Should I submit my Common App essay to colleges that don t require it?

Even if a college does NOT require the Personal Essay, you may opt to submit it to that college. You are allowed unlimited edits to the essay after your first application submission.

Do all colleges require the Common App essay?

Colleges can either make the personal essay optional or required. In the writing section of your Common App tab, you will see a table that lists each college's requirements.

Do colleges actually read your Common App essay?

Yes, admissions officers do actually read essays, but they might have already screened candidates first in a preliminary round. Every admissions office has a different process and it's impossible to sum up the exact step-by-step process for each admission office in one blog post.

Are there colleges that don't require essays?

Generally, it is rare to find colleges that don't require essays at all. While there are some colleges without supplemental essays, most still require students to submit the personal statement. Therefore, most colleges in the U.S. require essays in some form.

Should college essays be required?

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars. Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college.

The Best Way to Start & End a College Essay in 2024! | Tips for Common App and Supplementals

Why do some colleges not require essays?

Some schools hope that by eliminating the application essay they can make the application process easier and attract a wider variety of applicants. They hope that by presenting their application process as an easier alternative to more intensive applications, more students will apply to their institution.

Is it OK if my college essay is bad?

If a student's essay isn't great OR good, the admission officer will probably just skim past the essay and move right on to your transcript and your test scores to evaluate your candidacy for admission. Bad essays don't get read. Period.

Can an essay alone get you into college?

The bad news? No matter how gorgeous your prose is, you can't get into college based on the strength of your essay alone. “No-one ever gets into college because you write a great essay,” Heaton says. “You can not get in because you write a really bad one.”

Are college essays really optional?

While there are some colleges that don't even permit an essay, most selective colleges require or make the main essay optional, at the very least. No admissions officer will ever get upset seeing that a student submitted the main essay when it is technically optional to do so.

Should I submit my Common App essay?

You must submit the Common App essay to all colleges that require it, though some may ask you to submit one or more supplemental essays as well.

Do admissions officers read Common App essay first?

Many admission offices will read your Common App essay first, simply because it's embedded in Common App itself, and that tends to be the starting point of an application review.

How much do colleges care about Common App essay?

At the top 250 schools, your essays generally account for 25% of your overall application. This is only slightly behind the 30% for extracurriculars. Essays are actually ahead of the 20% for grades and coursework, 15% for test scores, and 10% for recommendations and interviews.

How do I make my Common App essay stand out?

Is it better to apply through Common App or directly?

Some colleges may accept all of these forms of applications and some schools may only accept one form. However, the Common Application is generally the best choice, as this application is most widely used across the country.

Should you use all 650 words in Common App?

For the Common App, try to stay within 550-650 words, even though the given range is 250-650.

Can a college essay hurt your chances?

Writing Generic Essays and Supplements

Writing supplements that lack authenticity or fail to address the unique qualities of the institution to which you're applying and how they align with your goals and interests will significantly hurt your chances of admission.

Should I submit my personal statement if its optional?

Even if the college you're applying to doesn't require a personal statement, you can often still submit it. The only time you should not send in the essay is if the school specifically states that they don't want you to. Submitting materials when they ask you not to only shows you can't follow directions.

Should I do the optional essay for Penn State?

It's essentially a personal statement, much like the CommonApp essay. While this Penn State supplemental essay is optional, we highly recommend responding to the Penn State essay prompt. Students' Penn State essays can make a major difference in the admissions process.

Why is writing a Common App essay so hard?

Oftentimes, the reason writing the college essay is so difficult is because the student doesn't spend enough time picking the right topic before they start writing. Students look at the Common App essay prompts to generate ideas. And then they choose a topic that they spent mere moments thinking about.

Can you get into Yale with bad essays?

To get into Yale, you'll need to have the credentials—those statistics like GPA, test scores, and course rigor—but those alone aren't enough. Success in Yale admissions is about telling a meaningful story throughout your application. And to do that, you'll need to write good essays.

How do you write a standout for college essay?

Is name dropping bad in college essays?

It will only significantly increase the likelihood of rejection. Name dropping in college essays is one of the items on our checklist of things that will make rejection exceedingly likely. People don't like braggarts. People don't like people who are trying so hard to impress.

Is one typo in a college essay bad?

You double and triple-checked each essay, and you were positive that everything was perfecto. But then, you reviewed your submitted materials and — gasp — you noticed a mistake! Don't panic. One mistake is not going to jeopardize your admission.

What is inappropriate to write about in a college essay?

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are: Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)