You're staring at the Common App. You've checked the box for The Ohio State University. You wait for that dreaded "Writing" section to expand with five different "Why Us" prompts.
But it doesn't.
Actually, if you're just applying for general admission to the Columbus campus, Ohio State doesn't require a traditional supplemental essay. You just need the main Common App personal statement. Honestly, it's a relief for a lot of people. But here’s the catch: if you’re gunning for the Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP) or certain honors tracks, the game changes instantly.
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That's where most students trip up. They think "no required supplement" means "no extra work," and they miss out on some of the biggest scholarship opportunities in the country.
The Morrill Scholarship: The "Secret" Ohio State Supplemental Essay
If you want the Morrill Scholarship—which can cover up to the full cost of attendance—you have to write the MSP essay. It’s not "optional" if you actually want the money. For the 2025-2026 cycle, the prompt is pretty specific. It asks how your life experiences or endeavors have prepared you to be a "Morrill Scholar" who champions diversity, inclusion, and social justice.
Don't just write a generic "diversity is good" essay. The admissions officers have seen that a thousand times. They want to see active engagement. Basically, they’re looking for "doers," not just "thinkers."
What they actually want to see in the MSP essay:
- Specific Anecdotes: Don't just say you value inclusion. Tell the story of the time you noticed the quiet kid at lunch and started a "buddy system" that eventually became a school-wide club.
- The "So What?" Factor: How did that experience change your brain? Did it make you realize a bias you had? Did it teach you that leadership is actually 90% listening?
- Future Tense: How are you going to take that energy to High Street? Mention a specific OSU student org, like the Student Council on Black Academic Affairs or shoutout, and explain how you’ll contribute.
The Honors and Scholars Trap
A lot of kids get confused here. On the Common App, you’ll see a question asking if you want to be considered for the University Honors Program or the Ohio State Scholars Program.
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Checking "Yes" doesn't always trigger an immediate essay right then and there. However, for the Stamps Eminence Scholarship, there is a separate application with its own prompts that you usually have to complete by a secondary deadline (typically November 10th).
If you're applying to the Honors Tutorial College (HTC)—which is actually a thing at Ohio University in Athens, not OSU in Columbus—make sure you aren't mixing up your "Ohio" schools. People do it every year. It’s embarrassing. OSU Columbus has "Honors" and "Scholars," but the vibe is very different.
The "New" 2026 Requirement Nobody is Talking About
Okay, so maybe it's not an essay, but it's a huge change for the 2026 cycle: Standardized tests are back. After a few years of being test-optional, Ohio State is officially requiring the ACT or SAT again for the Columbus campus starting with 2026 applicants. This matters for your essays because your "academic story" now has to align with those scores. If your scores are a bit lower than the average (26–32 ACT range), your Common App essay needs to work twice as hard to show your intellectual vitality.
How to actually stand out (without being a cliché)
Let's talk about the "Diversity of Thought" angle. Ohio State is massive. 60,000+ students. They don't need 60,000 people who think exactly alike.
If you're writing the Morrill essay, you might feel pressured to talk about race or socioeconomic status. And if those are part of your identity, definitely go for it. But diversity also includes "diversity of interest." Maybe you're a rural kid who spends your weekends restoring 1950s tractors. Maybe you're a city kid who is obsessed with urban beekeeping.
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The "Ohio State supplemental essays" (or lack thereof) are really a test of your ability to self-start. Since they don't force you to write much, the students who go the extra mile and submit the scholarship essays are the ones who get the most attention.
Avoid these "Killer" Mistakes:
- The "Global Savior" Narrative: Avoid writing about a one-week mission trip where you "taught the locals everything." It sounds patronizing. Focus on what you learned instead.
- Repeating your Resume: If it’s in your activities list, don't just list it again in the essay. Use the essay to tell the "behind the scenes" story.
- The November 1st Panic: Ohio State’s Early Action deadline is November 1st. If you want to be considered for most scholarships (including Morrill), you must meet this deadline. If you apply Regular Decision (January 15th), most of the money is already gone.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Application
Don't just read this and go back to TikTok. If you're serious about becoming a Buckeye, do these three things right now:
- Audit your "Common App" Main Essay: Since OSU doesn't have a mandatory supplement, this 650-word piece is the only "voice" they hear. Does it sound like you, or does it sound like a robot wrote it?
- Mark November 1st in red ink: Set a personal deadline for October 15th. This gives you two weeks to handle the inevitable "the website crashed" or "my counselor forgot the transcript" drama.
- Draft the Morrill Essay even if you aren't sure: Most students find that writing the MSP essay actually helps them refine their personal statement. It forces you to think about your "Why" in a way the general application doesn't.
Research the Shared Values of Ohio State (like inclusion and equity). If you can authentically weave those into your narrative without sounding like you're reading a brochure, you're already ahead of 90% of the applicant pool.