End the College Admissions Essay Now

My friend Rick, has dedicated his professional life to making the world more equitable. Following the Supreme Court’s June 2023 affirmative action ruling, he wrote that colleges must be cautious in how they use the admissions essay to screen students.

Thompson Library, Vassar College, 1904

Boosting diversity doesn’t have to involve an essay. But ending legacy admissions, athletic preferences, & early action, or increasing financial aid are politically fraught. Rick fears admissions offices will continue to try to discern uniqueness from the applicant’s personal statement and claim this builds a diverse class.

This requires an essay reader with saint-like qualities, and flies the face of a century of experience. Better to just do away with the essay. A student’s GPA and test scores tell far more than a solipsistic disquisition. And if elite colleges really want a diverse class, Rick’s got ten ideas they ought to consider.

Click here to read my full essay.