Is it okay to reuse a supplemental essay for multiple colleges?

You’re definitely not the only one feeling overwhelmed by supplements—many colleges do ask very similar questions, especially around topics like 'Why this major?' or 'Describe an extracurricular.' Generally, it is okay to reuse parts of your supplemental essays when prompts are nearly identical. In fact, most students do this to save time and mental energy. However, there are some precautions you should take so you don’t accidentally weaken your applications.

The main thing colleges want is a response that feels specific to them. When prompts are similar, you can reuse core content about your interests, experiences, and goals, but you should personalize each essay by adding details that are unique to the college you’re applying to. For example, if you’re writing about studying biology, you can keep the story about what inspired your interest, but tweak each version to mention particular classes, professors, labs, or research opportunities that are only available at that school.

One classic mistake is pasting the same essay for two schools and forgetting to change the name or references. Double check every reused essay to make sure you don’t mention the wrong college or something that doesn't exist at that institution. For instance, if you mention the 'Berkeley Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program' in a 'Why this major?' essay for NYU, it’ll stand out and hurt your application.

A good strategy: write a strong base essay that focuses on your story, but leave certain sections blank (like 'Why I want to study X at College Y'), and fill those in with campus-specific details later. This keeps your workload manageable while making every submission feel tailored.

In summary: Yes, you can reuse and adapt supplemental essays for similar prompts. Just make sure every submission has some elements customized for that specific college. A thoughtful approach shows you’ve done your research and care about fitting in there, which will only help your chances.