国产第一福利影院草草

Although the Supreme Court鈥檚 2023 ruling on affirmative action prohibited colleges from using an applicant’s racial identity as a factor in the review process, it did specify that students could still discuss their experiences with race in personal essays as long as their discussion focused on the qualities, resilience, or values developed as a result. Colleges pivoted accordingly; the 2023-24 cycle saw scores of brand-new essay prompts concerned with 鈥渓ived experiences,鈥� identity, background, and community contributions. By the following cycle, the aptly nicknamed “diversity essay” had become a staple in the college essay canon, functioning as an open-ended opportunity for students to directly reflect on their personal backgrounds outside of their personal statements. However, recent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) upheavals鈥攁long with several strongly-worded government memos鈥攈ave triggered yet another shift in the diversity-centric essay prompt landscape.

What鈥檚 changing, and what does it mean for applicants? Is it still okay to write about background & identity in college essays? (Spoiler: we’ve provided a decision-making flow chart.) We鈥檒l discuss those questions in more detail in today鈥檚 blog.

What classifies as a 鈥渄iversity鈥� essay prompt?

A diversity essay prompt is any prompt that explicitly asks applicants to reflect on their personal background, experiences, identity, or community involvement鈥攚hether required or optional. Historically, such prompts have ranged from uber-specific (Duke鈥檚 commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community.) to quite open-ended (How has your life experience contributed to your personal story鈥攜our character, values, perspectives or skills鈥攁nd what you want to pursue at Hopkins?).听

How are diversity prompts shifting?

This year, we鈥檝e seen a noticeable increase in the number of colleges that have changed their previously offered diversity essay prompts. These changes run the gamut from massive (complete removals) to minor (small wording tweaks).听

Why are diversity essay prompts being changed or removed?

Colleges use essay questions to glean information during the admissions process that will be most useful to them as an institution. As a result, removing, changing, or adding diversity essay questions is typically a reflection of changing institutional priorities, processes, or review factors.听

In this case, the most likely culprit is government pressure. For starters, college and university-level DEI programs are currently under fire nationwide, with. Some colleges, like and, removed their programs preemptively, while others, including the University of North Florida and Iowa State University, were forced to shutter their offices in compliance with.听

Then, recent government communications increased the pressure. A issued by the Department of Education made it clear that the government would be cracking down on DEI programs as well as what it perceived to be “race-based decision-making” during the admissions process, including certain uses of students鈥� personal essays. The letter’s vague language and constitutional violations earned it a series of lawsuits; in August 2025, the letter was officially struck down in federal court鈥攆or now.

Another memo joined the party in late July, this time issued by the Office of the Attorney General. While technically non-binding, insinuates that institutions that do not adhere to the memo鈥檚 guidelines may find themselves in legal hot water. One such guideline? Institutions should avoid 鈥渦nlawful proxy discrimination,鈥� or using seemingly neutral information as a way to learn more about one鈥檚 racial or ethnic background. In addition to flagging terms like 鈥渓ived experiences,鈥� 鈥渃ross-cultural skills,鈥� and 鈥渃ultural competence鈥� as potential signals of proxy discrimination, the memo specifies that 鈥渙vercoming obstacles鈥� essays or 鈥渄iversity statements鈥� are problematic if they 鈥渁dvantage those who discuss experiences intrinsically tied to protected characteristics.鈥�

Are all colleges changing or removing their diversity essay prompts?

No, but the new guidance has certainly created confusion over how diversity-related objectives can be legally integrated into the admissions process. Combined with other factors, such as rising application numbers, enrollment management challenges, Early Decision lawsuits, and generative AI concerns, it鈥檚 not surprising that some institutions have decided to rethink what questions they鈥檙e asking on their applications鈥揳nd what purpose those questions ultimately serve.

For example, the University of Virginia completely removed its sole supplemental essay for the 2025-26 cycle, which asked applicants to reflect on their background & identity. Similar to the university鈥檚 and President Jim Ryan鈥檚 , this change may simply be another way to avoid further governmental attention. However, it also comes on the heels of yet another record-breaking application year. In 2025, a hard-to-believe 64,000+ students threw their hats in the proverbial admissions ring, and applications to UVA have risen more than 60% since 2020. Since essays take time to review, removing the additional essay from the application could be UVA鈥檚 attempt to reduce strain on an already overworked admissions staff. They may have also found that a student鈥檚 supplemental essay is no longer a necessary component of an informed admissions decision.听

Which colleges changed their diversity essay prompts?

So far, nearly twenty highly selective colleges (and half of the Ivies) have made changes to their diversity-centric essay prompts:

Diversity Prompt Removals

The following colleges have completely removed their diversity essay prompts:听

Colorado College

Colorado College fully overhauled last year鈥檚 prompt:

2024-25 Prompt: Colorado College values creating an equitable, environmentally conscious, and healthy community. Choose one of these areas 鈥� antiracism, sustainability, or wellness 鈥� and describe your experiences and the specific ways you plan to get involved in this area at CC.

2025-26 Prompt: One of the benefits of Colorado College鈥檚 Block Plan is the opportunity to immerse yourself fully in a single subject for 3.5 weeks. We see this as the luxury of focus 鈥� the joy and value of directing your full attention to one thing. Tell us about a time when you experienced this kind of deep focus in an academic or extracurricular setting. What were you doing and how did it turn out?听

Occidental College

In the 2024-25 cycle, Occidental offered three prompt choices, one of which was the following:听

2024-25 Prompt Option: 翱肠肠颈诲别苍迟补濒鈥檚 emphasizes the value of community amidst diversity. What do you value in a community and how do you see your perspectives and life experiences enhancing it?

This year, there is only one option:

2025-26 Prompt: Why are you applying to Occidental? Why do you think Occidental is the right place for you to pursue your interests?

Brandeis University

For the 2025-26 cycle, Brandeis 86鈥檇 the following essay:

2024-25 Prompt: Brandeis was established 75 years ago to address antisemitism, racism, and gender discrimination in higher education, and today, the university remains dedicated to its founding values of inclusivity and justice. How has your educational experience shaped your perspective on these values?

Now, no supplemental essays are required from domestic applicants.听

Texas Christian University

Last year, TCU required applicants to respond to both of the following prompts:

At TCU, it is our vision to be a world-class, values-centered university. We value academics, intellectual inquiry, creative expression, leadership, service, diversity, and the appreciation of the human experience. With which one of TCU鈥檚 core values do you most align and why?听

and

TCU is committed to creating an inclusive campus culture for all people. We have a shared responsibility to enhance our community by encouraging inclusive environments through learning opportunities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Describe how you have already contributed to creating an inclusive environment in your community or how you plan to contribute to an inclusive college environment in the future.

However, TCU removed both supplemental essays for the 2025-26 cycle and did not replace them. For the first time in years, students no longer have to submit any supplemental essays to be considered for admission at TCU.

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

UMTC used to offer the following prompt on its application, which has been scrubbed entirely from its 2025-26 application:

2024-25 Prompt: The University values diversity, broadly defined to include diversity of experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and talents. Enrolling a diverse community of scholars interested in learning with and from each other fosters discussion and discovery inside and outside of the classroom. Please share briefly how you might contribute to, or benefit from, our community of scholars.听

Now, students only need to respond to the following:

2025-26 Prompt: The U of M has 8 freshman-admitting colleges and more than 150 majors. Please share a few words about what you鈥檇 like to study in college, career paths that interest you, or your favorite subjects in school.

University of Virginia

Last year, UVA required the following essay:

2024-25 Prompt: What about your individual background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at UVA? Feel free to write about any past experience or part of your background that has shaped your perspective and will be a source of strength, including but not limited to those related to your community, upbringing, educational environment, race, gender, or other aspects of your background that are important to you.

That prompt has been completely removed from the application, marking the first time in years that UVA has not required any supplemental essays for most applicants.

University of Washington

Similar to the University of Michigan, the University of Washington eliminated its long-standing essay about community and diversity:

2024-25 Prompt: Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

Unlike the University of Michigan, though, UDub did not replace this prompt with a different option. For the 2025-26 cycle, applicants will only need to submit a personal statement to be considered for admission.

Chapman University

Chapman completely removed the following set of prompts from its 2025-26 application:

2024-25 Prompt: Chapman seeks to enroll a class of students that fosters a diverse, dynamic and welcoming campus community. To support this goal, we encourage you to discuss any aspect of your identity, which could include perspectives, experiences, and background, and how they have shaped who you are. With this in mind, please answer one of the following questions (200 words or fewer):

• Choice 1: Our committee would like to hear about a personal experience or lesson that has helped you better understand who you are now and/or appreciate a perspective different from your own. How would you utilize this understanding to contribute to the values and welcoming fabric of our campus community?
• Choice 2: Part of the Chapman experience is to help students expand their perspectives. How will you grow personally and/or learn more about others throughout your time at Chapman?

Instead, this year鈥檚 lineup focuses almost exclusively on academic interests and college fit.听

Lehigh University

Lehigh changed last year鈥檚 prompt about personal background to an entirely new one that invites applicants to share something positive happening in their lives:

2024-25 Prompt: Our 10-year strategic plan, , outlines three goals that articulate a vision for how we innovate, make an impact and do that work together鈥攂ecause together, we do better work. Reflect on how your personal background鈥攂e it academic, cultural, extracurricular, family, gender, racial, religious, or another aspect鈥攚ill contribute to Lehigh’s aim to make it new, make a difference, (and/or) make it together.

2025-26 Prompt: At Lehigh, we believe in pausing to celebrate the good鈥攎eaningful moments that bring joy, pride or motivation. What鈥檚 something great happening in your life right now? It could be an accomplishment, a personal win (big or small) or something you鈥檙e genuinely excited about. If it matters to you, we鈥檇 love to hear about it.

University of Michigan

University of Michigan鈥檚 previous prompt about community and identity (part of its application for nearly a decade) was replaced with a leadership-centric prompt:

2024-25 Prompt: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.听

2025-26 Prompt: At the University of Michigan, we are focused on developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. In your essay, share with us how you are prepared to contribute to these goals. This could include the people, places, experiences, or aspirations that have shaped your journey and future plans.

Johns Hopkins University

For several years,听 Johns Hopkins has asked students to discuss some aspect of their background or life experience:听

2024-25 Prompt: How has your life experience contributed to your personal story鈥攜our character, values, perspectives or skills鈥攁nd what you want to pursue at Hopkins?

This year, however, their prompt received a full makeover:

2025-26 Prompt: Over the past 150 years, every monumental discovery at Hopkins has started with a first step: The first draft by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. A prototype that led to a life-changing medical invention. The first pitch that launched a new startup venture. As we commemorate the university’s sesquicentennial鈥�150 years since its founding鈥攚e continue to celebrate first steps just as much as final achievements. Tell us about an important first in your life鈥攂ig or small鈥攖hat has shaped you.

Significant Diversity Prompt Wording Changes

Some institutions opted for a wording overhaul rather than banishment to the prompt dumpster:

University of Miami

The prompt鈥檚 focus has certainly changed, but it鈥檚 still quite open-ended and invites a wide range of responses:

2024-2025 Prompt: Located within one of the most dynamic cities in the world, the University of Miami is a distinctive community with a variety of cultures, traditions, histories, languages, and backgrounds. The University of Miami is a values-based and purpose-driven postsecondary institution that embraces diversity and inclusivity in all its forms and strives to create a culture of belonging, where every person feels valued and has an opportunity to contribute. Please describe how your unique experiences, challenges overcome, or skills acquired would contribute to our distinctive University community.

2025-26 Prompt: Reflect on a community that has influenced you鈥攂e it your school, neighborhood, club, team, ethnic group, or any other group that has played a role in shaping who you are. What significance did that community hold for you, and in what ways did you contribute to it? How will you bring those experiences, values, and insights to thrive and enrich our campus community at the University of Miami?

Duke University

Duke offers applicants the opportunity to complete an optional essay as part of their application. The 2024-25 prompt options included:

• Duke鈥檚 commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community.

• We recognize that not fully 鈥渇itting in鈥� a community or place can sometimes be difficult. Duke values the effort, resilience, and independence that may require. Feel free to share with us circumstances where something about you is different and how that鈥檚 influenced your experiences or identity.

• We believe a wide range of viewpoints, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to maintaining Duke as a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.

The first two have been completely removed from the 2025-26 line-up. The final option stayed, but with revised wording:

We believe a wide range of viewpoints and experiences is essential to maintaining Duke鈥檚 vibrant living and learning community. Please share anything in this context that might help us better understand you and your potential contributions to Duke.

Hamilton College

This year, Hamilton shifted the focus of its optional supplemental essay. Instead of a 鈥渞eflect on your personal background鈥� essay, it鈥檚 now more of a 鈥溾�榃hy Hamilton?鈥� essay.听

2024-25 Prompt: At Hamilton, we each bring different backgrounds and perspectives, and we teach one another about the world through our individual and shared experiences. In the spirit of Hamilton鈥檚 motto, Know Thyself, please reflect on your unique perspective and how Hamilton might shape it, as well as how your perspective will shape Hamilton.

2025-26 Prompt: At Hamilton, we each bring different backgrounds and perspectives, and we teach one another about the world through our individual and shared experiences.听 What would you like us to know about you and your interest in Hamilton? How can Hamilton inspire you on your journey to 鈥渒now thyself?鈥�

University of San Diego

For one of their required supplemental essays, USD provides applicants with three prompt options. In a move similar to other colleges, USD revised one prompt鈥檚 wording to be more general and removed previous mentions of diversity & inclusion:

2024-2025 Prompt Option: Here at USD, we value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. Our is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse, inclusive and equitable campus community. What contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to these ideals?

2025-26 Prompt Option: USD is committed to fostering a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and purpose. Reflecting on your own experiences, what does community mean to you? How have you helped create inclusive, welcoming spaces for others, and what have you learned from those efforts?

Diversity Prompts with Minor Wording Tweaks, Similar Spirit

The following universities have made minor changes to their diversity essay prompts, mostly in regard to words like identity, lived experience, diversity, equity, etc.:

Columbia University

Columbia鈥檚 essay prompt remains very similar to last year, sans direct mentions of equity and diversity.

2024-25 Prompt: A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia鈥檚 diverse and collaborative community.

2025-26 Prompt: Tell us about an aspect of your life so far or your lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s multidimensional and collaborative environment.

Cornell University

Similar to Columbia, Cornell slightly changed the wording of its community & identity essay. It removed 鈥渓ived experience鈥� and mentions of global and cultural communities.

2024-25 Prompt: We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you鈥檝e been shaped by one of the communities you belong to. Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience.听Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural.

2025-26 Prompt: We all contribute to, and are influenced by, the communities that are meaningful to us. Share how you鈥檝e been shaped by one of the communities you belong to.听Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. This community example can be drawn from your family, school, workplace, activities or interests, or any other group you belong to.

Harvard University

Harvard鈥檚 prompt change is slight but noticeable. Instead of the 鈥渋mportance of enrolling a diverse student body鈥� it is now 鈥渆nrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences.鈥�

2024-25 Prompt: Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

2025-26 Prompt: Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

University of Pennsylvania

Like Cornell and Harvard, Penn鈥檚 wording shifts are subtle but noteworthy. All mentions of 鈥渋dentity鈥� have been removed, replaced instead with 鈥渆xperiences.鈥澨�

2024-25 Prompt: How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape Penn.

2025-26 Prompt: How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.听

Which colleges have not changed or removed prompts that invite applicants to reflect on their identity, background, and/or lived experiences?

• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bowdoin College
• California Institute of Technology
• Connecticut College
• Dartmouth College
• Elon University
• Fordham University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Macalester College
• Northwestern University
• Pitzer College
• Princeton University
• Rice University
• Roger Williams University
• Santa Clara University
• Seattle University
• Smith College
• Southern Methodist University
• Stanford University
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• University of Maryland – College Park
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oregon
• University of Richmond
• University of Southern California (Viterbi School of Engineering prompts)
• University of Vermont
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Wake Forest University
• Washington & Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• William & Mary
• Yale University

Is it still okay to write about subjects like race, sexual or gender identity, religious background, cultural background, etc., in my college essays?

Currently, the DOJ 鈥済uidance鈥� only impacts the types of questions that institutions can ask and how those questions can be used during the admissions process, not how applicants can and can鈥檛 respond. In other words, you, as an applicant, have no responsibility to avoid certain topics, phrases, or types of information. Instead, the onus is on colleges to word their essay prompts in a way that invites a wide range of responses.

Since the July government memo is non-binding and the February letter鈥檚 directives were quashed in federal court, any changes colleges are making to their diversity-centric essay prompts are not legally mandated. In most cases, these changes should be seen as an institutional-level self-protection measure rather than a signal that the college no longer values enrolling a diverse student body. However, it is simply too early to tell.

Until other legal advice comes down the pipe, please know that you still can鈥攁nd should鈥� write about any aspect of your identity that you choose. For many students, their racial, cultural, sexual, and/or religious identity & background are an integral part of who they are and how they鈥檝e experienced life so far. It may also be a key factor in how they鈥檝e developed certain values and qualities. So, if you do decide to write about your racial, cultural, sexual, and/or religious background & identity in an essay, avoid including it “just because.” Like any other topic, it should serve as a way to reflect on how your unique experiences and circumstances have shaped your perspective, contributed to your personal growth, and/or helped you develop certain traits & values. (Check out How to Write the Diversity Essay – With Examples for more guidance.)

If you鈥檙e not sure whether to share more about your background/identity, here鈥檚 a flow chart to help you decide:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Takeaways

As the higher education universe continues to get rocked by AI, DEI upheavals, enrollment declines, astronomical application numbers, standardized testing changes, reduced research funding, fewer international student applicants, or whatever the flavor of the year is, we may see more colleges making changes to their admissions processes in order to protect their institutional interests.听

It’s true鈥攕ome colleges have removed or changed previously offered opportunities for students to write about their background & identity. However, you still have ample space on the application to share this information if it adds something essential to your file. Should you need help deciding, we鈥檙e here to help鈥�book a free consultation today.