This year, over 600 colleges and universities are accepting applications for their institutions through The Common Application. Many students are familiar with the personal statement located in the Writing section of the Common App. In addition, numerous colleges ask students to write additional essays. Completing the essays may be required or recommended.
Colleges’ supplemental essays are located within their supplements. To find out if a college has supplemental essays, add the college to your Dashboard by typing it in the College Search section text box (college name) and then selecting “Search, then “Add.” The college will then populate in your Dashboard and in your “My Colleges” tab.
Go to a college’s specific page within the “My Colleges” tab. If the college lists a “Writing Supplement” section, there is additional writing. That said, some colleges embed their supplemental essay questions within the data entry of their supplements. If you see a section titled “Other,” “Additional Essay,” or “Writing” among the data entry categories, there is likely an additional essay if not more to write.
Some schools are more obscure and do not make it obvious that additional essays are a part of their supplement. Therefore, it is always important to carefully review each college supplement to identify any additional writing. On a related note, when you look at the Dashboard of your Common Application, a college will only have a yellow circle in the Writing Supplement column if the words “Writing Supplement” are listed on a college’s page in the “My Colleges” section. In other words, if a college has chosen to embed their supplemental essay(s) within the data entry of their supplement, there will not be a yellow circle in the Writing Supplement column for that college when you look at your Dashboard.
Lastly, additional supplemental questions may surface after students indicate their prospective major. Complete the prospective major question (if asked) on a supplemental application as soon as possible to avoid discovering extra essay questions at the last minute.
Questions? Feel free to contact us for help. Good luck as you begin your college essay writing!
