The importance of being SAPPE (pronounced “sappy”)
As part of the holistic review process, no specific application element will automatically get you admitted. There are also no elements that would automatically lead to a denial. Every piece of the application matters.
Along with the review of grades, essays, and short answer responses, the admission team also looks for qualities and attributes that identify a successful and competitive applicant. Collectively, we call these traits SAPPE:
- Self-Advocacy: Everyone needs help from time to time. Students who can recognize when they require some support and raise their hand to ask for assistance will feel right at home with our nurturing faculty, who are invested in the success of their students.
- Authenticity: We want our students to understand who they are and embrace their own values, strengths, and weaknesses. There’s no need to present a perfect, polished version of yourself in the application. Show us who you really are.
- Perseverance: Successful students don’t just overcome challenges and setbacks. They embrace these opportunities and bounce back from disappointment. No matter the difficulty, perseverant students are driven, consistent, and adaptable.
- Potential: We aren’t looking for the perfect student. However, we hope to find those with natural talents and the ability to think critically, harness their creativity, and lead throughout campus. Our community is full of opportunities to grow, and we want applicants who are ready to take advantage of all we offer.
- Empathy: The Chapman experience centers on collaboration, not competition. We push our students to connect with one another, and we promote spaces where feelings, perspectives, and experiences can be shared and understood by all.
