Davidson College's wording, checked October 26, 2026“Davidson encourages students to explore curiosities in and out of the classroom. What is a topic, activity or idea that excites you? Tell us why. Examples may include hobbies, books, interactions, music, podcasts, movies, etc.”
How to approach it
- 1Pick something specific and recent.
- 2Show yourself inside it.
- 3Spend half the words on why.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1The topic, activity or idea, shown in a moment.
- 2What you do with it.
- 3Why it excites you.
Where the 300 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| The moment or example | about 120 |
| What it shows or changed | about 110 |
| Why it matters, or what you bring | about 80 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing something to sound academic.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your Davidson answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 250-300 words limit they set its readiness verdict.
| Area | What a reader looks for |
|---|---|
| Answers the question | The opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered. |
| One specific idea | It names one specific topic, question or idea early, narrower than a whole subject. |
| Evidence you pursue it | It shows what the applicant read, built, asked or tried on their own, beyond required class work. |
| Your own thinking | The reader sees how the applicant's mind works on it: a connection, an opinion, a question still open. |
| Davidson's ask | It does every part of what Davidson's question asks, in the college's own terms. |
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Questions
More on Davidson and this kind of question
- Yale: A topic or idea that excites you · 200 words
- Stanford: What excites you about learning · 100-250 words
- Northwestern: Dream up a class or project · 200 words
- Caltech: Process: the thought behind the outcome · 200 words
- Caltech: Learning: a STEM rabbit hole · 200 words
- Caltech: Pursuing: sustained intellectual engagement · 200 words