common app essays john hopkins

6 Outstanding Johns Hopkins Essays That Worked for 2024

To get into Johns Hopkins University in 2024, you'll need to make sure your essays that help you stand out.

You may know that John Hopkins releases essay examples every so often.

And in this article, I've gathered 6 additional incredible Johns Hopkins essays from admitted students.

Whether you're a student or parent of an applicant, get inspired and real insight into JHU admissions.

What is John Hopkins University's Acceptance Rate?

Getting into Johns Hopkins is difficult. Last year, over 37,150 students applied to Johns Hopkins and 2,407 were admitted.

That means Johns Hopkins had an overall acceptance rate of 6.5%, or in other words about 1 in 15 students get admitted each year

Johns Hopkins Acceptance Scattergram

Luckily, if you want to maximize your chances of getting into Johns Hopkins, your essays make sure you have your best chance of acceptance.

For top schools like Johns Hopkins, your essays matter more.

What are the Johns Hopkins Supplemental Prompts for 2022-23?

This year, Johns Hopkins requires applicants to write one essay of 300-400 words in response to its writing supplement question.

Here are the Johns Hopkins writing supplement prompts for this year:

• Founded in the spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests, and pursue new experiences.

Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community), and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

6 Additional Johns Hopkins EssaysThatWorked

These are 6 additional Johns Hopkins essays that worked written by admitted students. Here you can read their essay examples and see how they got accepted.

I've also included some Common App essays written by admitted JHU students.

• 1. Runners Take Your Marks
• 2. Percussive Marching Arts
• 3. Constance Care Center
• 4. Governor's School of Science
• 6. Glowing Blob

#1. Johns Hopkins Supplement Example: Runners Take Your Marks

Prompt: Successful students at Johns Hopkins make the biggest impact by collaborating with others, including peers, mentors, and professors. Talk about a time, in or outside the classroom, when you worked with others and what you learned from the experience. (300-400 words)

"Runners take your marks, get set, collaborate?"

When one attempts to characterize the sport of cross-country, the term 'teammates' rarely comes to mind. More commonly, the activity is associated with words such as 'champion' or 'competitor', both singular nouns. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine the extent of my surprise when, stepping into my first-ever cross-country practice as a lanky ninth-grader, I witnessed the sense of camaraderie present among the more established members of the team. Despite my acknowledgement of these runners as teammates, I held my opposing views of cross-country and of collaboration at the poles of my mind, convinced that the two were terminally incompatible. Stubbornly clinging to this black-and-white philosophy, I carried it with me throughout the season's inaugural meet, unaware of the burden that such a dichotomous perspective created. Instead of tuning into the motivated cheering of coaches, I tuned into the laborious pumping of my arms, resultant of the intensity of the race.

Opposed to focusing on the changes in pace effected by my teammates, I chose to focus on the chafing around my ankles, resultant of an ill-fitting pair of racing spikes. Intent of ensuring my own success, I willfully ignored the reality that, although my teammates were assuming the role of rivals, my teammates were simultaneously assuming the role of collaborators, purposefully striving to ensure the success of one another. Consequently, the competing teams engaging in cooperative conduct similarly happened to be the teams with the greatest overall achievement at that first meet.

While witnessing the success of collaborative teams certainly set into motion a transformation of my polarized perspective in regards to cross-country, the true catalytic factor materialized itself as the interactions carried out between my teammates and I. As the season progressed, and as I gradually gained awareness of the team's nuanced character, I noticed that the strengths of one teammate served to supplement the weaknesses of another. Where one teammate may have fallen short on rhythm near the conclusion of a race, for example, another teammate would provide a blazing final 'kick'. Equipped with a transformative understanding of team dynamics, I ultimately came to realize that cooperative achievement arises not from compromise, but rather from the constructive amalgamation of distinctive individual qualities.

As I toe the starting line of an undefined future, I will undoubtedly carry these indelible lessons with me throughout the entirety of life's most daunting race.

#2. Johns Hopkins Supplement Example: Percussive Marching Arts

There is something intimate, almost profound, in mirroring the movements of about 14 people around you.

From paralleling the idiosyncrasies of a vibraphone player’s smile to the nuances of a marimba player’s wrist movements, it is difficult to achieve total nonverbal communication in a band’s front ensemble. The result, however, is an infinitely rewarding one; the visual mosaic we design — whether inside the confines of a gymnasium floor or on an expansive stretch of turf on a football field — is akin to the aural one we create as well. This tapestry, while ostensibly uniform, is woven with the gradations of every player’s physical form, their quirks quickly adopted by the whole ensemble.

Indeed, pantomiming and performing become one in the same in the stationary percussive marching arts. This mimicry demands a sacred conviction that every player will commit to maintaining the mosaic that we’ve worked so hard to build. The tense moment when each player waves his or her mallets above the board permits no hesitation; there is no room to confirm the camaraderie between players before striking the keys. We are forced to trust that everything will fall into place, and the tapestry will unfold as it should to captivate our audience.

I’ve learned a lot from playing mallet percussion across the ensembles offered at my school, but the most important thing I’ve learned is to relax, and allow the hours me and my peers have put into rehearsal take their course. I am a notoriously anxious person, obsessed with precision and perfection. Performing is anything but precise; it’s fluid and expressive. When the drum major counts off, I cannot worry about my stance behind the board, or if how much torque I am applying to the first stroke is the same as the person next to me. I must be unapologetically confident.

The faith that I’ve cultivated in my peers in creating this musical tapestry has translated to an increased faith in myself and my own abilities. No longer am I afraid to explore new talents, or take intellectual excursions into fields unbeknownst to me. I am free to teach myself anything, from the entirety of Claude Debussy's works on piano to the John Cena theme song on recorder. Indeed, contributing to something greater than myself has fundamentally changed who I am for the better.

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#3. Johns Hopkins Common App Essay Example: Constance Care Center

Common App Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (250-650 words)

Why This Essay Works:

This student uses vulnerability in admitting that they held preconceived notions about the elderly before this experience. The quote introduces these preconceived notions well, while the description of how this student got their job in the care facility is also engaging.

Admission officers love to see your interactions with others. Showing how you interact reveals a lot about your character, and this essay benefits from reflecting upon the student's relationship with a particular elderly individual.

What They Might Improve:

It is good to be descriptive, but only when it supports your expression of ideas. In this essay, the author uses adjectives and adverbs excessively, without introducing new ideas. Your ideas are more important than having a diverse vocabulary, and the realizations in this essay are muddled by rephrasing similar ideas using seemingly "impressive," but ultimately somewhat meaningless, vocabulary.

This essay touches on some interesting ideas, but on multiple occasions these ideas are repeated just in different phrasing. If you have already expressed an idea, don't repeat it unless you're adding something new: a deeper context, a new angle, a broadened application, etc. Ask yourself: what is the purpose of each sentence, and have I expressed it already?

It's true that almost any topic can make for a strong essay, but certain topics are trickier because they make it easy to write about overly used ideas. In this essay, the main idea can be summarized as: "I realized the elderly were worthy humans too." It touches upon more interesting ideas, such as how people can be reduced down to their afflictions rather than their true character, but the main idea is somewhat surface-level.

#4. Johns Hopkins Common App Essay Example: Governor's School of Science

#5. johns hopkins personal statement example: riddles.

Common App Prompt #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? (250-650 words)

As I was going to St. Ives, Upon the road I met seven wives; Every wife had seven sacks, Every sack had seven cats: Cats, sacks, and wives, How many were going to St. Ives?

The riddles of life were not as straightforward as the puzzles in my books and websites. In fact, they were not straightforward at all, like winding mazes of philosophical quandary.

One of the most thought-provoking subjects that preoccupies my mind regards the existence of aliens. Initially, my mind was settled on the possibility of intelligent life. A universe so big could not possibly be lifeless.

As for the solution to the riddle at the start:

How many were going to St. Ives?

This essay does well by having a unique central topic—riddles—which allows the author to draw out interesting ideas related to this theme. Your topic doesn't necessarily need to be profound or hugely significant, because this author shows how you can take a seemingly unimportant topic and use it to make meaningful connections. In this essay, riddles grow to represent something greater than the activity itself, which is something you can do with almost any topic.

One of the most effective ways to "show, not tell" is to use specific and tangible examples. This essay does a great job of exemplifying their ideas. Rather than just saying "I enthralled my friends with questions," the author also shows this: "Over peanut butter and sliced ham, I assumed the role of story teller..." Examples are always more convincing because they are proof, and allow the reader to interpret for themselves. Don't tell the reader what you want them to think. Instead, set up moments that guide the reader to come to those conclusions themselves.

This conclusion connects back to the beginning, which is generally a good idea as it creates a cohesive structure. However, this ending doesn't quite make sense in the context of the riddle. Rather than creating new meaning, it comes off as arbitrary and contrived. Make sure your conclusion isn't creative just for creative-sake, and instead also has significant meaning attached to it.

#6. Johns Hopkins Personal Statement Example: Glowing Blob

Common App Prompt #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. (250-650 words)

The diamond leaves of gnarled oak trees throw spectrums of color onto mounds of frosty snow that gleam melancholily under the moonlight. The leaves chime as wind violently rustles them in a haunting melody. I splinter a leaf off its branch and inspect the shard of my illusion, eyes dancing with amusement.

As I dwell in my worries, a cold hand reaches from behind me and taps my shoulder.

I jerk away, fear bubbling in my amygdala as I look into the nonexistent eyes of my intruding visitor.

The moon illuminates a blob of pink squish as it draws back slowly, points its spindly hands towards my drink and asks: “Could I have some of that?”

The blob wipes its invisible mouth with its nonexistent sleeve. I ask: “What are you?”

The blob tells me to stop looking at it so suspiciously. “I can prove it,” It says. I tell it, please, go ahead.

Suddenly we are back in the glowing forest. “Diamonds? Pah!” The blob dismisses them. Instantly, the leaves turn solid gold, the snow melts, and the wintry world is thrown into a blistering summer.

The blob laughs heartlessly. “Your cortex is under my control,” it says smugly.

“I heard you had a question for me?” It taps its invisible ears knowingly.

The blob wriggles its invisible brows as it waits.

It smiles that wicked smile. It laughs that sinful laugh. Then that insufferable blob wakes me up.

As I sit up in the dark and rub my bleary eyes, I am vaguely aware of the deep­set unfulfillment settling itself inside me. I yawn and plop back into bed, the soft red glow of my alarm clock indicating that it is still before midnight.

One thing is for sure about this essay: it has a unique idea that has surely not been written before. Regardless of your topic, you want your essay to be unique in some way, even if it isn't as fantastical as this essay. You can use a unique structure, such as having central symbolism, metaphor, or being structured as a recipe, for example. But this can easily become "gimmicky" if it doesn't have a clear purpose. In general, the most effective way to have a unique essay is to focus on having deep and unique ideas and reflections. By focusing on interesting takeaways and connections that are ultra-specific to you and your experiences, your essay will standout regardless of the structure.

This essay uses a lot of fiction-like writing that is fantastical and "flowery." Although moments of this kind of writing can make your essay more vivid, it is quite easy to end up with dense storytelling and descriptions that ultimately don't share anything interesting about you. The purpose of your essay is ultimately to learn about you: your values, your ideas, your identity, etc. By using dense story-like writing, it can be easy to lose focus of what admissions officers are looking for. In general, avoid writing "fancy" stories like this essay, unless you have a clear and distinct purpose for doing so. Everything in your essay should have a purpose in "going somewhere" (i.e. reaching interesting ideas and takeaways).

This essay is definitely creative, but lacks meaningful takeaways and ideas. By the end of the essay, we don't know much about the author besides the fact that they have an affinity for creative writing and are "on a search." Although the content is unique, the end result comes off as quite generic and surface-level because no interesting thoughts are explored deeply. The most interesting part of this essay is "I open my mouth and ask it my most crucial question," but this is super unsatisfying because the question is never divulged. Instead, the reader is teased by this fantasy story and the essay goes nowhere meaningful, which comes off as gimmicky and "creative for creative's sake," rather than deeply personal and interesting.

This essay ends on the idea of "continuing my search," but for what exactly? It is never explained, elaborated, or even implied (besides one reference to painting earlier). That makes this conclusion comes off as somewhat surface-level and uninteresting. Admissions officers won't care about "your search" unless they have a reason to care. That is, unless it tells something specific about you. On it's own, this idea of "exploring" and "searching" is meaningless because it is too broad and unelaborated.

What Can You Learn From These Johns Hopkins Essays?

If you're trying to get into Johns Hopkins University this year, you'll need to write essays that help you stand out and get accepted. These 6 examples of Johns Hopkins essays that worked show how real students got into JHU in recent years.

In this article, you can read and learn from essay examples responding to the Johns Hopkins writing supplement for 2024 as well as successful Common App personal statements .

Let me know, what did you think of these Johns Hopkins essay examples?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked.com

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People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

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How to Write the Johns Hopkins University Supplemental Essay 2019-2020

Johns Hopkins University is the oldest research university in the United States. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, it is home to just over 6,000 undergraduate students and more than 19,000 graduate students. Although renowned for its School of Medicine, its undergraduate campus is also highly prestigious.

Undergraduate education at Johns Hopkins University is largely research-based. Nearly 80% of undergraduates perform some kind of independent research throughout their college careers. Johns Hopkins University is also home to the oldest continuously running university press in the United States .

In the 2018-2019 cycle, Johns Hopkins University admitted 9.2% of all applicants. While this this low acceptance rate might be intimidating, there are still ways to improve your odds of acceptance. One of the best ways to stand out is through the essay. Johns Hopkins only requires one supplemental essay for all applicants, so it’s important that you do this one justice. In this post, we’ll break down this essay prompt, as well as the specialized program prompts.

Want to learn what Johns Hopkins University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering Johns Hopkins University needs to know.

Make sure to check out How to Write the Common Application Essays 2019-2020 .

For ALL Applicants: Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay Prompt

In addition to submitting the Common Application, Coalition Application, or Universal College Application, Johns Hopkins University requires applicants to write a supplementary essay. The writing supplement consists of just one essay with a required length of 300-400 words. The prompt included below asks you to recount a time when you collaborated with others and to share your thoughts on the experience. Want to know your chances at Johns Hopkins? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Write a brief essay (300-400 words) in which you respond to the following question: Successful students at Johns Hopkins make the biggest impact by collaborating with others, including peers, mentors, and professors. Talk about a time, in or outside the classroom, when you worked with others and what you learned from the experience.

Although this prompt is fairly straightforward, you should tackle it from a personalized and insightful angle. Choose a moment that you feel really enhanced your teamwork skills.

For example, maybe you worked at a local non-profit and discovered through collaborating with your co-workers that people have different working styles. Or maybe you planned and implemented your senior class project with a group of peers that were less than respectful. Whatever you decide, make sure that it is a story in which you have plenty to say in order to deepen your response.

An Effective, Step-By-Step Approach to Your Essay Response

Note that there are many ways to draft a successful response to this prompt; this guide merely presents one potential way to answer the question.

Introduction

Start your essay response by introducing the moment you are going to reflect on. To hook the reader in a compelling way, you could start with dialogue from you or another person involved. Alternatively, you can choose to begin the essay with a short, impactful sentence.

Regardless, use action words and vivid language to really encapsulate the experience. The goal is to make the admissions committee feel as if they were really there with you. For example:

Four and one, two, three, cha cha cha… four and one, two, three.

My first ballroom competition went by in a blur. Amid the pulsing beat, all I could really remember were flashes. The twirl of my red dress. The tilt of my neck. However, I can recall the countless hours I spent practicing the dance routines with my partner perfectly.

As you continue your essay, develop the feelings and thoughts you experienced as a result of working with others. Further, discuss how you usually dealt with collaboration in the past and if this specific time was more or less challenging for you — show how this specific moment was different.

Before getting involved with ballroom dance, I had never thought of it as a sport. Only after my first practice did I realize how physically and mentally exhausting it is. Even though my dance partner was — and still is — patient with me, it was frustrating to keep making mistakes. To dance properly, there are so many things you have to pay attention to: the tempo, the position of your feet, your posture, and especially your partner’s cues. It was difficult learning to follow his movements.

Lastly, explain why this moment stood out to you, and then reflect on what you think it means. How did the moment change you? Are you a better team player now? Did you learn something about yourself in the process? Really focus on how this moment led to your development; it is important to make the connection clear. Instead of simply starting a new paragraph stating that you are a completely different person, show it through an explicit link.

I am grateful to have joined ballroom dance club for so many reasons. Being a dancer has taught me poise, grace, and strength. But perhaps most importantly, it has challenged me by making me vulnerable to others — especially my dance partner. Not only did I have to become comfortable with being physically close to him, but I had to learn to mirror his movements in a way that looks natural. Even though no words are spoken as part of a dance, it is still an art that requires constant communication.

If possible, also connect your newfound wisdom to your success at college. Show how what you learned during your collaborative experience will help you be a better student. Maybe you’ll work more efficiently on homework because you are able to ask others for advice.

Whatever the case, make it clear that what you learned will stay with you in the future, and especially at Johns Hopkins . The admissions committee wants to know what about the university in particular draws you to it and how it will help you succeed, so don’t be afraid to include specific opportunities that align with your topic.

Through ballroom dance, I have learned to see things from a different perspective. I am better aware of interactions, better able to read other people and better at putting myself out there. I feel more confident now than ever before.

Remember that you only have 400 words for this prompt. Even though it is important to be detailed and descriptive, it is also necessary to stay within the word limit. In order to be succinct while also using rich language, try cutting out unnecessary adjectives and opting for a more varied word choice instead.

Final Reminders

On their website, Johns Hopkins University writes that essays can be one of “ the most important components of your application .” The university stresses the importance of being able to really show the admissions committee what is important to you and to share more about your background. Thus, it is crucial that you include something that really sets you apart in your supplemental essay. Imagine that you were able to meet the admissions committee in person: What would you most want to tell them? Use this hypothetical conversation to inspire a topic for your essay.

If you’d like more inspiration for your Johns Hopkins University writing supplement, you can view previous “essays that worked” on their website . The topics of these essays range from ambidexterity to music to a piece of furniture in a coffee shop. However, they all are able to give insight into the respective author’s character.

Specialized Program Prompts

Woodrow wilson program prompt.

No prompt available yet.

Masters in Global Health Studies Prompt

Identify a global health issue and outline a solution to a key underlying problem. (300 words).

The Global Health Studies Masters program allows “qualified students displaying a strong interest in public health” to pursue a combined Bachelor’s/Master’s with the Bloomberg School of Public Health. If not admitted as a high school senior, you will have the option to reapply to the program as a junior at Johns Hopkins, provided that you declare a major in public health.  

Global health is a broad umbrella that can cover diverse issues such as climate change, infectious disease outbreaks, childhood mortality in developing countries, access to contraception, and HIV/AIDS among others. The first step in tackling this prompt is to select a global health issue that you have some familiarity with. You will note that the prompt asks you to propose a solution to the problem of your choice, so it is important that you pick a topic that you’ve had some exposure to. 

If you’ve previously worked on a big research project in school or helped to conduct summer research at a lab or university, use that subject as your jumping off point. For example, say you wrote a social science paper about abortion access in the underprivileged areas of your city. You could compare your local findings to international data on abortion access and learn about the ways in which nongovernmental organizations and governments enable or thwart that access. Or, you could use your biology project about the spread of Ebola to figure out what various nations have done to contain major Ebola outbreaks in recent years. 

While it helps to have had some prior experience studying a global health problem, it is by no means a prerequisite. Channel your curiosity and seek out books or documentaries about a topic that fascinates you and draw your inspiration for this essay there. 

The crucial thing to remember is that you will need to brush up on your global health problem of choice before giving your recommendations. Browse scientific and public policy articles that have been written about your chosen subject matter and figure out which solutions have already been proposed. You’re by no means expected to reinvent the wheel or come up with an ingenious policy solution that will shock the global health community as a high school student. In fact, showing that you’ve done your research and that you’re already familiar with the existing literature on the subject matter will only highlight your dedication to the study of global health. 

Keep in mind that you only have 300 words to work with. Use the first 100-150 to outline the problem at hand, and be sure to explain why it matters, why the world should care about it, and why you care about it. Then, provide a brief suggestion on how this problem could be remedied. Don’t list off ten different ways to cure Ebola. Instead, focus on ONE specific strategy and give some detail to explain how it can be adopted. Given the brevity of the response, depth is always better than breadth. 

Masters in International Studies Prompt

 pick a global leader and discuss how he/she has shaped how you view the world. (300 words).

The Masters in International Studies allows students to pursue a combined Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in international studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. If not accepted as a high school student, you will also have the option to apply again as a Johns Hopkins sophomore. 

When choosing the global leader you’re going to discuss, be sure not to select someone well-known purely for their name recognition. Remember, you likely won’t be the only one to think of Angela Merkel and point to her handling of the European immigration crisis as an example of good (or bad) policymaking. Try to select someone whose actions you actively draw inspiration from, and who have had a tangible effect on your choice of academic interests, extracurriculars, or future career path. 

Remember, “global leader” does not have to mean head-of-state. Aung San Suu Kyi, prior to her rise to power in Myanmar, spent most of her life under house arrest, but she was undoubtedly recognized worldwide as the leader of Myanmar’s–and perhaps the region’s–pro-democracy movement. Malala Yousafzai, barely out of her teens, is the face of the global fight for a girl’s right to an education under radical Islamist rule. Jack Dorsey is the CEO of one of the most influential social media conglomerates in the world, and he’s never been elected to any public office. If you’re struggling to think beyond the head-of-state box, you can browse places like TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2019 for inspiration.

Once you’ve picked your leader and briefly explain their significance (in about 100-150 words), you need to tell the reader how the person in question influenced you specifically. For example, if you’re talking about Malala, you could explain that her advocacy has inspired you to join a community service group in your town that offers free tutoring to young girls in underprivileged communities. If Jack Dorsey is your pick, you can write about how his insights prompted you to start your own small social media marketing business designed to promote small businesses in your area and enable them to compete against large companies. You need to articulate what it is about your leader’s philosophy, way of life, or professional accomplishments that inspires you. Make sure to also look ahead and elaborate upon how this leader inspires you in your own future career. 

For a competitive five-year program, the admissions committee is looking for someone who can demonstrate their critical thinking skills and an ability to think beyond the surface-level idea of leadership. They want applicants to really reflect on individuals that have had a profound impact on the world in recent years. Who you choose to write about matters, but what matters even more is whether you can articulate why the reader should find them important, too.

Peabody Institute Prompt (OPTIONAL)

We would like to hear about any personal or academic issues which might come into play as we process your application..

This prompt is similar to the additional comments section of the Common Application: it gives you the space to account for any discrepancies in your academic record or other particularities that may give the admissions committee pause when reviewing your application. 

For instance, if you experienced a serious health issue that prevented you from practicing or performing your music for an extended period of time, you should take this opportunity to elaborate on that experience. Any drastic change in academic performance (for example, going from an A to a B- average in one semester) should also be explained here. There are any number of extenuating circumstances that may have affected your grades⁠—death in the family, major drop in family income or homelessness, moving to a different country, suspension. 

Don’t be afraid to provide the context that the admissions officer needs to best understand your circumstances. You are of course under no obligation to share any intimate details of your life that you don’t feel comfortable sharing. Keep in mind, however, that it is always better to preemptively address the questions that may arise than to hope an issue will pass unnoticed. 

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Hey friends, I'm curious and doing some college app homework here - does Johns Hopkins use the Common App for their admissions process, or do they have their own portal?

Hello there! You're in luck – Johns Hopkins University does indeed utilize the Common Application for their admissions process.You'll be able to fill out one main application form and then complete the supplemental essay specific to JHU.

Just make sure you keep an eye on that additional prompt and give yourself plenty of time to craft a thoughtful response. You can read up on how to tackle it on CollegeVine's blog, where we break down what needs to be included in a strong response: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-johns-hopkins-university-essays.

Don't forget to also check for any other requirements beyond the main Common App, like letters of recommendation or test scores that may need to be submitted separately. Best of luck as you put your application together!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essays (2023-24) Prompts and Advice

September 3, 2023

In the most recent admissions cycle, Johns Hopkins University admitted approximately 6% of applicants into the Class of 2027. As a school that rejects thousands of applicants each year with 1500+ SATs and impeccable transcripts, those hoping for a positive result at JHU need to find additional ways to shine in the eyes of the admissions committee. The Johns Hopkins supplemental essay is one such opportunity.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Johns Hopkins University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Johns Hopkins  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Given that 19 of every 20 RD applicants to Johns Hopkins University are ultimately unsuccessful, you need to do everything you can to stand out amidst a sea of uber-qualified teens from around the globe. Through its one mandatory essay prompt, Johns Hopkins University’s supplemental section still affords applicants an opportunity to highlight what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below is Johns Hopkins’s supplemental prompt for the 2023-24 admissions cycle. Additionally, you’ll find our tips on how to write a winning composition.

Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay Prompt

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, religion, community, etc.) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins. (This can be a future goal or experience that is either academic, extracurricular, or social). (300 word limit)

JHU is inviting you to share more about your background/identity/community through the lens of how that will impact your experience at the university. Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

You’ll then need to discuss how your background/identity/experiences have influenced your academic, social, or extracurricular college goals. As such, think about what you learned and how it relates to one of the previously mentioned areas. For example, perhaps growing up in Northern California has made you passionate about post-wildfire ecosystem restoration, which you hope to pursue further through Johns Hopkins’ environmental science program. Or, perhaps your experience as a tutor has made you interested in The Tutorial Project , or the discrimination you watched your sibling face after revealing their gender identity has informed your desire to be part of initiatives like the Safe Zone Program .

To that end, be sure you address how you will take advantage of Johns Hopkins’s immense resources. The includes both inside and/or outside of the classroom. You can accomplish this by citing specific academic programs , professors , research opportunities , internship/externship programs , study abroad programs , student-run organizations , etc.

How important are the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays?

Johns Hopkins University considers six factors “very important” in evaluating a candidate. The essays are among them. In addition to the essays, Johns Hopkins gives the greatest consideration to the rigor of one’s school record, GPA, standardized test scores, recommendations, and character/personal qualities.

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Johns Hopkins University Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the Johns Hopkins essay prompts? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging Johns Hopkins essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your Johns Hopkins supplemental essays, create your   free account  or  schedule a no-cost advising consultation  by calling (844) 505-4682.

Johns Hopkins  Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• Johns Hopkins University has an acceptance rate of 9%— U.S. News  ranks Johns Hopkins as a  most selective  school.
• Johns Hopkins is ranked #9 in National Universities.

What is Johns Hopkins known for?

Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins University is a private research university located in Baltimore, Maryland.

Widely considered the first research university in the United States, Johns Hopkins’ popular  majors  include public health, biomedical engineering, molecular biology, international relations and affairs, and economics.

Interested in applying? This John Hopkins essay guide will teach you how to maximize your Johns Hopkins essays and increase your chances of admission.

Is Johns Hopkins hard to get into?

Last year, over  30,000  students applied to Johns Hopkins. The school boasts  famous alumni  like novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and film director Wes Craven. As one of the 9% of applicants admitted to Johns Hopkins, you’d be in good company.

Your Johns Hopkins essay can be a great opportunity to introduce yourself to Admissions Officers, fill in gaps in your application, and make a case for why you belong at Johns Hopkins. With expert advice from CollegeAdvisor.com, we’ll help you craft engaging Johns Hopkins supplemental essays and maximize your admissions odds.

Does Johns Hopkins require supplemental essays?

Yes—in addition to the main essay prompts on the  Common App  or  Coalition App , you must complete one Johns Hopkins-specific essay. For a complete list of application requirements and access to the Johns Hopkins application essay, visit the  Johns Hopkins admissions website .

Need help navigating your Common App application? CollegeAdvisor.com’s Common App essay  breakdown  can help de-mystify the process.

How many essays do you have to write for Johns Hopkins?

Applicants only need to write one Johns Hopkins essay, which has a word limit of 300-400 words. Since this is the only Johns Hopkins essay prompt, you’ll want to give this essay the attention it deserves.

Johns Hopkins Essay — Prompt 1 (Required)

Founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity or your community) and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

The Johns Hopkins essay prompt may feel overwhelming. After all, its open-ended nature lets you discuss anything that matters to you! In the next section, we’ll break down how to tackle the Johns Hopkins essay and stand out to admissions officers.

How do I write the Johns Hopkins essay?

As you approach the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays, remember that Johns Hopkins University is a research institution. Like any university, they want to build a diverse academic community of intellectually curious individuals— inside and outside of the classroom. This Johns Hopkins essay invites you to share what makes you,  you.  Then, it asks how this aspect of you will guide your time at Johns Hopkins and beyond.

Strong Johns Hopkins essays will invite the reader into the world of the applicant. A successful Johns Hopkins essay will use descriptive, dynamic language. Focus on setting a scene rather than trying to dazzle readers with SAT vocabulary words. After all, the best Johns Hopkins essays will be the most authentic!

Ready to craft an impressive Johns Hopkins application essay?

Organize your thoughts

Begin drafting this Johns Hopkins supplemental essay by thinking about who you are. Start a list of your key qualities and categorize each item using the criteria in the Johns Hopkins essay prompt: your interests, background, identity, and community.

Distinguish each category—interests, background, identity, and community—as carefully as possible as you start to tackle this Johns Hopkins essay prompt. Begin with your interests. For example, if you devour every article and book you can find on quantum mechanics, that’s an interest. Avoid listing non-intellectual interests like an obsession with learning new TikTok dances. Of course, if you plan to major in  dance  or  sociology , you may be able to connect these activities to what you hope to experience at Hopkins. Think of yourself as a student and community member — use that to guide your Johns Hopkins supplement essay topic.

Next, shift to your background. Think about where you come from and how these places and experiences have made you who you are. In your Johns Hopkins essay, you’ll want to avoid cliché, overly sentimental aspects of your background. For example, having a parent who attended Johns Hopkins may have shaped why you want to attend, but this doesn’t tell Admissions Officers anything interesting about you or what you hope to learn at Johns Hopkins. Look for experiences that sparked intellectual curiosity. Are you a softball player that spent a season perfecting your pitch but, in the process, began learning about physics?

Then, move to identity. When categorizing identity in this Johns Hopkins essay, you may automatically default to the classic definitions: ethnicity, gender, age, religious beliefs, etc. While there’s nothing wrong with starting here, think outside of the box for this Johns Hopkins essay prompt. Are you a contrarian? An activist? A pessimist? Thinking about the less obvious ways that you self-identify can help you write an interesting Johns Hopkins essay.

Finally, shift to your community. Jot down some of the communities you belong to. Whether it’s a religious community, your neighborhood, or even the building where you live, list the spaces you inhabit. Again, this Johns Hopkins supplemental essay rewards those who think outside the box. Are you an active member of an online community of gamers? Do you spend time with fellow gardeners sharing tips on how to care for plants? Community manifests in a wide variety of ways; as you brainstorm for the Johns Hopkins essay prompt, make sure to cover all important ways you live and work with others.

After jotting down experiences, interests, identities, etc., sit with your list for a day or two. Do any items stick out as a perfect response to this Johns Hopkins essay prompt? If not, don’t worry. Try our  reflection exercise . Set a timer and spend 30 minutes or so expanding on a few of your topics. Limit yourself to 10 minutes per topic. Were there any topics that you couldn’t stop writing on? If so, you’ve found the subject for your Johns Hopkins supplement essay!

Tell the Story

In this Johns Hopkins essay prompt, you only have 300-400 words. Use them wisely to maximize the impact your Johns Hopkins essay can have in admissions.

This word count creates the key challenge of the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays: namely, you’ll want to balance a concise structure with descriptive language. Your language should draw the reader into the interest, background, identity, or community your Johns Hopkins supplement essay addresses. At the same time, you’ll want to avoid excessive wordiness.

Let’s try an exercise to help you make your Johns Hopkins supplement essay shine. Which of the descriptions below seems more engaging?

Example 1: Since the age of five, I’ve belonged to my local church.

Example 2: There is a pew in the center of my church. If you look closely, you’ll see where I scratched my initials into the wood at age five.

See the difference? Both sentences communicate the same information (church attendance from a very young age). However, the second example provides details that invite the reader into your story.

Read over your Johns Hopkins essay and think about how every word serves your essay’s overall narrative. Your Johns Hopkins essay should use as few words to make as significant an impact as possible.

Make Johns Hopkins Connections

This Johns Hopkins application essay isn’t a “Why Johns Hopkins” prompt in the classic sense. However ,  this essay still asks how your identity, background, interests, and community have shaped what you will bring to Hopkins. Johns Hopkins essays that answer this part of the prompt will be the most impressive.

Maybe you know what you want to major in and can draw a clear connection between your background/identity/community and that intended major. Use this Johns Hopkins essay to emphasize that connection. Successful Johns Hopkins supplemental essays will reveal both who an applicant is and why they belong at Johns Hopkins.

Let’s revisit the “gamer community” example.

Ex. I have learned so much from organizing coding events in my online gaming forum. My friends from all over the world have shown me that even if we don’t speak the same language, our passion for coding and games is universal. I’m looking forward to taking classes in the JHU video game design lab and building a bridge between my online community and the in-person one I’ll find at JHU.

If you don’t yet know your major, you can still answer this portion of the Johns Hopkins supplemental essay. To do this, you’ll want to make the focus of your Johns Hopkins application essay more abstract. For example, let’s say you choose to write about your community, specifically the apartment building you live in.

Ex. The hot Houston sun draws the people from my building by late afternoon. Grannies of every race and culture line the long bench in front of the building and watch the younger children play. The other families in building 3318 are like my extended family. I’m reminded of this when I knock on Mr. Johnson’s door to borrow an extra onion for my mom’s soup or when I’m invited to a birthday party for one of the Gonzalez cousins. Family is where you find it, and location makes all the difference. At Johns Hopkins, I’m hoping to build a community like the one that my family and I have found in building 3318.

Johns Hopkins Essay Key Questions:

When you’ve finished your Johns Hopkins essay prompt draft, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I clearly identify an interest, part of my background, identity, or community?
• Am I writing about my topic using descriptive, dynamic language that draws the reader in?
• Does my Johns Hopkins essay draft show evidence of how this interest, background, identity, etc. has shaped me?
• Is there a connection between my topic and what I hope to learn/experience at Johns Hopkins?

What does Johns Hopkins look for in an essay?

The best Johns Hopkins supplemental essays will be genuine and vulnerable. They will also showcase traits that would make you a valuable addition to the Johns Hopkins community. Your Johns Hopkins supplemental essay should reveal who you are beyond your scores and transcript, allowing the admissions committee to view you as a person rather than a statistic.

Every year, the university publishes several successful Johns Hopkins essays. Read over these Johns Hopkins essays to get an  idea  of what works. Notice in these Johns Hopkins supplemental essays that each student has a concrete sense of self. For example, in the Johns Hopkins essay  “Oreo by Design”  by Faith, she discusses her identity as a Black woman and a musician. Similarly, the Johns Hopkins application essay  “Lessons Learned”   by Zerubabel explores his background as an immigrant and how his family’s evolution in America has shaped who he is as a student and community member.

All of these Johns Hopkins essays are unique. In the case of Jess’s Johns Hopkins supplemental essay,  “Fried Rice in One (Not So) Easy Step”  Jess begins her essay with a recipe. By including this Johns Hopkins application essay, the university is encouraging you to be creative in not only your experience but the way that you structure your response to the Johns Hopkins essay prompt. Think about how you can replicate this kind of creativity in your Johns Hopkins application essay.

Make sure your Johns Hopkins application essay structure serves the prompt. Creativity is good, but you don’t want your Johns Hopkins supplemental essay to look and read like a gimmick. Above all, tell your story in the way most authentic to you!

Finally, and it should go without saying, these Johns Hopkins supplemental essays are examples. Don’t think of them as a blueprint of how you must structure your own Johns Hopkins application essay. You also shouldn’t compare the experiences shared in these Johns Hopkins supplemental essays with your own.

Johns Hopkins essays are personal statements. Every person is unique—every Johns Hopkins essay will be, too. Strong Johns Hopkins essays will be inherently individual, so don’t worry if yours doesn’t look like the examples.

Does the Johns Hopkins essay matter?

Everything that is included in the  Johns Hopkins application  is important, from your mid-year report to the Johns Hopkins essay. Treat each item on the application as crucial to creating a compelling candidate profile.

With more selective schools like Johns Hopkins, most candidates have high test scores and GPAs. The Johns Hopkins essay, then, becomes a chance for you to truly stand out from other applicants. Strong Johns Hopkins supplemental essays can make a major difference in admissions!

Johns Hopkins Essay – Final Thoughts

Completing the Johns Hopkins application essay can seem like a daunting challenge. Try to view this Johns Hopkins supplemental essay as an opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions team. Use the Johns Hopkins supplemental essays provided on the JHU site for inspiration. You have a rich well of personal experiences to draw from for this Johns Hopkins application essay—you just have to give yourself the space to find it.

Remember that the Johns Hopkins application essay matters! Maybe you’re applying with fewer extracurricular activities than you would like or perhaps a lower  SAT/ACT score  than normally accepted. A well-written Johns Hopkins essay can be the difference. Use this guide to help you approach the Johns Hopkins supplemental essay with a solid strategy and a timeline that gives you a few months to create a draft and allow for revisions. Good luck—you’ve got this!

This 2021-2022 essay guide was written by Senior Advisor  Arianna Lee , Dartmouth ‘17. Want help crafting your Johns Hopkins supplemental essay?  Create your free account  or  schedule a no-cost advising consultation  by calling (844) 505-4682.

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Johns Hopkins University 2019-20 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Johns Hopkins University  2019-2020 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 300-400 words.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Collaboration

Known for its competitive science programs, Johns Hopkins poses a question that is rare in the world of undergraduate admissions but abounds on medical school applications. (Pre-med students, take note!) We can call this “The Collaboration Question,” but it’s important that we all understand there’s a hidden question: do you play nicely with others? When a school asks you to write about collaboration, it’s probing for an index of your ego. Luckily, these sorts of questions are also be a great opportunity to highlight soft skills that might not be obvious anywhere else on your application: leadership, communication, sensitivity, intuition. So let’s dig in and see how you can leverage this prompt to your advantage.

Successful students at Johns Hopkins make the biggest impact by collaborating with others, including peers, mentors, and professors. Talk about a time, in or outside the classroom, when you worked with others and what you learned from the experience.   

Although this question asks for a story in a specific situation (namely: a collaborative one), it leaves almost every other element up to you! Any time you worked with others is fair game, so don’t restrict yourself merely to your science fair project or the soccer team. This is also a great opportunity to write about a professional experience (your first time working as a line cook!) or even community service (organizing the church bake sale!). Ideally, you should describe an experience that spans a decent amount of time — a few weeks or even months — so you can describe the phases of your work and the end result. What challenges did your team face? Were they internal, organizational issues? Or were there larger, external problems that you had to face as a single strong unit? In what ways were you a leader, but more importantly, how did you allow others to lead? It’s all well and good to say that you spearheaded your group history project, but remember, this question is about collaboration. A more reflective and honest essay will consider how each person’s unique contribution set the course for your team’s success (or failure). If you’re talking about a large group (singing in a 100 person choir!), perhaps you’ll want to focus on the values or goals that are strong enough to unite such a large group of people. In the end, you should be driving at a lesson that you will be able to carry with you into the future. In other words: an experience that will have a positive impact on your collaborative work at JHU.

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