Is it possible to submit different personal essays to different colleges?
I'm in the process of finalizing my college applications and I keep second-guessing my personal essay. Some schools on my list have similar prompts, but I feel like different aspects of my personality would fit better with each school. For example, a tech-focused anecdote might be better for MIT, while something more creative could work for a liberal arts college.
Can you actually send a different personal essay to each college, or are you stuck with one if you're using the Common App? Also, if you do send multiple versions, does that affect your application in any way, positive or negative? I really want to make each application feel as tailored as possible. Curious if anyone has experience with this or advice on strategy.
Can you actually send a different personal essay to each college, or are you stuck with one if you're using the Common App? Also, if you do send multiple versions, does that affect your application in any way, positive or negative? I really want to make each application feel as tailored as possible. Curious if anyone has experience with this or advice on strategy.
3 months ago
•
58 views
Lydia Schooler
• 3 months ago
Advisor
You definitely have the option to submit different personal essays to different colleges, even through the Common App. When you're filling out your applications, the Common App allows you to upload a personal essay for each school. Most applicants use the standard "personal statement" section, and if you simply submit, your essay will go to all the colleges on your list.
However, if you want to send a tailored essay for some (or all) of your schools, you can use the "College-Specific Questions" section for each institution. When you get to the Writing section for a college, there's an option to upload a different document—this way, you can swap in a new essay and it will only be sent to that college. It's a bit more work, but it gives you the flexibility to tweak or completely switch up your essay for schools that might value different qualities.
Customizing your essay can actually be a strong strategy when done thoughtfully. For example, if you're applying to MIT and want to highlight your coding project that won a national prize, but for Wesleyan you'd rather write about your experience organizing a film festival, submitting different essays makes sense. Tailoring your story to match the values or characteristics a college looks for can help your application stand out as more intentional.
Just keep in mind: the process can get messy if you're not organized. Make sure you're submitting the correct essay to the correct school, and always keep copies of what you’ve sent where. Also, admissions offices don’t communicate with each other about applicant essays, so there’s no penalty for customizing content as long as each essay is authentic and true to you.
A lot of students do this with their supplement essays already, but it’s totally acceptable (and sometimes advantageous) to do it with the main personal statement. Good luck as you refine your applications!
However, if you want to send a tailored essay for some (or all) of your schools, you can use the "College-Specific Questions" section for each institution. When you get to the Writing section for a college, there's an option to upload a different document—this way, you can swap in a new essay and it will only be sent to that college. It's a bit more work, but it gives you the flexibility to tweak or completely switch up your essay for schools that might value different qualities.
Customizing your essay can actually be a strong strategy when done thoughtfully. For example, if you're applying to MIT and want to highlight your coding project that won a national prize, but for Wesleyan you'd rather write about your experience organizing a film festival, submitting different essays makes sense. Tailoring your story to match the values or characteristics a college looks for can help your application stand out as more intentional.
Just keep in mind: the process can get messy if you're not organized. Make sure you're submitting the correct essay to the correct school, and always keep copies of what you’ve sent where. Also, admissions offices don’t communicate with each other about applicant essays, so there’s no penalty for customizing content as long as each essay is authentic and true to you.
A lot of students do this with their supplement essays already, but it’s totally acceptable (and sometimes advantageous) to do it with the main personal statement. Good luck as you refine your applications!