Which colleges require supplemental essays in their applications?

Most private and selective colleges do require supplemental essays in addition to the main Common App essay, but there are some notable exceptions and a few public universities that also ask for supplements.

Here's how it typically breaks down:

- Highly selective private colleges (like the Ivy League, Stanford, UChicago, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, and Duke) almost always require at least one supplemental essay. Some schools, like Stanford, UChicago, and MIT, may have several short answer or essay prompts.
- Top liberal arts colleges (such as Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, and Pomona) also usually require at least one supplement, often with creative or reflective prompts.
- Some large public universities require supplemental essays, especially for their honors programs or special scholarships. For example, the University of Michigan, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, and University of California (for scholarships or specific majors) ask for additional writing. However, other large publics like Penn State, Indiana University, and many state flagships (like the University of Alabama or University of Arizona) do not typically require extra essays for general admission.

For example, if you're applying to the University of Michigan, expect two substantial supplemental essays. If you apply to Stanford, you'll need to write three short essays and several short-answer responses on top of the main essay.

Some universities, including NYU and Boston University, are known for having just one relatively short supplement, while others (like UChicago or MIT) can ask for several, more extensive responses.

If you want a shortcut when building your college list, go to each college's admissions website or check the Common App directly to see if they list "writing supplement" as required. There are some spreadsheets circulating online in college admissions forums—if you search for '2024 supplemental essay requirements' you might find a crowd-sourced list, but they do change year by year, so always double-check the school's official site.

Since your fall is looking busy, try to balance your list between schools with many supplements and those with minimal writing. Being strategic now will save you a lot of time and stress later!