Schools Without Required Supplemental Essays (Updated for 2023-24)
Elton Lin
Students put blood, sweat – and, most importantly, time – into writing their college application essays. Therefore, having fewer essays to write means a faster and easier college application process.
The Common App Essay is one of the heftier ones, but it can at least be sent to many schools at once. Supplemental essays, on the other hand, are another breed entirely. Supplemental essays are specific to each school. Many schools require applicants to write additional essays with college-specific prompts. While they certainly let students add a personal touch to their applications beyond GPA and activities lists, they are undeniably a lot of work – both for students to write and for admissions boards to evaluate.
It makes sense, then, that many schools don’t require supplemental essays from their applicants. Some schools find the Common App Essay sufficient, and many college admissions boards prefer shorter applications so that they can efficiently review them in less time. Also, removing supplemental essay requirements tends to increase the number of applicants, as the easier application process incentivizes more students to apply—and schools always benefit from having more applicants.
Whatever these schools’ reasons, no mandatory supplemental essays means a lot of saved time and an easier application process for students. Here are some schools that don’t require these extra essays in their applications:
Case Western Reserve University - Located in Cleveland, OH, CWRU is well known for its research programs in science and engineering students.
(Note: Students applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, the music major, or an Arts Achievement Scholarship music or art studio must submit supplemental essays.)
Clemson University - You may hear about Clemson during the college football season, but this public university in South Carolina is also well-known for its programs in engineering and education.
(Note: Students applying to the Honors College must submit supplemental essays.)
Colby College - Colby College is a small, selective, liberal arts college located in Waterville, ME that may be a good fit for students looking for a small school in a rural area.
Connecticut College - A good consideration for students interested in liberal arts colleges, Connecticut College is home to its very own “Connections” program – its “reinvention of the liberal arts education” – and allows students to build their curriculum with a team of advisors.
Drexel University - Drexel is a top research university based in Philadelphia that integrates a “Co-op” (cooperative education) program, or a system that allows students to split their school year between classroom study and real-world, resume-building experience, into their academics.
(Note: Application offers an optional short answer essay. Also, students applying to Westphal College or the BA/BS+MD program must submit supplemental essays.)
Fordham University - Located in New York City, Fordham University is known as “the Jesuit University in New York” and is well-known for its programs in law, business, and the humanities.
(Note: Application offers an optional supplemental essay.)
Kenyon College - Kenyon College is a liberal arts college located in Gambier, OH that takes pride in its faculty advising system – in fact, Kenyon was the very first college in the United States to integrate their professors as academic advisors for students.
Middlebury College - Located in Middlebury, VT, Middlebury College is best known for its strong international relations and language programs.
New Jersey Institute of Technology - NJIT is one of the nation’s top research universities for students interested in STEM, and is home to the largest college of engineering, computing, architecture, and design.
(Note: Students applying to the Honors or Accelerated programs must submit supplemental essays.)
Northeastern University - Northeastern is a large, increasingly selective research university located primarily in Boston that places a special emphasis on experiential learning and the many internships and co-ops integrated into its academic programs.
(Note: Application offers an optional portfolio for those applying to the College of Media and Arts, which includes a personal statement.)
Ohio State University - Located in Columbus, OH, the Ohio State University is the third largest university by enrollment in the United States, and is known globally for its academic medical center, as well as its cancer hospital and research center.
Skidmore College - Skidmore is a selective liberal arts college located in Saratoga Springs, NY and is known for its faculty-student collaborative research, as well as the sprawling natural beauty of its campus.
St. Lawrence University - St. Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college in Canton, NY that takes pride in its “First-Year Program”, which provides a “living-learning environment” which facilitates transitioning high school students into the new environment and lifestyle of their college careers.
Stony Brook University (SBU), or the State University of New York at Stony Brook - It may not sound as familiar to many west-coasters as Harvard or NYU, but this university ranks in the nation’s top 100 and in the top 200 in the world – and is particularly notable for its research.
(Note: Students applying to the Honors College, WISE, University Scholars, Scholars for Medicine, Scholars for Dental Medicine, or a BFA in Creative Writing must submit supplemental essays.)
University of Iowa - While perhaps most famous for its extensive and prestigious creative writing program, people of all disciplines can enjoy this large school that still manages to couple its magnitude with a small class size and liberal-artsy feel.
(Note: Students applying to the College of Nursing or the Teacher Education program must submit supplemental essays.)
University of the Pacific - This university is located in California, and features a student-centered approach to learning. It offers over 80 majors in 11 schools, and emphasizes providing experiential learning opportunities to its students, who have done so through the school’s Co-op program for over five decades.
(Note: Students applying as a Powell Scholar or to the Honors College must submit supplemental essays.)
Wesleyan University - Wesleyan is a private liberal arts college in Middletown, CT with strong programs in film and the arts, as well as STEM research. It is commonly grouped with Amherst and Williams as the historic and prestigious “Little Three” liberal arts colleges located in New England.