I asked admissions officers from Vanderbilt, Denison, the Universities of Richmond, Miami, Delaware, and Marist and Gettysburg Colleges on how much--or how little attention--essays receive in admissions decisions at a virtual breakout panel at the Independent Education Consultants Association Conference in July. We discussed the value of the Common Application essay, college-specific “Why Us?” and diversity supplements, as well as the optional COVID-19 essay, at length. While