Are schools ditching writing supplements?

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

DD went onto the Common App ready to start plowing through writing supplements, and lo and behold, only 2 of her 10 definite schools have them. 5 have informational short answer questions, like the stuff you fill out online when you’re signing up for a tour, and 3 have nothing at all.

Are fewer schools bothering with the “Why {this school}?” essays and other illuminative prompts? Or are we missing something? Schools do have to have their supplements up by Aug. 1, right?

When DS applied five years ago, almost all the schools had writing supplements. Granted, he was hitting Ivies, but DD is looking at top LACs. Really no essays at Wesleyan or Vassar?

2

My daughter had quite a few pop up later. And of course there can be more supplements as schools invite the student to apply for scholarships/honors college, etc. She thought she was done, and then found some “optional essay questions” that were not all that optional!

3

I’m pretty sure Vassar has 2 supplementals this year, they just changed up the wording of the “why vassar” question

4

Ah, yes, I see. It’s buried under Questions. There may be more hidden in those dropdowns, then. Thank you! I knew that couldn’t possibly be right!