Is it okay to submit the same personal statement to different colleges?

Absolutely—it's not just allowed, it's actually expected to use the same Common App personal statement for every school on your list that accepts the Common App. The system is designed for that purpose, so you don’t need to write a different personal statement for each college. As long as your personal statement doesn’t mention a specific school by name or refer to any program that’s unique to one university, you’re perfectly fine submitting the same essay everywhere.

Admissions officers know that everyone submits the same main essay; they’re looking for authenticity, strong writing, and a compelling story about you. Many students have great success reusing their personal statement exactly as it is. For example, one student wrote about their experience mentoring siblings while their parents worked extra shifts, highlighting growth in empathy and responsibility. That same essay secured them acceptances from several different types of colleges.

The place where you’ll want to customize is with supplemental essays—those are campus-specific, and it’s important to tailor your answers to fit the individual school’s values and opportunities. But for the main essay, doing revisions for every school just isn’t necessary nor is it a good use of time.

As you work through your applications, focus your energy on making your personal statement as strong and honest as possible, and then shift your efforts to tackling those supplements that really show why you’d be a good fit for each college. That way, you save time and keep the process manageable.

So, yes—it’s normal and completely acceptable to reuse your main essay. You’ve got this!