Essay coach here. I don't believe I've yet seen a post about Harvard's supps for 2026--27--which are much like last year's.

Answer these questions in 150 words each.

In general, H. is looking for students who are top academic performers and whose work and other activities reveal initiative, leadership, and impact. They are also looking for geographic diversity, musical instrument diversity, and it does not hurt to be a legacy, child of faculty member, recruited athlete, and/or member of the donor class.

1. Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
2. Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience?
3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.  --EssayLiz

Not a shitpost! This comes right from the Cornell website, and the ink is still wet.

Cornell has read the room (mixing my metaphors) and has eliminated the first essay from the last 2 years and released the prompts for the individual Cornell schools that you would be applying to. The look very similar to previous year prompts.

Do not wait till the night before to do these.

They require a lot of ruminating and researching the Cornell programs and classes your own interests and the Cornell programs and classes. See the list of School prompts for yourself here.

The most popular schools/prompts are for the College of Arts and Sciences:

**At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (**650 word limit)

And the School of Engineering:

Instructions: All engineering applicants are required to write two long essays and four short essays.

Long Essay Responses (200 word limit)

• Question 1: Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering?
• Question 2: Why do you think you would love to study at Cornell Engineering?

Short Answer Responses (100 word limit)

• Question 1: What brings you joy?
• Question 2: What do you believe you will contribute to the Cornell Engineering community beyond what you've already detailed in your application? What unique voice will you bring?
• Question 3: What is one activity, club, team, organization, work/volunteer experience or family responsibility that is especially meaningful to you? Please briefly tell us about its significance for you.
• Question 4: What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you.

 

Best advice: Be specific about yourself and about Cornell. --EssayLiz

This is a crazy few days--and more will be coming.

UNC just sent out emails to some students informing them that the supplemental essays are now GONE.

The website notice is here:

2026-2027 Application Update: We are removing the two short answer questions from our application supplement. The required Common Application essay, extracurricular activities, and additional information sections will continue to be spaces where students share their voice and passions. https://admissions.unc.edu/

SATS and in; supplements are out. Who's head is officially spinning? --EssayLiz

Expect the unexpected this year in college admissions. Yale just eliminated the WHY YALE prompt (hooray!), and removed 2 of the 5 short takes from previous years. Easy Peasy, folks. Have at them:

You can read the prompts on their website, or right here:

1. Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided  Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)
2. Respond to one of the following prompts in 400 words or fewer.
   • Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?
   • Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.
   • Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?
3. SHORT TAKES: 200 characters (approximately 35 words):
   • If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?
   • What is one aspect of yourself that you hope to grow or develop during college?
   • What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?

Big day in college apps for rising seniors--when the University of Chicago releases the supplemental prompts for the coming year, in addition to the straight up "Why Chicago?" Here are five new prompts--you need to choose one or... (see below):

1. Food for thought: How do thoughts eat?
2. The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, utilized origami-inspired techniques to compactly store and deploy its sunshield in space. Choose an artistic practice and use its principles to propose an elegant solution to a problem.
3. Sometimes metaphors get mixed up. For one reason or another, one could say, “we'll burn that bridge when we get there” or “the world is your china shop”. Make up your own mixed metaphor. Explain how it could make sense, be understood, or even applied.
4. The Olympics have long celebrated the pinnacle of human athletic achievement. But what if they expanded to honor the mundane? Imagine a new Olympic event built around an everyday activity like speed dishwashing or competitive grocery bagging. How is it scored, officiated, and judged? Why is it a worthy addition?
5. AI: Allen Iverson. NASA, or the North American Saxophone Alliance. Share a potentially confounding, comedic, or captivating example of MIA (Mistaken Identity of Acronym) and tell us its backstory.

AND UNLIKE EVERY OTHER UNIVERSITY, you can use prompts from the years before or make up your own. Go to it, folks, and have a good time. --EssayLiz

Big day in college apps for rising seniors--when the University of Chicago releases the prompts for the coming year, in addition to the straight up "Why Chicago?" Here are five new prompts:

1. Food for thought: How do thoughts eat?

2. The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, utilized origami-inspired techniques to compactly store and deploy its sunshield in space. Choose an artistic practice and use its principles to propose an elegant solution to a problem.

3. Sometimes metaphors get mixed up. For one reason or another, one could say, “we'll burn that bridge when we get there” or “the world is your china shop”. Make up your own mixed metaphor. Explain how it could make sense, be understood, or even applied.

4. The Olympics have long celebrated the pinnacle of human athletic achievement. But what if they expanded to honor the mundane? Imagine a new Olympic event built around an everyday activity like speed dishwashing or competitive grocery bagging. How is it scored, officiated, and judged? Why is it a worthy addition?

5. AI: Allen Iverson. NASA, or the North American Saxophone Alliance. Share a potentially confounding, comedic, or captivating example of MIA (Mistaken Identity of Acronym) and tell us its backstory.

AND UNLIKE EVERY OTHER UNIVERSITY, you can use prompts from the years before or make up your own. Go to it, folks, and have a good time. --EssayLiz

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