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Though it may seem inevitable that you’ll have to write an admissions essay when applying to college, have no fear! There are now many no admissions essay colleges that you can apply to.
Check out our list of colleges that don’t require an admissions essay and some of the available programs at each.
DO ALL COLLEGES REQUIRE AN ADMISSIONS ESSAY?
Many schools, online and on campus, from the Ivy League to community college, are skipping the admissions essay. Instead, they rely on other admissions requirements, such as:
- Test scores
- Transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
- One-on-one interviews
This holistic approach helps colleges get a full picture of who you are and how prepared you are for the demands of college.
LIST OF 8 NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY COLLEGES
If the idea of summing up your personality and experience in just a few paragraphs gives you major writer’s block, you can breathe a sigh of relief. There is no admissions essay required at the 8 sponsored schools listed below.
1
AMERICAN INTERCONTINENTAL UNIVERSITY
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT AMERICAN INTERCONTINENTAL UNIVERSITY
AIU is a private, for-profit university with more than 8,000 students enrolled in online undergraduate degree programs. Its Intellipath™ programInterContinental University’s online programs include bachelor’s degrees in business administration, criminal justice, and information technology. These programs also offer several specific concentrations. Have a flair for the arts? AIU also offers degrees in fashion marketing is an adaptive learning technology that tailors online lessons to each student’s needs.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
American InterContinental University’s online programs include bachelor’s degrees in business administration, criminal justice, and information technology. These programs also offer several specific concentrations. Have a flair for the arts? AIU also offers degrees in fashion marketing and design as well as media production at its campuses in Houston or Atlanta.
Some programs include:
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Entrepreneurship
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice – Forensic Science
- Bachelor of Information Technology in Network Administration
- Bachelor of Healthcare Management
- Bachelor of Accounting
2
University of Arizona Global Campus
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT UAGC UNIVERSITY
This private, for-profit school based in San Diego boasts more than 31,000 undergraduate students across more than 50 online degree programs. Because UAGC focuses on adult learners, applicants under 22 must have transfer credits or meet other criteria.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
Just browsing the list of online bachelor’s degrees at UAGC is enough to inspire any potential student. They offer more than 50 programs, which include:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Relations and Marketing
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Supply Chain Management
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Health and Human Services
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Consumer and Family Financial Services
3
COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Colorado Technical University is a four-year, for-profit school founded in 1965. Although CTU has campuses in Aurora and Colorado Springs, as of 2016, more than 92% of students were enrolled in a completely online degree program.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
CTU’s career-focused offerings include bachelors in business administration, criminal justice, and information technology. There are more than 50 undergrad programs to choose from. Plus, most offer concentrations tailored to specific career paths. These include healthcare management or web development.
Some programs include:
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration – Data Analytics
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration – Project Management
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice – Cybercrime and Security
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Healthcare Management
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Information Technology – Web Development
4
STRAYER UNIVERSITY
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT STRAYER
Strayer University is an accredited institution with a proud history of 130 years in quality education. Bachelor’s and associate programs include Business Administration, Information Systems & Technology, Accounting, Human Resource Management and more.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
Save up to 25% on your tuition, with the Strayer Graduation fund.
Some programs include:
- Accounting (AA, BS, MS)
- Business Administration (AA, BS, MBA)
- Criminal Justice (BS)
- Information Technology (AA, BS, MS)
- Marketing (AA)
- Education (MA)
5
GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY
Grand Canyon University is a private Christian university based in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1949, it transitioned to a for-profit school in 2004 but in July 2018 it was granted non-profit status once again. There are about 20,500 on-campus students and as of 2018, online enrollment was more than 70,000 students.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
Some of GCU’s most popular degrees are in business, education, and health sciences, including a BS in business information systems or business analytics. GCU is one of many colleges that don’t require essays when applying, unless you’re seeking enrollment in the on-campus Honors College.
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing (Registered Nurse – (RN to BSN)
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Elementary Education
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Elementary Education / Special Education (Dual Major)
6
GRANTHAM UNIVERSITY
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT GRANTHAM UNIVERSITY
Grantham was founded in 1951 to offer FCC license certification courses for WWII veterans. Today it’s a private, for-profit, online-only school that still caters to veterans, as well as active duty personnel and first responders. But this also includes first-generation college students, adult learners, and other non-traditional students.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
Grantham University’s online bachelors degrees include programs like a BS in engineering management technology or a BA in criminal justice. Students in the BS in business administration program can pick concentrations like financial planning, procurement and contracts, and human resource management.
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Engineering Management Technology
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration in Financial Planning
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration in Procurement and Contracts
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration in Human Resource Management
7
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINE
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINE
Liberty University is a private, for-profit university whose motto is “Training Champions for Christ since 1971.” Its distance learning program launched in 1985 and evolved into an online education program in 2006. As of 2017, Liberty had more than 110,000 students, with almost 100,000 of those students studying online.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
As an evangelical institution it’s no surprise that Liberty University Online offers several Bachelor of Science degrees in religion and other online degrees in more popular fields. Some of the options at Liberty include:
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Religion – Christian Leadership
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Religion – Global Studies
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Early Childhood Education
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Fire Administration
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Administration
8
PURDUE UNIVERSITY GLOBAL
NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIRED
ABOUT PURDUE UNIVERSITY ONLINE
Purdue University Online is public, nonprofit, and taught 100 percent online with a focus on working adults. It’s part of Purdue University in Indiana and now boasts 30,000 students.
AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:
All of the online undergrad degrees at Purdue Global include courses in ethics, technology, research, and other topics to help provide a foundation while you pursue an online degree in career-oriented fields like accounting, IT, criminal justice, and dozens more.
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Corrections
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Information Technology – Information Management
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Legal Support and Services
Sponsored Schools
WHY DO SOME COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NOT REQUIRE AN ESSAY?
According to some admissions officers, more no admissions essay colleges are appearing because essays simply aren’t as effective as other methods at assessing whether a prospective student is qualified and ready.
Instead, many schools are looking at your entire application to see if you’re ready for the rigors of college, which may include letters of recommendation, standardized test scores, or a minimum GPA.
Keep in mind that while there are plenty of colleges that don’t require essays to apply, most college programs do require plenty of writing! This is especially true if you’re seeking an online degree, where you’ll be interacting with teachers and classmates through email, forums, and online student portals.
4 REASONS TO APPLY TO A COLLEGE WITH NO ADMISSIONS ESSAY REQUIREMENT
#1: YOU’RE A TRANSFER STUDENT
Some schools that don’t require admissions essays are especially focused on helping transfer students finish a degree they started elsewhere. And chances are you wrote a great essay to get into that school. If you have transfer credits and a good enough GPA, it makes sense that you don’t need to write another essay.
#2: YOU’RE ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY OR A VETERAN
Online undergraduate degree programs are a great option for service members, especially if you enlisted straight out of high school. You’re probably not looking at “Best Party Schools” rankings—you’re ready to get to work.
Colleges with no admissions essay recognize that your military service already shows that you can handle a challenge.
#3: YOU’RE FINISHING A DEGREE YOU STARTED ON CAMPUS
What if a school offers the same degree online and on-campus? Sometimes, the online program is especially geared toward people who started the on-campus program but couldn’t complete it. Sometimes life knocks you off course, or maybe you needed to take a few years off to work.
Deciding to finish a degree program is tough enough without barriers to re-admission like essays.
#4: YOU HAVE VALUABLE LIFE EXPERIENCE
A lot of online bachelor’s degree programs cater to adult students. There are many reasons why some people don’t enroll in college right after high school. Maybe you were raising a family, or you went right to work, or you were touring the world with your rock band!
Many colleges that don’t require essays to apply also offer potential college credit for real-world professional experience, so be sure to check out each school’s policy before applying.
FIND THE PERFECT COLLEGE FOR YOU!
Check out these sponsored no admissions essay colleges and contact the school’s that interest you.
Or, complete the form on this page and we’ll match you to the perfect program for you!