Grinnell has no required supplement, but recommends one optional short answer of 200-450 words: how your background, respect for others' lived experiences and/or eagerness to meet new perspectives would equip you to thrive at Grinnell and serve the common good. You submit it in your applicant portal after the Common App.
Grinnell's prompt names its core values: a diverse community that is respectful, egalitarian and committed to the common good.
Grinnell's questions at a glance
| Question | Limit | Who answers it | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your background and the common good | 200-450 words | Optional | Background and identity |
How to plan the Grinnell supplement
- 1Write it: Grinnell calls it optional but recommended.
- 2Choose one strand (background, respect, or openness) and go deep rather than covering all three thinly.
This prompt is optional, but recommended.
1. Your background and the common good
Grinnell's wording · 200-450 words · Optional“Grinnell’s core values include supporting a diverse community that is respectful, egalitarian, and committed to the common good. How might your background, respect for the lived experiences of others, and/or eagerness to be exposed to new perspectives equip you to thrive at Grinnell and serve the common good?”
What it is really asking. How your background, your respect for the lived experiences of others and/or your eagerness to meet new perspectives would help you thrive at Grinnell and serve the common good.
How to approach it
- 1Pick the strand you can prove with a story.
- 2Show it in one experience.
- 3Connect it to both thriving at Grinnell and serving the common good.
Mistakes to avoid
- Restating Grinnell's values back to it.
- Serving the common good in the abstract.
Full guide: How to Write Grinnell's Optional Short Answer
What our grader checks in your Grinnell answers
Every answer is judged against a checklist for its kind of question plus one check written for Grinnell's own wording. Each area comes back Met, Partly or Missing, and those verdicts (with the word limit) set the answer's readiness: Ready, Nearly there or Needs work. There is no score out of 100.
| Question | Grinnell's own check |
|---|---|
| Your background and the common good | Connects the applicant's background, respect for others' experiences or openness to new perspectives to thriving at Grinnell and serving the common good. |
The type checklists are on the supplemental essay grader page.
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