Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay Examples

Prompt: Founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community) and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

Johns Hopkins supplemental essay example #1

I always have a book in my purse. Technically, I always have several because I carry a physical copy of a book and my Kindle, which gives me access to thousands of books. I don't remember when I started doing this, but I remember every single time that I found myself outside with nothing to do, and a book was there for me to escape into. 

As you probably guess, I am an avid reader. I read an average of four novels every week, and then I talk about it with the community that I have built through my blog online. I enjoy telling others about the books I am reading, what I liked about them, the tools the writer used to drive their point home, and what they could have done better. 

I first started reading when my family and I moved to the United States from Brazil. I spoke fluent Portuguese and very little English, so my ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher suggested I start reading English books to improve my vocabulary. 

I will admit that the first few months were challenging. I was grateful for the kindle feature that allows you to check the definition of a word by double-clicking on it because I needed to look up so many words. I started setting challenges for myself. I would reward myself with a matcha latte if I could read three chapters without having to look up a single word, or I would get to watch telenovelas instead of reading if I managed to read a book within a certain amount of time. 

Eventually, not only did my English improve significantly, but I started looking forward to reading. I had fallen in love with fictional worlds and the complex characters that inhabit those worlds. I have often found myself finding refuge in books, and I believe that there are so many others who could benefit from them. 

My goal is to teach others about the wonderful world of literature and introduce others to books as my teacher did for me. Johns Hopkins not only offers an entire course on one of my favorite authors - Virginia Wolf-, but it also provides a rigorous English major that would allow me to strengthen my foundational understanding of formal literary criticism while also increasing my knowledge of modern literature. 

I can't imagine exploring my love for literature anywhere else. 

Johns Hopkins supplemental essay example #2

“Are clouds heavy? They don’t look heavy, but they have to be because you said that’s where rain comes from. Right?”

That is one of the many questions that I asked as a child. I have always had what my mother calls a curious spirit. I was that annoying child who preferred asking a million odd questions instead of playing games. So, to keep me busy, my mother would let me play games like Trivia and 20Q on her iPad. I developed a particular interest in 20Q when I realized that it would guess what I was thinking. I wanted to know why, and that is how my fascination with technology began.

Initially, I set out to understand how the game was guessing correctly, but my research led me to the fantastic world of Artificial Intelligence. I had more than twenty questions about how they work and what they can be used for, and as usual, I made sure to ask everyone around me. It was, therefore, not surprising when I signed up for a computer programming class as soon as I could in middle school. I was so excited to finally learn from a teacher who could answer some of my questions.

In middle school, I learned about artificial neural networks and how they use algorithms to recognize hidden patterns and correlations in raw data, how these networks can cluster and classify that data, and – over time – continuously learn and improve. I applied these same principles to my work as a student. Even though I was passionate about the topic and understood the principles behind computer programming, coding did not come naturally to me. I would stay behind after class to get some help from my teacher and other students. I would also spend my free periods practicing and watching tutorials. 



Eventually, I, too, learned and improved over time. I even created an app that allowed me and the other basketball team members to learn different plays and analyze past games. I loved having this opportunity to combine both of my interests and use each of them to improve my abilities in the other.

I realize that I still have unbounded room to grow, and much like neural AI networks, I intend to keep learning and improving. I believe that Johns Hopkins is uniquely designed to help me on that journey. (394 words)

Wondering how to maximize your chances of admission with a low GPA? Check this out:

Johns Hopkins supplemental essay example #3

“you’ll need to do some more living, first, and learn about things outside of literature.”

That’s what my grandmother told me when I first told her that I wanted to become a writer. At first, her words didn’t make much sense to me. I felt that to become a better writer; I have to study writers and the art of writing, nothing more. That said, my grandmother is one of the wisest people I know, and she is usually right, so I kept an open mind and thought about what she said often. 

It first started making sense to me when I learned that Agatha Christie was a nurse and that Mark Twain was a steamboat pilot. It helped me realize that the best writers were not only capable of writing beautifully, but they also combined their knowledge of literature with outside information and personal experiences to create masterpieces that we are still learning from today. As an aspiring journalist and novelist, learning this made me wonder about my own interests outside of literature. 

I have spent most of my free time in middle and high school focusing on improving my writing and research abilities through the school newspaper which I write for, the debate club that I am a part of as a researcher, and the book club that I meet with every other Saturday. My grandmother’s words and my recent discovery propelled me into action. I decided to “do some more living,” as my grandmother had called it. I joined the dance team, where I learned to push myself and confirmed that practice makes perfect. I also joined the social committee, which taught me how many people work behind the scenes of even the most minor events and how important the details are. I recently signed up for a cooking class as well, and I am confident that my experience with cooking will also teach me a valuable lesson. 

Although I am on the path to becoming a journalist, I am excited to continue exploring different interests through the many programs Johns Hopkins offers. No other school would give me the option of attending writing seminars while also learning about various topics like earth & planetary sciences or robotics. I believe these experiences will only make me a better writer and allow me to contribute to my community more significantly. (392 words)

Johns Hopkins supplemental essay example #4

The night before my last debate, I slept for four hours. I know this was not the brightest idea, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to review my points again and ensure that I felt prepared. I remember laughing with my mother that night when she came in to remind me that I needed to sleep if I wanted to win. We laughed at the fact that once upon a time, I hated the idea of the debate club, and now, I was staying up late because I cared about the debate's outcome.  

It is true that when my English teacher firsts suggested I join the debate club at school, I thought the idea of it seemed nonsensical. But after a few weeks of research and preparation and one debate tournament, I was hooked. 

In order to debate, I often have to research complicated topics such as foreign diplomatic agendas, international relations, critical theory, and many others. I then have to synthesize that information into coherent debate evidence and translate knowledge into actual debate argumentation. It is the most challenging and rewarding experience that I have had, and it has helped me develop the ability to critically analyze information, make sense of it and express it creatively in written and oral form. 

I have come to enjoy this aspect of debate prep, and I have come to love the competition as well. Over the past three years, my partner and I have won four debate tournaments, and I have won six regional speaker awards. This has not only boosted my confidence in my abilities, but has also increased my credibility in the debate league. We even got invited to a national conference where our public debate helped raise awareness about the impact of gentrification and what the local government can do about it. 

Most importantly, debating has taught me the importance of being prepared and thorough. I have learned to pay attention to details and actively listen to other people's perspectives. Not only do I now know how to look at the bigger picture, but I also know how to pick the right place to zoom in to so I can achieve my goal. All abilities I know will serve me well as I go through the rigorous political studies program at Johns Hopkins. (385 words)

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Johns Hopkins supplemental essay example #5

There is an ancient power in storytelling, and journalism modernizes it. The stories I read in newspapers and blogs are all filled with imperfect characters and intricate conflicts in which the journalist is the narrator. My dream has always been to be that narrator, and I have been working toward that goal with the kind of singular focus I believe the best journalists have. 

I started dreaming about it before I understood what it was. One of my first memories of this is from a vacation we took when I was about twelve years old. My family and I had spent a few days at the Rocky Mountain Amusement Park Resort, and I took it upon myself to write a detailed account of our trip. I remember being bored most of the trip and having to find ways to entertain myself because I was too short to go on many of the rides, so I essentially wrote an article that proclaimed that the Rocky Mountain Amusement Park was boring. 

However, during the drive home, my brother read my article and told me I was wrong. That was the first time I thought about different perspectives and how they affect our individual experiences. That experience taught me to consider all points of view, regardless of my personal perspective. 

As the editor-in-chief for my school newspaper, I always make it a point to remind my team to do the same. We aim to share the uncensored perspectives of as many students as possible, and I’ve found that the best way to do so is to talk and listen to different groups, especially those who have a different perspective than our own. This is why whenever one of the journalists proposes a story, I ask them to find out why the event happened, where it will lead and who it will affect. 

This attitude has helped me expand my perspective beyond my little bubble and explore. In an effort to learn more about people’s experiences, I started reading diverse books and looking for stories that give me a chance to learn. I have gotten better at writing about polarizing-opposite opinions through an unbiased lens. I know that I still have a lot to learn, and I am eager and ready to do so. (380 words)

Conclusion

Johns Hopkins is one of the most competitive schools in the US, with an average acceptance rate of 11%. Applicants need to submit an outstanding supplemental essay if they want to get an offer of admission. This is especially true if you are trying to get into college with a low GPA. We recommend taking the time to review various essay examples from other schools that are equally prestigious and selective. For example, you may want to review Brown or even Columbia supplemental essay examples. Furthermore, the school has a section called "essays that worked" on their website that you should check out. When you are ready to put pen to paper, you should keep in mind that there are college essay review services that can help you edit your essay and ensure that it is as compelling as possible. 

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