Common App Changes All Applicants Need to Prepare For

What students can expect during the 2026-27 admissions cycle

The Common Application officially launched the 2026-27 college application season this past weekend. With the addition of 64 new member colleges, including Georgetown University, Common App is expected to continue seeing an increase in users and applications numbers. Last year alone, more than 1.46 million applicants submitted more than 9 million applications. 

One notable portal change in the My Common Application is the renaming of the Activities section to Activities and Experiences. The revised section includes new fields designed to “better capture a breadth of commitments beyond high school.” 

As always, the start of a new application cycle means students should review updated essay prompts and other application changes. This year, however, one trend stands out above the rest: colleges are requiring fewer supplemental essays, with many institutions eliminating them altogether. Among the top 50 ranked US colleges, at least seven schools have already dropped their supplemental essay requirements this season. 

Which schools are included on this list? Why are supplemental essays disappearing? How will this affect the future of college admissions? Read more for B2A’s scoop on the subject!

Colleges no longer requiring supplemental essays:

1. #26 University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill

2. #26 University of Virginia

3. #30 Georgia Institute of Technology

4. #41 The Ohio State University

5. #42 Rutgers University--New Brunswick

6. #46 Northeastern University

7. #46 University of Georgia

In addition to the schools above, three of the six schools ranked #51 also have no additional essay requirements (Case Western University, The College of William and Mary, and Florida State University). 

*Please note: colleges may require essays for students interested in applying to specific scholarship or honors programs. 

5 reasons colleges are dropping essays 

1. Removing supplemental essay requirements may lead to an increase in prospective student interest and application numbers. Eliminating required writing may encourage more students to apply by making the application process less time-consuming. After UVA removed their essay, the university saw a 52.4% increase in application numbers.

2. Colleges are focusing on the essays that matter most. Schools like Cornell are reevaluating which essays provide meaningful insights into applicants, eliminating its university-wide essay after determining it was not "helping to see a fuller picture of the student." Instead, the university now relies on its required school-specific essays to gather that information while reducing redundancy.

3. Colleges are looking to streamline the application process and remove as much stress as possible for students. In fact, this was a deciding factor for WashU this season, as they removed their optional supplemental essay to decrease student stress. 

4. Students are relying more on generative artificial intelligence to write their application materials. Shawn L. Abbott, Tulane’s dean of admissions, shared this was one of the reasons the school cut their supplemental essay requirements.  

5. With a record-breaking rise in application numbers at many schools, colleges like the University of Georgia are looking to lessen the burden placed on admissions officers to read and analyze these materials. 

Whatever reasons colleges may have for dropping their supplemental essays, future applicants will need to build a stronger profile that reflects both their academic promise and personality through strong transcripts and test scores along with meaningful extracurricular involvement. 

Academic promise & personality 

With fewer essays, hard factors such as GPA and test scores can help a student stand out among other applicants. Rigorous coursework and competitive SAT/ACT and AP/IB scores will likely become even more important for students applying to colleges that have removed supplemental essay requirements.

Additionally, students will need to be more intentional about their extracurricular involvement. Thoughtfully strategizing what activities and volunteering to participate in and demonstrating in-depth commitment will be very important. More than ever, students need to be engaged in their communities, participating in unique experiences, and taking on active leadership roles. These experiences will provide compelling material for students to showcase their character, interests, and personal growth in the personal statement and the Activities and Experiences section of the Common Application.

Applying to college this fall? With our Gateway Program or 1:1 College Admissions Sessions (CAS), get the support you need to write and refine your Personal Statement, supplemental essays, and scholarship or honors applications. For schools without supplemental essays, receive a personalized admissions strategy based on your academic interests and extracurricular strengths. You can also get help with the Common App portal, including the new Activities & Experiences section!

Preparing for college in the future? With our Steps Program, students in grades 7-11 build a strong profile throughout high school. Get matched with one of our professional counselors and meet with them twice monthly to discuss GPA management, course selection, extracurricular involvement, and more!