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We are excited to have you as partners for the 2026-27 admissions season! Below, we’ve outlined updates and trends in admissions and how Prompt is responding. You’ll also find links in the navigation menu above and at the bottom of this page to all our resources.

Please feel free to review the pages linked below as you begin onboarding your students. If you encounter any issues or wish to talk more in-depth about the Launch community, our pedagogy, or our resources, please email [email protected].

Thank you for your ongoing collaboration, and here’s to a wonderful admissions season for all!

— The Prompt Team

New at Prompt

• On the Platform: We’ve revamped our Application Plan module to include more thorough brainstorming guidance for students. We’ve also added a new module to help students map and outline content for Overcoming Obstacles essays.
• Launch is Live: Our partnerships with IECs are one of our top priorities as an organization. To better serve that collective, our CEO, Brad, has created an IEC community with exclusive resources called Launch. You can explore the Launch’s features and resources here or email [email protected] to learn more.
• Fixed-Fee Packages: We now offer all-inclusive support on all written portions of the application! Through our years in writing education, we have found that a one-to-one coaching connection, a holistic approach to the student’s writing, and actionable and guided feedback are invaluable components of our students’ success. You can read more about the difference between paying per review and paying for one fixed-fee package here, or you can reach out to the team at [email protected] for more information.

Trends In Admissions

• Identity and diversity have been rebranded as community and contribution. Last year, we saw colleges move away from supplemental essays that asked directly about diversity or a student’s identity. What filled that gap were community and contribution essays. Admissions officers seem just as interested as ever in diversity, equity, and identity; they’re just asking about it in a different way.
• Admissions readers are anti-AI-influenced writing. While specific policies may vary, the core message is the same across all schools: Be authentic. Content that is, or sounds like, AI puts students on the fast track to the reject pile. And speaking of AI…
• Colleges are using AI to screen applications. The majority of institutions aren’t being fully transparent about exactly how AI fits in their admissions process, but a clear trend of using it to reduce administrative work and make sorting decisions has emerged. What this means for students is that consistency, showcasing desirable traits, and highlighting impact are even more important, as those are things AI can easily scan for.
• Fit to major matters. An extension of the reliance on AI by students and universities, especially in relation to activity lists, is that it’s crucial for students to have a project or tangible proof to back up their listed activities and interests. Whether a student says they’re interested in engineering or English, they need to have the experiences to back it up. Academics, research projects, internships, and extracurriculars should all add up to a clear picture of a student's primary passion and their commitment to pursuing it.

How Prompt is Responding

We’ve developed and expanded our materials on how to coach students to craft insightful and impactful essays about their role in their community. We also have a free worksheet you can use to help your students find the perfect topic for these types of essays. You can access it by clicking here and can make copies to share an editable version with your students.

Our AI policy to replace rather than rewrite, and expanded training on how to center creativity and encourage students to write authentically, means we can guide students away from the pitfalls of AI. Our community of coaches and open discussions also helps us stay ahead of trends.

We help students map content strategically based on where they’re applying, their major, and the traits and passions they’re highlighting to make the most of the “fit to major” every student has**.** Our emphasis on students proving that their values align with an institution's is another way we can help students think critically about where they belong, showcase consistency in who they are, and set themselves apart.

Recently, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling published a ranking of what matters most to colleges, based on data from 2023, and right after academics and curriculum rigor were positive character attributes and essays. This reinforces what we’ve always said about the 5 traits and essays being a critical part of a student's package. And with our tutoring and test prep services offered through Launch, were trying to help with that academic score too!