Prompt: Tell us about a topic or issue that sparks your curiosity and gets you intellectually excited. How do you think the environment at Haverford and the framework of the Honor Code would foster your continued intellectual growth? Please limit your response to up to 250 words.
One of the most important aspects of this supplemental essay prompt is addressing Haverford’s Honor Code and how it impacts you as both a student and human. What does that mean exactly? Consider following these steps as you prepare to write:
Step 1: Research the Honor Code so you have a basic understanding. Seems simple, right? Yup. But it’s not just about reading it and going to write. Don’t just scan it, study it.
Step 2: Think about which parts resonate with you. Notice that the Honor Code is divided into two key sections: academic and social. This prompt’s emphasis on intellectual curiosity and growth means you’ll want to focus on the academic aspect of the code. Consider how any or all of the code’s values—The Pledge, Honor Council, Consensus, and Confidentiality—speak to you in a personal way.
Step 3: Don’t forget about “the environment at Haverford.” What does that mean for you? Is it that the college prides itself on fostering leadership among its students—so much as that school officials put students in charge of drafting the Honor Code? Is it that Haverford is known for its quirky, socially aware student body? Or maybe it’s the seminar-style classes and appreciation for discussion and debate. Read the school’s website closely for those insights and jot some notes down on details that speak to you in a personal way.
Step 4: Connect your favorite pieces of the Honor Code and Haverford environment back to you—how will they inform and inspire your college experience and “foster your continued intellectual growth”? Perhaps, for example, think through how the Honor Code will influence how you pursue your field of study, or your interaction with other Haverfordians. Or maybe it’s how the robust atmosphere of discussion and debate will inspire you to dig deeper into the granular details of child psychology. Whatever the details you choose to share, use them to help give Haverford insights into how you think, and what gets you “intellectually excited.”
Step 5: Write a draft!