Amherst College’s 2026-27 calendar sets the Early Decision deadline at November 9, 2026, a week later than the November 1 date used by many colleges. Every applicant must submit a writing supplement: either a response of no more than 350 words to one of three quotations, or a graded paper from 11th or 12th grade. Irvine 12th graders who plan to apply Early Decision to Amherst need to choose the supplement format now.
Who Is Affected by the Amherst College Writing Supplement
Students applying to Amherst College through the Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir.
| Item | Early Decision | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Application deadline | November 9 | January 5, 2027 |
| Financial aid application deadline | November 13 | January 15, 2027 |
| Decision notices | Early to mid December | On or around March 20, 2027 |
The admission page states that about 17 percent of admitted applicants apply Early Decision and just under 80 percent apply Regular Decision. Early Decision is binding, and admitted students must withdraw other applications; outcomes are admit, defer to the Regular Decision pool, or deny.
What to Do Now About the Amherst College Writing Supplement
Choose one of two options. Option A asks the applicant to choose one of three quotations and answer the question posed in no more than 350 words; no research into the source texts is needed, and Amherst wants a personal response rather than an argumentative essay. The three questions address curiosity, how the applicant’s experiences could enhance understanding of the nation and the world, and a time the applicant engaged with a different viewpoint. Option B is a graded paper from 11th or 12th grade that builds an analytical argument with literary, sociological, or historical evidence; lab reports, journal entries, creative writing, and in-class essays do not qualify, and students whose main essay is already analytical should not choose Option B. Option C applies only to Access to Amherst applicants. The prompts are paraphrased here; the full text is on the admission page. A similar graded paper requirement is described in Princeton Essays Out, Early Action Due Nov. 1.
Students with research experience may use the optional questions. The writing supplement includes optional research questions for students who have done significant research independent of the high school curriculum.
Schedule the remaining materials backward from the deadline. The application fee is $75, with fee waivers available; testing is optional, and Amherst superscores both the SAT and the ACT. Applications require a counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations from core academic subjects, and Early Decision applicants also submit first marking period senior grades. Each application is read by at least two admission deans. Essay planning and revision are covered by the EDUBUS College Essay Bootcamp, and early application strategy by University Admissions Planning.
Sources
- Amherst College: First-Year Applicants (accessed October 15, 2026)
- Amherst College: First-Year Application Writing Supplement (accessed October 15, 2026)
- Amherst College: First-Year Application and Financial Aid Deadlines (accessed October 15, 2026)
- IUSD 2025-26 CAASPP Results ReleasedCalifornia released 2025-26 CAASPP results on October 15: 74.33% of IUSD students reached Proficient or above in ELA and 70.65% in math. County and state comparison.
- Purdue Early Action and Priority Due Nov. 1Purdue's November 1 Early Action deadline is also the priority date for merit scholarships, the Honors College, engineering, and computer science. Dates and rules.
- UC Irvine Transfer Open House on Oct. 28Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College history departments take students to UC Irvine on October 28 for a class, tour, and lunch session; RSVPs close October 21.
- UT Austin Early Action Materials Due Oct 22UT Austin's Early Action supplemental materials are due October 22, and official SAT or ACT scores must arrive by the deadline. Round dates and required items.
