A new era of college admissions is unfolding after years of turmoil. Standardized testing requirements are being revived, or are under consideration, from coast to coast. Admissions officers at both big public schools, like the University of Georgia, and top-tier private institutions, like Washington University in St. Louis, are shedding some application essays. Administrators everywhere are fretting about what role artificial intelligence may play in applications.

The Covid pandemic led many schools to loosen their processes and, in many cases, rely more on components like essays. But A.I.’s rise, questions about student preparation, the end of affirmative action and the Trump administration’s campaign to prioritize “merit” in admissions are driving a swing back.

Supplementary essays are falling out of favor. Tulane University, for instance, paused its requirement for applicants to write about why they want to attend the school. Concerns about potential A.I.-generated essays “were definitely a factor” in the decision, said Michael Strecker, a university spokesman. Some admissions officers said they don’t use A.I. detection systems, which are not always accurate.

Georgia, Cornell University, the University of Virginia and Texas Christian University have recently pared back essay requirements. Reducing the number of required essays makes applying easier, which tends to raise a school’s application numbers.