Northwestern U Bienen School of Music Essay Prompts (Under) 

TIP: Essays are an opportunity – they are one of the few sections of your application that you can 

manage right now, rather than being dependent on your past performance. 

Essay writing is an excellent opportunity for personal expression and original thought. Applicants to 

Northwestern complete two sets of essays: essays appearing on the Common Application or Coalition 

Application, and the Northwestern Writing Supplement essay. The suggested word limit guideline gives you 

the chance to answer each question in detail, while also challenging you to write in a concise and clear 

manner.

In the Northwestern Writing Supplement, we ask students to explain why they would like to attend 

Northwestern. This question is intentionally open-ended. You may choose one or several aspects of 

Northwestern to focus your writing, though the majority of the essay’s content should relate to your own 

interests or experiences.