchanges, I witnessed the power of cultural understanding in breaking down barriers. At Amherst, I’m eager to continue these dialogues, enriching the campus with my perspective and learning from the diverse voices around me.”
This excerpt vividly describes the writer’s multicultural background, then quickly gets into the meat of the prompt: offering specific insight into the impact of the writer’s identity on their perspective. This prompt is an opportunity to tell a story about who you are, where you come from, and what you have learned because of those things, and this writer does all of that to paint a clear picture of how they’ll add to Amherst’s already-diverse campus community.
Option A, Quote 3
“Strong commitment to the freedom of inquiry lies at the heart of Amherst College’s mission to create a home in which the liberal arts may flourish. As a small residential liberal arts college that prides itself on the ability, curiosity, and diversity of its students, Amherst seeks to create a respectful environment in which members of its community feel emboldened to pursue their intellectual and creative passions.” – from the Amherst College Statement of Academic and Expressive Freedom
Quote 3 Question: Tell us about an intellectual or creative passion you have pursued; what did you learn about yourself through that pursuit?
The last quote is an example of the Extracurricular Interest archetype. The point of this prompt is for admissions officers to learn more about your passions and how they have made you the person you are by shaping your values, skills, and perspective. Most of your extracurriculars are already provided on the Common App activities section, but here is an opportunity to share the detailed story behind one of these activities.
Consider the activity to which you have shown the most commitment, or that has been the most influential in your development. Make sure you select an extracurricular that you haven’t already discussed in another response (as that wouldn’t be the most productive use of this space), and that you feel exceptionally passionate about and have invested a lot of time into.
Note that Amherst intentionally casts a broad net here, with the phrase “intellectual or creative passion.” This activity doesn’t have to be something you did in a formal capacity–it could be a hobby, like running a football blog with your brother, or passion project, like familiarizing yourself with black and white cinema.
While these involvements may not seem “impressive,” in reality they can go a long way towards showing admissions officers that you are a genuinely curious person, not someone who’s just trying to pad their resume.
Regardless of which activity you focus on, you want to go beyond the nuts and bolts of what you did and how long you’ve been involved–indeed, if you choose something that also appears on your Common App, you can skip over those details entirely, as admissions officers already have them.
Instead, flesh out the strongest emotion you feel about that activity, any traits or skills you’ve developed as a result, and how it has affected the other areas of your life. To do so, you can dive into a single moment or event, or give a broader reflection that includes at least one anecdote. Check out this example of how you might start off your essay:
“The cafeteria was loud, the usual hum of lunchtime chatter filling the air, but my mind was elsewhere—trapped in the kitchen of a fictional home where a father struggled to cook dinner for his daughter. I’d been working on my play for weeks, pouring every ounce of my frustration and love into the characters, who were an amalgamation of my own family’s unspoken grief after my grandmother’s death.
When I first started writing, it felt like therapy—translating my confusion and sadness into dialogue, finding solace in the conversations my characters could have that my family never did.”
This response creates a visceral image of the writer as a young playwright. It connects their extracurricular to their broader lived experience, and does so in a poetic style. They could then continue:
“Writing and performing this play taught me that art isn’t just about self-expression; it’s about connection—bridging the gap between what we feel and what others understand. At Amherst, I’m excited to explore this connection further, combining courses in theater, psychology, and creative writing to deepen my understanding of how stories can heal and unite people across different experiences and emotions.”
The writer goes on to further elaborate on the emotional impact their interest in writing plays has had on their life, and wraps things up with a flourish by envisioning how they could continue growing through this extracurricular at Amherst.
Option B
Please submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. If you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the “essay topic of your choice” prompt in the Common Application writing section, you should NOT select Option B.
As we’ve already mentioned, Option B has a minor stipulation in that if you already submitted an analytical paper on the Common App for the “essay of your choice,” you should not select this prompt. There are also further guidelines for this prompt: the paper must have been for credit in a course and thus graded and must utilize “literary, sociological or historical evidence.” The emphasis on this writing sample is that it is analytical and uses evidence to construct a concise, persuasive argument.
The ideal submission for this prompt will most likely come from an English or history class, given the instructions about the nature of the analytical evidence. If your strengths don’t lie in this fields, it may be a better idea to use a different prompt. Consider the following factors when choosing your essay:
Highest grade or most positive feedback: Papers in which your teacher praised your argument, analysis, or writing style will work best.
Reflection of interests or academic strengths: Choose an essay about a subject you’re passionate about or one that aligns with the major you intend to pursue in college.
In-depth analysis: If you have any essays in which you synthesized or pulled evidence from multiple sources and texts, it may be a strong submission.
Option C
If you are/were an applicant to Amherst’s Access to Amherst (A2A) program, you may use your A2A application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your A2A essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. Option A, Prompt 2 is the same prompt as the A2A application essay; if you would like to submit an updated version of your A2A application essay, please choose Option A.
[Please note that Option C is available only to applicants to Amherst’s A2A program. Non-A2A applicants must choose either Option A or Option B.]
Amherst hosts two diversity open houses (A2A) in the fall for up to 100 prospective students, covering their transportation fees, housing, and meals for the weekend. Participants get to stay with a current student in their dorm, attend classes, and experience life on campus. These weekends are open to all high schoolers, but preference is given to underrepresented minorities and those from financially disadvantaged families.
Selection is based on an application, which includes an essay. If you were an A2A applicant, you may reuse your essay to apply to Amherst. However, we recommend that you respond to Option A and write a new essay if you wish to truly show your interest in Amherst.
We at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck with your supplemental essay for Amherst!
For more about Amherst, check out this YouTube video, where a 2018 grad shares her experience as a student at Amherst College.
You can also check out the post How I Got Into Amherst College, for a close look into the profile of an accepted Amherst student.
Where to Get Your Amherst Essays Edited For Free
Do you want feedback on your Amherst essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool, where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!
