A prospective student’s GPA can reveal how well they perform academically. A list of extracurriculars can show what they accomplished. But neither answers the most important element in college admissions: who they are.
Universities are tasked with building a community of individuals with unique experiences, values and perspectives. This is why many institutions emphasize a “holistic” admissions process that seeks to understand the person behind the application.
On June 18 the University of Miami announced it was removing the supplemental essay requirement for students in the 2026-27 application cycle. By removing the supplemental essay, UM loses a critical opportunity to understand students as individuals rather than simply a collection of achievements.
Before eliminating the requirement, applicants responded to a 250-word prompt where they would describe how their community shaped them, how they contributed to it and how those experiences would impact the way they contribute to the UM community. It gave students a chance to connect their personal experiences and values to UM in a way that transcripts and résumés cannot.
“The University is confident that removing the supplemental essay will not interfere with our ability to enroll high-achieving and qualified students and provide them an excellent education,” the University said in a statement to The Hurricane.
College counselor Jamie Adelson, who has worked with high school students throughout the admissions process for years, said supplemental essays offer benefits beyond what can be measured elsewhere in an application.
“Supplemental essays can be a great way for the university to gauge interest levels from students and for students to be able to express their interest in a particular university,” Adelson said. “It can be a great exercise … because they have to actually verbalize and express why they want to go to a university.”
While students can demonstrate competence through their achievements, essays build character and personality. Colleges often state they seek qualities such as curiosity, resilience and leadership, according to PrepScholar.
These traits are hard to recognize just by looking at a transcript or resume. Students with an average GPA or fewer extracurricular activities can still possess qualities like empathy, perseverance or intellectual curiosity that strengthen the campus community. The supplemental essay gives applicants the chance to demonstrate those traits in their own words.
“The supplemental essay was a chance for me to really display my emotion and personality,” said UM sophomore Bella Zahirudin. “I was able to tell a story. It was a chance for me to truly speak to the admissions team.”
Critics argue that supplemental essays favor students who can afford private counselors or professional admissions support. While this concern is valid, removing the supplemental essay does not create a more equitable admissions process.
Accomplishments such as leadership positions, internships and extensive extracurricular involvement are also heavily influenced by access to resources. Many public school students have limited access to individualized college counseling. In some states, such as Arizona, a single counselor may be responsible for hundreds of students.
Sophomore Daniel Fakhoury said the essay gave him the opportunity to provide context beyond the rest of his application.
“It allowed me to share more about myself, like my background, and helped me explain why I deserve to be accepted,” he said.
Other critics argue that supplemental essays favor students who can afford private counselors. However, eliminating them places more weight on extracurricular accomplishments, research opportunities and other achievements that are even greater influenced by a student’s access to resources.
“Removing the supplemental essay can end up harming students who may be weaker in other aspects, such as grades or test scores,” sophomore Lily Masi said. “Many students had external factors that may have affected their grades, or how many extracurriculars they did, and their writing can help them make up for that.”
As university applications become more streamlined, it becomes easier for students to submit to a larger number of schools. While this can be beneficial, the resulting surge in application volume raises concerns for maintaining individualized review.
“After reviewing the application process for the last several cycles, the University of Miami determined that the standard parts of the application, including the applicant’s choice of essay from the Common Application, give the admissions counselors detailed information about each applicant and their potential contributions to the University of Miami community,” the University said in the statement to The Hurricane.
The personal statement on the Common Application undoubtedly provides useful information about the applicant. Nevertheless, it cannot answer the same questions as a university-specific supplemental essay. One explains who a student is, and the other explains why that student belongs to a particular place.
Students feel that the supplemental essays were one of the best opportunities they had to differentiate themselves beyond their grades and extracurriculars.
“The supplemental essay allowed me to write something more specifically aimed at the University of Miami. It gave me another chance to make my application stand out,” said sophomore Isabella Gannon.
As holistic review becomes increasingly foundational, it relies on students presenting themselves in a number of different ways. Given that universities continue simplifying applications, they should be careful not to simplify the students behind them.
While the supplemental essay is not perfect, it allows students to connect their values to a specific university. By taking away this part of the application, UM loses a valuable source of insight into how students see themselves contributing to campus life.