At Least Six Major U.S. Universities Drop Supplemental Essays for 2026-27 Application Cycle

Universities including Georgia Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Georgia, the University of Miami, Tulane, and the University of Washington have eliminated supplemental essays for the upcoming 2026-27 application cycle. Admissions officials cited reasons such as essays no longer providing new insights, exhausting staff, and potentially deterring qualified applicants. Generative AI is also noted as a factor by some institutions.