The Identity Essay: What it Is, Why & How to Write It

On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to significantly limit the use of race status in college admissions. But it does not close the door to giving applicants extra consideration if they have suffered bias, discrimination, hardships, or anything else that helps define who they are. Here’s what Chief Justice Roberts wrote about the ruling:

“Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

Many colleges, as a result, adopted another way to acquire information about students’ racial and ethnic identities by including a supplemental essay that’s commonly referred to as “the identity essay” or “the diversity essay.” The carefully worded prompt gives you the chance to explain your demographics in a way that the Supreme Court will allow. Instead of asking outright what your race or ethnicity is, the college allows you to identify elements of your culture or upbringing that are relevant to who you are as a human being. Consider the prompt a “workaround.”

Maybe you’ve seen such a prompt. It might sound something like these, excerpted from the New York Times:

“Tell us about an aspect of your identity or a life experience that has shaped you.”

— Johns Hopkins University

“Feel free to tell us any ways in which you’re different and how that has affected you.”

— Duke University

“Let your life speak. Describe the environment in which you were raised and the impact it has had.”

— Dartmouth College

“Tell us about when, where or with whom you feel your most authentic, powerful self.”

— Barnard College

The fact is: this isn’t anything groundbreaking. Numerous colleges asked these types of questions even before the SCOTUS affirmative action ruling. What changed? More schools that didn’t have an identity essay previously are now opting to include one, enabling you to elaborate on how your identity has shaped you.

No matter how the prompt is worded, don’t be intimidated or dissuaded from answering; rather, plan on using your response to your advantage. If that seems easier said than done, here’s a great place to start: Think of your identity not as a demographic fact alone, but also as a personality trait that shapes you. What an awesome opportunity for the questioner to learn something special about you that you might not have otherwise had the chance to share! Think of it as an exploration into your core being, with the contributing factors that define it.

Now that we’ve re-framed the identity essay as something positive and beneficial, let’s examine the topic more closely.

Identity/Background

“What about your individual background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at UVA? Feel free to write about any past experience or part of your background that has shaped your perspective and will be a source of strength, including but not limited to those related to your community, upbringing, educational environment, race, gender, or other aspects of your background that are important to you.”

“Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far?” —University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

These prompts, while asking about your background and identity, are essentially inquiries into your character. Identify what contributed to who you are, where you came from, and how your upbringing affected the person you’ve become. For many students, race, ethnicity, and culture are, indeed, defining facets of their character. For instance, a student whose family immigrated from another country could talk about the challenges of adjusting to American culture. Closer to home, an applicant from a thoroughly rural region—the kind of individual many colleges want on campus—may have an engaging story to tell. Or a student who has experienced racial discrimination could discuss the outcomes. Please note: There are other ways to address identity if these particular topics don’t apply. Maybe you feel closer to Mom’s religion than to Dad’s. Perhaps you identify more with a gender other than the one you were born to. Even for students whose outward life seems secure, engaging, and filled with possibilities, and whose family is supportive and completely education-oriented, there’s always “an angle.” That is, there’s a facet of character that features a singular outlook on life and its endless activities. Everyone is an individual with a unique story to tell… so tell it.

1. Diversity

“Because we know that diversity benefits the educational experience of all students, the University of Maryland values diversity in all of its many forms.  This includes (but is not limited to) racial, socio-economic, gender, geographical, and sexual orientation.  We are interested in hearing about your own individual life experiences.  In a few sentences, will you please describe how you have learned, grown, been inspired or developed skills through one or more components of diversity?”

Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard? 

As you can tell from the prompts above, diversity isn’t just about race. Think about diversity as “different”; in other words, what differentiates you from other students who will be applying to this school? And how will your unique qualities add to the diversity of the school’s population? Maybe you’re a visual learner and have had to come up with special techniques to absorb what you were being taught in class, techniques that others might benefit from knowing. It could be that you are the oldest of six siblings and have had to work harder to set yourself apart from your brothers and sisters. How did you do it? “Diverse” means varied, and varied is interesting! What makes YOU interesting? Be mindful of a college’s desire to accept as multifaceted an incoming class as it can, because that’s what makes for a vibrant learning community. And that leads us to our third and final topic.

2. Community

“A defining element of the Babson experience is learning and thriving in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives and interests. Please share something about your background, lived experiences, or viewpoint(s) that speaks to how you will contribute to and learn from Babson's collaborative community.”

“Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within it.”—University of Michigan

Community isn’t defined by geography, any more than being defined by the same religion, race, or income level; rather, it can simply be a sense of belonging you’ve experienced by surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Perhaps it’s a group of friends you made by sharing a common goal like saving an endangered species. It could be a mutual interest like a passion for Japanese anime films. It could be your teammates on the basketball team who create a collaborative community on and off the court. Community is often built upon sharing experiences. Think about what community or communities you are a part of, talk about your place within them, and why they matter.

Tackling the identity essay necessitates a good amount of introspection and self-awareness, so go ahead and dig deep. Write without fear; it’s okay to be vulnerable, and even better to remain authentic. Your response will be used to help determine whether you’re a good fit for the learning community to which you are applying. Therefore, be sure to tie in how your uniqueness will enhance life on campus. As always, use vivid language and description to paint a picture with your words that the reader will use to “see” you. And don’t forget to connect your identity to your future goals and aspirations. Keep this in mind: the identity essay is yet another way colleges get to find out who you are beyond the high school statistics that fill the majority of your application. Take advantage of this moment. Be your authentic self. Show them why they’ll be glad to know you, and even happier to have you as part of their incoming freshman class.

As always, our college essay experts are here to help! Call us!