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Union College

Union skips the supplement, which means your Common App personal statement does all the work.

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Required supplemental essays

Common App personal statement

650 words

Optional Research Interest Form

In applicant portal

Test policy

Test-optional (most applicants)

What Union rewards

Here is the unusual, good news about Union College: there is no supplemental essay for 2026-2027. No "Why Union," no short-answer grid, no identity prompt. You submit the standard Common App (or Coalition) personal statement of up to 650 words, and that single essay does all of the storytelling for you. The only extra is an optional Research Interest Form that appears in your applicant portal after you apply, where you can flag your curiosity about undergraduate research.

That absence raises the stakes in a quiet way. When a school asks zero school-specific questions, your personal statement becomes the whole personality of your application. Union is test-optional for most applicants (homeschooled students and Leadership in Medicine or 3+3 Law applicants must submit scores), so for a lot of students this one essay is the loudest non-academic signal the committee hears. Treat it like it is carrying everything, because it is.

01Genuine intellectual curiosity. Union is a small liberal arts and engineering college that leans hard into undergraduate research and interdisciplinary work. Essays that show a real itch to figure something out, not just a polished list of achievements, land well here. The optional Research Interest Form exists for a reason.

02A human-sized, specific voice. With 465 students per class, Union reads like a place that wants to know the actual person. A narrow, concrete story about who you are beats a broad resume in paragraph form every time.

03Follow-through over flash. Union rewards students who stick with things: the kid who kept showing up, kept tinkering, kept revising. Depth in one or two areas reads as a better fit than a thin sweep across ten.

04Reflection that earns its conclusion. Because this is the only essay, the committee wants to see you think, not just narrate. The strongest Union essays end somewhere the writer clearly arrived at, not somewhere they announced in line one.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

1 prompt for Union, each broken down with annotated examples.

Common App Personal Statement650 words maximum (250 word minimum)

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. (The Common Application offers seven prompts, including: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it; The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success; Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea; Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve; Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth; Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.)

See all 1 prompt and get a read

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at Union and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Early Decision INovember 15

Early Decision IIJanuary 15

Regular DecisionJanuary 15

Scholarship priorityDecember 1

Cost

Sticker price$84,500

Avg net after aid$41,000

Meets full needMost

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How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what Union weighs most Supplemental essays1 prompt, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $41,000/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes Union interview? Format, tips, and practice The Union Reader ProScore your draft against Union's exact prompts

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Union FAQ

What is Union's acceptance rate?

Union does not offer Early Action. Regular Decision applicants may convert to binding Early Decision II by February 20 by contacting the admissions office. ED I decisions are released on a weekly rolling basis starting in November; ED II starts in January; Regular Decision releases in late March. Always reconfirm dates on union.edu/admissions, as they can change. At Union, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does Union require?

Union requires 1 supplemental essay on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does Union cost?

Union's published sticker price is about $84,500 per year, but the average family pays $41,000 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does Union require SAT or ACT scores?

Union is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are Union's application deadlines?

Union's application deadlines are Early Decision I November 15; Early Decision II January 15; Regular Decision January 15; Scholarship priority December 1. Add Union to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

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