What are the top colleges that don’t require supplemental essays for their application?

Totally understand where you’re coming from—juggling APs, activities, and college apps is a lot! The good news is that there are several great colleges that either don’t require any supplemental essays or require minimal additional writing beyond the Common App essay.

Some of the most well-known and academically solid colleges that don’t typically require separate supplemental essays include:

- Northeastern University (they sometimes have short, optional responses, but the main essay is often all that’s required)
- Tulane University (often doesn’t have required supplements for general admission, though there may be optional ones or special program essays)
- University of Alabama
- Ole Miss (University of Mississippi)
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Iowa
- University of Pittsburgh (supplements are optional)
- University of Arkansas
- University of Dayton
- University of the Pacific

Some well-regarded liberal arts colleges also limit or don’t require supplements, including:
- Colby College (no supplement required for regular admissions)
- Grinnell College (very minimal, sometimes optional extra questions)

It’s important to double-check each school’s application before you submit, as policies can change yearly, and sometimes certain programs or scholarships ask for their own essays.

For example, a friend of mine applied to Colby for biology and only needed her Common App personal statement—no extra essays! She said it was a huge relief since she was also busy with science clubs and research projects. Likewise, another friend applied to Northeastern and only had to write her main essay, which let her focus on perfecting what she already had.

If you’re looking to minimize extra work, my advice is to build your college list using the Common App’s filter feature to see which schools require supplements, or check each college’s admissions page directly. And if you end up really loving a school that has a short supplement (like a 150-word “Why Us?”), try to fit it in for a couple of your top choices—and reuse portions when possible!

Good luck! This is a great tactic for balancing your stress and still keeping your options open, especially for someone interested in biology, where there are lots of excellent programs at schools on this list.