Editor's note: This is the fourth story in a collaborative series covering the state of Northwest college admissions in 2025. The first story in the series published on Nov. 3.
For some college applicants, the biggest hurdle in the admissions process is writing a personal statement.
Dahlia is one high school senior in Seattle applying to colleges right now. She’s a busy student, running four school clubs and playing tennis on top of that.
We’re not using her full name in this story because she’s a minor.
Once accepted to college, Dahlia will be a first-generation student. Her mother immigrated to the U.S. from China more than 25 years ago.
“I'm very grateful for the opportunity she's opened up for me that she didn't get to have,” Dahlia said.
That type of information may have typically been asked for in a supplemental college essay. Many colleges require additional writing assignments on top of a personal essay. These essays can vary in length and prompt, and can provide a chance for admissions committees to gain deeper insights into who a student is. But this year, some colleges have changed or removed essay prompts that referenced diversity from their admissions applications.
The U.S. Department of Education told schools in February to get rid of what it called “racial preferences” when admitting students, citing a Supreme Court ruling that eliminated affirmative action in 2023. Leaders from universities across the nation said they don’t admit students based on race or ethnicity, but some universities have since changed or removed prompts that referenced diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. Schools that changed their prompts have cited various reasons for doing so.
The University of Washington is one of at least 19 colleges that changed essay prompts this year, according to the college counseling firm, College Transitions. UW removed a question this year that asked how a student might add to the school’s diversity.
In a statement, UW Spokesperson Victor Balta said the school decided in August to discontinue all supplementary essays to simplify the process for all applicants. He said the university found that “an additional essay did not provide sufficient value when reviewing students for admission.” The college now only requires one essay: a personal statement.
“UW’s admissions process remains holistic and context-driven, ensuring fair consideration for all applicants,” Balta said.
The University of Oregon and Seattle University are among a list of colleges that College Transitions says did not change or remove prompts. Those schools give applicants the option to reflect on their identity, background and/or lived experiences.
The nonprofit, College Possible Washington, helps students from low-income families — including Dahlia — find the right college and apply to it. Lauren Treacy, the organization’s executive director, said taking out diversity-related questions might discourage students from talking about their identities on college applications.
“For the students we serve, I think there's enough encouragement and support for them to not shy away from any part of themselves … that that's still showing up, maybe just in a different way than it has historically,” she said.
Dahlia had slight hesitation to include tidbits about her identity after the Trump Administration’s effort to crack down on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
“But I think it's important to who I am,” she said. “I want to mention that part of me, because it's such a big part of my identity.”
For her main common application essay, Dahlia wrote about watching real estate and home improvement shows with her grandma, while eating classic Cantonese dishes like fish with black bean sauce and brown rice.
“The home buyers were always middle aged, white and lived in the suburbs,” she wrote. “I have never seen people who looked like me on the show, a first-generation Chinese girl born from an immigrant family.”
She wrote about how the homes depicted on the shows looked cleaner than hers, despite a rule at her house to take shoes off at the door. Then she compares those homes on TV to hers.
“A whole corner of the kitchen is dedicated to fragrant fish and chili oils, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Rice crackers and hot flakes are piled on the counter. None of these objects are unusual, but the media in America distorted my lens of normality,” she wrote.
Dahlia is looking for a college where she fits in. But, more importantly, she said she’s looking for a college that fits her and offers support to help with the transition from high school.
“If colleges don't want to accept me because I'm a person of color, then I probably don't want to go there anyways,” Dahlia said.
Dahlia has so far picked two schools: one in-state, the other in New York. She’s expecting an acceptance letter some time in the new year.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.