You can submit the Common Application to over 1,000 colleges, universities, and institutions across the United States. If you’re applying to multiple colleges that use the Common App, you can save some serious time by using this resource. As part of the process, you’re required to write a Common Application Essay. Think of it as your personal statement. Here are a few things you need to know about the Common Application essay.
What is the Common App Essay?
No matter what school you’re applying to through the Common App, you’re going to have to complete the Common App Essay, also known as the Common App personal statement. Every year, the Common App releases a series of prompts, and students completing college applications through the website must write about one of these topics. You can absolutely reuse your Common App Essays for multiple schools – in fact, it’s expected.
However, this may not be the only essay you need to write when completing the Common App. Many schools and institutions ask for secondary or supplemental essays. These are dictated by the college or university. If one is requested, you must complete it to have your application considered.
What Are the Common App Essay Prompts?
The Common App provides prompts to guide applicants in writing their essay. These prompts are fairly generic, giving applicants a lot of room for interpretation. This is good news for you as it allows you to choose what angle you want to go with writing your essay.
The essay prompts don’t always stay the same every year, but they have remained the same now for several years in a row. Even with few changes, however, it’s always important to double check the current prompts to avoid mistakes.
In February 2024, the Common App released the essay prompts for the 2024-25 application cycle. They are the same as the 2023-24 and 2022-23 application cycles:
- 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?
How Long Does the Common App Essay Need to Be?
The Common App will specify the word limit for writing your essay. This has changed over the years, but it’s remained the same for several years in a row now. The current word count is between 250 and 650 words. The online application won’t accept essays that are below 250 words or over 650 words. Your essay must stay within the word count limit.
So what should you aim for? The ideal word count for your Common App essay is between 500 and 650 words. This word count gives you enough space to write an in-depth essay about your chosen topic.
Some colleges will state that you can send them a physical copy if the space in the online application isn’t enough. While you can certainly do that, you may want to consider sticking with the online option. Not only is it easier, the word limit can help keep your essay concise and focused.
Tips For Choosing a Common App Topic To Write About
For most students, choosing a topic to write about can be the most challenging part of crafting the essay. The prompts allow you to write on any topic of your choice as long as it addresses their prompts.
Although the exact topics may vary from one year to the next, they generally have the same theme. All questions are designed to learn more about you as a person. They’ve seen your academic records and read about your extracurricular activities in your main application. This essay helps them understand more about you aside from these accomplishments.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Choose A Topic You’re Passionate About
When you write on a topic you are genuinely interested in, your enthusiasm will come through in your writing. Never choose a topic just because you think it is more likely to impress the reader. If you don’t care about a topic, you’ll find it difficult to bring your essay to life. Worse still, the college admissions authorities will see through your forced writing. After reading through hundreds of essays, they can spot the difference immediately.
If you’re struggling to get started or stuck with writer’s block, check out these Common App and college application essay examples.
2. Make a List of What Makes You Unique
Think about how you can highlight one or more items from your list to give the reader insight into what makes you, ‘YOU’. Consider your unique skills, achievements, personality traits, hobbies, interests, and more.
3. Expand on the Idea
Whatever topic you pick, make sure you expand on the idea. Don’t just write a bullet point on your personality traits or achievements. For example, just stating you are passionate about climate change doesn’t tell the reader anything about you. Why are you passionate about it?
4. Make it Reusable
Between the Common App Essay, supplemental essays, and other college applications, you’re going to be writing a lot in the common months. It’s absolutely okay to write your Common App personal statement once and submit it to multiple schools. It’s often expected.
However, you’ll want to avoid this strategy for supplemental essays. College admission officers can tell when you’ve put in low effort, and it could affect your admission chances.
Tips for Writing Your Common App Essay
Once you have a topic in mind, it’s time to start writing. Keep the word count in mind and:
Create an Outline
Creating an outline of everything you want to talk about in your personal statement can help you stay on track. It’s easy to wander off while writing, which can waste time and increase the editing needed in the end, but an outline helps your thoughts and writing stay organized.
Perfect Your Essay By Starting Early
500 – 650 words isn’t as much as you may think, but writing the Common App essay is not just about meeting any word count limits. This is your opportunity to tell the college admissions committee something about you that the rest of your application doesn’t. Your essay is what sets you apart from the other applicants. Writing an essay that stands out from the competition takes time. You may go with one idea and then decide to go with something different the next time you look at it.
The key to crafting a perfect essay is to start early. Starting on your essay early gives you sufficient time to brainstorm ideas and let them simmer. It also gives you time to change things up if you decide to do that. Most important of all, it gives you enough time to edit your essay.
Edit, Edit, Edit
Be ruthlessly objective when editing your essay. Don’t keep an extra sentence or even an extra word simply because you like the way it sounds. If it doesn’t add value to your essay, delete it. Do your editing over several days with a few days break in between. This allows you to read the essay with fresh eyes.
Request a Peer Review
After you’re done editing, give it to your teacher, academic advisor or parent to read through it. Somebody who is reading it for the first time will be more objective about the essay’s flow and organization. Revise your essay again based on their feedback.
Although your college may ask for a secondary or supplemental essay through the Common App, every Common Application must include a personal statement. These shouldn’t be rushed or an afterthought – college admission officials do look at these. Start early, think carefully about your topic, and start writing!
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