How many essays do you typically have to write for college applications?

The number of essays you’ll write really depends on the schools you apply to, but it’s common to end up writing quite a few more than just the main Common App or Coalition personal statement. Nearly all selective colleges and universities ask for supplemental essays in addition to the main essay. For example, many top private schools will have 1-3 additional prompts each, while some state schools may only require the main essay or have a few brief questions.

If you apply to around 8-10 schools, you might end up writing between 10 and 25 essays in total. That number might sound overwhelming, but a lot of the supplemental questions cover similar themes (like “Why this college?”, describing an activity, or reflecting on your background), so you can often reuse and adapt your responses with careful editing.

Some schools don’t require any extra essays beyond the personal statement—this happens more with larger public universities that just want your main Common App essay, or sometimes a short personal insight response. For example, the University of Alabama and Indiana University only require the Common App essay. Others, like the University of California schools, require four shorter PIQs but don’t accept the Common App.

Here’s an example from a recent applicant: they applied to 12 schools—3 public in-state universities with only the Common App essay, 4 selective private schools with 2-3 supplements each, and 5 out-of-state public schools, some of which required a short “Why us?” essay. Overall, they wrote a Common App essay, a 650-word “main” essay for another application, 12 supplementals ranging from 100 to 300 words, and 4 short answers (UC PIQs), totaling about 19 essays.

If you’re applying to very selective or highly ranked schools, plan on at least 1-2 extra essays per college. It helps to start your main essay early and keep a spreadsheet with each school’s supplemental requirements! Planning ahead now will make essay season feel a lot more manageable.