Why Colleges Are Paying Closer Attention to AI in Essays

College essays are changing this year, and some schools are cutting supplemental essays because of AI concerns.

Starting with the Fall 2027 application cycle, some colleges are removing supplemental essays. That means students applying to those schools may only need to submit the main Common Application essay, instead of writing extra essays for each college.

Families need to watch each application closely after August 1, because that is when colleges update their Common App requirements. Some schools may have no supplemental essays, some may still require them, and some may change what they ask for.

The reason this is happening is partly because of AI. Colleges are concerned about whether students are writing their own essays, and it is becoming harder to tell when writing has been heavily assisted or generated by AI.

For the Common Application, students should expect to confirm that their essays are their own work. That means they need to be careful. AI might help with brainstorming or grammar, but the actual story, ideas, and writing need to come from the student.

Some schools that have announced they are removing supplemental essays include University of Virginia, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Washington Seattle, Tulane University, University of Miami, University of Georgia, and Texas Christian University.

This does not mean essays matter less. If anything, the main Common App essay may matter more because it could be the only writing sample some colleges see from the student.

So students should take that essay seriously. It needs to sound like them, tell a clear story, and help admissions understand who they are beyond grades, activities, and test scores.

If your student needs help building a strong college essay that actually sounds like them, reach out to us.

Let College Help Squad be a part of your process.