More Colleges Are Dropping Supplemental Essays for 2026-27
A growing number of selective universities have announced they will not require supplemental essays for the 2026-27 admissions cycle, and the list has been building throughout the summer.
Schools making the change include Tulane (dropping its “Why Tulane?” essay), the University of Georgia (dropping its well-known book essay), UNC Chapel Hill (removing two short-answer prompts), the University of Miami, Washington University in St. Louis, and Cornell (removing its university-wide essay, though school-specific essays remain). UVA made the same move last cycle.
The official reason at most institutions is reducing applicant stress and simplifying the process. But there are other factors at work. Admissions offices have grown skeptical of short supplemental essays since the rise of AI writing tools, which have made it harder to assess authentic student voice in a 250-word prompt. The Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on race-conscious admissions also made identity-focused supplemental prompts legally complicated, giving schools another reason to step back from them.
A few things counselors should be ready to address with students:
- Application volume will likely rise at these schools. When UVA dropped supplementals last cycle, applications jumped more than 50%. This could push acceptance rates lower.
- The Common App personal statement now carries more weight. With no supplemental essays, a student’s 650-word personal statement is the only real writing admissions officers will read.
- Demonstrated interest may matter more. Some schools dropping essays, including WashU, have simultaneously announced they will now consider demonstrated interest in their review. Students should treat campus visits, information sessions, and early application deadlines as more important than before.
NACAC CEO Angel Pérez framed the shift as part of a broader rethinking of admissions complexity, noting that institutions are asking themselves what they really need from applicants. Whether this becomes the new norm or levels off remains to be seen, as schools typically continue announcing application changes throughout July.
