the common app essay prompts 2022

2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts

• Facebook icon
• Twitter icon
• Linkedin icon

The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2022-2023. Because as we enter the third year of a global pandemic, consistency is not a bad thing.

That’s not the only reason, of course. We know from our most recent survey on the topic that over 95% of every group who responded--students, counselors, teachers, and admission officers--agree that the prompts spark effective essays. That’s why we kept them the same last year as well, with the exception of adding a new one about gratitude .

As we’ve said in the past, this announcement is not an invitation to juniors to start writing. And it’s definitely not a signal that they start thinking about applying. Those things will come in time. We share this news in January because it’s when some schools begin conversations about college options. It’s a time for learning, reflecting, and planning. That’s where the prompts can be useful: in helping students understand the aspects of their lives that colleges are curious about. 

"We share this news in January because it’s when some schools begin conversations about college options. It’s a time for learning, reflecting, and planning. That’s where the prompts can be useful: in helping students understand the aspects of their lives that colleges are curious about." Scott Anderson, Senior Director, Common App

Something else we’ve said in the past: prompts are not topics. They are simply questions designed to spark thinking. Our Telling Your Story resource shows students just how much flexibility they have in what they write when the time comes.

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2022-2023. We will also retain the optional COVID-19 question within the Additional Information section.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

News and updates

Common App’s Student Advisory Committee

Driving Growth: See how these universities boosted enrollment

Financial aid is complicated

The 2021-2022 Common App Essay: How to Write a Great Essay That Will Get You Accepted

If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably started the very exciting process of applying to college—and chances are you may be a little overwhelmed at times. That’s OK! The key to getting into the right college for you is taking each step of the application process in stride, and one of those steps is completing the Common App and the Common App essay.

In this post, you’ll learn what the Common Application essay is, how to write one (including a free checklist to help you with the process), example essays, and much more. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is the Common App, and More Importantly, What is the Common App Essay? Quick Facts on the 2021-2022 Common App Essay How Do You Write a Common App Essay?

What Should I Avoid in My Common App Essay? What Are Some Good Common App Essay Examples?

Common Application Essay FAQs

What is the common app, and more importantly, what is the common app essay.

The “Common App,” short for the Common Application , is a general application used to apply to multiple college undergraduate programs at once. It’s accepted by hundreds of colleges in the United States as well as some colleges internationally.

The idea is that the Common App is a “one-stop shop” so you don’t have to complete a million separate applications. That said, plenty of colleges still require their own application components, and the Common App, as user-friendly as it aims to be, can still feel like a bit of a challenge to complete.

Part of the reason the Common App can seem intimidating is because of the Common App essay component, which is required of all students who submit a college application this way. But never fear! In reality, the Common App essay is easy to ace if you know how to approach it and you give it your best.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at anything and everything you need to know about the 2021-2022 Common App essay in order to help you get into the school of your dreams. We’ve also created a downloadable quick guide to writing a great Common Application essay.

Quick Facts on the 2021-2022 Common App Essay

Below are just a few of the short and sweet things you need to know about the 2021-2022 Common App essay, but we’ll elaborate on some of this content later in this post.

How Do You Write a Common App Essay?

The million dollar question about the Common App essay is obviously, “How do I actually write it?!”

Now there’s something to keep in mind before exploring how to compose the Common App essay, and that’s the purpose of this task. You may be wondering:

• What are college admissions boards actually looking for?
• Why are you being asked to write this essay?

College admissions boards want to see that you can compose a compelling, well-crafted essay. After four years of high school, you’re expected to be able to craft a clear and concise piece of writing that addresses a specific subject.

So yes, you’re actually being evaluated on your essay writing skills, but the purpose of the Common Application essay is deeper than that—it’s to present the type of person and thinker that you are.

Regardless of which prompt you choose, colleges are trying to get a sense of how thoughtfully and critically you can reflect on your life and the world around you .

And furthermore, they want to get a sense of who you are—your interests, your personality, your values—the dimensional aspects of you as an applicant that simply can’t be expressed in transcripts and test scores . In short, you want to stand out and be memorable.

That said, there is no exact formula for “cracking the case” of the Common App essay, but there are plenty of useful steps and tips that can help you write a great essay.

(In a hurry? Download our quick and concise handout that sums up some of the keys to the Common App essay!)

1) Familiarize Yourself With the Common App Prompts and How to Approach Them

The Common App recently released the 2021-2022 essay prompts , which are almost the same as last year’s prompts, but with one BIG difference.

The prompt about problem solving (formerly prompt #4) has been replaced with a prompt about gratitude and how it has motivated you. According to Common App President and CEO Jenny Rickard, this change was inspired by new scientific research on the benefits of writing about gratitude and the positive impact others have had on our lives.

Additionally, the Common App now includes an optional Covid-19 prompt where you can discuss how you’ve personally been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, let’s take a look at each 2021-2022 Common App prompt individually. You’ll notice that every prompt really has two parts to it:

• share, explain and describe a narrative, and
• reflect on, analyze, and draw meaning from it.

Let’s take a look.

  Prompt #1: A snapshot of your story

Prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• Discuss a background, identity, or interest that you feel is meaningful to who you are and/or that or sets you apart from others.
• Reflect on why this attribute is meaningful and how it has shaped you as a person.

  Prompt #2: An obstacle you overcame

Prompt: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

• Recount a time you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.
• Reflect on how this affected you, what you learned from it, and if it led to any successes later down the line.

  Prompt #3: A belief or idea you questioned or challenged

Prompt: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

• Explain a time that you questioned a particular belief or way of thinking.
• Elaborate on what prompted this questioning, what the outcome was, and why this outcome was significant.

  Prompt #4: An experience of gratitude that has motivated you

Prompt: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

• Describe the specific experience or interaction that made you feel a sense of gratitude. Make sure to explain who did something nice for you and why it was surprising or unexpected.
• Explain, as specifically as possible, how this feeling of gratitude changed or motivated you. What actions did you take a result? How did your mindset change?

  Prompt #5: An accomplishment or event that sparked personal growth

Prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

• Describe an accomplishment or event that sparked personal growth for you.
• Reflect on the nature of this growth and/or a new understanding you gained in the process.

  Prompt #6: An interest so engaging you lose track of time

Prompt: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

• Discuss a topic, idea, or interest that is so engaging to you that you lose track of time when focused on it.
• Reflect on and explain why this interest is so important to you, and your method of learning more about it.

  Prompt #7: An essay topic of your choice

Prompt: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

• Discuss any subject matter or philosophical question of interest to you.
• Reflect on the implications of this subject or question, and how it has shaped you, transformed you, impacted your life, etc.

  Now keep in mind that to some degree, it doesn’t actually matter which prompt you choose to answer, so long as you write and present yourself well. But you obviously want to pick whichever Common App essay prompt speaks to you most, and the one you think will provide you the meatiest and most meaningful material.

This is an outstanding guide to choosing the right Common App essay prompt, but as a rule of thumb, the “right” prompt will probably stand out to you. If you have to rack your brain, for example, to think of a challenge you’ve overcome and how the experience has shaped you, then that prompt probably isn’t the right one.

Authenticity is key, so choose the prompt you can answer thoroughly.

2) Brainstorm

Whether you know immediately which prompt you’re going to choose or not, do yourself a huge favor and brainstorm . Take out a notebook and jot down or free write all of the ideas that spring to your mind for as many of the prompts that you’re considering. You might be surprised what ideas you generate as you start doing this, and you might be surprised which ideas seem to have the most content and examples to elaborate on.

Also, it’s important to note that your subject matter doesn’t have to be highly dramatic or spectacular. You don’t have to recount a near-death experience, an epic overseas adventure, a 180-degree turn of faith, etc. Your ordinary life, when reflected upon thoughtfully, is interesting and profound.

3) Answer the Question (and Stay on Topic!)

This may sound painfully obvious, but for some of us, it can be hard to stay on topic. Each prompt is posed as a question , so don’t lose sight of that and let your essay devolve into a story about yourself that never really gets at the heart of the prompt.

As you’re drafting your essay—say after each paragraph—pause and refer back to the question, making sure each paragraph plays some part in actually responding to the prompt.

4) Structure and Organize Your Essay Effectively

The Common App essay isn’t like many of the other argumentative essays you’ve been taught to write in school. It is argumentative in that you are essentially arguing for why you are a good candidate for a particular college, using your personal experience as support, but it’s more than that.

The Common Application essay is essentially a narrative essay that is reflective and analytical by nature. This means that regardless of which prompt you select, you’ll be sharing something personal about yourself, and then reflecting on and analyzing why what you shared is important.

And even if this isn’t an essay format that you’re accustomed to writing, you can still rely on your knowledge of basic essay structures to help you. You’ll still need a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

Let’s talk about those three pieces now.

Introduction

The purpose of an introduction is 1) to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to continue reading, and 2) to introduce the reader to the general subject at hand.

So the most important part of the introduction is a unique attention-getter that establishes your personal voice and tone while piquing the reader’s interest. An example of a good hook could be a brief illustrative anecdote, a quote, a rhetorical question, and so on.

Now, you may be wondering, “Do I need a thesis statement?” This is a great question and the simple answer is no.

This is because some students prefer to hook their reader with a bit of mystery and let their story unfold organically without a thesis sentence “spoiling” what is to come. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a thesis sentence, it just means you don’t need one. It just depends on how you want to build your personal narrative, and what serves you best.

That said, your essay does need a greater message or lesson in it, which is another way of saying a thesis . You just don’t necessarily have to write it out in the introduction paragraph.

It might help you to keep a thesis in mind or even write it down just for your own sake, even if you don’t explicitly use it in your introduction. Doing so can help you stay on track and help you build up to a stronger reflection.

Here are some examples of narrative thesis statements:

• I moved a lot as a child on account of having a parent in the military, which led me to become highly adaptable to change.
• The greatest obstacle I’ve overcome is my battle with leukemia, which has taught me both incredible resilience and reverence for the present.
• An accomplishment that I achieved was making the varsity volleyball team, which has made me grow tremendously as a person, specifically in the areas of self-confidence and collaboration.

As discussed earlier, there are two parts to each prompt: explanation and reflection . Each part should be addressed throughout the essay, but how you organize your content is up to you.

A good rule of thumb for structuring the body of your essay is as follows:

• Situate your reader: provide context for your story by focusing in on a particular setting, subject matter, or set of details. For example, you may frame an essay about an internship at the zoo with the phrase, “Elephants make the best friends.” Your reader knows immediately that the subject matter involves your interaction with animals, specifically elephants.
• Explain more about your topic and how it affected you, using specific examples and key details.
• Go deeper. Elaborate and reflect on the message at hand and how this particular topic shaped the person you are today.

Note that while there are no set rules for how many paragraphs you should use for your essay, be mindful of breaking paragraphs whenever you naturally shift gears, and be mindful of too-long paragraphs that just feel like walls of text for the reader.

Your conclusion should flow nicely from your elaboration, really driving home your message or what you learned. Be careful not to just dead-end your essay abruptly.

This is a great place to speculate on how you see the subject matter informing your future, especially as a college student and beyond. For example, what might you want to continue to learn about? What problems do you anticipate being able to solve given your experience?

5) Write Honestly, Specifically, and Vividly

It may go without saying, but tell your own story, without borrowing from someone else’s or embellishing. Profound reflection, insight, and wisdom can be gleaned from the seemingly simplest experiences, so don’t feel the need to stray from the truth of your unique personal experiences.

Also, make sure to laser in on a highly specific event, obstacle, interest, etc. It is better to go “narrower and deeper” than to go “wider and shallower,” because the more specific you are, the more vivid and engrossing your essay will naturally be.

For example, if you were a camp counselor every summer for the last few years, avoid sharing several summers’ worth of content in your essay. Focus instead on one summer , and even better, on one incident during that summer at camp.

And on that note, remember to be vivid! Follow the cardinal rule of writing: show and don’t tell . Provide specific details, examples, and images in order to create a clear and captivating narrative for your readers.

6) Be Mindful of Voice and Tone

Unlike in most academic essays, you can sound a bit less stuffy and a bit more like yourself in the Common App essay. Your essay should be professional, but can be conversational. Try reading it aloud; does it sound like you? That’s good!

Be mindful, however, of not getting too casual or colloquial in it. This means avoiding slang, contractions, or “text speak” abbreviations (e.g. “lol”), at least without deliberate context in your story (for example, if you’re recounting dialogue).

You’re still appealing to academic institutions here, so avoid profanity at all costs, and make sure you’re still upholding all the rules for proper style, grammar, and punctuation.

7) Revise and Proofread

This one is a biggie. Give yourself time during your application process to revise, rework, and even rewrite your essay several times. Let it grow and change and become the best version it can be. After you write your first draft, walk away from it for a couple days, and return to it with fresh eyes. You may be surprised by what you feel like adding, removing, or changing.

And of course, make sure your essay is pristine before you submit it. Triple and quadruple check for spelling and usage errors, typos, etc. Since this isn’t a timed essay you have to sit for (like the ACT essay test , for example), the college admissions readers will expect your essay to be polished and sparkling.

A tried and true method for both ensuring flow and catching errors is reading your essay aloud. You may sound a little silly, but it really works!

What Should I Avoid in My Common App Essay?

Resume Material

Your Common App essay is your chance to provide a deeper insight into you as a person, so avoid just repeating what you’d put on a resume. This is not to say you can’t discuss something mentioned briefly on your resume in greater depth, but the best essays offer something new that helps round out the whole college application.

Controversy

Okay, now this one is a bit tricky. On the one hand, you should write boldly and honestly, and some of the prompts (the one about challenging a particular belief, for example) are appropriate for addressing potentially contentious topics.

But that said, avoid being controversial or edgy for the sake of being controversial or edgy. Be steadfast in your beliefs for the greater sake of the narrative and your essay will be naturally compelling without being alienating to your readers.

Vague Stories

If you have a personal story that you’re not entirely comfortable sharing, avoid it, even if it would make a great essay topic in theory. This is because if you’re not comfortable writing on the subject matter, you’ll end up being too vague, which won’t do your story or overall application justice. So choose a subject matter you’re familiar with and comfortable discussing in specifics.

Unless they really, truly serve your essay, avoid general platitudes and cliches in your language. It is definitely encouraged to have an essay with a moral, lesson, or greater takeaway, but try to avoid summing up what you’ve learned with reductive phrases like “slow and steady wins the race,” “good things come in small packages,” “actions speak louder than words,” “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” and so on.

What Are Some Good Common App Essay Examples?

There are tons of Common App essays out there, including these Common App essay examples accepted at Connecticut College, which include explanations from admissions readers about why they were chosen.

But let’s take a look here at two versions of an example essay, one that is just okay and one that is great.

Both Common App essay examples are crafted in response to prompt #2, which is:

Essay Version #1, Satisfactory Essay:

During my sophomore year of high school, I tore my ACL, which stands for “anterior cruciate ligament,” and is the kiss of death for most athletic careers. This injury ended up being one of the greatest obstacles of my life. It was also, however, a turning point that taught me to see opportunity amidst adversity.

It was particularly awful that I was just about to score a winning goal during a championship hockey game when I was checked by a guy on the opposing team and came crashing down on my knee. It was pain unlike anything I’d ever felt before, and I knew immediately that this was going to be bad.

For the few months that followed the accident, I was lost, not really knowing what to do with myself. I didn’t know who I was anymore because hockey had been my whole world and sense of identity. Between working out, attending practice, playing home and away games, and watching games to learn more, it was my lifeblood. Losing my ability to play took a toll on me physically and emotionally and I grew lethargic and depressed.

And then one day I heard my school would be adding an advanced multimedia art class for those students who wanted to continue studying art beyond what was already offered. I had taken the handful of art classes my school offered and really enjoyed and excelled at them—though I had never considered them more than just fun electives to fill my scheduled, as required.

After a couple of weeks of the class, I began feeling better. Suddenly I wanted to draw or paint everything I looked at. I wanted to share the world around me as I saw it with others, to connect with people in a way I’d never done before. I met and made friends with many new people in that art class, people I would have never known if I hadn’t taken it, which also opened me up to all kinds of new mindsets and experiences.

We’re all familiar with the common adage, “When one door closes, another opens,” and this is exactly what happened for me. I might never have pursued art more seriously if I hadn’t been taken out of hockey. This has served as a great reminder for me to stay open to new opportunities. We never know what will unexpectedly bring us joy and make us more well-rounded people.

Areas for Improvement in Version #1:

• It lacks a compelling hook.
• The discussion of the obstacle and reflection upon it are both a bit rushed.
• It could use more vivid and evocative language.
• It uses a cliche (“one door closes”).
• It is somewhat vague at times (e.g. what kinds of “new mindsets and experiences” did the writer experience? In what ways are they now more “well-rounded”?).

Now let’s apply this feedback and revise the essay.

Essay Version #2, Excellent Essay:

My body was splayed out on the ice and I was simultaneously right there, in searing pain, and watching everything from above, outside of myself. It wasn’t actually a “near death” experience, but it was certainly disorienting, considering that just seconds before, I was flying down the ice in possession of the puck, about to score the winning goal of our championship game.

Instead, I had taken a check from an opposing team member, and had torn my ACL (or anterior cruciate ligament), which is the kiss of death for most athletic careers.

My road to recovery included two major surgeries, a couple months on crutches, a year of physical therapy, and absolutely zero athletic activity. I would heal, thankfully, and regain movement in my knee and leg, but I was told by doctors that I may never play hockey again, which was devastating to me. Hockey wasn’t just my passion—it was my life’s goal to play professionally.

For the few months that followed the accident, I was lost, feeling like a ghost haunting my own life, watching everything but unable to participate. I didn’t know who I was anymore because hockey had been my whole world and sense of identity. Between working out, attending practice, playing home and away games, and watching games to learn more, it was my lifeblood. Losing my ability to play took a toll on me physically and emotionally, and I grew lethargic and depressed.

And then one day I heard my school would be adding an advanced multimedia art class after school for those students who wanted to study art more seriously. I had already taken the handful of art classes my school offered and really enjoyed them—though I had never considered them more than just fun electives to fill my schedule, as required. And, because of hockey, I certainly had never had afternoons open.

After a couple of weeks of the class, I began to feel alive again, like “myself” but renewed, more awake and aware of everything around me. Suddenly I wanted to draw or paint everything I looked at, to bring everything I saw to life. It wasn’t just that I’d adopted a new hobby or passion, it was that I began looking more closely and critically at the world around me. I wanted to share what I saw with others, to connect with people in a way I’d never done before.

My art teacher selected a charcoal portrait of mine to be showcased in a local art show and I’ve never been more proud of myself for anything. Many of my friends, family members, and teammates came to see the show, which blew me away, but also I realized then just how much of my own self worth had been attached to people’s perception of me as a successful athlete. I learned how much better it feels to gain self worth from within. Unlike hockey, which I’d trained to be good at since I was a toddler, art is something that made me much more vulnerable. I didn’t do it to try to be the best, I did it because it felt good. And getting out of my comfort zone in this way gave me a sense of confidence I had never known prior, despite all my time on the ice during high-stakes games.

Today, I’m back in skates and able to play hockey, but will probably not play professionally; while I am disappointed, I’m also at peace with it. We make plans in life, and sometimes life has other plans for us that we have to adapt to and embrace, which is the more profound lesson I’ve learned in the healing process. We can crumple in the face of obstacles, or we can look for a silver lining and allow ourselves to grow into more complex, dynamic, well-rounded people. I don’t know what the rest of life holds for me, but I do know that I’m going to keep making art, and I’m going to keep opening myself up to new opportunities and experiences.

Strengths of Version #2:

• It has a compelling hook that draws the reader in.
• It has a clear beginning, middle, and end (expressed as an introduction, body, and conclusion).
• It directly addresses the prompt at hand and sticks to it.
• It focuses on one specific incident.
• It is well balanced in its explanation of and reflection on a given experience.
• It uses a clear, unique voice and tone as well as vivid, evocative language.
• It has a logical and cohesive flow.
• It is highly personal while also polished and professional.

Hopefully these examples have given you ideas of how you can take your Common App essay from good to great. If you have more questions about how to write a Common App essay, keep reading our FAQs below.

How much do I actually have to write for the Common App essay?

Last year, the Common App essay was capped at 650 words with a minimum of 250 words required. The best essays tend to range between 500-650 words.

Think of it this way as you start to draft: 500 words is one single-spaced page (250 words is one double-spaced page), so you should write roughly a page to page and half of typed, single-spaced content.

Where can I find the official Common App essay prompts?

Here are the 2021-2022 Common App essay prompts , which are the same as last year’s, with the exception of a new prompt #4 and the addition of a Covid-19 Common App prompt .

Do I need a title for the Common App essay?

A title is not required for the Common App essay, but you are, of course, more than welcome to include one if you’d like.

Where can I go for more information about the Common App essay?

All of the necessary information for the Common App and the Common App essay can be found on the Common Application home page.

For further reading, here are some posts that tackle and dispel common myths about the Common App essay:

Myth: The Common App essay must sound professional. Myth: Colleges can’t tell if someone helps write a common app essay.

If you haven’t already, you can download our free Common App essay checklist .

Happy Writing!

There you have it! The Common App essay can actually be quite rewarding to write if you give yourself enough time to prepare for it thoroughly. Remember, it’s all about you, and you’re the authority on that! So hunker down and don’t forget to have fun in the writing process.

We’d also love to hear from you! What questions or concerns do you still have about the Common Application essay? What are you thinking about writing on?

Comment below, and good luck!

Nadyja von Ebers is one of Magoosh’s Content Creators. Nadyja holds an MA in English from DePaul University and has taught English and at the high school and college levels for twelve years. She has a decade of experience teaching preparation for the AP exams, the SAT, and the ACT, among other tests. Additionally, Nadyja has worked as an academic advisor at college level and considers herself an expert in all things related to college-prep. She’s applied her college expertise to posts such as UCLA Admissions: The SAT Scores, ACT Scores, and GPA You Need to Get in and A Family Guide to College Admissions . Nadyja loves helping students reach their maximum potential and thrives in both literal and virtual classrooms. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys reading and writing for pleasure and loves spending time in or near the ocean. You can connect with her on LinkedIn !

View all posts

More from Magoosh

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trying to figure out if the common app essay prompts are any different this year? Well, we’re here to answer all of the questions you may have. We’re going to give you, a college student to be, as much guidance on how to approach the common app essay as possible. Learn what the prompts are, what the most popular one is, and how to use them effectively.

Are the essay prompts 2022-23 different from the Common App essay prompts 2021-22?

The common app essay prompts are here and there are no surprises this year! All of the prompts are exactly the same as last year. There are seven essay topics to choose from. These essay prompts are here to help you navigate a 650-word essay that complies with different topics, tones, styles, and subjects.

What’s new in Common App essay prompts for 2022-23?

The common app college essay plays a vital role in your application process to get into elite and ivy league colleges. As stated before, there are no new prompts this year. The common app essay prompts are as follows:

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

College Admissions 101: Common App vs. Coalition App

Click here to read more

Which Common App prompts are the most popular?

The common application essay prompts that were most popular according to common app analytics are prompt 7: the choose your own topic, prompt 5: Explain an accomplishment, and coming in third prompt 2: a setback or failure.

The admission officers are finding that these prompts are usually the most common because they can be very relatable topics. Though this is your chance to stand out among the other applicants, so be original with your personal statement.

Should you choose the most popular prompts?

When you are choosing the new prompt for your personal essay you should consider what will make you stand out. Choosing the most popular prompt is less likely for you to impress the admissions committee. Go through the common app prompts and choose the best one for you based on your life experiences.

All 2022-2033 class college essay prompts in Common App

Now we’re going to go through the college application essay prompts and answer common app essay questions you may have. Our goal is to give you the additional information that you are looking for.

Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

This prompt offers an opportunity to engage with your favorite extracurricular or academic subject, and it allows you to weave a narrative that displays personal growth in that area. An essay that displays your personality and a unique interest can be attention-grabbing.

Prompt 2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

This prompt lends itself to consideration of what facets of your personality allow you to overcome adversity. While it’s okay to choose a relatively mundane “failure” such as not winning an award, another (perhaps more powerful) tactic is to write about a foundational failure and assess its impact on your development thereafter.

Prompt 3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

This prompt is the hardest one to answer because most high schoolers haven’t participated in the types of iconoclastic protests against societal ills that turn themselves to an awe-inspiring response.

An alternative here could be to discuss a time that you went against social norms, whether it was by becoming friends with someone who seemed like an outcast or by proudly showing off a geeky passion.

Prompt 4: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

While this prompt may seem to be asking a simple question, your answer has the potential to provide deep insights into who you are to the admissions committee. Explaining what you are grateful for can show them your culture, your community, your philosophical outlook on the world, and what makes you agitated.

Prompt 5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

This prompt is expansive in that you can choose any accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked personal growth or new understanding. A fairly simple prompt that you have the chance to make your own and impress the college admissions officers.

Prompt 6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

This prompt is great if you want to expand and deepen a seemingly small or simple idea, topic, or concept. For example, you could talk about trees. Maybe you grew up in the country or would always go to the park. This can translate to a deeper meaning, your love for nature grows and you end up wanting to be an environmental biologist.

Prompt 7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

This prompt allows you to express what you want to express if it doesn’t align directly with the other prompts. While this prompt is very open-ended, it doesn’t mean you can adapt any essay you’ve written and think it will suffice. Make sure to do some brainstorming and incorporate an out-of-the-box essay that will help you stand out.

How many Common App essays are required?

When you use the common app, you only have to write one essay based on the prompts above and it will qualify for all the colleges that are associated with the app. This will be most of the colleges that you apply to, but double-check before applying!

What makes a great Common App essay?

The best way to make your essay great is to ensure that you are making a deep personal connection. Think about the people who will be reading your essay; These college admission officers are reading hundreds of essays so make sure yours is the one that stands out. If they feel connected to your essay, you are most likely going to get accepted.

Key takeaways about answering the Common App questions

Now that you know the common app essay prompts are the same as last year, you can conduct proper research to make yours the best one yet. Remember to stay personal and original within your writing and follow our other essay tips to help you out.

Need professional college application essay help? Contact Prepory

Our college admissions experts are here to guide you from where you are to where you should be. Through our comprehensive curriculum, individualized coaching, and online workshops, you are set for success as soon as you connect with us.

Are Common App essay prompts the same every year?

For the most part, the common app essay prompts stay the same. However, every few years they change out a couple of the prompts.

What happens if you go over the Common App essay prompts word limit?

There is no strict word limit when you write a common app essay although they do recommend that you stay around 650 words. If you are to go over the word count, the admissions officers will continue to read, but they may not finish your essay if it is too long.

What should you avoid in your Common App essay?

The main thing that you should avoid when writing your personal statement essay is to not rehash your academic and extracurricular accomplishments. Avoid starting with a preamble and ending with a “happily ever after” conclusion.

Can you lie in your college essay?

While writing your essay, there's no need to stretch the truth. The essay is your chance to let your voice come through your application: don't waste it on lies. Your first thought when brainstorming ideas should not be about how legendary or heartbreaking your essay can be.

Are college essays kept private? Who can see my Common App college essay?

Yes, they are kept private. The only person that can see your essay is the person reviewing your application, and they are bound legally to keep your information private.

• April 5, 2021
• College Admissions , Common App

How To Answer Common App Essay Prompts: 2022-23

Contact a Prepory college admissions coach and start your college admissions journey.

During our initial consultation, we will: 

• Assess your student’s applicant profile and higher education goals 
• Provide detailed information about our services and programming
• Share tips on how to navigate the U.S. college admissions process 

Let's get started!

Land your next great job with a Prepory career coach!

Let us help you advance your career, Identify new opportunities, participate in mock interviews, build, thrive, grow, and land your dream job.

Subscribe to our blog!

Follow us on social media

Want to get admitted to your dream school or accelerate your career?

College Admissions

Career coaching.

(929) 244-3365 [email protected] 12555 Orange Drive, Suite 100A, Davie, FL 33330

Copyright © 2023  Prepory Coaching Group LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

Ready to take the next step towards college admissions or career success?

Book your free consultation.

How to Write the 2022-23 Common App Essay

The recording will load in a moment., about this livestream.

Learn how to write an awesome Common App essay for every single prompt.

Vinay will provide an in-depth breakdown of each of the Common App essay prompts, discussing how to write a great essay in response to each one. He’ll also share his take on the essays and topics you shouldn’t write about for each prompt.

Vinay Bhaskara

Other recordings by vinay bhaskara.

The Ultimate Guide to UC Essays

Parents Series: What parents need to know about college admissions in 2022

Elite Admissions Series: How to get into an Ivy League college

Summer Schools Abroad: Beyond Borders

Why look at liberal arts colleges?

Make the Most of Your Summer Break with the NSLC!

Popular recent recordings

How to Get Into Tech Without a Degree

Tips for Getting into Harvard from a Harvard Graduate

Getting Started: How to Build your Narrative

Your Application in Today’s Environment

The Ivy Coach Daily

• College Admissions
• College Essays
• Early Decision / Early Action
• Extracurricular Activities
• Standardized Testing
• The Rankings

January 30, 2022

2022-2023 Common Application Essay Prompts

The Common Application has released the 2022-2023 essay prompts. So what will be the Personal Statement questions posed to next year’s batch of applicants? We know you’ve been up at night wondering if they’ll remain the same or if Common App. will be making some changes. We don’t want you losing too much sleep over any potential changes. So, without further ado, let’s share with you the news on next year’s Common Application essay prompts!

They’re staying the same, with one addition! As Scott Anderson writes on The Common Application’s website , “The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2022-2023. Because as we enter the third year of a global pandemic, consistency is not a bad thing. That’s not the only reason, of course. We know from our most recent survey on the topic that over 95% of every group who responded–students, counselors, teachers, and admission officers–agree that the prompts spark effective essays. That’s why we kept them the same last year as well, with the exception of adding a new one about gratitude.”

So here are next year’s Common Application Personal Statement essay prompts (#4 is the new addition):

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

Related Articles

The Rhodes Scholarship: 2024 Rhodes Scholars

May 18, 2024

The Pros and Cons of Applying Through The Common Application

September 28, 2023

When Are College Applications Due?

September 18, 2023

Ethnic Background Subcategories on The Common Application

April 20, 2023

2021-2022 Common Application Data

April 13, 2022

The Language of The Common Application

March 3, 2022

TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION

If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s college counseling,
fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.

Fill out our short form for a 20-minute consultation to learn about Ivy Coach’s services.

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Answer the 2023-2024 Common App Essay Prompts

Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Writing your college essay isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it helps to have a variety of prompts to choose from. Fortunately, there’s seven Common App essay prompts available during the 2023-2024 cycle. In this guide, we’ll discuss each prompt and give you some tips on how to respond. 

Related: College essay primer: show, don’t tell

Before we begin…

Before browsing the following Common App essay prompts, it’s a good idea to first think about the story you’re most eager to tell. Consider the most important experiences you’ve had in your life and how you could shape them into a meaningful essay. Only then should you check out the following prompts to find one that fits your story. Since most of the prompts are intentionally broad and open-ended, chances are you won’t have any trouble finding one that suits your particular story. Let’s get started on your Common App essay prompts!

Also see:  Common App vs. Coalition App: What are the differences?

“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

This is your chance to talk about the people, places, and experiences that have shaped you as a person. The great thing about this prompt is that it’s very broad in scope and can be molded to fit nearly any story. Think about the most important moments in your life and their impact. What parts of your upbringing or personality are essential to who you are as a person? If you’re having trouble, try completing the following sentence: “I wouldn’t be who I am today without…” 

Questions to consider: 

• What sets you apart from others? 
• Do you have any hobbies, interests, or talents that your life revolves around? 
• What experiences or people have impacted the way you view the world? 

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

Failure facilitates growth. The hardest moments in our lives are often the ones in which we develop the most as people. Think back to some of the major turning points in your life – the moments when you adapted to a new environment, coped with loss, or tried a new activity. Chances are these moments weren’t exactly easy. But in spite of the adversity you faced, you came out the other side new and improved. Think about these difficult moments, how you overcame them, and what you learned from the experience. As you’re writing, remember to focus on the positive side of things instead of lingering on the negative.  

• Have you ever moved to a new town, grieved the loss of a family member, or struggled in school?
• How have you responded to challenges in your life?
• What have you learned about yourself in the process? 

Related:  Should you submit the FAFSA before or after acceptance?

“Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?”

Admissions officers love to see candidates who are independent thinkers. If you’re passionate about certain ideas that don’t exactly align with popular beliefs, this is your chance to share them. Maybe your essay pushes back against beliefs instilled in you from an early age, or perhaps you’d like to point out injustices you see in society. Whatever the case may be, try to shape your story in a positive and productive fashion. Steer clear of coming across as preachy, angry, or arrogant. Rather, you should aim to strike a humble, yet confident tone. This can be a tricky prompt, but if done well it can demonstrate your ability to stand up for what you believe in. 

Question to consider: 

• When have you had an unpopular belief? 
• At what times in life have you had to defend your point of view?
• What beliefs do you consider essential to who you are as a person?

“Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?”

Oftentimes, we obsess over the problems in our lives and forget to be thankful for the good things. In this new prompt recently added to the Common App’s selection, students are asked to write about a time they felt grateful. The key here is to discuss an event that opened your eyes to a new perspective. Maybe it was the kindness of a stranger, or perhaps it was the action of a friend or family member. Talk about how you felt prior to the event, then discuss how the event changed your point of view. Did you gain a newfound sense of hope or appreciation? Given the uncertainty and anxiety many people have felt as a result of the pandemic, this timely prompt is an excellent chance for students to look on the bright side. 

• What makes you step back and appreciate the good things in your life? 
• How do you express gratitude? 
• What are some of your favorite acts of kindness you’ve witnessed?

“Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

Similar to the other prompts, this one asks students to describe something they learned from a specific event. Just as you would for prompt #2, think back to the major turning points in your life as you’re brainstorming for this question. What accomplishments are you most proud of? What events transformed you as a person? If you’re having trouble, keep in mind that your particular event doesn’t have to be something as big as winning an award or moving to a new town. It could be something as small as making a new friend or helping your parents complete a task. The event or accomplishment itself doesn’t matter too much. What’s important is the realization it sparked and the period of personal growth that followed. 

Questions to consider:

• How have you changed as a person over time? 
• What moments or events sparked that change? 
• Have you ever had a “lightbulb moment” during which you came to an important realization?

“Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

Now’s your chance to talk about the ideas and topics that excite you most in this world. It’s also a great opportunity to connect your intended area of study to your personal passions. For instance, let’s say you plan on majoring in film. Use this prompt to discuss your interest in cinematography and how you’re eager to produce your own short films once you enroll in school. Whatever you choose to write about, just make sure it’s something you’re genuinely passionate about. If it’s something you truly love, you should have no trouble writing an entire essay about it. 

• What’s a topic or idea that you never get bored of? 
• What are the things that make you most excited?
• When you’re interested in something, how do you typically seek more information about it? 

“Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.”

If none of the other prompts are to your liking, there’s always the handy create-your-own option. This prompt gives students the enormous freedom to write about literally anything. While this may seem exciting to some students, it can be daunting to others. If you choose to pursue this prompt, there’s a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, you should find a focus and stick with it. Avoid letting your essay become too broad and freewheeling. Rather, write about one or two specific moments in your life and how they relate to your topic. And although you can write about anything, it’s best to discuss something that relates to your own personal growth, what you’ve learned in life, or what you hope to accomplish in the future. 

• What should admissions committees know about you that they wouldn’t learn about from the rest of your application?
• Are there any stories from your past that provide insight into who you are as a person?
• If you had to give an elevator pitch describing yourself, what would you talk about? 

Next steps for completing the Common App

After you’ve completed the Common App essay prompts, your work is not yet done! There are other sections to the Common App, and there is a special art to filling out each of them. We have guides to help you through the activities section , the honors section , and the additional information section . To help you stay on schedule, you can check out our guide to application deadlines and a description of rolling admissions .

We’ve also got some guides to help you rock your essays: check out our guides to writing a 250 word essay , a 500 word essay , and to writing essays about yourself . We can also help you decide how many colleges to apply to , and how to pick safety, reach, and match schools .

Finally, if you’re working on your Common App, that means it’ll soon be time to apply to scholarships! We have a list of scholarships for high school seniors that will be a great help. You can also sign up for the Scholarships360 platform , which grants you access to a customized scholarship database full of vetted opportunities.

Good luck with your Common App and make sure to check back with us for other opportunities!

Also see:  Can you use the same essay for multiple colleges?

Frequently asked questions about how to answer the Common App essay prompts

How many common app essay prompts do i need to respond to, when should i start working on my common app essay, can i get help with my common app essay, can i use the same essay to apply to different schools, what is the most important thing to keep in mind when writing the common app essay, scholarships360 recommended.

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

• Affiliate Program

• UNITED STATES
• 台灣 (TAIWAN)
• TÜRKIYE (TURKEY)
• Academic Editing Services
• - Research Paper
• - Journal Manuscript
• - Dissertation
• - College & University Assignments
• Admissions Editing Services
• - Application Essay
• - Personal Statement
• - Recommendation Letter
• - Cover Letter
• - CV/Resume
• Business Editing Services
• - Business Documents
• - Report & Brochure
• - Website & Blog
• Writer Editing Services
• - Script & Screenplay
• Our Editors
• Client Reviews
• Editing & Proofreading Prices
• Wordvice Points
• Partner Discount
• Plagiarism Checker
• APA Citation Generator
• MLA Citation Generator
• Chicago Citation Generator
• Vancouver Citation Generator
• - APA Style
• - MLA Style
• - Chicago Style
• - Vancouver Style
• Writing & Editing Guide
• Academic Resources
• Admissions Resources

How to Answer the Common App Essay Prompts for 2023-2024

In 2023, the Common Application announced that the Common App essay prompts will remain unchanged from the 2022-2023 school year. The Common App essay prompts have remained almost the same for the past five years, but crafting a strong and compelling essay to respond to these prompts has remained as important as ever to getting into top schools

This article will explain how to choose the Common App prompts, organize your essay outline, and craft a compelling, concise response that college admissions officers will love. We also provide links to additional articles with details about writing the Common App essay for each specific prompt.

Which Common Application Essay prompt is best to choose? 

One truth that most colleges won’t tell you is that the Common App essay prompts don’t matter that much to your admissions success. What actually matters choosing a compelling story and telling it in a compelling way. Whether they believe it or not, every college applicant has an interesting story to relay to admissions officers. 

An important rule to keep in mind is to leave room in your essay to discuss the things you love and what drives you, both as a student and as a unique person. The Common App essay is similar to an open-ended job interview question like “How would you define yourself?” It isn’t just an answer on a test or job application.

So let’s look at the 2022-2023 Common App essay prompts, get an idea about what they are all about, and decide how to choose the best prompt that will allow you to communicate your personal story.

Common App Essay Prompts for 202 3-2024

The Common App essay prompts for the 2023-2024 cycle have not changed from previous years, with the exception of prompt #4. Each allows writers to take a different path and perspective on their lives and issues. Choosing the prompt that lines up best with the personal story of yourself you want to tell is the key to writing a great Common App essay.

Here are this year’s Common App essay prompts:

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

How To Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Identity, Interest, or Talent

Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Common App Prompt #1 has been around for many years and gives applicants as much flexibility as they could ask for in an essay prompt, with just enough direction to provide a scaffolding for their ideas. It is often known as the “choose your own adventure” prompt.

Focus on the keywords, “background,” “identity,” “interest,” and “talent,” and use them as launch points for your brainstorming. Does anything in your personality, hobbies, history, or personal accomplishments come to mind as being worthy of highlighting to an admissions officer? These categories could be something as minor as seeing a profoundly powerful film or as large as the struggle of acclimating to a new school, state, and/or country. The most important factor to consider for this prompt is that your subject and/or perspective is dynamic and specific to YOU and your narrative and to no other students.

Questions to ask yourself for Prompt #1:

• How does my background or history set me apart from my peers?
• What have I achieved that has been central to creating the person I am today?
• How do I define myself? How would my friends, family, and peers define me?

Examples to consider for Prompt #1:

• Has your family’s love of travel taken you to new places and shaped you as a “worldly scholar” wise for your age and subgroup? 
• Does your love of old jazz define how you fit into society at large?
• Did going to a Warhol art exhibit inspire you to start an art collection that you have turned into a more expansive hobby or calling?
• What are the challenges and rewards of having biracial parents in your small town? Or of being an adoptee or a member of a family made up of non-traditional members?

How To Write Common App Prompt #2: The Setback Essay

PROMPT #2: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Essays about overcoming obstacles should focus more on solutions and mindset than on the problems themselves. Accordingly, Common App Essay Prompt #2 essays should focus on the student’s mental and emotional response, as well as the actions they took when confronted with a difficulty or hurdle. Showcase your qualities like determination, humility, and growth. The difficulties you choose to explore can be diverse, especially considering the addition of “challenges and setbacks” in addition to “failures.” They could be as serious as a death in the family, as practical and material as the financial issues that you or your family have faced, or as banal as a stupid mistake that cost you the winning place at a school contest. 

However, students should avoid choosing challenges that are too trivial (not getting tickets to your favorite concert) or that illustrate dangerous or risky behavior (illegal activities or those that hurt others would certainly NOT be good topics for this essay prompt). But if you can isolate an event or trial in your life and show what you learned from it and how you grew, this prompt can encourage a powerful essay.

Questions to consider for Prompt #2:

• How do you usually respond to and deal with hardships or difficulties?
• What is your personal idea of a “setback or difficulty”? 
• Do you rebound easily and turn your experiences into learning opportunities? Think of experiences that might highlight such qualities.
• Brainstorm and list some major challenges you’ve encountered in your life.

A few examples for your reference:

• Has a lifelong battle with seizures or another neurodivergent condition raised your overall confidence and allowed you to participate in activities without judging yourself too harshly?
• Did a long-term or serious health situation challenge you to take on more responsibilities than the average middle- or high-school student?
• Did several setbacks on your road to becoming a violin prodigy introduce you to public relations, being your own manager, and dealing with different kinds of people in the industry?

Keep your personal story as positive as possible and again, focus on how you overcame the challenge. You ultimately want to provide evidence to the admissions officials that you are more than ready for the challenges that college presents.

How To Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenging a Belief or Idea

PROMPT #3: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Ironically, the “challenge” essay is one of the most challenging prompts the Common App essay presents, though it is now slightly easier with the addition of the option to discuss a time you merely questioned an idea instead of directly challenging it. The student must speak passionately about their beliefs and worldview, which are often difficult subjects to fit into short narratives. Thus, Common App Essay Prompt #3 can be one of the hardest questions to aim in a positive direction without making yourself sound condescending or judgmental of other views. 

That being said, you can respond to this prompt in a way that is insightful and personal, as it was for a student who stood up to parents’ staunch position on one’s public expression of sexual identity. If you can articulate your thoughts and feelings while showing your willingness to earnestly consider the ideas of others, you will stand out as an excellent addition to any college campus. If this prompt jumps out at you and you can think of a time you challenged a belief and it made a difference, go for it!

Questions to consider while brainstorming:

• Was there a specific time you held an opinion that was unpopular among your family or peers?
• Why are you the type of person willing to stand up for your positions or values?
• What morals and values are most important to you on a fundamental level?
• What drives your interest in and position on these topics? Philosophy, your own religious background or culture, a popular media channel?

Some examples to get you started:

• Are you the only atheist member in a deeply religious household? How did this impact your personal relationships and interactions?
• Did you work as an intern on a campaign caught in a big scandal? Did your reaction show your values as an active member of the community?
• Did you challenge the notion that modern dance or art is not “artistic” by crafting an extensive research paper on the subject in a way that impressed (or horrified) your teachers?

You don’t need to focus on a fundamentally serious or controversial issue. What matters most when responding to this prompt is that you plainly show your strong convictions about the belief or idea you are trying to convey and examine how this position impacts your thinking and your actions. Prompt #3 can be useful in showcasing your argumentation, persuasive skills, and critical thinking to admissions officers.

How To Write Common App Prompt #4: Showing Gratitude 

PROMPT #4: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Common App Essay Prompt #4 asks students to talk about a time when they felt gratitude for something someone did. Gratitude has become a quality that individuals are encouraged to connect to and reflect on, which explains the commonality of essays on gratitude in college classes. This question offers students the opportunity to reflect on how gratitude impacts or directs their own lives, as well as how giving thanks for the little things in life can inspire and energize them. 

Think about times when you have personally felt heard or seen as an individual. These could be moments when you felt an immense about of pride or encouragement. Think hard about what you appreciate in your life: material gifts, individual actions, or even simply a set of feelings someone aimed in your direction. The bestower of these feelings could be someone you know well, or it could be a public figure you have never met you has nevertheless changed your life for the better. Remember that this essay should primarily focus on how you process, appreciate and respond to the actions of others, which means you need to focus more on YOU than on the generous act or words themselves. 

Consider these questions for Prompt #4:

• Do you ever “pay it forward” in your daily life? How, when, and why do you do this?
• How do you usually express thanks in your own life?
• Do you have any random acts of kindness that inspire you?
• Have you ever had your faith in humanity restored by someone’s deeds or speech?
• Is karma a driving force for your actions, or do you have some other cosmic reason for doing good?

Examples to use as guidance:

• Did a gesture from a stranger inspire you to continue doing good acts for others? How do you actually do these acts and how has it changed how you view giving?
• Do you feel appreciative of a public figure for the work they have done to raise awareness about issues that are important to you? How do you give back?
• Have you ever received a gift or token of value from someone that was completely unexpected? Why was this meaningful to you? How did you show gratitude? Did the unexpected, non-transactional aspect of the gift impact your perception of helping or encouraging others?

Link your story to your life and world in a concrete and meaningful way. Don’t forget to detail how this gift or act of kindness affected and motivates you today. After choosing your essay prompt, be sure to follow the instructions and answer all substantive parts of the question.

How To Write Common App Prompt #5: The Accomplishment Essay

PROMPT #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

In Common App Essay Prompt #5 , the words “accomplishment” and “event” are somewhat open to interpretation. Therefore, an essay inspired by this question could address anything from a minor event to a major occurrence in your life. An event accomplishment might include birthdays or weddings, or perhaps big achievements like winning a competition or earning an esteemed award. 

Informal examples could include meeting a person in your life who ended up being special; taking a fateful bus or train ride; or participating in a meal or social event that opened up your mind to other realities you hadn’t considered. Events that are smaller or less formal can actually lead to more surprising and memorable essays, but these must also be written with originality and add a personal or unique twist. The art of storytelling is important in this essay prompt.

Some other things to consider:

• How do periods of transition impact you in general? Are there actions or events that have inspired a change of heart or thought in your mind?
• Have you ever had a “eureka” moment that has fundamentally shifted how you view the world in some way?
• Did you ever learn a fact or hear a viewpoint that made you feel more capable or confident in voicing your own opinion and position?

Some example topics for this prompt:

• Did your expansion of a lemonade stand into a successful small business motivate you into raising funds for a friend or relative’s illness or encourage you to pay off a debt?
• Do you love sports playback video that forces you to examine your mistakes and take criticism that leads to self-improvement?
• How did serving soup each week at a homeless shelter for half a year help ground your views of social opportunity and giving? How did this impact how you connect with and serve other people?

Keep in the front of your mind the central elements of growth, understanding, and transformation. The realization or activity you write about should be something that helped you mature in your understanding of the world and other people.

How To Write Common App Prompt #6: an Engaging Topic, Idea, or Concept

PROMPT #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Since college is at root (at least historically) the pursuit of knowledge to enlighten yourself as an individual, it might be beneficial for an admissions officer to have an understanding of how you demonstrate self-motivated learning, as well as the reasons for why you pay attention to topics that fascinate you. Common App Essay Prompt #6 is a kind of window into your mind, showing how you process information and search for new sources of content and inspiration–or new positions to analyze and critique. 

How does your interest demonstrate your willingness to investigate deeper into a given topic or idea? Your essay answer should also reveal the scope and depth of your intellectual or artistic interests. For example, if you’re interested in studying biochemistry, you might discuss a concept that illustrates how far your knowledge in this core domain extends to actual current findings and dialogues in science. How does this passion impact what you are choosing to pursue academically?

Some key questions to think about:

• What engages you generally? Do you have a thirst for some specific kind of knowledge? Or, what do you love to think about or engage in insofar as it nearly defines you as a person and thinker?
• What exact steps have you taken to acquire new information about or experiences that are related to your topic of interest? Have you gone out of your way to turn your interest into an activity or even a kind of profession?
• How do you actively enrich your knowledge when you find some appealing idea or topic? Hours spent weekly in the school library or with a teacher or mentor who can guide you in your academic pursuit could be great examples of this active enrichment.
• What is so satisfying about the process of learning and applying your knowledge to the conversation or to the discipline itself?

And a few examples to get those wheels turning:

• Did your learning about open source code move you to create a startup with a few like-minded peers? What related projects are you prepared to work on next?
• Did your advertising firm internship experience inspire you to do benchmarking and market research to create your own ads (even if they were only for yourself)? 
• On a Saturday afternoon, could you be found perusing the classics and learning Latin at the same time? How else have you interacted with this literature and language?
• Perhaps you have an obsession with Italian food that is so strong it led you to study Italian cooking online through a master class. How is Italian food actually more scientific and interesting than the average person might think?

Whatever category or topic drives you to learn more and DO more, reflect on it, and then share it in colorful detail. This prompt deals with pursuing knowledge for knowledge’s sake, but also how this knowledge stokes your desire to challenge yourself in concrete ways.

How To Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

PROMPT #7: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

This prompt was first introduced to the 2017-2018 Common App prompts. Although Prompt #1 is similar to “choosing a topic of your choice,” Common App Essay Prompt #7 offers students a lot of freedom and flexibility to illustrate their character, background, growth, worldview, or any other important central facets important to being a college student. You could really take any number of directions with this essay prompt–but as always, be sure that you are addressing the prompt fully and not being too trivial (or cliche) in your subject matter and how you tell your narrative.

More brainstorming questions to consider:

What should admissions know about you that they couldn’t gather from your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars?

• Are there stories or issues that pop up often in your daily life that might give admissions officials some insight into who you are and what you stand for?
• What is your “elevator pitch”? If you had five minutes in a room alone with an admissions officer, what are the key points you would relay to them to convince them you are the best candidate?
• What would you bring to the campus of your target school that almost no other student could?

Some examples of potential subjects and their related prompts:

• Do you have a health defect that impacts how you view or interact with the world and people around you? ( Q:Why is your personal perspective unique and special?)
• Do you spend your free time teaching guitar lessons for free to children at the community center in your town? What do these interactions look like, what do they mean to you, and how have they affected your goals and direction? ( Q: Why is self-sacrifice a virtue and benefit in a college candidate?)
• Did your parents give you a highly unusual name that has colored how you are seen and how you move about the world? What were their reasons for giving this name to you? How has it made you a better student and person?  ( Q: What does origin have to do with excellence?)

Some students find that choosing a “topic of your choice” is quite difficult because it offers too many options to choose from. But this should not prevent you from attempting this essay prompt if you have something interesting to say. You can use the other prompts as starting points to brainstorm ideas and free-write first. 

Now that you have read our handy-dandy prompt guide and understand what admissions is looking for from these prompts, you could very well have a notebook filled with ideas that are ripe for expansion by the time you sit down to write.

So don’t worry about having too many ideas, or not having enough ideas, especially at the beginning of the topic selection process. Once you figure out what you’d like to say (and maybe even after you draft the crux of the essay itself), see if your concept fits one of the first six prompts. Trying to tailor your essay to a more specific prompt option may inspire an interesting spin on the story you are trying to tell—one you may not have thought of otherwise. Form influences content. If, after careful consideration, your magic essay topic does not work within the confines of Prompts 1-6, you are in luck. The glorious, all-encompassing Prompt #7 will be here to catch you.

A Detailed Plan for Writing the 2023-2024 Common App Essay Prompts

The Common App essay has a maximum word count of 650 words, and the Common Application site does not provide any further instructions on how to write the essays, such as organization and amount of time to spend on each essay section. Fortunately, we at Wordvice have some experience with crafting impactful essays. The following is a brief summary of how to approach the Common App essay, regardless of which essay prompt you ultimately choose to write on.

1. Brainstorming your Common App essay topics 

Brainstorming is crucial to writing any creative or personal essay. Before you even pick an essay prompt, consider a “high level” passion you have and all the ways in which you interact with it and how it shapes you as a person. For example, using “computer programming” as a central idea, you could stress your love of coding for various reasons and how that has impacted the projects you have done and continues to shape your self-identity (i.e., as a “programmer”). 

Another idea might be to discuss how you have developed in relation to your other family members. Perhaps you have a relationship with two of your siblings that has come to define you and how to interact with people in general: maybe your younger sister is a “dreamer,” while your older brother is a “technician,” and as a middle child, finding out where you belong in this family dynamic led you to a way of thinking that differentiates you from most other candidates. Formative stories could be quite interesting and instantly give the reader a window into who you are. 

To develop your own central idea, answer the four essential questions that apply to all Common App essay prompts:

• Address your personality traits and anything else about you that tells something about who you are. This question can be answered in any number of ways: discussing a formative event or circumstance, a hobby, a time you overcame great difficulty, or a profound learning experience. 
• Distinguish yourself by showing your uniqueness. You don’t need to explicitly state why you are different from others–rather, show this in your story details.
• In paragraph form and using concrete details, give the reader a strong idea about what is important to you: family, work ethic, success, money, etc.
• Don’t forget to include some of the essential qualities that will make you a great student: time management, great communication, interest in topics, etc. Again, you can evidence these strengths in your story details rather than telling the reader THAT you are good at X, Y, and Z.

Start brainstorming by writing down a few aspects of your personality or experiences you find central to your development. Think about some basic narratives you could tell that use different combinations of these aspects before you actually choose a prompt.

For instance, you could note that you are in love with classical philosophy, made varsity on the debate team, and are now working with a local community organizer on a political issue that is important to you. Then organize these experiences into a very rough structure that will make it easier for you to choose the best Common App prompt.

An example narrative from these aspects: You discuss a specific interest you currently have associated with this community work; discuss what you have learned and the failures and successes you have had; explore how you could make a bigger difference, if only you were a lawyer or official advocate, etc. In contemplating these personal aspects, you are already beginning the organization step, which is crucial to composing a great essay.

2. Choosing a Common App essay prompt that best fits you

There is no “best” common app essay prompt that will guarantee your acceptance into top schools. However, choosing a prompt that first you well will help you craft a more convincing narrative for admissions committees.

Consider the following prompt for instance (Common App Essay Prompt # 2):

This is a prompt that might work great if you can think of any salient challenges or obstacles that helped shape who you are today. Perhaps you were a high-profile member of your high school’s speech team, but you were sidelined by a financial crisis in your household. To help your family overcome this hardship, you got a part-time job and had to quit the speech team. However, your speech coach recognized your talent and dedication and allowed you to practice on your own time. 

This story would show that you are a dedicated son or daughter willing to help out your struggling parents and sacrifice your time to do so. It also shows that you have negotiation skills that help you overcome difficulties–a valuable personal trait for a college student.

Remember to show who you are in your essay!

One of the most common mistakes that students writing the Common App Essay make is not including enough of themselves in their essay content. Your admissions essay should be personal enough that a reader who knows you would identify the applicant as you even without looking at your name or application form details.

If you find yourself getting lost in what to write, don’t panic. This is a common feeling, as an admissions essay is often the first REALLY important personal essay candidates will have written. One method of removing your essay writer’s block is to ask yourself “why?” whenever you might not know what you write next.

For example, here is what your inner monologue might look like as you walk yourself through some questions: 

“I have always loved biology.”

• Why do I love biology?

“Because I enjoy learning facts about living organisms.”

• Why do I enjoy this?

“Because I have always wanted to take things apart and see how they work from the inside.”

• Why is this important to who I am?

“It is indicative of my approach to all of my passions, including academic interests.” 

By following this kind of “stream-of-consciousness” dialogue, you can get to the bottom of some of your motivations, actions, fears, and other aspects that define a person’s identity. 

It can also help to bounce your essay ideas off of a friend or family member. Closer friends can make for a good sounding board since they know a lot about your personality, likes, skills, drives, and ambitions. This might help you choose the most appropriate essay prompt for you. 

3. Organizing your essay’s story

There are a couple of different approaches to take when it comes to organizing and outlining your essay. Feel free to be creative with your structure and use descriptions. You could even employ dialogue if it helps you tell a story better. 

However, your essay still needs to flow logically and naturally at the level of the sentence and even paragraph. You can achieve this by structuring chronologically, making a story arc, or beginning en media res (in the middle of your story) to hook the reader, and then moving back to a former period to unveil your complete narrative.

Some applicants prefer to take a wholly different and “experimental” approach to writing a personal essay. For instance, a student with a passion for theatre and fiction writing could write a “scene” in dialogue form (like a Samual Beckett play) that represents two parts of their personality. A mathematics expert could use an algorithm or algebraic formula as a metaphor for their life and draft their essay using that structure. 

Writing a more creative essay can certainly be risky, and it isn’t easy for most writers to pull off–even for professional authors! However, this just means that if your essay is well-executed and gets your point across, and shows the reader who you are, you will be highly rewarded for it in the end with high marks from adcoms.

4. Write a Common App essay that is clear and focused

• Show, don’t tell–rather than telling the reader simply that you “love science,” prove it by describing how many hours you spend per week in your room reading science books.
• Use lots of concrete detail–the more vivid detail, the better
• Avoid using cliched language or stories–using a tired personal essay story is one of the most application essay errors writers make.
• Make your tone fit the goals of the essay. For instance, if you are a straight-A student with no extracurriculars, you might want to use your essay to show the officials how much of a laid-back person you are in real life.

Final Thoughts on the Common App Essay Prompts and Answers

The main objective of any Common App essay is to impart a lasting, authentic portrayal of yourself on your reader. Whenever you feel stuck, refer back to the four Core Questions that a Common App essay must answer. And above all, always make sure that the ideas and analysis in your essay reflect the characteristics you want to reflect to the admissions officers at your target schools. 

We hope these essay-writing strategies and tips help you write a powerful and winning admission essay. And remember that, as one of the best admissions editing services out there, Wordvice is there for you after your draft with essay editing services to ensure that your essay is compelling and makes the maximum impact on college admissions officers. Check out the complete list of English editing and proofreading services we offer.

Best of luck writing your Common Application essay for the 2023-2024 school year! 

The Admissions Strategist

How to answer the common app essay prompts (2023-2024): the updated guide.

The Common Application (usually called the Common App) is a college admissions application accepted by over 700 colleges and universities.

Depending on the schools to which you are applying, the Common App can greatly streamline the admissions process.

For example, you could potentially apply to five schools by filling out only one application — and better yet, writing only one essay!

• Of course, this makes the application and  the essay extra important .
• The Common App will impact your chances of getting into not just one school, but a variety of colleges and universities.

Luckily, the Common App prompts for 2023-2024 are the same as last year, so you can start preparing now.

In this article, we’ll take a look at each of the seven prompt choices and how you  can effectively address them .

Some of these topics have been used in previous years, some are revised versions of previous prompts, and others are entirely new.

The word count for each topic remains at 650 .

Here’s the full list of Common App essay prompts:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from  obstacles we encounter  can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a  challenge, setback, or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you  questioned  or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your  thinking ? What  was the outcome ? 4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or  realization  that  sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.  6. Describe a  topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? 7. Share an essay on  any topic of your choice . It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Now that you know the Common App prompts, which topic should you choose, and how should you get started?

Choosing the Right Common App Prompt

As you read through the prompts, you should choose at least three favorites. For each of these three, you should  brainstorm a few ideas . Ultimately, you’ll write an essay for the prompt that yields the best essay idea.

The “best idea” will be:

• Interesting (something you genuinely want to write about).
• A good representation of who you are and what you can bring to a college campus.
• Something that will make you stand out from the thousands of other applicants; an idea that’s fairly unique.
• Engaging, interesting, or thought-provoking.

Once you find an idea that meets these criteria, you’ll know which prompt you should write!

Now, let’s take a close look at each of the seven Common App prompts to give you some guidance and inspiration.

Common App Prompt 1: Background, Identity, Interest, or Talent

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

This prompt has long been a Common App favorite, largely because it offers students a great deal of flexibility.

The possibilities for this essay are nearly endless, but ensure that you focus on these keywords: “background, identity, interest or talent” that is extremely “meaningful” to them.

To address this essay effectively, you will need to identify what part of your “background, identity, interest, or talent” is important to you, as well as explaining what makes it so meaningful.

How has it shaped your life or personality?

Consider the following questions:

• What life experiences, interests, or achievements do I have that set me apart from my peers?
• What have I achieved or experienced that has influenced my life or shaped me into the person I am?
• What experiences or interests have shaped my career ambitions, personality, or values?
• What background, identity, interest, or talent is an essential part of who I am?
• What do I want admissions officers to know about me that isn’t already on my application?

Answering questions like these can help you decide on a topic for Common App Prompt #1.

This wide-open prompt gives you a chance to address interesting life experiences, a unique family dynamic, interests or talents that have inspired you, etc.

Remember that you only have 650 words, so get specific.

For instance, instead of a vague essay about your love of music, you could write about how attending your first concert inspired you to make music yourself, so you’re now self-taught on several different instruments.

• It’s also critical to write about how your background or identity has changed, challenged, or motivated you.
• Don’t simply write about the background without any personal context.
• For example, if you are writing about your Indian-American heritage, don’t write too much about the heritage itself. There are thousands of other Indian-American students applying to college the same time as you, so you want to stand out.
• In order to stand out, try to tell a story that features a conflict stemming from your identity, interest, background, or talent.
• Did you face a challenge and grow from it? What lessons did you learn?
• Your identity, interest, background, or talent will not help you stand out. It’s your personal story in relation to one of these elements that will help you stand out.

Common App Prompt 2: Learning from Challenges, Setbacks, and Failures

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

This prompt has three parts, and an effective essay must address all of them.

First, you must talk about a challenge, setback, or failure you’ve experienced. Next, you must explain how it impacted you  and  what you learned as a result.

• It’s best to write a positive essay that focuses less on the problem and more on the solution.

So you can spend some time describing the challenge, setback, or failure, but the majority of the essay should focus on how you overcame it and what you learned.

Your response to the situation should demonstrate positive qualities like persistence, resilience, courage, integrity, humility, etc.

Questions for you to consider include:

• Do I respond well to challenges and obstacles? Do I keep trying, maintain a positive attitude, etc.? What experiences have I had that demonstrate these qualities?
• What have been the biggest challenges in my life? Did anything positive come from these experiences? What did I learn?
• Are there any challenges or failures I’ve faced that made me a better or more successful person in the end?

You can address just about any challenge, big or small. You could write about growing up in poverty or being bullied because of a speech impediment.

Alternatively, you could write about something like missing a penalty kick that resulted in losing the district championship.

At the same time, stay away from topics that may seem overdone, like not earning an “A,” or a little silly, like not getting to go to a friend’s party.

• Topics that call your judgment into question should also be avoided, as well as anything that points to illegal or illicit activity.

Remember that the focus of this essay should be on your ability to overcome hardships, see the silver lining, and learn important lessons.

• Don’t fall into the “failure trap.” You might be tempted to write, at length, about your challenge or setback. Giving too much background info on your challenge will take the spotlight off you.
• Remember to stay focused on growth, values, and lessons learned.
• Think about how you’ve changed and how those changes will accompany you in college. How will these changes help you contribute to a college campus?

Get personalized advice!

Common app prompt 3: challenging beliefs or ideas.

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

This prompt calls for a passionate essay about ideas, values, and beliefs. It’s particularly challenging because it can be hard to write a positive essay that doesn’t get overly preachy.

It can also be difficult to write about a belief or value in just 650 words.

• Additionally, this prompt is a little risky because you want to avoid overly polarizing topics that may be off-putting to the admissions officer reading the essay.

Done well, however, an essay addressing this prompt can be insightful and demonstrate your ability to stand by your beliefs while still considering the ideas of others.

If you have a specific story to share that’s related to this topic, it can be a good choice.

You should brainstorm using the following questions:

• Why are you someone who stands up for what you believe in?
• When have you stood by an unpopular opinion or belief? Why?
• What ideas, values, and beliefs deeply matter to you? Why?

Successful essays on this prompt have covered a wide range of topics.

• One student wrote about challenging her parents’ old-fashioned beliefs about feminism, while another wrote about challenging her own self-doubt and insecurities.

Whether the essay focuses on a serious or minor idea or belief, it should be something you strongly believe in.

You should discuss how this belief has impacted your life, rather than preaching about why you’re right and others are wrong, etc.

It’s also good to demonstrate a willingness to consider other beliefs.

• Don’t denigrate or insult other viewpoints. You’re young, and your perspectives will change as you grow older. You don’t want colleges thinking you’re close-minded.
• Focus on the outcome. What impact did this challenge or endorsement of a belief have on your life and community?
• Have a vision. How will this learning process change your actions moving forward?

Common App Prompt 4: Gratitude

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

This prompt gives you a chance to demonstrate how you view your past experiences, those you’ve met, and how you’re continuing to grow in the face of new challenges and problems.

It’s also very broad. It can be a large or small gesture that someone has done for you.

Questions for inspiration include:

• What challenges have you faced in the past, and who has helped you deal with them? How did this person help you? Encouragement? Advice?
• What is a meaningful problem you’ve faced in the past? Why did you need help with it? What made the situation so tough for you?
• When have you already solved a problem or helped make a positive change? Who helped you when you were making that positive change?
• What makes you want to take action and affect change? Who has inspired you to make change?
• If you could change anything about the world, what would it be? How might you change it? Who would you ask for help?

Whatever you write about in response to this prompt, make sure it’s relevant to you on a personal level. You should quickly explain your problem or the predicament you were in and tell the reader who helped you out.

Ideally, the problem should be linked to your formative experiences, goals, or passions.

Spend no more than 25% of your essay explaining the background of your problem, who helped you, and how they helped you.

Then, spend the rest of your essay telling the reader what you learned and how you are going to apply this lesson to the future.

• Tell us what you are going to do as a result of the gratitude you have for someone helping you out.
• Or, better yet, explain what you have done to pay it forward.
• Explain why it matters to you?

Colleges want to see that you are someone who appreciates help when it’s given to you  and  that you are someone who will improve from the experience. You want to tell a story that demonstrates how and why you are a better person for having been helped by another generous soul.

Spend 75% of your essay explaining how you’ve changed and what you have done or are going to do to better the world around you. Don’t get stuck in vaguery. Tell the admissions officer specific action steps you have taken or will take to improve your home or community.

Focus on how you can better the lives of others.

Common App Prompt 5: Accomplishment, Event, or Realization Leading to Personal Growth

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others .

An effective response to this prompt should briefly discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization. The majority of the essay should focus on how you learned and grew as a result.

The event described in this essay can be big or small, and sometimes the smaller events result in essays that are unique and surprising.

You could write about meeting an important person, having an influential volunteer experience, or learning something new while traveling or at camp this summer.

You may want to consider the following questions:

• What experiences or moments in my life have changed me as a person?
• What have I realized that has impacted my life and the way I live it?
• When have I learned something so important that it made me change or grow?

Remember that the focus of this essay should be on some sort of transformation you have experienced, causing you to learn and grow as a person. The event, realization, or accomplishment described should have made you view the world in a different, more mature manner.

• Have a vision. How will this realization change your actions moving forward?
• What does your personal growth entail? It’s not enough to state you’ve grown — you must also show the college admissions officer how this growth has changed or will manifest into your actions.
• Since your realization, how have you treated people differently, embarked on problem-solving adventures, or approach challenges?

Common App Prompt 6: An Engaging Topic, Idea, or Concept

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

This topic is brand new, and it gives you a chance to show off your talent for self-directed learning.

It also helps admissions officers get to know what is important and intriguing to you.

• If you choose to write this essay, make sure you write about something that truly excites you, and that this passion comes through in your essay.

To get started, you can think about the following:

• What do you love? What truly excites you? Why?
• When something interests you, how do you learn more? Do you go to the library, watch documentaries, talk to a mentor?
• What makes learning about this topic so satisfying for you?
• How much time and energy do you devote to the subjects that truly matter to you?

This essay should highlight one of your passions. It should also demonstrate that you enjoy independently exploring information about the ideas and subjects that intrigue you.

This essay should suggest a love of knowledge and new challenges.

As with other Common App prompts, the topic you choose to address can be large or small in scope.

• You could focus on your love of dystopian literature or your obsession with learning about birds.
• You could write about a fascination with other cultures or a passion for cooking.

As long as it’s something that interests you and that you learn more about independently, it’s fair game for this essay.

• It’s important to demonstrate your curiosity in this essay.
• How do you pursue your passions?
• What is your work ethic like?
• What’s the story behind your curiosity, and why is it so important to you?
• How have you acted on this interest?

Common App Prompt 7: Any Topic of Your Choice

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

The meaning of this essay prompt is pretty clear: Write about anything you want.This is both easy (because you don’t have to follow particular instructions and answer multiple question parts) and challenging (because it’s very broad, with no guidance offered).

If you have a pressing topic you would love to write about, and it isn’t covered by any of the other prompt options, then this is the perfect prompt choice.

In addition to the other questions we’ve mentioned here, you can consider:

• What’s one thing admissions officers really need to know about you?
• What’s important about you that can’t be found on your transcripts, extracurricular activities, or other application information?
• Is there an experience you’ve had that admissions officers should know about in order to truly understand you?
• What’s something you can bring to a college campus that other students probably can’t?

Some students feel that this type of essay prompt offers  too much  freedom. If that’s the case, you can choose one of the other prompts that offers more guidance.

But if there’s a specific experience or anecdote you would love to share, this prompt provides that opportunity.

Make sure that whatever you talk about, you’re able to relate it to who you are as a person.

The essay should still give admissions officers insight into how you can contribute to a college campus, and what sets you apart from other applicants.

Advice From an Expert

We asked Melissa Richards, vice president for communications and enrollment management at Sweet Briar College, on how to write the best Common App essay.

This is what she had to say:

Tell us a story — an engaging story that is meaningful to you and sheds light on your character, personality, interests, ambitions or resilience. Think through your story structure, just as you would if you were writing a fictional essay with you as the protagonist. Has there been a compelling event or a goal that was meaningful for you? What challenges did you face, and most importantly, how did you triumph? Was there a moral or lesson that now fuels your passions to achieve great things?

Answering the Common App Essay Prompts

With the new Common Application essay topics, you can write about anything that’s meaningful to you.

• If Prompts 1-6 don’t cover something that you really want to say, you can choose to address it with Prompt 7.

None of these topics are better than the others. You just need to choose the topic that can best represent who you are and what you will contribute to a college campus, giving admissions officers more insight into your personality and character.

For each of these prompts, make sure you answer all parts of the question, relate the topic to yourself, and follow the guidelines listed above.

Fundamental Tips for the Common App Essays

While different schools may put varying levels of emphasis on the essay, it is your one chance to truly stand out from the crowd.

The rest of your application will be filled with numbers: SAT scores, GPA, class rank, years spent in various extracurricular activities, hours of community service, etc.

Chances are that many students will have similar numbers, so a successful Common App essay is an opportunity to showcase a more complete picture of you and set you apart from applicants with similar qualifications.

Use the eight tips below to help you write the best college essay. Combine these tips with the advice I gave for each prompt above to write an excellent Common App essay.

1. Strive for uniqueness

College admissions officers read thousands of essays, so you want to find something different and memorable about which to write.

Have you mastered a rare skill? Emigrated from another country or learned multiple languages?

• Started a charity, community service project, or school club? Volunteered in a foreign country?
• Overcome a hardship?
• Developed an unusual hobby or interest?
• Participated in a unique family tradition?

Even if you answered “no,” to all of these questions,  you can still present creative ideas and perspectives . For example, students have written successful essays on the following topics:

• A love of crossword puzzles
• A failed (and later passed) driving test
• A favorite place, used as an extended metaphor for the student’s life
• A mission to fold 1,000 origami cranes
• A metaphor comparing the student’s college of choice to her favorite food: the hummus-tabouli wrap
• A daily task: reading the morning announcements at school
• Growing strawberries in a high school locker

Almost any unique topic,  even one that’s seemingly insignificant , can lead to a strong Common App essay.

The essay simply needs to be well-written, and the topic should convey something about you or about your perspective on life.

2. Address the topic

Of course, it’s also important to ensure that your essay is on topic. Carefully read through the topic(s) to make sure you understand the question(s).

• Most schools will provide multiple prompts, so choose the prompt that you can answer the most creatively while still remaining on topic.

If there are multiple parts to the question, be sure that all parts are addressed.

3. Take time to brainstorm and plan

Instead of settling on the first idea that comes to mind, try brainstorming at  least 5-10 ideas for the prompt .

Write down any idea that comes to mind, no matter how silly, just to get the creative juices flowing.

Once a topic has been selected, it’s important to spend time carefully planning the essay. Consider the following:

• What examples, details, or anecdotes will you include in your essay?
• What will be the topic or focus of each paragraph?
• What “hook” will you use in your introduction?
• How will you conclude your essay?
• Where can you include figurative language: similes, metaphors, or other creative uses of language?

Planning prior to writing the Common App essay creates a solid foundation for an  organized, insightful, and ultimately successful  essay.

4. Start writing your Common App essay right now

It’s normal for students to freeze up and get writer’s block when they sit down to write their essay.

Simply start writing, not pausing to edit or agonize over word choice and grammar.

• The best way to avoid writer’s block is to freely get your ideas on the page.

Later, you can go back and carefully polish your work. However, now is the time to worry about  what  you want to say instead of exactly  how  to say it.

5. Begin with an engaging “hook”

If you can immediately think of an engaging hook for your essay, that’s great.

If not, you can go back after writing your rough draft and try to find the perfect catchy beginning for your essay.

A “hook” is something that immediately grabs the reader and makes them want to continue reading.

• College admissions officers read many, many essays that begin with something like, “I have always loved…” or, “I have always wanted to…” or, “An experience that has shaped my life is…”

A better way to begin the essay is by using an anecdote that paints a vivid picture.

For example, if you are writing about your experience on the track team, you could start with something like, “As I waited for the sound of the starter pistol, the seconds felt infinite.”

Other possibilities include beginning with a surprising statement, asking an intriguing question, or starting with a short sentence that leaves the reader wanting to know more.

6. Show, don’t tell

You’ve probably heard this writing advice before, and it certainly holds true for college essays.

• Keep in mind that an effective Common App essay is intended to be personal and creative. It’s not a formal academic essay.

With that in mind, use vivid imagery, specific details, and engaging anecdotes to illustrate your points.

• Instead of telling the admissions officer that you love reading, provide memorable details, like the fact that you can’t even see a cereal box without reading the packaging.

While trying to include plenty of details, also make sure that you explain or analyze each anecdote, clarifying what this says about you as a person (and as a candidate for admission).

7. Let personality and voice shine through

A strong college essay should allow the admissions officer to almost “hear” you speaking as they read.

This doesn’t mean that you should use slang, but it does mean avoiding the excessive use of fancy vocabulary.

If you use high-level vocabulary in everyday life, that’s fine, but don’t push yourself to use a thesaurus or litter the essay with five-syllable words.

• It’s obvious to an admissions committee when a student is trying too hard, and it makes the essay sound stiff and stilted. (This doesn’t mean not to use any high-level vocabulary at all; just don’t overdo it.)

Be creative or quirky; write as if you’re talking to a favorite relative or teacher, and even use humor when appropriate. You want the admissions officer to read the essay and think, “I’d like to meet this kid.”

8. Proofread multiple times

Nothing kills a great essay like  glaring mistakes in spelling, grammar, and word usage .

Read over your Common App essay, and get a few other sets of eyes on it as well.

• Show the essay to your English teacher, a friend or relative who’s a skilled writer, the valedictorian of your class, or anyone else that you trust to help find and correct errors.

Aside from language conventions, here are a few other things for which to look:

• Is your essay well-organized, with transitions smoothly and logically connecting ideas?
• Does the essay clearly answer the topic or prompt?
• Do you provide analysis, explaining the significance of your examples, details, and anecdotes?
• Does the essay “sound” like you and reflect your personality?
• Does it include a hook that grabs you from the start?
• Are sentences varied in structure, with a good mix of both short and long sentences?
• Does the essay end on a powerful and/or memorable note?
• Is there anything in the essay that seems out of place or off topic?
• Is the meaning clear?
• Are any sentences worded awkwardly and in need of revision?

A college essay must be a clear, insightful, and engaging read.

If you follow these eight tips, you are sure to write a stellar and successful college essay.

How to Use Specific Details in Your Common App Essay (Examples Included)

Use your words wisely.

There are a variety of words and phrases that are almost never appropriate to use when you are aiming to be specific.

The worst culprits from this group are “thing” and “stuff.” These two words convey little to no meaning and should definitely be avoided.

Let’s look at two examples:

Example 1: When I traveled abroad I learned many things and saw a lot of cool stuff. Example 2: When I traveled abroad to Egypt with AFS, my worldview changed significantly. For the first time, I understood what it felt like to be an outsider and not understand the language and customs around me. This experience taught me to ask questions when I felt confused such as when I saw people taking off their shoes before entering their home.

In the first example, the only information the reader learns about you is that you traveled abroad and enjoyed it.

That’s great, but not specific enough for a committee to want you to offer you money to go to school.

• Conversely, in the second example we learn where you traveled, how you were changed by your experience, a realization you had while abroad, and how you adjusted to a difficult situation.

This is not only more detailed, but it provides your reader with an understanding of what you are passionate about, and how you overcome obstacles (hint: this also clues your reader in on what you might be like as a college student).

Other words and phrases to use cautiously include: “kind of,” “like,” “sort of,” “about,” “whatever,” “whenever,” “something,” “very,” and “basically.”

Examples of Detailed Sentences in College Essays

A student’s love of engineering:

It’s also about being part of the community.  I am interested in activities like the Formula Sae racing and ChemE Car that would allow me to apply my engineering knowledge outside of the classroom.

A student ending her essay that discussed his love for theatre:

Once provoked, any person, even the most hard working and guileless among us, can fall victim to the horrors of violence. As the old conundrum goes, “Does art model life, or does life model art?”

A student writes about his love for current events and politics:

I fostered my love of international affairs and history at a very young age listening to the adventures of a fictional character named Dirk Pitt.  These novels, all of which would begin by describing a global historical event, had me hooked on these disciplines by the age of seven.  As I matured, so did my hunger for history and politics.  I began to love to debate political policy with my teachers.  I would listen to right wing radio with my father, as well as watch CNN with my mother.  This bipartisan upbringing allowed me to foster well informed opinions concerning the way in which our nation was lead.

Another student admits his financial predicament:

My dad is disabled and receives Social Security Disability for me and our family.  Furthermore the Social Security that my family receives on my behalf will expire upon my graduation.  I also receive New York State Child Health Plus Health Insurance which terminates when I leave to go to school, placing further financial burden upon my family.

A student writes about his ability to survive and grow from adversity:

There may be candidates with more decorated applications with sundry extracurricular activities, but my extracurricular activity is survival. I truly believe I can accomplish greatness because I have been pushed down so many times that it is now my nature to force myself up, no matter how broken, and continue onward.

A student talks about her love for a particular field and a professor who teaches in it:

Professor Phillips has a tremendous reputation in the fields of both law and business, and I am greatly interested in the confluences of these fields. Personally, I want to study economics and international relations while assuming a third major in one of the sciences. Science and technology are the basis of many new markets in the business world, and exploring a new product in this field requires scientific, legal, and economic understanding.

Another student describing the international political situation from several years ago:

Russia could breach Georgia truce, top US official warns. Moscou souffle le chaud et le froid sur Kiev. China recalls milk powder amid health scandal: diplomatic source. Chine-Un lait au goût amer pour les autorités locales. These are a few of the titles of news articles that I saw on my daily raiding of Google News, a daily tradition that I have been practicing for the last three years.

How to Use the Right Tone in Your Common App Essay

Tone is what you communicate through the words and phrases you choose in your personal essay.

In speaking, we may change our tone by varying pitch or emphasis to communicate our feelings. In writing, we don’t have those tools, so we have to be very careful with our word choice.

Tone is not what you say, but  how you say it .

No matter what your topic, you want to communicate through your tone that you are:

•      Intelligent
•      Honest
•      Genuine
•      Thoughtful
•      Reflective
•      Respectful

Depending on the  specific subject , you may want to add other qualities to this list, but the ones above should be a part of every single personal essay written.

Here are a few simple ideas for getting your tone right:

Idea 1: Developing a Genuine Tone

Here is an example of a personal essay’s tone that sends the wrong message:

“On my service trip to Costa Rica, interacting with local families made me realize how bad other people’s lives can be and how lucky I am.”

So what’s wrong with this?

To test, ask yourself this question: what assumptions can I make about this person? First of all, the writer is very judgmental, which we can see when she identifies others’ lives as “bad.”

• Maybe she meant to discuss a level of poverty, education, or access, but none of that is clear.

The blanket statement “bad” is a flat-out judgment of someone’s character or situation, and is inappropriate for an essay.

Furthermore, this sentence doesn’t show that this writer is very genuine. She mentions being “lucky,” but again, we’re not quite sure what that means.

A college admissions officer might easily interpret this statement as saying “I sure am glad I’m rich, because my life doesn’t suck as much as most other people’s lives.”

• The author of this sentence has gone to Costa Rica and learned nothing about herself or others.

Let’s rewrite the sentence with a tone that communicates qualities more flattering to the writer:

“Through working on service projects with local families, my trip to Costa Rica taught me the value of helping others through understanding and working to improve their circumstances.”

Better, right? This excerpt shows no value judgment about the lives of others. The writer keeps the focus on herself and shows a genuine understanding of her subject.

Additionally, she shows herself to be helpful, dedicated, and selfless. Focused on action and reflection, this sentence has movement and depth.

Again, this issue of tone is all in the  wording .

Idea 2: Practicing Selection of Detail

Here an applicant has written:

“My position as captain of the lacrosse team allowed me, the highest scorer, to lead our team to the state championships.”

Often, tone is a matter of detail selection. In this case, the author is focusing on the wrong details for the message he wants to send. It’s clear he wants to communicate that he is a talented leader.

However, he is undermining the leadership aspect by also adding the detail of being the “highest scorer.” Serving as team captain is all about leadership through teamwork.

• This author is implying that he single-handedly led a team to state championships because he’s that good.

Any admissions officer will see this sentence as needless bragging.

At its worst, this sentence does not show any sense of what it means to be a captain.

Try this instead:

“My position as captain of the lacrosse team showed me how determination and perseverance could lead our team to the state championships.”

In this sentence, the focus isn’t  all  on the writer, but it’s also clear that he understands what a leadership position requires.

Importantly, he shows that a team sport is about the team, not about the person, while also emphasizing his critical role.

Idea 3: Communicating What You Learned

You want to show the college admissions officer that you’re a reflective applicant who can learn from diverse situations and people.

After all, that’s part of what the college experience is all about. However, the tone matters in the way you  deliver that information .

Consider this sentence:

“Visiting my grandfather in a Florida retirement community taught me how to be a better person and truly understand the world.”

An admissions officer reading this sentence will have the same questions as anyone else:

• Really? How? In other words, there’s no clear connection between the visit and the understanding.
• In addition, this author does not sound genuine. Does anyone think that a college applicant “truly understands the world”? If so, there would be no need for college!

While reflecting on an experience, your tone should also make you sound genuine and honest. Try this:

“Visiting my grandfather always reminds me of the value of storytelling, as his personal history gives me insight into the depth of his character.”

In this version, the author avoids exaggeration and gives a clear sense of what she has learned: the value of storytelling.

There is a clear connection between what her grandfather does (he tells personal stories) and the effect (she understands depth of character through stories).

These are all great qualities to have, but only through proper word choice is the message clearly communicated.

Take Time to Plan: A Strong Tone Takes Time to Develop

Remember that your college essay is an opportunity to present the best aspects of your character.

It can show a college the insight, care, and depth of understanding of which you’re capable.

Without the right tone, you risk giving the wrong impression, or missing a major opportunity to get a college interested in you.

Get Started ASAP: Here’s Why

If you are a college-bound student, you know about the key components of a college application: GPA, test scores, extracurricular activities, and the college essay.

Many students spend the majority of their time focused on the first three items on the list and leave the final item—the college essay—until a couple of weeks before applications are due.

• This is a mistake that you should avoid. One of the most important tips for crafting an excellent college essay is to start preparing early, preferably the spring or summer before senior year.

So if you’re wondering when you should get started on that essay, the answer is right now, and here are 10 reasons why.

1. Avoid exhaustion or burnout later

Once senior year is underway and application deadlines are looming, you will have a lot on your plate: regular schoolwork, filling out college and scholarship applications, possibly taking the SATs and/or ACTs, participating in extracurricular activities, and more.

You don’t want to add the college essay to the already overwhelming demands of senior year.

• Trying to write the essay while juggling multiple other commitments may result in a rushed, distracted, or poorly written final product.

It’s better to write the essay in the summer or the very beginning of the school year when your mind is still fresh and you can devote the appropriate amount of time and attention to your writing.

Most colleges release applications over the summer, so it’s possible for you to start writing as soon as college essay topics are available.

2. Essays are often the “tip factor”

While some people think that the college essay isn’t important in the grand scheme of the application process, an essay can actually  be the “tip factor” that gets you into a prestigious school .

• When students have comparable numbers (class rank, GPA, test scores, community service hours), the essay can set one candidate apart from the rest.
• A great college essay can push you into the “Yes” category, while a poor one can, unfortunately, do the opposite.

Essays are a particularly important factor at the more prestigious and selective schools.

• In 2014, for example, Stanford received more than 42,000 applications and accepted only 5%. When the competition is that stiff,  a fantastic essay can help you stand out .

In fact, a study from Harvard University found that while most colleges do initial cuts based on academic merit, the majority of “elite colleges and universities” first cut students based on “institutional fit,” including recommendation letters and student essays.

Why? At the most elite colleges, the majority of applicants have substantial academic merit, so that can be weighed later in the application review process.

• Initially, however, these schools want to create a class that is a great fit for the school, and closely evaluating the essay is one way to do so.

If you want to be admitted to top-quality colleges or universities, it’s crucial that you don’t minimize the importance of the essay or procrastinate. The earlier you start writing, the better!

3. Many scholarships also require essays

Scholarships also typically require  an essay or personal statement, so a well-written essay can help offset the consistently rising costs of a college education as well.

According to the College Board, just one year of tuition for a state resident attending a public college is up to $9,650.

• For out-of-state residents, this number climbs to $24,930, and it jumps to $33,480 for private colleges.

Those numbers represent just one year out of four (or more!), and they don’t even include room and board, textbooks, or other expenses.

For this reason, scholarship money is becoming more important than ever before, and a carefully planned essay can help you earn as much award money as possible.

With both admissions to prestigious institutions and scholarship money on the line, the college essay is a high-stakes piece of writing that should receive plenty of careful, thoughtful consideration and time.

4. Prepare to apply early decision

If you are planning to apply early decision, it’s even more important to get a head start on writing the essay.

Applying early decision means that you are absolutely certain about the school you want to attend, and you are willing to commit to withdrawing all other applications if accepted to this dream school.

• Most early application deadlines are November 1st, and students typically hear back as early as mid-December.

One benefit of applying early decision is that it can substantially increase your chances of being accepted.

• For example, Princeton’s early acceptance rate in 2013 was 18.3%, while the regular acceptance rate was just 5.44%. Other Ivy League schools report similar numbers.

If you’re certain a particular school is “the one” and want to boost your chances of admission, applying early decision is an excellent choice, and submitting a high-quality college essay is critical.

With a November 1st deadline, it’s especially important for students applying early decision to begin brainstorming, planning, and writing their college essay as early as possible.

5. Prevent writer’s block

We’ve all experienced writer’s block before: sitting down to write and staring blankly at a blinking cursor or a white sheet of paper. Without the pressure of a deadline, writer’s block isn’t a big deal.

However, if it’s for something as important as acceptance to colleges, a lengthy battle with writer’s block can be disastrous.

Writer’s Digest and SmartBlogger suggest the following techniques to combat writer’s block:

• Step away from your writing and do anything creative, including painting, scrapbooking, or building something for a few hours or days.
• Freewrite for 15 minutes a day.
• Dance, meditate, or practice yoga.
• Go on a short trip.
• Read books or magazines for inspiration.

These are nice ideas, but do you notice something they all have in common? They all require time. And if you’re on a very tight deadline, that’s something you just won’t have

Trying to do yoga, taking a trip, or painting when the essay is due in a matter of weeks, or even days, will probably just result in more stress, anxiety, and writer’s block.

If you start early, however, you’ll have time to relax, go for walks, read, and simply let your ideas and words marinate without feeling rushed.

Ultimately, this will result in a much better essay and a greater chance of earning scholarship money and acceptance letters.

6. Brainstorming, planning, writing, editing, and revising

Any piece of writing should go through a multi-step process, but this is especially true for a significant piece of writing like the college essay.

First, you should reflect and brainstorm.

• Writing about yourself isn’t easy, and it’s not something most of us do on a regular basis, so you may need some time to reflect on yourself and your experiences in order to come up with the perfect topic.

It’s best if you don’t settle on the first topic that pops into your head. Instead, you should spend time brainstorming and outlining several possible topics to find the one that will generate the best essay.

For many students, it’s helpful to spend a week or so simply reflecting and thinking about a topic for the essay before diving into the actual writing.

Of course, this isn’t possible if you wait too long to start writing.

After you have settled on a topic, planning is also essential. You should map out your main points, as well as the examples, evidence, or anecdotes you’ll include to illustrate them.

• You may also want to plan an excellent “hook” or “grabber” to start your essay, as well as an insightful conclusion. This process, too, can take some time.

Finally, it’s time to get to the writing stage. Of course, this won’t be accomplished in just one draft.

• For most writers, it’s helpful to write a “rough draft,” where words and ideas are simply spilled onto the page without worrying too much about grammar and word choice.

After you have determined what you want to say, you can go back and polish how you said it.

• This includes paying close attention to word choice, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You should also ensure that you vary sentence structure, your essay is well organized, and your points are expressed clearly and concisely.

Once you revise and edit, you still aren’t done.

You’ll also want to have the essay looked at by several other people to ensure that it’s top-notch. Read the essay aloud to verify that everything sounds good and that your voice and personality shine through.

Your parent can also proofread the essay (although we don’t always recommend this).

• Recruit other friends or relatives who are skilled writers, or even ask your English teacher to take a look.

As the application deadline approaches, your teacher will likely be inundated with requests for letters of recommendation or essay proofreading, so it’s best to ask early in the school year.

If this process sounds time-consuming, that’s because it is!

You may think you can write a stellar essay in a couple of hours, but a truly impressive essay requires brainstorming, planning, writing, revising, editing, and review by others.

Each step can take days or even weeks, so an early start is essential!

7. Writing right now means more time later

It’s no secret that applying to colleges is a stressful experience. Students must pick colleges that are the right fit, fill out applications for schools and scholarships, and ensure that all components of the application are in order.

They also have to juggle a variety of deadlines and commitments.

• In a “Stress in America” study by the American Psychological Institution, it was reported that teens aged 13-17 are actually more stressed than adults, often at dangerous levels.
• These teenagers also report that stress negatively impacts their performance at home, work, and school.

Reducing your stress during your hectic senior year will benefit your overall mental and physical health, as well as your ability to continue performing well in school.

Writing the essay early is a great way to help lower your stress levels.

• Getting the essay completed over the summer, before all of these anxiety-inducing deadlines and requirements start piling on, can be a huge relief.

While other students are agonizing over last-minute essays, you can rest assured that your impressive essay was completed weeks or even months ago.

You will feel confident knowing that you spent plenty of time on your essay and were able to produce a high-quality final product.

This will also allow you to spend more time experiencing and enjoying your final year of high school—and possibly your final year living under your parents’ roof — instead of constantly stressing about college and the future.

8. Stick to the word limit

College essays typically have word limits and  these word limits tend to be a bit restrictive .

After all, admissions officers must read hundreds or thousands of essays, so limiting the length of these essays makes sense.

Many high school seniors write a great essay, check the word count, and realize that they’ll need to cut hundreds of words.

These students then struggle to strip the essay down to the essentials.

When you’ve written something you’re proud of, it’s very difficult to delete your carefully crafted words and sentences.

• It’s also difficult to know which words are necessities and which your essay can do without. For this reason, cutting an essay down to the word limit can be yet another time-consuming process.

You don’t want to wait until the last minute, realize the essay is far too long, and then panic as you try to meet the word count.

• Selecting the non-essential pieces of an essay should be done thoughtfully. If you rush, you may end up butchering it as you try to cut it down to size.

On the other hand, writing the college essay early allows you plenty of time to play with the word count, ensuring that size requirements are met without compromising the quality of the essay.

9. Attend workshops or seek help from a college essay consultant

Even for the most brilliant students, writing isn’t always a strong suit.

Fortunately, there are opportunities available that can help struggling writers, or even great writers who just need a little extra inspiration.

• Transizion offers an intensive, expert-taught college admissions essay writing boot camp.
• It features a 100% success rate and a 100% guarantee. Reserve your seat before time runs out.
• This boot camp will put you in the best position to succeed.

You can also attend college essay workshops. If you opt to go to a college essay workshop, it’s most helpful to attend with either a completed essay or a solid outline.

This way, you can receive specific feedback and guidance to polish the essay to perfection.

• Transizion’s boot camp allows you to send your instructors drafts of your college essays, so make sure to take advantage of this as early as possible!

Writing the essay right now can allow you to take full advantage of any essay workshops you’re able to attend.

If you decide to hire a college essay consultant, keep in mind that these professionals are often booked solid once application season draws near.

To ensure that you’re able to make use of such specialists, you’ll need to get an early start on your college essay.

10. Avoid any last-minute disasters on the essay

Imagine that you put the final touches on your college application, which is due tomorrow, and you are just getting ready to submit everything when your computer crashes.

You finally get the computer up and running again, but your college essay is nowhere to be found.

• This may sound unlikely, but it’s certainly happened before, and you don’t want it to happen to you.
• Writing the essay early can allow a “cushion” in case the unexpected occurs.

Additional circumstances could include a family emergency, forgotten application passwords, or other technological glitches.

• In 2013, for example, problems with the Common Application caused mass panic among high school seniors.
• Students were unable to log in, couldn’t submit forms, or even had entire essays deleted.

You want to avoid the possibility of anxiety, panic, or even missed admissions opportunities if emergencies like these occur.

If you finish the essay several weeks early, and something unfortunate were to happen, there would be plenty of time remaining to still salvage a solid college essay.

If you waited until the last minute, however, these circumstances would be beyond your control, and a life-changing opportunity could be missed.

Conclusion: Writing Your Common Application Essay

We know that you want to have the greatest possible chance of success in life, and that can mean securing admission to a quality college or university.

Writing the essay early will help you avoid stress and burnout, allow enough time to write a high-quality paper, and provide some “cushion” in the case of writer’s block, a word limit disaster, or other emergencies.

Submit an impressive, standout application by preparing for the college essay right now.

Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!

Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

• Ethics & Honesty
• Privacy Policy
• Join Our Team

(732) 339-3835

[email protected]

The New 2021-2022 Common App Essay Prompt

In this article, College Advisor Julia discusses the new Common App essay prompt. For more guidance on your personal essays and the college application process in general,  sign up for to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

If you are planning on applying to college, you likely know that most colleges require applicants to submit a personal essay in response to one of seven prompts provided by  CommonApp.org .

On February 16th, 2021,  CommonApp.org  published the  Common App Essay Prompts  for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle with one notable change. Common App changes tend to be relatively limited from year to year; generally, students in each admissions cycle are provided with same 6 topics in addition to one topic of choice for their personal essay submission.

Read on to find out how the 2021-2022 Common App changes might affect your college applications and how you can best take advantage of the new prompt on your Common App essay.

The New Common App Essay Prompt

This year’s prompts are listed below, with the new prompt in bold:.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Prompt #4 is the only prompt that has changed during the 2021-2022 admissions cycle.

The previous Common App essay prompt #4:

“Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.”

The new Common App essay prompt #4 for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle:

“Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?”

Why is there a new Common App prompt?

Note the distinct change in tone to this prompt—while the previous prompt asked students to consider a dilemma or challenge, this year’s prompt foregrounds happiness and gratitude. After a long year of challenges including (but not limited to) the COVID-19 pandemic, this question prompts students to reflect positively on the people in their lives.

According to  CommonApp.org , prompt #4 was “inspired by scientific research on gratitude and kindness, specifically the benefits of writing about the positive influence of other people in our lives.” The organization describes the new prompt as “an invitation to bring some joy into [each student’s] application experience.”

CommonApp.org  also quotes Common App President & CEO Jenny Rickard on the decision to add a new essay prompt, stating, “Particularly at this challenging time, we can help students think about something positive and heartfelt in their lives. And we can do it explicitly.”

Why is the new Common App essay prompt important? How can this help me and my college application?

In your Common Application profile, you will fill out an activities/honors sheet, write and submit supplemental essays, manage your letter recommendations, and more. The CommonApp plays a huge role in your college admissions process, so it’s important to understand it inside and out. This includes any changes that are made to the essay prompts.

This new Common App essay prompt has never been seen before by Admissions Officers. If you choose to write on this topic, your essay can present a fresh outlook that they may not have previously encountered.

This new prompt also gives you the opportunity to showcase your gratitude, your interactions with others, and your growth. These traits will help Admissions Officers consider how you will contribute to their college communities.

So, should  I  write on this prompt? What should I write about?

If you’d like to discuss this how to approach this essay prompt (or any of the Common App essay prompts) with a college admissions expert, consider working with a personal advisor at  CollegeAdvisor.com . A mentor can work with you one-on-one to ensure that your application stands out to the Admissions Officers and can answer any questions that you have regarding the Common App.

The Admissions Experts at  CollegeAdvisor.com  understand that the CommonApp website can be tricky to navigate, especially if you’re the first in your family or peer group to apply to college. Our team of over 100 advisors includes recent graduates and current college students from schools across the nation—including top Ivy League universities—so we know first-hand how the college process works as well as how any changes to this process can affect your application.

This article was written by Julia Riew, Harvard University ‘22. If you want to get help with your college applications from CollegeAdvisor.com  Admissions Experts ,  register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write Common App Essay Prompt #2

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Hale Jaeger in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

What is prompt #2, how to choose a challenge.

• Prompt #2 Essay Examples and Tips

How to Craft Your Prompt #2 Essay

Applicants can respond to one of seven prompts for their Common App essay . This essay should be less than 650 words, and it should creatively tell admissions readers about who you are. This article will help you write an essay that answers Prompt #2, which is: 

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 

This prompt invites you to talk about what facets of your personality have allowed you to overcome adversity. It’s about resilience, it’s about creativity, and it’s about the qualities that will help you get back on your feet after you fall down.

While it’s okay to write about relatively mundane failures, such as not winning an award at your Model UN conference or failing a class, a more powerful tactic is to write about something more foundational that you failed at. Then, you can assess that base failure and its impact on your development.

There are times in your life when your foundation is uprooted, and there are times when you experience failure and you want to give up because you just don’t see a solution. You will want to write an essay about how you respond when you’re destabilized in these moments and what your actions look like when you don’t see an immediate resolution to your challenges.

Prompt #2 Essay Examples and Tips 

Reflect on one failure.

As an example of an answer to this prompt, let’s say that you lost a friend due to an argument. You can analyze the positions from both sides, evaluate your decisions, and identify why you were wrong.

The key is explaining your thought process and growth following the event to highlight how your thinking has changed. So, if you’ve lost this friend because of an argument that you had, you can demonstrate growth through realizing that it wasn’t worth losing a valued relationship over something so silly as whatever you were arguing about. You can talk about how you’ve taken that lesson to heart and that you now make sure you are proactive in your relationships and maintaining them. You could also discuss that, while you may have ideas that you care about or convictions that you hold, you always evaluate whether you prioritize that idea or the person with whom you’re talking about it. 

Here are some more questions to ask yourself as you think of a response to prompt #2 : Did you ever admit fault and seek to fix the problem? Have you treated other people differently since then?  How has this event changed the way you view such situations? Framing the prompt in this way really allows you to tackle heavier questions about ethics and demonstrate a sense of self-awareness that shows maturity and growth.

Write About a Recurring Challenge

If you haven’t experienced a big, big failure, another angle to take would be to discuss smaller repeated failures that are either linked or similar thematically. An example would be an essay about how you used to stutter or get nervous in large social groups — this isn’t a failure, but you can discuss the steps you took to find a solution to this challenge.

Even if you don’t have a massive foundational obstacle to write about, a recurring challenge can translate into a powerful essay topic, especially if the steps you took to overcome this repeated failure helped develop your character. 

As an example of this, let’s take a look at an essay about a writer’s recurring struggle to be more empathetic. The writer in this example assumed that because his brother Sam was sociable, Sam was adjusting well to their family’s move. However, after an angry outburst from Sam and a late night conversation, the writer realizes that he needed to develop a greater sense of empathy and sensitivity. Here’s an excerpt of the essay:

“You ruined my life!” Sam shouted.

After months of quiet anger, my brother finally confronted me to my shame. I had been appallingly ignorant of his pain. When my parents learned about the Smith academy, we hoped it would be an opportunity for me to find not only an academically challenging environment, but also a community.

This meant transferring the family. And, while there was concern about Sam, we all believed that given his sociable nature, moving would be far less impactful on him than staying put might be on me. As it turned out, Smith Academy was everything I’d hoped for, but, preoccupied with my new friends and a rigorous course load, I’d failed to notice that the tables had turned.

Sam had become withdrawn and lonely. While I saw myself as genuinely compassionate, I had been oblivious to the heartache of the person closest to me, and I could no longer ignore it. And I didn’t want to. 

We stayed up half the night. Sam opened up and shared that it wasn’t just about the move. He told me how challenging school had always been for him due to his dyslexia and that the ever present comparison to me had only deepened his pain. We had been in parallel battles the whole time, and yet I only saw that Sam was in distress once he experienced problems which I directly identified. 

My failure to recognize Sam’s suffering brought home for me the profound universality and diversity of personal struggle. Everyone has insecurities. Everyone has woes, and everyone most certainly has pain. This experience has reinforced the value of constantly striving for deeper sensitivity to the hidden struggles of those around me. 

We can see from this excerpt that the writer brings up a recurring challenge, which is being sensitive to their brother’s needs and pain. Where this essay might go next is to talk about how they begin to address this. Now that they’ve had this realization, what growth have they achieved in order to become more sensitive? How do they express their sensitivity to others? And, what makes them better now than they were the day before?

Want to know if your prompt #2 essay could be improved? Find out by using our Peer Essay Review tool , where another student will give you a free, anonymous, and secure review of your essay. You can also earn CollegeVine Karma by reviewing other users’ essays while sharpening your own writing skills in the process!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts

The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2022-2023. Because as we enter the third year of a global pandemic, consistency is not a bad thing.

Common App knows from most recent survey on the topic that over 95% of every group who responded–students, counselors, teachers, and admission officers–agree that the prompts spark effective essays. That’s why they kept them the same last year as well, with the exception of adding a new one about gratitude.

Prompts are not topics. They are simply questions designed to spark thinking. Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2022-2023. Common App will also retain the  optional COVID-19  question within the Additional Information section.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Source of information:  Common App

• essay prompts
• common application
• college essays

Applications are up and acceptance rates are down after a chaotic year in college admissions.

• tuyển sinh đại học mỹ 2023 - 2024
• chính sách tuyển sinh

Using an exclusive survey of hiring managers, Forbes introduces the New Ivies that attract high-achievers and turn out hard-working, highly-regarded employees.

2023-2024 college application cycle witnessed significant changes in the landscape and policies, impacting how applicants approach and prepare their applications to adapt to the admissions process.

• college admission

The University of Pennsylvania has unveiled its newest degree offering: a bachelor of science in engineering in artificial intelligence (AI), the first degree of its kind at an Ivy League institution, according to the school.

• trí tuệ nhân tạo
• chuyên ngành đại học

An internal analysis found that standardized test scores had little to no power in predicting student performance in certain first-year classes. CalTech, therefore, will not review SAT and ACT scores of...

Book a consultation with us

Hanoi: 4th floor, 102-104 Lang Ha, Dong Da District HCM: Toong Tan Hung, F16 Street No. 10 Him Lam Urban Area, Tan Hung Ward, District 7

Our Service

Courses & events.

©2023, Spark Prep. All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to stay updated

Cty TNHH Spark Prep Việt Nam đã được cấp giấy phép kinh doanh số 0107471749 do Sở KHĐT TP Hà Nội cấp lần đầu ngày 14/06/2016, thay đổi đăng ký lần 7 ngày 12/06/2023, giấy phép hoạt động tư vấn du học số 4189 do Sở Giáo Dục và Đào Tạo TP Hà Nội cấp lần đầu ngày 28/11/2017 và cấp lại ngày 13/03/2023

How to Fill Out Common App and Write Common App Essay Prompts 2022 – 2023

• May 12, 2021
• College Admission Guidance , Essay Writing , Parents Must Read , Study Abroad , Under Graduate

High schoolers, can you believe how quickly time flies? Soon our 12 th graders will be faced with the pressures of doing college applications. We recommend you get started early so as to avoid the stress of doing everything at the last minute. The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for the 2022-2023 admission cycle. In this article, we’ll provide advice on how to fill Common App and how to tackle the Common App essay prompts 2022 – 2023 .

Common App Overview

What is the common app.

The  Common Application  (informally known as the  Common App ) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of more than 900 member colleges and universities in the USA (and other countries).

While the Common App doesn’t officially open until August 1, you can create your account, input basic information, and start to work on your personal statements.

The more familiar you get with the Common App, the less stress you will have as you navigate the many features of the college application process.  This is particularly important for our students who are interested in applying via Early Decision or Early Action as those applications are due much earlier than regular applications.

[inbound_button font_size=”20″ color=”#076ad5″ text_color=”#ffffff” icon=”arrow-circle-o-right” url=” https://www.stoodnt.com/counselor-detail/yuri-punj&#8221 ; width=”” target=”_blank”] Book a Session with a Harvard Alumnus[/inbound_button]

Why should you fill the Common App?

While admissions committees look at grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, there could be multiple students that have great qualifications in those areas for every spot in a university’s class.

As an applicant, you need a college admissions counselor to choose you over everyone else — to advocate specifically for you. 

The Common App essay is the best way for admissions committees to get to know you. The Common App essay is one part of a portfolio of essays that you send to colleges, along with supplemental essays at individual colleges.

While grades, test scores, and course load provide a quantitative picture of you as a student, the Common App essay offers colleges a refreshing glimpse into your identity and personality.

With all of your essays for a particular college, you want to create a narrative and tell different parts of your story. So, the topics you write about should be cohesive and complementary, but not repetitive or overlapping. 

How to Fill the Common App?

1. creating your common application account: .

• Go to the Common Application website ( https://www.commonapp.org/ ) and first create your account. 
• You will be asked to provide basic information including your address, legal name, and date of birth. 
• You will also be required to provide an email address. 
• Remember to choose one that you check frequently as this is the way the Common App and colleges will contact you for additional information and updates.

2. Creating your College List: 

• Once your account is created, the next step is adding colleges to the list. 
• Remember, this list will change over time, but it is good to start thinking about the types of schools you wish to apply to.
• Learn how to create a balanced college list . Our Stoodnt Counselors can also help you with this process.

3. Write the Common App Essay: 

This is generally considered the most difficult part of the process. But the sooner you get familiar with the different college prompts, the easier it will be when you actually start the writing process.  The common app essay prompts for 2021-2022 are already available.

4. Gathering All the Other  Information: 

The Common Application takes a lot of time and effort to complete.  Students will need:

• a copy of their high school transcript
• a list of their activities and responsibilities
• test scores and dates from college entrance exams such as the SAT or ACT if applicable
• information about their parents or guardians
• and a compilation of academic honors and achievements.  Start slowly and systematically. 

Common App Essay Prompts 2022 – 2023

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2022-2023.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Common App Essay Tips

Here are a few basic things to keep in mind while writing the common app essay :

• Keep the common app essay personal and try to make an emotional connect
• Avoid cliché topics
• Pay close attention to your grammar and spelling, use varied sentence structure and word choice, and be consistent with your tone/writing style.
• Take full advantage of the available 650 words, as writing less tends to mean missed opportunities.
• Before starting your Common App essay, you should think about the other schools that you’re writing essays for. Make sure that you have a strategy for your entire portfolio of essays and cover different topics for each.
• Your Common App essay will be seen by numerous colleges. So, paint a portrait of yourself that is accessible to a breadth of colleges and admissions officers.

For instance, if you are only applying to engineering programs at some schools, don’t focus your Common App on STEM at the expense of your other applications — save that for your supplemental essays.

[inbound_button font_size=”20″ color=”#c8232b” text_color=”#ffffff” icon=”arrow-circle-o-right” url=” https://www.stoodnt.com/counselor-detail/ruchi-saran&#8221 ; width=”” target=”_blank”] Book a 1-on-1 Consultation Session (30/60 minutes) with a College Admission Counselor[/inbound_button]

How to Write Common App Essay Prompts 2022 – 2023: Strategies & Tips

Prompt#1 – some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. if this sounds like you, then please share your story..

This is a standard diversity essay prompt. This essay is really about showing the admission officers  how your background shaped your personality .

You need to share a distinctive element of your background or upbringing. This prompt asks you to narrate a story that is core to your identity – a story about your personal growth, an unexpected friendship, or maybe a chance encounter .

Some questions to ask yourself as you brainstorm:

• What about my history or background sets me apart from my peers?
• How do I define myself? How do the people who are closest to me define me?
• What have I achieved that has been integral in molding my character and ambitions?
• What, in my seventeen years on this earth, has helped shape the person I am today?

This prompt offers an opportunity to engage with your favorite extracurricular or academic subject, and it allows you to weave a narrative that displays personal growth in that area.

Through this essay, you need to display your personality and a unique interest can be attention-grabbing, particularly if you have an unconventional passion, such as podcast & blogging about Cricket or cooking.

Prompt#2 – The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

This prompt invites you to share a failure. Ideally, you need to address two issues – how you handle difficult situations and whether you are capable of learning from your mistakes. In addressing this prompt, you have the opportunity to show admissions officers that  you can deal with hardships without just giving up .

If you don’t feel comfortable with this prompt, don’t attempt it. If you haven’t got a significant failure to discuss, then move along there are other topics to choose from. Failure essays are the best ways to grab the attention of admission officers .

It’s far more comfortable in an application to celebrate successes and accomplishments than it is to discuss setbacks and failures. A half-baked essay won’t take you anywhere after all. 

Some key questions to consider:

• How do you deal with hardship?
• What qualifies as a challenge or setback in your life and world?
• Are you the kind of person who can rebound and turn every experience, good or bad, into one from which you can learn something? What experiences might illustrate this quality?
• What have been some of the major challenges you’ve encountered in your life? And was there a silver lining?

While it’s okay to choose a relatively mundane “failure” such as not winning an award at a Model UN conference, another (perhaps more powerful) tactic is to write about a foundational failure and assess its impact on your development thereafter.

There are times in life when your foundation is uprooted. There are times when you experience failure and you want to give up since you don’t see a solution. This essay is about your  response  when you are destabilized and your  actions  when you don’t see an immediate answer.

Prompt#3 – Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

This prompt basically asks you to demonstrate your leadership quality and personality. There are two ways to approach this particular prompt. 

The question itself gives you a big hint –  what prompted your thinking  and  they want to understand how your mind works . The catch is you need to tell a story about how you GOT to the impressive result – and what you thought about your action plan, what you did, and how it led to that result.

This prompt could be tricky to answer because most high schoolers haven’t participated in the types of iconoclastic protests against societal ills that lend themselves to an awe-inspiring response.

Consider these questions as you brainstorm:

• When has your opinion been unpopular?
• Why are you the kind of person who is willing to stand up for what you believe in?
• What is important to you on a fundamental level of morals and values?
• How passionate are you about the things you believe in?

If you ever participated in a situation in tandem with adults and found some success.

For example, by blogging or starting a tutoring organization, you could discuss your experiences as a young person without a college degree in professional circles.

However, avoid sounding morally superior.

Prompt#4 – Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

While this prompt may seem to be asking a simple question, your answer has the potential to provide deep insights into who you are to the admissions committee.

The Common App hopes that this question on gratitude and kindness will inspire students to think of something positive and heartfelt in their lives during these difficult times. 

[inbound_button font_size=”20″ color=”#076ad5″ text_color=”#ffffff” icon=”arrow-circle-o-right” url=” https://www.stoodnt.com/counselor-detail/yuri-punj&#8221 ; width=”” target=”_blank”] Book a Consultation Session with Yuri[/inbound_button]

The first step to writing this essay is to think about the “something” and “someone” of your story. It is imperative to talk about a unique moment in your life, as the prompt asks for gratitude that came about in a  surprising  way. 

Some questions to ponder:

• How do you like to pay it forward in your daily life?
• How (and why!) do you express gratitude and appreciation?
• What are your favorite random acts of kindness?
• Has anyone ever restored your faith in humanity? How?
• Do you believe in karma? Why? 

Note that the most common answers to this prompt involve a family member, teacher, or sports coach giving the narrator an arduous task ─ which, by the end of the story, the narrator becomes grateful for because of the lessons they learned through their hard work.

Try to avoid writing an essay along these lines unless you feel that your take on it will be truly original.

Prompt#5 – Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

This prompt is asking you to talk about something you did or something that happened that caused you to grow or mature as a person. Additionally, you need to explain  how the incident influenced your understanding of yourself .

You need to write about accepting the responsibilities, limitations, and joys of being a grown-up individual. They want to know when and how have you grown as a person? Basically, this prompt wants you to talk about transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

One option is to discuss a formal accomplishment or event (whether it is a religious ritual or social rite of passage) that reflects personal growth.

Alternatively, a more relaxed way to address this prompt is using an informal event or realization, which would allow you to show more personality and creativity.

It’s also worth noting  the emphasis on understanding others . You need to write about how an event influenced your understanding of others.

Some other things to consider:

• How do you react to periods of transition? What inspires a change in your perspective?
• When have you had a “eureka” moment, and how has it impacted the way you lived your life thereafter?
• What were the moments in life that fundamentally changed you as a person?
• When did you learn something that made you feel more adult, more capable, more grown up?

Prompt#6 – Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

This prompt is asking you to  describe something that you’re intellectually passionate about . You also need to detail how you have pursued expanding your own knowledge on the topic. Did you undertake extra coaching or online courses? 

This prompt allows you to expand and deepen a seemingly small or simple idea, topic, or concept.

In essence, it’s asking you to identify and discuss something that enthralls you – something that kicks your brain into high gear.

• What floats your boat? Do you have an appetite for knowledge about something specific? Or, as we asked in the breakdown for Prompt #1: what do you love, and why do you love it?
• What lengths have you gone to in order to acquire new information about or experiences related to a topic of interest?
• How do you typically seek to enrich your knowledge when something appeals to you? Do you have a favorite corner of the library (or internet)? A mentor who is open to answering your burning questions?
• What about the process of learning, especially about subjects that call out to you, is satisfying?

Prompt#7 – Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

This is what we call an open-ended prompt. You can do whatever you want with it, which most folks find utterly terrifying. This is a sort of  choose-your-own-adventure prompt .

This prompt allows you to express what  you  want to express if it doesn’t align directly with the other prompts. 

But, you should demonstrate some of the key qualities that admission officers look for in all college essays – academic passion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, values, compassion, interesting hobbies, persistence, ability to face obstacles, and ability to overcome challenges. 

Some questions to consider as you brainstorm:

• What do you want admissions to know about you that they wouldn’t be able to glean from your transcript, test scores, or teacher recommendations?
• What are the stories that come up over and over again, at the dinner table or in the cafeteria with your friends, that might give admissions some insight into who you are and what is important to you?
• If you had ten minutes alone in a room with an admissions officer, what would you want to talk about or tell him or her about yourself?
• What would you bring to a college campus that no one else would or could?

Final Thoughts on Common App Essay Prompts

• All Common App essays must show your personality, identity, and aspirations, as well as spark discussions on interests, character, values, and community.
• Picking and responding to a Common App prompt requires a lot of self-reflection and time, but it does not have to be difficult.
• So long as you choose a prompt that speaks to you and connects to your identity, you’re guaranteed to write an authentic and descriptive response.
• Furthermore, if your essay is well organized with a clear topic and has evident significance, it will leave a lasting impression on admissions officers and increase your chances of admissions.
• Make sure you start early with your personal statement, revise it multiple times, and follow some of the advice in this blog post, and before you know it you will have a unique and impactful essay.

We here at Stoodnt recognize how overwhelming the college application process is but we are here to help you through the entire process.

References: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .

Share this:

Discover more from stoodnt.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Does It Really Matter Where You Go To College? Financially, It Does

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Stanford University

High school students and their parents are nothing short of obsessed with college decisions—concerns over students’ higher education prospects prompt parents to spend thousands of dollars on private school, tutoring, private college admissions consulting, competitive summer programs, and more. Though many invest huge amounts of time, money, and energy into the process, others often wonder: Does it really matter whether your student attends an Ivy League school or a state university?

From large state schools to small liberal arts colleges, students can find research opportunities, rigorous curricula, and vibrant campus communities at a wide array of colleges. In choosing where to apply, and later, where to attend college, students should be diligent in their research and discern what kind of school will best suit them. An Ivy League school is not the right choice for every student—needless to say, many students would not thrive in such rigorous academic environments. Further, Ivy League schools’ small campus sizes, cultures and locations may not be the best fit for some students. When it comes to student satisfaction and the potential to flourish, an Ivy League may not be the best option.

However, when it comes to future earning potential and career success, where you go to college matters greatly.

First and foremost, the caliber of a student’s alma mater can impact their likelihood of securing a job after graduation. Princeton, Harvard, and Yale all rank in the top 10 in the Times Higher Education 2023-2024 Global Employability University Ranking, alongside other top schools such as MIT, CalTech, and Stanford. Not only are graduates of these schools more likely to get a job, but a report from Opportunity Insights indicated further that attending a college in the Ivy plus category rather than a highly selective public institution triples a graduate’s chances of working at a prestigious firm.

This is due in large part to the networking opportunities afforded to students at world-renowned universities. While excelling in the classroom during one’s college years is an impressive feat, few employers will look at students’ GPAs or transcripts after graduation. They will care instead about the quality of their resumes and professional experiences. Ivy League and other top schools provide networks that will follow students throughout their careers, as graduates connect with one another through organizations such as the Harvard Club of New York City.

The significance of attending a top college manifests not only in one’s likelihood of getting a job, but also their average earnings. Graduates from Ivy League schools are reported to have higher average annual earnings than their peers who graduate in the top 10% of other colleges. According to U.S. News & World Report , Ivy League graduates with approximately three years of professional experience earned a median annual salary of $86,025 in 2022, compared to graduates of other schools who earned $58,643. The gap widens as time goes on—by mid-career (20 years of experience), Ivy League grads earn $161,888 on average, compared to other graduates who average $101,777. Additionally, graduates of Ivy League and other top schools are 60% more likely to reach the top 1% of the earnings distribution. It is no surprise, then, that every Ivy League school except for Brown appears on Forbes’ 2022 list of The 11 Most Popular Colleges Among America’s Richest. University of Pennsylvania topped that list, with 17 graduates appearing on Forbes’ 400 wealthiest American rankings.

Top CEO Bets On A Shock Biden Crypto Flip As Congress Hurtles Toward A ‘Crucial’ Vote That Could Blow Up The Price Of Bitcoin, Ethereum And XRP

Iphone 16 pro max all new design upgrade promised insider claims, who is ebrahim raisi iran s president nicknamed butcher of tehran dies in helicopter crash.

These statistics are even more significant in light of Ivy League schools’ financial aid packages. For instance, in 2022, Princeton announced that they would offer free tuition, room, and board for most students whose families made less than $100,000 annually. Programs such as these bring the average annual cost of attending an Ivy League education down to $23,234 —less than the average cost of ranked colleges outside of the Ivy League. These financial incentives contribute to the ROI of top schools, placing Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth in the top 10 in The Princeton Review ’s ranking of best value colleges.

Ultimately, students should seek to attend a school that aligns with their goals and passions while recognizing that their college decision will have lasting effects on their career and income. Investing in the necessary support to maximize your student’s chances of admission to Ivy League and other top schools is a strategic choice—and one that could have a positive impact for years to come.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions