Is it possible to update or change your college essay after submitting your application?

Once you’ve submitted your application through the Common App or most other application portals, you generally can’t go back and update or fix your personal essay. The system locks your submission for each specific college once it’s been sent. However, there are a few steps you can consider if you feel the typo is significant or if it’s truly bothering you.

First, it’s important to understand that admissions officers are used to seeing small typos or minor mistakes in essays. Most of the time, a single typo (even a noticeable one) won’t affect your chances. Admissions officers know you’re human and that mistakes happen, especially with essay drafts and application stress. Unless your typo completely changes the meaning of a sentence or is offensive, you probably don’t need to panic.

That said, if you still want to address the error, you could try reaching out to the admissions office of your top school. Send a brief, polite email to your admissions counselor (usually their contact info is listed on the admissions website) explaining that you recently realized you made a typo in your submitted essay. Ask if it’s possible to submit a corrected version or clarify your mistake. In most cases, they’ll thank you for your honesty but may not allow you to send an updated essay. Still, it can’t hurt to ask—just keep your note short and professional.

For example, a student once noticed they accidentally wrote “roll model” instead of “role model” in their essay for a selective college. They emailed the admissions rep, who replied reassuringly and noted that it’s a very common mistake. The student wasn’t allowed to submit a new essay, but admissions appreciated the student’s attention to detail and honesty.

In summary: You likely can’t edit your essay after submission, but most typos won’t hurt your application. If the typo is really obvious and you want peace of mind, send a concise email to admissions. Then, try to move forward and focus on the rest of your application process—you’ve already done the hard work!