Is it okay to submit the same essay for multiple college applications?
So I’ve been working on my Common App essay and I feel like it really captures my story. I know some colleges also have supplemental prompts that are pretty similar to the main essay. Is it considered acceptable to reuse my main essay for other schools, or even for some of their supplements?
I don't want to look like I’m not putting in enough effort, but with all the different deadlines coming up, I’m starting to get overwhelmed. Would colleges know if I reused some of the content? Any advice from people who have done this before would be appreciated!
I don't want to look like I’m not putting in enough effort, but with all the different deadlines coming up, I’m starting to get overwhelmed. Would colleges know if I reused some of the content? Any advice from people who have done this before would be appreciated!
4 months ago
•
73 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
It’s totally normal to want to streamline your application process, especially with so many essays and deadlines stacking up. Submitting the same main personal statement, like your Common App essay, to all the colleges that accept it is not only allowed but expected—since that’s the point of the Common App essay. Colleges know you’re sending the same essay to multiple schools, and they don’t fault you for that.
When it comes to supplemental essays, things get a bit trickier. If a supplemental prompt at one school is truly identical or very similar to a supplemental prompt at another, it's okay to reuse your essay, as long as the content fits the new prompt perfectly and answers it fully. However, make sure you tailor your response a bit if the prompts are slightly different. Subtle differences in wording or intent can matter a lot. For example, Duke might ask about your "most meaningful academic experience," while NYU asks for "a challenge you overcame in your education"—these might seem similar but are actually asking for different stories or angles.
On the other hand, using your main Common App essay to fill a spot clearly labeled as a supplemental response (like the "Why This College?" essay) is a bad idea. Those essays are usually meant to help schools see why you’re interested in them specifically. If your answer is generic or totally unrelated to the school, it will be obvious and feel lazy.
Plenty of students reuse storylines, anecdotes, or portions of essays when applying to multiple colleges, but a good approach is to tweak and personalize the reused material to fit each prompt. For example, if your main essay talks about organizing a local robotics workshop, and a supplemental prompt asks about your impact in your community, you can use parts of your main essay to answer the prompt but with adjustments that directly address the school’s specific question.
To sum up: It’s efficient and fine to reuse essays where the prompt and context match closely, as long as you make sure your answer addresses each prompt completely and never feels generic. Double check each time to avoid accidentally mentioning the wrong school! A little personalization goes a long way, and colleges do notice effort.
When it comes to supplemental essays, things get a bit trickier. If a supplemental prompt at one school is truly identical or very similar to a supplemental prompt at another, it's okay to reuse your essay, as long as the content fits the new prompt perfectly and answers it fully. However, make sure you tailor your response a bit if the prompts are slightly different. Subtle differences in wording or intent can matter a lot. For example, Duke might ask about your "most meaningful academic experience," while NYU asks for "a challenge you overcame in your education"—these might seem similar but are actually asking for different stories or angles.
On the other hand, using your main Common App essay to fill a spot clearly labeled as a supplemental response (like the "Why This College?" essay) is a bad idea. Those essays are usually meant to help schools see why you’re interested in them specifically. If your answer is generic or totally unrelated to the school, it will be obvious and feel lazy.
Plenty of students reuse storylines, anecdotes, or portions of essays when applying to multiple colleges, but a good approach is to tweak and personalize the reused material to fit each prompt. For example, if your main essay talks about organizing a local robotics workshop, and a supplemental prompt asks about your impact in your community, you can use parts of your main essay to answer the prompt but with adjustments that directly address the school’s specific question.
To sum up: It’s efficient and fine to reuse essays where the prompt and context match closely, as long as you make sure your answer addresses each prompt completely and never feels generic. Double check each time to avoid accidentally mentioning the wrong school! A little personalization goes a long way, and colleges do notice effort.
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Camille Luong
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Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
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