Posts by Dave Bergman:

2026-27 University of Michigan Supplemental Essays – Prompts and Tips

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

In forming its most recent class, the University of Michigan received a record 108,666 first-year applications, part of a record 115,125 total including transfer candidates. For historical comparison, there were under 24,000 applicants at the turn of the millennium, and application volume has climbed roughly 29% in the past five years alone. It is safe […]

Tulane Supplemental Essays 2026-27 – Prompts & Advice

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

Short version, and the only thing most readers came here for: Tulane no longer has a supplemental essay. The “Why Tulane?” question has been paused for the 2026-27 admissions cycle. There is nothing to write. Applicants submit the Common Application personal statement and nothing else in the way of essays. Tulane announced the change on […]

UT Austin Supplemental Essays (2026-27) Prompts and Tips

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the top public universities in the United States, in the same league as the most popular UC campuses, UVA, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Georgia Tech. UT Austin’s ultra-elite business, engineering, and computer science programs attract brilliant teen minds from all over the world. Thanks to a state […]

University of Florida Supplemental Essays 2026-27 — Prompt & Advice

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

At the turn of the millennium, the University of Florida welcomed 63% of Gator applicants to Gainesville and functioned as a fairly accessible and highly affordable option for residents of the Sunshine State. However, while still extremely affordable, the task of becoming a Gator has become far more difficult since then. UF now admits roughly […]

Notre Dame Supplemental Essays 2026-27 — Prompts and Tips

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

The University of Notre Dame is a famed Catholic institution located outside the city of South Bend, Indiana. It is a dream college for many brilliant high school students around the globe, across all faiths. For the Class of 2029, the acceptance rate fell to roughly 9%, about one-third the figure seen back in the […]

2026-27 University of Maryland (UMD) Supplemental Essays – Prompts & Advice

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

With roughly 60,000 applicants per year, you might think that the University of Maryland College Park admissions committee would want to create a fast-paced assembly line for application reviews that is 99% based on hard numbers like GPA and SAT scores. Yet, in addition to those important data points and the 650-word Common App essay, […]

University of Wisconsin-Madison Supplemental Essays 2026-27 — Prompts & Advice

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has joined the ranks of premier flagship universities that high-achieving teens from around the country and the world now line up to attend. Like UVA, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the University of Michigan, UW-Madison requires its in-state residents to sport excellent grades and test scores, and it holds an even higher bar […]

2026-27 University of Chicago (UChicago) Essay Prompts and Tips

Posted on: 20 Aug 2026

UChicago has long been known for their “provocative” essay prompts, viewing them as a chance for “students to talk about themselves, their tastes, and their ambitions.” The University of Chicago admissions committee invites you to approach the UChicago supplemental essays with “utter seriousness, complete fancy, or something in between.” While writing this “uncommon essay” sounds […]