Colgate gives first-year applicants three supplemental prompts, and every one of them is officially optional. Two are short essays capped at 250 words each (one on the value of diversity, one on what inspires you and why you want to pursue it at Colgate). The third is a set of 13 fill-in-the-blank statements, each capped at 13 words. None of this appears inside the Common App itself. The prompts live on Colgate's applicant portal and, in practice, you complete them after submitting.
Here is the trap: "optional" is doing a lot of work. Colgate reads roughly 17,000 applications for about 800 seats and is test-optional, so the writing carries real weight. Strong applicants answer all three. The core challenge is range. You have to be reflective in 250 words, then witty and precise in 13-word bursts, without sounding like two different people wrote them.
01Specific reasons, not flattery. Colgate wants to see that you understand a small, rural, residential liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, and want exactly that. Name a course, a professor's research, the Core curriculum, a study group abroad, the Picker Art Gallery, the size of the place. Vague praise that could apply to any school is the fastest way to read as a backup choice.
02Genuine engagement across difference. The diversity prompt is not asking you to perform virtue. It rewards a real moment where another person's background or perspective changed how you thought, and a believable picture of how you would seek that out on a small campus where you can't hide in a crowd.
03Intellectual curiosity with a destination. The pursuits prompt rewards a passion that points somewhere. Colgate likes students who are inspired by something and can connect it to a concrete way of chasing it at Colgate, whether that is a major, a lab, an outdoor program, or a club.
04Voice that survives a tight word count. The 13-word answers are a personality test disguised as a form. Colgate rewards specificity and a little surprise. A real, oddly precise detail beats a polished generality every single time.
3 prompts for Colgate, each broken down with annotated examples.
The Diversity Essay250 words or less
On Colgate's campus, students engage with individuals from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, and perspectives during the course of their educational and social experiences. In 250 words or less, please share the benefits you see in engaging with a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff as part of your Colgate experience.
Intellectual and Social Pursuits250 words or less
Colgate students immerse themselves in social and intellectual pursuits that inspire them. Tell us in 250 words or less what inspires you and why you want to pursue that at Colgate.
The 13 Short Answers13 words maximum per response
Please complete the following so we can learn a bit more about you: I am fascinated by; My favorite book, movie, or television show is; The person I admire most is; In the future, I hope to; One historical figure I would like to meet is; My favorite food is; One thing I would change is; My favorite place is; I am the best version of myself when; Something that has changed my perspective is; I am seeking a community that; My favorite family/community/cultural tradition is; I am drawn to Colgate University because.