Small Essays. BIG Impact.

A free webinar on supplemental essays — the short, school-specific questions that often decide close admission calls.

[DATE] at [TIME] ET

Everyone talks about the 650-word personal statement. But a student applying to 10–12 colleges will typically write 15 to 30 supplemental essays and short answers on top of it — "Why us?", "Why this major?", community essays, 50-word rapid-fire questions, and more. Five hyper-selective schools alone can add up to 33 separate pieces of writing.

These small essays carry serious weight. They're where colleges test fit, measure genuine interest, and break ties between look-alike applicants. We'll show you every major type of supplemental essay on this year's applications — with real prompts from real schools — and exactly how to approach each one.

Why are colleges suddenly dropping their essays?

This year, Tulane, Georgia Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Georgia, the University of Miami, and others cut or paused their supplemental essays. Tulane pointed directly at AI, saying it can no longer tell which responses are "artificially polished."

We'll walk you through what's disappearing, why we believe ChatGPT is the real story, and what it means for your student: the essays that remain now count more than ever.

Straight talk about ChatGPT

We don't recommend — or condone — using AI to write application essays. Thousands of students will paste this year's prompts into ChatGPT and submit whatever comes out, never realizing how many nearly identical essays land in the same admission office.


In this webinar, we'll give students an honest playbook: why one-shot AI essays backfire, why making an AI draft truly your own takes as much work as writing it yourself, and the one genuinely smart way to use ChatGPT — as an interviewer and brainstorming partner, never a ghostwriter.

What you'll walk away with

  • The eight types of supplemental essays on 2026–27 applications — with current prompts from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Duke, MIT, and more

  • What "Why us?" is really asking, and the research checklist that makes yours specific

  • The Florida picture: what UF, FSU, UCF, and the University of Miami actually require this year

  • How to reuse core essays the smart way — and the copy-paste mistake that sinks applications every October

  • A workload plan that gets every essay done by Halloween

  • Our honest guidance on AI: what hurts, what helps, and where the line is

FAQ’s

  • Who is this webinar for? Students in the Classes of 2027 and 2028 and their parents — especially rising seniors writing applications this fall. Counselors are welcome, too.

  • Does my student need to have started their essays? No. If they've started, they'll leave with sharper drafts in mind; if they haven't, they'll leave knowing exactly where to begin — and a plan to finish by Halloween.

  • What if we can't attend live? Register anyway. Every registrant receives the recording, the slides, and our Supplemental Essay Tracker template.

  • Is this really free? Completely. It's part of our ongoing webinar series for college-bound families. Bring your questions — we answer them live.

  • My student's colleges dropped their supplemental essays. Do they still need this? More than ever. When a college drops its supplement, the personal statement and activities list carry the entire application — and the colleges that kept their essays are reading them more closely than before.

Judi Robinovitz Associates has guided thousands of students to the colleges of their dreams. Our team of expert educational consultants brings decades of combined admissions experience — and reads application essays the way admission officers do.

Seats are limited for this highly anticipated webinar. Secure your spot today and gain the clarity and confidence you need to support your student’s academic journey.

Reserve Your Spot:

  • Free live webinar: Supplemental Essays — Small Essays. BIG Impact!

  • Live on Zoom, Facebook Live & YouTube Live — recording sent to all registrants

  • Free downloads for attendees, including our Supplemental Essay Tracker template

Ann LaFemina is a seasoned educator and college admissions consultant with a rich background in supporting college-bound students. Starting her career in Long Island, New York, she initially assisted students and families navigate the college admissions process, later enhancing her role by teaching future educators as an adjunct professor. Moving to southwestern Florida in 2008, Ann founded a private consulting practice, specializing in guiding students through college admissions, particularly those in visual and performing arts. Her experience spans working with creative students in Sarasota and Manatee County high schools to directing a college counseling program at Cardinal Mooney High School, where she was celebrated for her dedication with The Outstanding Service Award in 2022. Ann's commitment to staying abreast of the evolving requirements for university admissions has led to hundreds of students successfully presenting their unique selves to colleges. A passionate professional, Ann is also active in mentorship roles and has been featured on the College Scoops podcast. She is thrilled to leverage her strategic, innovative counseling expertise to support JRA client families in making pivotal educational decisions.

Kathy Hart is an invaluable asset to our educational team at Score At The Top Learning Center and School in Palm Beach Gardens, first serving as an expert teacher and tutor specializing in high school English and test preparation for the ACT and SAT.

Expanding into college counseling through JRA Educational Consulting, Kathy successfully guided many of our students through their college application essays. In her vital role as educational consultant, Kathy guides students through the various aspects of the college planning and application process, from consulting on high school course selection and extracurricular activities to preparing students for effective college visits and interviews.

That inspirational guidance takes her students through the more subjective elements of the application process, too: developing creative essay ideas, drafting essays, and improving student writing. The end product of the collaboration: applications and essays that make her students stand out! She also regularly attends conferences and visits colleges to stay abreast of the most recent admissions trends.

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