Anonymous
05/29/2026 11:50
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Anonymous wrote:For schools that don’t have a supplement, I would suggest a different type of personal essay that is more focused on your major’s origin story. You can still show your values, community orientation and other personal qualities but you need a different type of personal essay for your entire application to work. And in this case, you can easily add some language specific to the school in the last paragraph for two.
Alternatively, use the additional information section to create a short 100-150 word paragraph about the school. I think more professionals will be coming out with strategies on how to do this in the coming months so pay attention.
Newby here, so apologies if this is a stupid question, but how does this work with the Common App? I thought you had to have one main essay that automatically goes to all the schools to which your student is applying?
Anonymous
05/29/2026 11:50
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Someone in the last thread pointed out that Wash U has added a video question to replace the supplement.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 11:31
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Anonymous wrote:There’s been increase of selective schools dropping/without supplements for next cycle:
WashU (new/drop)
UVA
Tulane (new/drop)
Middlebury
Others??
I’m now reading that the personal statement should be customized for each school.
Did anyone do that successfully this year for UVA or Middlebury or another?
Williams. They simply want a writing sample you already completed and submitted for a school class (like a previously admitted english or history essay) so no additional work required. My DS submitted one of his best english papers, and never visited or wrote anything custom and got in.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 10:42
Subject: Re:Selective schools without Supps
I bet it increases the number of high-stats kids who apply. Especially boys.Anonymous wrote:This just seems like another way to increase the number of applications and artificially reduce the acceptance rate.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 10:41
Subject: Re:Selective schools without Supps
I disagree with advice to reshape it as a why school within the personal statement. This was purely to drum up more applications, they aren’t trying to switch things up.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 10:40
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:For schools that don’t have a supplement, I would suggest a different type of personal essay that is more focused on your major’s origin story. You can still show your values, community orientation and other personal qualities but you need a different type of personal essay for your entire application to work. And in this case, you can easily add some language specific to the school in the last paragraph for two.
Alternatively, use the additional information section to create a short 100-150 word paragraph about the school. I think more professionals will be coming out with strategies on how to do this in the coming months so pay attention.
Most of these places don't even admit to major. Do the IECs who push this idea even talk to the AOs before they decide this is what they want? Or are they the IECs who don't have any friends in admissions because they have no real experience and don't try to create relationships?
Having been a T10 reader, sometimes this is done well and sometimes not.
The origin story essay works well for unique / niche majors and can make for a memorable candidate. Haven’t seen it executed well often for STEM but it does happen occasionally.
Writing about middle seats, cutting hair, rock bands - that’s not so memorable. It’s become a bit cliche.
And while AO don’t admit by major, we absolutely note it in our review (and highlight the ones we’ve been told to look for)! Major matters in committee even though no one is “admitted to a major”.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 10:26
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Anonymous wrote:For schools that don’t have a supplement, I would suggest a different type of personal essay that is more focused on your major’s origin story. You can still show your values, community orientation and other personal qualities but you need a different type of personal essay for your entire application to work. And in this case, you can easily add some language specific to the school in the last paragraph for two.
Alternatively, use the additional information section to create a short 100-150 word paragraph about the school. I think more professionals will be coming out with strategies on how to do this in the coming months so pay attention.
Most of these places don't even admit to major. Do the IECs who push this idea even talk to the AOs before they decide this is what they want? Or are they the IECs who don't have any friends in admissions because they have no real experience and don't try to create relationships?
Anonymous
05/29/2026 10:01
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
For schools that don’t have a supplement, I would suggest a different type of personal essay that is more focused on your major’s origin story. You can still show your values, community orientation and other personal qualities but you need a different type of personal essay for your entire application to work. And in this case, you can easily add some language specific to the school in the last paragraph for two.
Alternatively, use the additional information section to create a short 100-150 word paragraph about the school. I think more professionals will be coming out with strategies on how to do this in the coming months so pay attention.
Alternatively, use the additional information section to create a short 100-150 word paragraph about the school. I think more professionals will be coming out with strategies on how to do this in the coming months so pay attention.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 09:44
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Anonymous wrote:There’s been increase of selective schools dropping/without supplements for next cycle:
WashU (new/drop)
UVA
Tulane (new/drop)
Middlebury
Others??
I’m now reading that the personal statement should be customized for each school.
Did anyone do that successfully this year for UVA or Middlebury or another?
Or, they could just write a really good essay that paints an authentic picture of themselves. The personal statement is supposed to be about them, not the school.
This seems a like a way for anxious people to create more work for themselves that no one ever really expected in the first place.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 09:41
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
The elite don’t drop essays.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 09:36
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Williams
Anonymous
05/29/2026 09:33
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
All of the IECs were discussing at a recent meeting; yes there’s an expectation of personalization of something.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 09:11
Subject: Re:Selective schools without Supps
This just seems like another way to increase the number of applications and artificially reduce the acceptance rate.
Anonymous
05/29/2026 08:57
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
Georgia is another that dropped
Anonymous
05/29/2026 08:54
Subject: Selective schools without Supps
There’s been increase of selective schools dropping/without supplements for next cycle:
WashU (new/drop)
UVA
Tulane (new/drop)
Middlebury
Others??
I’m now reading that the personal statement should be customized for each school.
Did anyone do that successfully this year for UVA or Middlebury or another?
WashU (new/drop)
UVA
Tulane (new/drop)
Middlebury
Others??
I’m now reading that the personal statement should be customized for each school.
Did anyone do that successfully this year for UVA or Middlebury or another?