Those schools usually require essays of their own, but the longest essay, 500 words maximum, is generally attached to the Common App. Students choose one of six questions.

These AI tools can help you formulate outlines, improve your vocabulary, and defeat writer's block—but they have serious limitations, so use them wisely.

In The Wall Street Journal, James S. Murphy writes that the College Board shouldn’t kid itself. The new writing requirement won’t change anything.

In the fall, I taught English 366: The Essay at Lake Forest College, a writing workshop devoted to the study of the essay as a unique genre. We were not midway through the first class meeting when ...