With early decision college application deadlines looming, high school seniors may find themselves knee-deep in supplemental essays right now. In addition to the 650-word Common Application essay (or comparable personal statement), many universities ask applicants to write supplemental essays. These responses vary greatly in number and complexity. Some schools may only require one additional short answer while others have upwards of ten supplemental essays. And the responses range from quick 50-word creative questions to elaborate 750-word ‘why this school’ essays. What do all of these factors add up to? A lot of stress! 

While some lucky applicants are tasked with writing 5-10 supplemental essays, most of the students with whom we work ultimately write 20+ (and often closer to 40), depending on the number of schools to which they apply and how many essays each school has. Although these numbers may seem staggering, they don’t have to overwhelm you. There are strategic ways to manage the process and avoid essay overload. 

Read on to learn more about our expert tips to minimize supplemental essay stress.

Get organized

We know, we know. “Get organized” might seem like the most basic piece of advice we could offer. But truly, there’s nothing more important than sorting through your list of schools and essays so you can get a sense of the bigger picture. How many essays will you be writing? Which topics will you have to cover? And what are your deadlines? 

We strongly encourage students to make a list, or even better yet, a spreadsheet to manage supplemental essays. Doing so will help applicants begin to strategize the essay writing process and execute a plan efficiently. Just be sure to prioritize schools with earlier deadlines!

Pro tip: Confirm the number and nature of supplemental essays for each school. Refer to your application portal for this information, NOT third-party websites. There are a lot of personal blogs that track supplemental essay topics, but they may not include the most up-to-date or accurate details. And some schools are known for tweaking word counts limits or adding additional prompts mid-cycle. Always check your application, and if you have any questions, contact the admissions office directly.

Break down the prompt

Sometimes the biggest source of stress stems from the prompt itself. A simple question could be presented in overly complex way, leaving you wondering: what are they actually asking? Other universities (we’re looking at you, Virginia Tech!), want you to answer multiple questions within one essay response, making it easy for applicants to overlook essential components. 

To avoid feeling overwhelmed by a supplemental essay prompt, break it down. Rewrite the question as a statement, simplifying any complex language. If there are multiple questions within the prompt, create separate bullet points to ensure you address each component.

Here’s an example:

Why are you interested in Syracuse University and how do you see yourself contributing to a diverse, inclusive, accessible and respectful campus? (250 words) 

Let’s break down the prompt:

• I am interested in Syracuse because….

• I would contribute to a respectful, diverse campus by….

Many applicants write thoughtful responses about their reasons for wanting to attend Syracuse, BUT they forget to state how they would contribute to the campus. Breaking down the prompt in your notes will make the question(s) clearer and more manageable. Additionally this approach can help you manage content if you’re faced with a tight word count limit.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

While some schools are notorious for unique (and downright odd) supplemental essay topics, many universities ask applicants to write about these common themes: academic interests, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. 

Applicants can reduce their writing load by recycling their supplemental essays. You may find that the 250 word response you wrote last week for Loyola Maryland about a meaningful extracurricular activity could also easily answer University of Florida’s prompt: Please provide more details on your most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom while in high school and explain why it was meaningful (250 words). 

Of course, not every supplemental essay response is going to be a perfect fit for another school’s prompt. That’s okay. You can still recycle! Search for overlapping themes and then think about how you might be able to adapt a particular story or response to fit the question. In most cases, you probably won’t have to start from scratch.

PS: If you organize yourself with a list or spreadsheet, like we recommended above, you’ll find that it’s much easier to identify similar supplemental essay topics. And you just might discover that the five supplemental essays you thought you had to write actually might only be two! 

Pro tip: ‘Why this school’ type- essays, which require applicants to explain specific reasons why they’re interested in the college or university, should not be recycled. In fact, if these types of supplemental essays are written well, they CANNOT be reused. That’s because they focus on details of a particular institution, capturing the uniqueness of that school.

Final Thoughts

Essay writing is a PROCESS that requires time and organization. That’s why we encourage students to start writing their college application essays as early as possible. However, if you find yourself getting a late start or adding several schools to your list, hopefully these tips can help! 

For families in need of last minute essay support or who want to plan ahead for senior year,  book an appointment with our DC College Counseling team here.