Should I submit optional essays for college applications?
I’m working on my applications for a few schools and a lot of them have these optional essays. I know they can take a lot of extra time to complete, and I’m worried about spreading myself too thin. Do colleges actually expect you to write them? Or is it really just optional like they say?
I want to put my best foot forward but I also don’t want to submit something that feels rushed or repetitive. For people who’ve already been through this process, did you do the optional essays? Did you feel like it helped your application, or would it have been fine to skip them? Any advice is appreciated!
I want to put my best foot forward but I also don’t want to submit something that feels rushed or repetitive. For people who’ve already been through this process, did you do the optional essays? Did you feel like it helped your application, or would it have been fine to skip them? Any advice is appreciated!
7 months ago
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79 views
Anonymous
7 months ago
Optional essays on college applications can be confusing because the word "optional" makes it sound like they don’t matter, but in reality, they're a valuable opportunity to show the admissions committee more about who you are. Many applicants choose to complete them, especially at selective schools, because it demonstrates genuine interest and the willingness to go above and beyond basic requirements.
Colleges won’t penalize you if you skip truly optional essays, but if you’re applying to a school where you’re on the edge or if you're targeting highly selective schools, submitting these essays can make a real difference. The additional writing can help you stand out, clarify something in your application, or express a passion or perspective that’s not captured elsewhere. For example, a friend of mine applied to Northeastern and used the optional essay to talk about her involvement in theater tech, which wasn’t detailed in her main application. She was later told at an admitted student event that her essay tipped the balance in her favor because it rounded out her profile to align with what the school was looking for.
However, quality matters much more than quantity. If you’re feeling stretched thin, only write the optional essays where you have something meaningful to share or when the prompt connects with an experience or interest that isn’t already addressed. Don’t repeat points from your main essay, and avoid submitting something last minute that doesn’t reflect your best work.
If you really have nothing new or authentic to add for a specific prompt, it’s better to skip it than force a generic answer. Think of optional essays as bonus content; when done well, they help your case, but submitting weak responses can have the opposite effect. Prioritize your time, maybe by ranking your target schools and their prompts, and see where an optional essay feels like a real opportunity to help your application shine.
In summary: optional isn’t code for "ignore," but it also isn’t required if it compromises the rest of your application. Complete them when you genuinely have something to say and can write thoughtfully, and you’ll put your best foot forward!
Colleges won’t penalize you if you skip truly optional essays, but if you’re applying to a school where you’re on the edge or if you're targeting highly selective schools, submitting these essays can make a real difference. The additional writing can help you stand out, clarify something in your application, or express a passion or perspective that’s not captured elsewhere. For example, a friend of mine applied to Northeastern and used the optional essay to talk about her involvement in theater tech, which wasn’t detailed in her main application. She was later told at an admitted student event that her essay tipped the balance in her favor because it rounded out her profile to align with what the school was looking for.
However, quality matters much more than quantity. If you’re feeling stretched thin, only write the optional essays where you have something meaningful to share or when the prompt connects with an experience or interest that isn’t already addressed. Don’t repeat points from your main essay, and avoid submitting something last minute that doesn’t reflect your best work.
If you really have nothing new or authentic to add for a specific prompt, it’s better to skip it than force a generic answer. Think of optional essays as bonus content; when done well, they help your case, but submitting weak responses can have the opposite effect. Prioritize your time, maybe by ranking your target schools and their prompts, and see where an optional essay feels like a real opportunity to help your application shine.
In summary: optional isn’t code for "ignore," but it also isn’t required if it compromises the rest of your application. Complete them when you genuinely have something to say and can write thoughtfully, and you’ll put your best foot forward!
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