Washington and Lee University's wording, checked October 26, 2026“On a residential college campus with a Speaking Tradition that encourages connections between individuals, using each other’s names matters. Please share the story of any name you go by and what significance it holds for you.”
How to approach it
- 1Choose any name you go by: given, nickname, family name.
- 2Tell the story with specifics.
- 3Say what it means to you now.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1The name and where it came from.
- 2A moment when the name mattered.
- 3What it means to you now.
Where the 250 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| The moment or example | about 100 |
| What it shows or changed | about 90 |
| Why it matters, or what you bring | about 60 |
Mistakes to avoid
- A name's dictionary meaning with no story.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your W&L 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 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. |
| Takes the form seriously | It follows the prompt's premise and form (a note reads like a note, an imagined event has rules) instead of turning into a standard essay. |
| An angle of your own | The idea goes past the first one most applicants would have, with a specific, surprising choice. |
| Shows who you are | The play reveals the applicant's mind, values or humor; a reader learns something real about them. |
| W&L's ask | Tells the story of a name the applicant goes by and its significance. |
Check your W&L answers
Paste this answer (and any other W&L answers you have). One report covers all of them: the checklist above for each, a note on every sentence, coaching questions and a revision plan. Half a token, or your first review free. We never write a word of it.
Check your college supplemental essays
Your first full review is free. Every answer reviewed in one report.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Common App or any college.
Open the picker and search for a college to see its 2026–27 supplemental questions.
No card needed · one free full review per student · we never write your answers
Questions
More on W&L and this kind of question
- Penn: A thank-you note · 50-200 words
- Dartmouth: Introduce yourself · 250 words
- Stanford: Letter to your future roommate · 100-250 words
- UChicago: How do thoughts eat? (Ernest Leong, Class of 2026) · no set limit
- UChicago: An artistic practice that solves a problem (Akhil Korra, Class of 2028) · no set limit
- UChicago: Make up a mixed metaphor (Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029) · no set limit