A college application typically includes more than one essay. There is usually a personal statement or Common App essay, plus supplemental essays that vary by school. Each one serves a different purpose and calls for a different kind of review — understanding that difference is the first step to using your essays well.
Each essay type has a different job. A good review accounts for that.
The longest essay in most applications. Its job is to tell a reader who you are — not just what you have done. Admissions readers look for voice, genuine reflection, and a sense of the person behind the application.
The personal essay submitted through the Common Application platform. It goes to every Common App school on your list, so it needs to reveal something meaningful about you that holds true regardless of the school.
School-specific short essays that each college requires in addition to the personal statement. Good supplemental essays answer the prompt directly while adding something new to your story — not repeating what you wrote elsewhere.
Reviewing a personal statement means asking whether a reader comes away with a clear, memorable sense of who you are. Reviewing a supplemental essay means asking whether you answered the specific prompt and added something that is not already in your application. Applying the same criteria to both leads to feedback that misses the point of each. A well-structured review distinguishes between them.
Get feedback on your Common App essay — review focused on the personal statement you submit through Common App.
Learn about college essay feedback — what structured feedback covers and why it matters.
Paste any college application essay and get feedback structured around what admissions readers actually look for.
Review Your Application Essay