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2026–27 application cycle

Barnard College supplemental essays

Every writing prompt on the Barnard College application, with word limits, taken from the application itself. 2 prompts.

  • Prompt 1Required50 words max

    Your bold question

    At Barnard, inquiry starts with asking bold questions about the world. What is one bold question on your mind and what about it piques your curiosity?
  • Prompt 2Required250 words max

    A trailblazing woman's lesson

    Barnard College is shaped by trailblazing women with a multitude of perspectives. Think of a woman - historical, fictional, contemporary, or personally significant - whose views or approach to problem-solving differ from your own, but who excels at bringing people together. What lesson from her approach would shape how you show up at Barnard both inside and outside of the classroom?

    How to approach it

    Community and identity prompts reward specificity over significance. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label described from the outside. End on what you carry from it into a campus, not on a moral.

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Common questions

Barnard College essays, answered

How many essays does Barnard College require?

Barnard College lists 2 writing supplements for the 2026–27 cycle, all required. That is on top of the main personal statement.

How long are the Barnard College supplemental essays?

Word limits across the listed prompts add up to roughly 300 words. Budget real time for them: supplements are where admissions sees your specific interest in Barnard College.

Do the Barnard College supplemental essays matter?

Yes, and more as selectivity rises. Grades and scores put you in the pool; supplements are one of the few places you control what the reader learns about you, and a generic why-us essay is one of the most common self-inflicted wounds in admissions.

What Spike does with this

Get help planning Barnard College essays.

Spike helps students connect each prompt to their own experiences, outline a response, and revise without ghostwriting.