Over 40 Colleges Without Supplemental Essays 2022-23

As high school seniors begin the college application process, they quickly realize that applying to colleges can take a lot of work! Putting together the personal statement—a 650-word essay that helps demonstrate to colleges what type of person you are—activity list and supplemental essays are a time-consuming process that many students spend months preparing.

On average, the number of applications submitted to Common App, one of the biggest college application platforms, has increased yearly, with 14.4% more applications submitted in 2020- 21 than in 2019-20. As students apply to more schools, some of the top universities have gotten even more competitive, with Columbia University and Harvard University accepting less than 4% of their applicants for the class of 2026.

Because of the increased competition, many students are trying to beat the odds and will apply to ten or more universities. It’s not uncommon for some students to apply to more programs, especially if they are applying to highly selective schools or programs like direct medical programs. According to Nicole Gress, a counselor at Moon Prep, her direct medical students will typically apply to a mixture of BS/MD, Ivy League, and other traditional colleges for a total of 25-30 schools.

However, it is essential first to build a balanced college list rather than applying to only the most competitive schools. Having a list with colleges categorized as safeties, matches, and targets ensures that students will get into a number of schools, giving them options on May 1 when making their college decision.

How To Build A Balanced College List

As students build their college list, they should consider various things: career/major goals, financial aid needs, school size, location, and more. To start, students should get organized and begin tracking this data in Google Sheets and later use it as a reference. Research the acceptance rate, standardized testing policies, average scores, and early admissions options.

Once this information has been gathered, students can start categorizing their school list into safety schools, match schools and reach schools. A mixture of these three types of schools can help them create a balanced college list.

1. Safety schools. Accepted students will have average GPAs and standardized test scores lower than yours. The acceptance rate will be at least 40%.
2. Match schools. Accepted students will have similar GPA and standardized test scores as you. The acceptance rate will be 25% or above.
3. Reach schools. Accepted students will have higher GPAs and standardized test scores than you. The acceptance rate is typically lower than 25%. However, schools with an acceptance rate of 10% or less are a reach for everyone, even for valedictorians with perfect standardized test scores.

Students should aim to have at least 2-3 schools in each category to ensure that they have a well-balanced college list.

Applying To Schools With No Supplemental Essays

Here is a list of schools that don’t require supplemental essays to apply to their undergraduate program. Check the school website to make sure the information is accurate. Also, note that you might have to write essays for these schools if you are interested in their honors programs, scholarships, or a specific program within the school. By adding some schools that don’t require a supplemental essay to your college list, students can pad their numbers, apply to more schools, and have more options.

1. Albion College
2. Case Western University
3. Clemson University
4. Colby College
5. Connecticut College
6. Dillard University
7. DePaul University
8. DePauw University
9. Drexel University
10. Fairleigh Dickinson University
11. Fordham University
12. Grinnell College
13. Kent State
14. Kenyon College
15. Middlebury College
16. Muhlenberg College
17. New Jersey Institute of Technology
18. Northeastern University
19. Ohio State University
20. Seton Hall University
21. Siena College
22. Skidmore College
23. Spelman College
24. Stevens Institute of Technology
25. Stony Brook University
26. SUNY Binghamton University
27. SUNY Buffalo
28. University of Alabama
29. University of Arkansas
30. University of Colorado-Denver
31. University of Connecticut
32. University of Dayton
33. University of Delaware
34. University of Denver
35. University of Iowa
36. University of Minnesota
37. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
38. University of New Hampshire
39. University of the Pacific
40. University of Pittsburgh
41. University of St. Thomas
42. University of Vermont
43. Wesleyan University