So far this year, Cornell, Tulane, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Miami, University of Georgia, University of Washington, and Yale have removed at least 1 supplemental essay from their applications.

Every year we see some changes in supplemental essays - last year many swapped "identity" and “diversity” for “community” and "contribution" - and this year, schools removing prompts may be the biggest trend of the 2026-27 application cycle.

What’s Causing It?

Colleges Need to Hit Enrollment Targets (AKA Protect Their Bottom Line)

Removing supplemental essays makes it easier for students to apply, which increases the size of the applicant pool and makes enrollment targets easier to hit. Enrollment targets are pretty crucial, as enrolling enough students and the right kind of students (out-of-state vs. in-state) is how schools stay financially secure. Concerns about a reduction in international applicants and the demographic cliff add to the importance of having a large applicant pool.

Removing barriers to applying can also lead to a compounding increase in applicants because as the applicant pool increases, selectivity does too, and therefore potentially a school’s rank. This means that a school might attract even more applicants next year based on removing supplements this year.

A great example is UVA, which dropped its supplemental essays last cycle and saw overall applications increase by 18,000. It’s worth noting, though, that David Graves, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions, denied that the removal of UGA’s supplement is likely to result in a similar increase in a response to a comment on the blog post announcing the change.

AI

The reason universities seem to be citing most is that they no longer see essays as accurate reflections of a student’s voice, interest in attending an institution, or writing ability. And they cite increased AI use as the reason for that shift in perspective. Tulane even called that out specifically in their email to counselors.

There may be some merit to those concerns, especially in the case of Why Us essays, because if students aren’t using those questions as chances to properly research and highlight why a college’s unique offerings are well-suited to them, it won’t add much to their application.  

What Should Students Do?

Demonstrate Interest in Other Ways

If a school doesn’t have a Why Us essay, it doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for signs that you’re interested. WashU announced it has begun tracking demonstrated interest at the same time it announced removing supplements.

Applying Early Decision is a great way to tell a school how serious you are about attending, but so are interviews, attending events, and visiting in-person.

Make the Most of the Essays Left

If a school does have a Why Us essay, avoid listing what they offer and focus on connecting their program to you. They know they have wonderful research facilities, but how are you going to use them? Or, consider the institution's values and mission statement. How do those align with your goals and your experiences?

As potentially your only shot at sharing your voice and what your academic score can’t, your personal statement also means even more. But don’t view this as added pressure! View it as a chance to put more time into brainstorming and revising. And please, don’t use AI!  

If you’re not sure how to put those suggestions into action, we’ve got lots of resources to help you do that here, or get in touch if you want more hands-on help!

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