40 Colleges Without Supplemental Essays 2022-23

By Brandie Erickson • October 10, 2022 • College Application College Search

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. 

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

To learn more about how you can build a balanced college list, including what you should consider like career/major goals, financial aid needs, school size, location, Check out our most recent article on Forbes.