Do you need to write different essays for every college you apply to?

Your instinct is right: almost every college application will involve some unique writing beyond the personal statement, but not all of it needs to be from scratch. Here’s how it typically works:

Most schools that use the Common Application will require the main Common App essay—that’s the big one (usually 650 words) and the same version goes to each school you apply to from the Common App.

However, many colleges also have supplemental essays. These can range from a single short answer (like 50-100 words) to multiple essays of 250-500 words each. The most common types are “Why this college?” prompts, questions about your intended major, community, diversity, or specific experiences. Some schools—especially more selective ones—may ask for 2-3 or even more separate responses. A lot of state schools, like those using the UC or Coalition applications, have their own main essays on top of (or instead of) supplements.

For example, if you apply to 10 schools, you’ll likely write the Common App essay, but you might have up to 15-25 supplements, depending on your list. However, these prompts often repeat or are very similar ("Why our school?", "How will you contribute to our campus?", "Describe an activity that means a lot to you"). It’s common, and totally okay, to reuse or heavily adapt content across similar prompts—just make sure you personalize any details (especially when mentioning the school’s name or unique offerings).

Here’s a real-world example: one student wrote a story about researching water pollution for multiple “Why major?” essays, but swapped out specific details and resources unique to each college. Another reused a “community” essay across three applications, adjusting the ending to fit each prompt’s twist.

As for time management, it’s helpful to group your essays by type and brainstorm core experiences, interests, and values that can be used in multiple ways. Starting early with your main essay and making a spreadsheet for supplements (with word counts and topics) is key. During my own application cycle, I wrote 1 main essay and about 18 supplements (for 12 schools), but about half were strong adaptations of previous responses.

Bottom line: You don’t have to invent brand new essays every time! But you will want to give every school a thoughtful, tailored response—especially for their unique prompts.