Johns Hopkins University has released its essay prompt for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. So what question will applicants to the JHU Class of 2026 be asked to answer? Wonder no more! In 300-400 words, students seeking admission to JHU’s Class of 2026 are asked, “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.”

And while the prompt is worded a bit differently than last year’s prompt which asked applicants to the JHU Class of 2025, “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,” applicants are given the same task.

While the prompt is not a straight Why College essay, applicants should include elements of a Why College essay. This means that there should be some specifics about Johns Hopkins in the essay — and what the student hopes to contribute to their unique community — that do not apply to any other university in America. But, of course, the whole essay is not a Why College essay since the admissions committee also asked about the background, identity, or community of applicants as well. So, basically, it’s a hybrid essay and should be approached as such.