For years, supplemental essays have been a defining feature of the college admissions process. Beyond the Common App personal statement, many colleges asked applicants to explain why they wanted to attend, describe how they would contribute to campus, or respond to creative short-answer questions.

Recently, however, a growing number of colleges have begun reducing (or even eliminating!) some of these supplemental essays. Georgetown University's decision to join the Common Application for the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, while still maintaining its own application as an option, has also reignited conversations about application accessibility and complexity. Does this mean essays are becoming less important? Not at all. Instead, colleges are rethinking how they evaluate applicants in an era of record application numbers, AI-assisted writing, and increasing concerns about equity.

Colleges Are Trying to Reduce Barriers to Applying

One reason some colleges have eliminated supplemental essays is to make the application process more accessible.

Every additional essay requires time, coaching, and resources. Students balancing school, jobs, family responsibilities, or limited college counseling often face a significant disadvantage when confronted with ten or fifteen additional writing prompts across multiple applications.

By reducing unnecessary essays, colleges hope to make it easier for students from all backgrounds to apply.

‍The Common Application itself has repeatedly emphasized its mission of improving college access and simplifying the admissions process for students worldwide. Similarly, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has long advocated for practices that reduce unnecessary barriers and promote equitable access to higher education.

Record Numbers of Applications Are Changing Admissions

Another factor is volume.

Many selective universities now receive tens of thousands or even more than 100,000 applications each year. Every additional essay represents another document admissions officers must read carefully.

At the same time, the rise of test-optional admissions has encouraged more students to apply to highly selective colleges, increasing application numbers across much of higher education.

For some institutions, reducing supplemental essays is one way to streamline an increasingly complex admissions process without fundamentally changing their holistic review.

‍The Common Data Set and institutional admissions reports published by many universities illustrate just how dramatically application volumes have increased over the past decade.

Colleges Are Becoming More Selective About Which Essays They Keep

Interestingly, many colleges aren't removing all supplemental essays. They're keeping the prompts they believe provide the most meaningful insight into applicants.

A classic example is the "Why This College?" essay. When thoughtfully answered, it demonstrates that a student has researched the institution, understands its academic offerings, and can articulate why it's a good fit.

Some colleges have instead eliminated shorter, more generic questions that often produced repetitive or formulaic responses. In other words, many admissions offices are prioritizing quality over quantity. If they're asking you to write an essay, they want it to reveal something they genuinely can't learn elsewhere in your application.

Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the Way Colleges Think About Essays

The rapid adoption of generative AI has also influenced conversations about supplemental essays.

Admissions officers know that generic prompts can easily produce generic AI-generated responses. A 150-word essay asking, "Why do you want to attend our university?" may be relatively easy for an AI chatbot to draft using information pulled from a college's website.

That doesn't mean colleges are abandoning essays altogether. Instead, many are experimenting with prompts that encourage more personal reflection, institution-specific knowledge, or responses that are harder to outsource.

‍The Common App has published guidance encouraging students to ensure that every part of their application authentically reflects their own experiences and perspectives.

Many universities have also released their own AI guidance. For example:

• Yale University: https://admissions.yale.edu/podcast 
• MIT Admissions: https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/ 

Both emphasize authenticity over polish and encourage applicants to present their own voice.

Fewer Essays Doesn't Mean the Application Is Easier

Some students assume that fewer required essays automatically make admission easier.

In reality, the opposite can sometimes happen.

When colleges simplify their applications, more students may decide to apply because the process requires less time. That larger applicant pool can make admissions even more competitive.

We've already seen this phenomenon at several institutions after adopting the Common Application or moving to test-optional admissions. Easier applications often lead to more applications; not necessarily more available spaces.

For applicants, this means every remaining component of the application becomes even more important. Your transcript, course rigor, extracurricular involvement, recommendation letters, and personal statement all carry significant weight in a holistic review.

How Applicants Should Respond

Rather than celebrating the disappearance of a supplemental essay, students should view it as an opportunity to invest more time in the materials that remain.

A polished Common App personal statement, a carefully developed Activities and Experiences section, and thoughtful responses to any remaining institutional questions may have an even greater impact than before.

If a college still asks "Why This College?", don't treat it as just another box to check. Colleges that retain supplemental essays are signaling that they believe those responses genuinely help distinguish applicants.

Take the time to research academic departments, undergraduate research opportunities, unique traditions, study abroad programs, and campus culture. Generic answers have never been particularly effective and they're even less convincing today.

Final Thoughts: Colleges Are Asking Fewer Questions, but Better Ones

The trend toward reducing supplemental essays doesn't mean colleges care less about getting to know applicants. If anything, it means they're becoming more intentional about how they collect meaningful information.

Admissions offices are balancing multiple priorities: increasing access, managing record application numbers, adapting to new technologies like AI, and maintaining a holistic review process.

For students, the takeaway is simple. Focus less on the number of essays you have to write and more on the quality of the stories you're telling. Whether a college requires one essay or six, every written response should help admissions officers understand something authentic about who you are and what you'll contribute to their campus community.

Need Help Parsing Your Application Requirements?

At AtomicMind, we help students navigate each college's unique application requirements, develop compelling essays, and build applications that stand out—whether a school asks for one essay or a dozen.

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