There are many changes afoot for the coming admissions cycle.
The Department of Education warned colleges last month about using race in the college admissions process. This will most likely lead many colleges to adjust their prompts for supplemental essays. The ACT unveils a new digital test with an optional science section next month. And a number of colleges reinstated standardized tests.
However, one thing that won't be changing this coming year are the essay prompts for the Common App. The most widely used and accepted application announced at the end of February that its longstanding prompts will remain the same this year. That's a very good thing.
I don't know the last time that Common App changed its prompts, but it has been awhile. There are seven prompts to choose from. They are wildly open-ended and can work for every student and every essay topic. It is this underlying student-centered and steady approach that has built Common App's dominance over the last decade.
Common App surveys every audience each year—from students, to counselors, to colleges—to ensure the format still works for everyone. I still get giddy about filling out the Common App every August when it is officially updated. It is straightforward, predictable, and contained in ways that I wish other parts of the admissions process were.
Speaking of contained, Common App also announced that it will be reducing the "Additional Information" section from 650 words to 300 words. This is a welcome and needed change. This section is supposed to be used sparingly, if at all. When a student has to share something that is absolutely essential, like explaining a scheduling conflict or providing details about an unusual circumstance, this section comes in handy. However, many students use this section as a free-for-all. I have seen students use it as an extension of the activities list or honors list. I have seen resumes pasted in the section. I have even seen students use the space to provide additional essays. This is not the intended use of this section.
Given how much pressure admissions officers have to read through an application in a short period of time, this section can become the bane of their existence, especially when the student takes advantage of this space and provides information that is unnecessary. So, there will still be a space for students to add pertinent information here. But the reduction in the word count maximum should be a clear signal to students that this section is not meant to be abused. Typically, most students will not need to use this section at all.
Finally, Common App announced that the "Community Disruption" section will be expanded, not in word count, but in scope. This section was created during the pandemic to allow students to address if they had been negatively impacted in some way. Now, this section will allow students to discuss any type of disruption in their lives, like unstable housing, a natural disaster, mental or physical health issues, and others. The word count maximum remains at 250 words. Most students can simply skip this section unless they have experienced a hardship that impacted their high school experience.
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We need some stability in college admissions. The small updates being made to Common App for the 2025-2026 cycle will not change the way students apply. That consistency allows students, counselors, and colleges to plan well in advance. I wish that were the case for everything else in the admissions process.
