Princeton Supplement Essay Prompts & Examples

Princeton University invites applicants to answer a series of supplemental essay prompts designed to reveal their values, perspectives, and potential impact on campus. These essays give admissions officers a deeper understanding of your academic interests, character, and personal story beyond test scores and transcripts. Below are the most recent Princeton supplemental essay prompts, along with examples from students who were accepted to Princeton.

Princeton Essay Prompts 2025/26

A.B. Degree Applicants or Undecided

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests?

(250 word limit)

B.S.E. Degree Applicants

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests.

(250 word limit)

Your Voice

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?

(500 word limit)

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.

(250 word limit)

More About You

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

(50 word limit)

What brings you joy?

(50 word limit)

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

(50 word limit)

Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application.

When selecting a paper to submit, keep in mind the following guidelines:

The paper should be writing done for an academic course, preferably an English, social studies or history course, during the last three years of secondary school, including senior year.
You may send a paper, essay, research paper or essay exam. We are interested in seeing expository writing only, not creative writing.
One to two pages in length is sufficient.
The paper should include the course instructor’s grade, and comments if your instructor provided any.