You are probably thinking, “Wait, but Oberlin doesn’t have a supplement?” Ok, you got us, but stay with us for a sec. Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the US and almost as old as the state of Ohio. While many people are familiar with them because of their impressive conservatory of music, there is a lot to love about Oberlin. If you are looking for an artsy, liberal, and surprisingly down-to-earth small-school experience, Oberlin is a great choice. They are currently test-optional through , and last year, they had around a for both the liberal arts school and the music conservatory. But back to their non-supplement.

Oberlin doesn’t have a writing supplement, which might lead you to think, “Sick, no essays.” But you should be thinking, “Oh no! No essays, aka no opportunity to make my case on why I should get into Oberlin.” Oberlin tracks demonstrated interest as an admissions factor. You want to look interested… even if that means being a little extra. So, if Oberlin is at the top of your list or you are serious about getting in, we recommend reaching out to the admissions staff via email as a kind of DIY supplement. Let’s break down what that looks like.

Pre-writing: Find your admissions rep and research the school.

Before you start writing, you should figure out who you should be writing to. They break down their admissions team by states and regions If you aren’t sure who to email, reach out to us; we can help.

You should also research Oberlin and its offerings. This will make writing the email so much easier. Once you have their email and are knowledgeable about the school, you can jump into writing the email. We suggest following this outline.

Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself.

Make sure you include a pleasant hello and your name. Best to also include that you are a senior applying to Oberlin, that it is a top choice, and that you are reaching out because there was no dedicated space on the Common App to express your interest.

Paragraph 2: Back up why you love Oberlin.

Since you stated that Oberlin was a top choice in your intro, you now have to prove it. This is where the research comes in handy. Since at college academics come first, start with what you hope to study. You should identify a major and share why you are passionate about it. We like to think of this as a kind of origin story. You want to write about how and why you “first” became interested in what you hope to study. For example, if you hope to study Cinema Studies, maybe it was watching silent movies with your grandfather or taking a course on film history one summer at your local community college. Give us some backstory!

Then, mention specific higher-level classes, a professor you would love to assist in that major, and any other specific opportunities that have drawn you to Oberlin. Remember to explain why you are interested in each of these opportunities and why they align with your academic interests and experiences. Make sure to show the overlap between what you are pursuing academically now and who you will be at Oberlin.

Paragraph 3: Talk about who you will be on campus.

While academics come first, they aren’t everything. You should write about a club, extracurricular, or other on-campus opportunity at Oberlin that connects to an extracurricular passion of yours. This will not only allow you to talk about who you would be on campus, but also what you are passionate about doing now. For example, if you are on your school’s Bowling team, you could write about getting involved in College Lanes and why you love to bowl.

“Paragraph” 4: Wrap it up!

Really, all you need here is a sentence or two, which is why we put paragraph in quotes. You should thank the admissions officer and reassert that Oberlin is your top choice of school. Include a formal sign-off with a signature, and you will be golden.

Obviously, because this is an email, there is no formal word count, but try to keep this email length aka under 400 words. We know that sending an email might feel a little extra, but in this case, being extra will help you get in. Make your points, keep them brief, and make sure to proofread well before hitting send.

Need more expert advice? We have you covered. Reach out now!