Common Application Essay Prompts | Applying To College

February 12, 2018
by Sharon Epstein 6 Comments

2018-2019 Common Application Essay Prompts

Great news!

The Common Application essay prompts are out for 2018-2019. No changes have been made, so they stay the same as last year.

In the coming weeks I’ll be writing detailed posts on how to answer each prompt. You’ll learn how to understand, think about, and write outstanding college application essays.

In the meantime, here’s what you need you know about the Common Application Essay:

You answer one of seven prompts.
The maximum essay length is 650 words.
You might also hear it called the Common Application Personal Statement.
Look for more information on the Common Application website or Facebook page.

2018-2019 Common Application Essay Prompts:

Instructions: What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response.

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. 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 that is 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.

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.

Tip: Check out this article on the Common Application prompts by Scott Anderson, Senior Director at The Common Application. He provides excellent insight into how to think about these questions.

Interesting Stats from 2015-2016 Applications:

More than 800,000 applicants submitted a Common Application
47 percent chose to write about their background, identity, interest, or talent – making it the most frequently selected prompt
22 percent wrote about an accomplishment
10 percent wrote about a problem solved

Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting in Redding, Connecticut. A Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee, Sharon lectures extensively on essay writing. Sharon teaches students how to master interview skills, write resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. She works with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, FaceTime, Skype and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

Find your story. Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting in Redding, Connecticut. She’s a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee who teaches students how to master interview skills, write resumes that work, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. I work with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, Skype, Facetime and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

May 18, 2017
by Sharon Epstein Leave a comment

Common Application Essay Quiz – Are You Ready To Write?

Are you ready to write your Common Application essay? Take this quiz and find out.

It’s a fun way to collect some important info before you sit down at the keyboard. Because writing a great college essay isn’t just about getting something written—you need to know what you’re writing and why.

Test yourself! See how many answers you know.

Ready? Here goes—

What’s the maximum word length of a Common Application Essay?
Name at least three things colleges look for in a Common Application essay.
How important is it to write about a big event in your life?
Can you name at least three of your positive qualities?
What’s sensory detail and why is it important?
If you’re having trouble writing or finding a topic, where can you get help?
Should you let someone read your essay when it’s finished?
What if you’re not inspired by the Common Application prompts—are you stuck?
Can you revise your essay after it’s been uploaded?
Why is it important to capture your reader’s attention at the start?
What’s the most important thing to do before you write?
BONUS QUESTION: How many Common Application questions are there this year?

Answers:

1. What’s the maximum word length of a Common Application Essay? 650 words. You can’t upload more than that.

2. Name at least three things colleges look for in a Common Application Essay. Colleges look for several things, including:

Your writing skills
Your communication skills
Your personality on the page
Some of your best qualities or values
How you think or make decisions
And often, what you’ve learned or how you’ve grown from your experience

3. How important is it to write about a big event in your life? Not at all. In fact, some of the best essays are about smaller moments in life. How do you find your smaller moments? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Have you made a decision or have a personal accomplishment not many people know about?
Is there a hobby or interest that shows off your personality?
Is there an object in your room, garage, or coat pocket that means a lot to you and has a story behind it?
What do you do, or where do you go, when you’re curious and want to learn more?
What do you think about when you’re by yourself?
What do you dream about?

Keep thinking! Lots of ideas can make original, interesting essays and none of them have to be “big.”

4. Can you list at least three of your positive qualities? If you can’t, download my positive qualities worksheet. Schools want to learn about your good qualities and you can’t tell them unless you know.

5. What is sensory detail and why is it important? Sensory detail explains how something smells, feels, tastes, sounds or looks. Using sensory detail will make your essay pop–it will help it stand out and sound original.

Try this experiment with sensory detail: Think of adjectives that describe how your dinner tasted last night. The adjectives should convey a sense of taste. Here are a few: spicy, bland, warm, mushy. Now, think about the difference between these two sentences: “I ate meatloaf last night”/“The meatloaf was so dry it was crispy.” The first sentence says you ate dinner. But the second sentence lets your reader taste that awful meatloaf. Dry and crispy are examples of sensory detail. Using sensory detail will help transform your essay from bland to knockout.

6. If you’re having trouble finding a topic or writing your essay, where can you get help?

You can find more info on my blog. Try starting with How to Start Writing Your College Essay.
Look for resources in your school, like a writing center.
Ask a guidance counselor or an English teacher who’s read a lot of essays.
Read essays online for inspiration. I like Johns Hopkins because it includes comments from college admissions officers. Connecticut College is another good site.
Google the school(s) you’re applying to. Many have admissions blogs with essay advice.
Some students opt for private tutors (like me).
And finally, don’t forget the library—there are lots of books that will give you step-by-step guidance.

7. Should you let someone read your essay when it’s finished? Yes, especially to proofread. Ask a teacher or adult who is good with writing (and with English if English is your second language). Ask for help even if you’re a good proofreader—mistakes are easy to miss. Another reason to share an essay is to get feedback. Just be aware that when you ask for opinions you’ll get them. So take all the comments into consideration and then choose what to add or change, if anything. Remember, it’s your essay.

8. What if you’re not inspired by the Common Application prompts—are you stuck? No. This year (2017) the Common Application includes a topic of your choice. You can create your own topic, answer another college’s prompt, or use an exceptional essay you’ve already written. This prompt is brand new, so it will be interesting to see how students respond.

9. Can you revise your essay after it’s been uploaded? Yes. You’re allowed unlimited edits to the essay after your first application submission.

10. Why is it important to capture your reader’s attention at the start? Your college reader has read lots of boring essays. Don’t be that person. Help your essay stand out. To learn three different ways to capture your reader’s attention, read 3 Ways to Start an Interesting College Essay.

11. What’s the most important thing to do before you write? Think. Give your brain time and space. Mull over ideas. Think in the shower, walking to class, or playing with the cat. Dislodge memories you haven’t thought about in forever. Get excited about what you love and what you care about. Only after you brainstorm should you sit down to write your Common Application essay.

12. How many Common Application questions are there this year? There are 7. These are the Common Application prompts for 2017-2018. You can also find the prompts on the Common App’s Facebook page.

For more information:
How to Start Writing Your College Essay
3 Ways to Start an Interesting College Essay.
Huffington Post: The Common App Essay Prompts are Changing

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May 2, 2017
by Sharon Epstein Leave a comment

How to Write 2017 Common Application Essay Prompts 1-7

Here it is, all in one place—My 2017 series on How to Write the Common Application Essays.

In it, I tell you what the prompts mean and discuss their important keywords, plus let you know why you should choose (or not choose) a specific prompt, and how to find your best topic. I also give you successful examples and ones that aren’t so successful, so you can understand why.

My goal is to help you find and tell YOUR story. Because everyone has a story to tell.

If you need more help, I hope you’ll contact me for a one-on-one session or for an essay review. You can reach me through the contact form at the end or at my website.

Thanks!

Here are the links to posts in the series:

How to Write Common App Essay #1: Background, Identity, Interest or Talent
How to Write Common App Essay #2: The Lessons We Take from Obstacles
How to Write Common App Essay #3: A Time When You Questioned or Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Essay #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Essay #5: Accomplishment, Event or Realization
How to Write Common App Essay #6: What Makes You Lose All Track of Time
How to Write Common App Essay #7: Topic of Your Choice

Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting in Redding, Connecticut. She is a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee. First Impressions College Consulting teaches students how to master interview skills, write killer resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. Our tutors are award-winning writers and published authors who work with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, video and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

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April 10, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 1 Comment

How to Write Common Application Essay 7: Topic of Your Choice

Which Common Application prompt should you choose? In this seven-part series I help you answer that question.

This is the last prompt. Hooray! (My fingers are tired!)

For the complete list of 2017 Common Application essay questions click here.

Ready for #7? Let’s do it!

Common Application Essay 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.

Is this Prompt for You? Answer Yes IF:

The other prompts don’t speak to you
You’re inspired by another school’s prompt
You want to ask and answer your own question
You’ve already written an essay that showcases you as an excellent college candidate

Pitfalls to Avoid

Don’t Stress Over this Prompt. This prompt is meant to reduce your stress, not add to it, says Scott Anderson at The Common Application. Anderson adds, “Topic of your choice doesn’t mean default choice.” If the prompt feels too unstructured use one of the other prompts.

Don’t Submit Less Than Your Best. If you’re submitting an essay you’ve already written, make sure it’s well written and showcases you as an excellent potential college student.

Don’t Forget the Fundamentals. Prompt #7 doesn’t provide as much guidance as some of the other prompts. So this a good time to recap what schools look for in a Common Application essay:
- Your writing skills
- Your ability to communicate your ideas.
- Your personality – what makes you laugh, think, hope, dream, care. In other words, what’s meaningful to you and why.
- Schools like to see how you think, so show them that process.
- Most of the best essays don’t have nice, easy stories. They’ve got an obstacle thrown in your path, a problem you have to solve, a decision you have to make, a realization you came to, or some other circumstance that’s helped shape you into who you are.
- Essays include reflection—you need to be able to take a step back from your experience to understand how it’s shaped you and/or your goals.

A word in support of some of my favorite prompts from the University of Chicago.

If you’re still looking for essay inspiration, check out UChicago’s essay prompts. UChicago prides itself on uncommon, fun essay questions. Even if the questions don’t speak to you, read the ones I’ve listed below to see how, with a little imagination, you can create your own question and let your imagination and personality fly.

A Sampling of UChicago prompts:

Joan of Arkansas. Queen Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Babe Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mash up a historical figure with a new time period, environment, location, or occupation, and tell us their story.
History and art are full of heroes and their enemies. Tell us about the relationship between you and your arch-nemesis (either real or imagined).
How did you get caught? (Or not caught, as the case may be.)
Chicago author Nelson Algren said, “A writer does well if in his whole life he can tell the story of one street.”…Tell us the story of a street, path, road—real or imagined or metaphorical.
“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”—Miles Davis (1926–91)
Susan Sontag said, “The only interesting answers are those that destroy the questions.” We all have heard serious questions, absurd questions, and seriously absurd questions, some of which cannot be answered without obliterating the very question. Destroy a question with your answer.
Click here to read more UChicago prompts.

#7 is a new prompt this year. I’m excited to see what students write for their college essays!

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

Sharon Epstein is a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee, teaching students around the world how to master interview skills, write resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. She works with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, FaceTime, Skype and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

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April 4, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 2 Comments

How to Write Common Application Essay 6: What Makes You Lose All Track of Time

You’re writing a Common Application essay.

How do you choose which essay to write?

In this 7-part series I’m helping you figure out which question on the 2017 Common Application essay is right for you.

For the complete list of 2017 Common App essay questions click here.

Ready for #6? Let’s do it!

Common Application Essay 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?

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

“Topic, Idea or Concept”…”Lose All Track of Time”…”Why”…”What or Who Do You Turn To”

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

“Topic, Idea, or Concept” is a very broad phrase. That’s good! It means you can choose almost anything, large or small.

“Lose All Track of Time” is self-explanatory. You’ve found yourself so engrossed in something that you didn’t realize how much time had passed.

“Why Does it Captivate You?” The key word here is why. You need to figure out why you find this topic so engaging, exciting, or thought provoking.

“What or Who Do You Turn To When You Want to Learn More?” Ah! This means you’re an independent learner. It doesn’t really matter how you learn on your own—whether you ask a teacher, search Google, read books, watch videos, etc. What matters is that you find a way to satisfy your curiosity.

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

Your curiosity
Your resourcefulness
Your level of independence
The type of learner you’ll be when you get to college
The ideas or issues that are meaningful to you

Pitfalls to Avoid

This Question Has 3 Parts—Don’t Leave Any Out. They are: 1. Topic, idea, or concept; 2. Why it captivates you; 3. Who or what you turn to when you want to learn more.
Don’t Shortchange “Why.” Discussing “why” is one of the most important things you can do in an essay. Through why, schools learn a whole lot about you—they see how you think, what you care about, what concerns you. This is the part that helps differentiate you, that helps show what makes you, you.

CAUTION!
DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE BORING TRAP!

Do you lose track of time when you’re in your room or with your friends? Do you zone out when you go for long walks in the woods?

Be careful of the Boring Trap.

Because this question can lead you down that path, no question about it.

Quite frankly, most of the best essay answers don’t have nice, easy stories. They’ve got an obstacle thrown in your path, a problem you have to solve, a decision you have to make, or some other circumstance that’s helped shape you into who you are.

This question doesn’t remind you to think about that. It should.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say you want to write about how you lose track of time with your friends. You’ve got great qualities—you’re friendly and loyal—and being with your friends captivates you because you love the discussions you have. You turn to your friends when you want information or help, and they support you. And that might be your essay.

It’s nice, but it’s “so what.” It doesn’t show a journey, an obstacle, a decision, a realization or growth. It doesn’t show how you started in one place and finished in another, or how you’ve built your character. It’s not going to be a memorable essay. You’ve been caught in the Boring Trap.

Here’s an example of How To Get Out of the Boring Trap:

Boring Essay—Before and After

Boring: Joanne loses all track of time in her room when she’s painting. It captivates her because she loves art and color. She likes to paint alone, and be alone with her thoughts and her imagination. She enjoys being surrounded by the paintings on her walls because it feels homey, and she’s made her room her hideaway. When she wants to learn more she takes a painting class at the art barn down the street. Next month she’s going to try watercolor.

Let’s look at what the reader learns: Joanne is artistic and loves color. She’s imaginative and likes feeling homey. She takes painting classes to learn more. Not much else. The essay doesn’t have a story. We don’t get a sense she’s grown at all or been shaped by her talent.

Same Topic, Not Boring: Joanne loses all track of time in her room when she’s painting. It captivates her because she loves art and color. As a matter of fact, she’s been influenced by two famous painters, Grandma Moses and Georgia O’Keefe, two artists who used color in very different ways. Joanne tries to figure out why they chose the colors they did and how they interpreted their worlds, and then she tries to find an original way to interpret hers. Joanne’s first grade teacher tried to make her draw people with proper fingers and toes, and at first she did. But then she rebelled. She decided she didn’t have to be like anyone else and has been drawing people and things the way she wants to ever since. Art gives her an expressive outlet for her thoughts and her imagination. It’s helped her develop her sense of personal expression. She also loves to learn, and whenever she can she takes art classes at the art barn down the street. She reads about her favorite painters and she’s learning about new ones. Next month she’s going to experiment with watercolor. She’s not sure what subject she’ll be painting or what she’ll learn about herself, but she can’t wait to get started.

What does the reader learn? Much more.

We learn how she thinks: Joanne discusses how other artists have influenced her and made her think about her own style.
She adds interesting detail: By discussing other artists, she shows that she has detailed knowledge about a subject that interests her.
She adds more “why.” Besides saying she loves art and color she says that art gives her an outlet for her thoughts and imagination and helps her find her own personal expression. This adds more insight and meaning to her essay.
She tells a story of a formative experience that shaped her character.
She adds more qualities that express her personality. Besides being artistic and loving color, we learn she has an independent nature and is always learning and thinking of ways to improve.

Everything Joanne added helps her essay be more original and interesting. It’s uniquely her. It shows how she’s grown, how she thinks, and what’s meaningful to her. She’s avoided the boring trap.

#6 is a brand new prompt and I’m excited to see the essays students will write this year!

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
Coming Soon:
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

For the entire list of 2017 Common App essay prompts click here.
If you’re not familiar with the Common Application, go to their website. They also have a very helpful Facebook page.

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March 31, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 7 Comments

How to Write Common Application Essay 5: Accomplishment, Event, or Realization that Sparked a Period of Personal Growth

The Common Application essay prompts are out.

How do you choose which essay to write?

In this 7-part series I help you figure out which question on the 2017 Common Application is right for you.

For the complete list of 2017 Common App essay questions click here.

Ready for #5? Let’s do it!

Common Application Essay Prompt #5

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

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords

“Accomplishment, Event, or Realization”…”Personal Growth”…”New Understanding of Yourself or Others”

Do The Keywords Apply To You?

“Accomplishment, event or realization” is a broad phrase. That’s good! It means you can choose almost anything, large or small, that you experienced, accomplished or realized.

“A Period of Personal Growth” is when you’re changing—what’s happening as you become more responsible or mature. This can take place over a long period of time or a very short period of time.

“A new understanding of yourself or others” is your learning experience. It’s what you learned and how your perspective changed—How did your experience shape your attitude, outlook or actions? How did it help you become the person you are today?

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

How you’ve matured
Your ability to develop important relationships within your family or community
Your ability to reflect on how an important experience has shaped you

Pitfalls to Avoid

This Question has 3 Parts—Don’t Leave One Out. Include 1. Your accomplishment, event or realization; 2. Your period of personal growth; 3. Your new understanding of yourself and others.

Still Not Sure This is Your Topic?

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself: Did you set a goal for yourself that you achieved? Did you have an experience that helped you become more compassionate or understanding? Did you teach younger students what you were taught and saw yourself grow in the process? Did you have a life event that forced you to take on more responsibility? Did you start your own business or volunteer program? These are just a few ideas—make sure to keep thinking!

Successful Essay Topic Example

“On the Flip Side”

Paige was a successful competitive gymnast when injuries ended her career. She felt lost until she began volunteering as coach of the Special Olympics gymnastics team. Paige made practices fun. She demonstrated exercises and developed routines. Most of all, she taught her athletes that it didn’t matter if they won or lost, as long as they competed as a team. And that’s exactly what they did at state competition.

During her experience, Paige found herself growing as a coach and mentor. She discovered that as a teacher she was capable of making sports a positive experience for others. She wrote in her essay that working with her athletes changed her; as she instilled confidence in her athletes, they did the same for her. Paige also realized something fundamental about herself: It was very important to her that everyone gets the chance to win, lose and compete, no matter his or her differences. While she isn’t sure of her career plans, Paige plans to use it to help people.

Why is this Example Successful?

All the keywords are addressed.

Paige became a Special Olympics coach and trained her team for state competition—an event or accomplishment.
It sparked a period of personal growth—she developed as a coach, teacher and role model for her team.
She ended with a new and more mature understanding of herself—she realized that she didn’t have to be a gymnast to feel accomplished, and that it was even more fulfilling to use her skills to help others, which is what she plans to do.
She ended with a new understanding of others—working with her Special Olympians helped her realize how important it is that everybody be given the opportunity to win, lose and compete, no matter their differences. This understanding helped shape her future.

How to write Common Application essays

Hot Tip: No matter which essay prompt you choose, make sure it’s a story only you can tell. Tell the schools what you care about, what you think about, what bothers you and why. Show them the world through your eyes. Help them get to know what makes you you. That’s how you’ll write a great college application essay.

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
Coming Soon:
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting in Redding, Connecticut. She is a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee, teaching students how to master interview skills, write killer resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. Our tutors are award-winning writers and published authors who work with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, video and email. Visit our website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

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March 28, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 7 Comments

How to Write Common Application Essay 4: Describe a Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve

Are you a budding scientist with research ideas? Do you have an idea for a product that solves a problem? Have you figured out a way to make everyday life a little easier?

Then Common Application essay prompt #4 may be for you.

This is the fourth of my seven-part series on how to write the Common Application essay prompts.

You’ll learn about the question, the keywords, and the dos and don’ts of answering, I’ll also give you successful Common Application essay topic examples.

Ready for number 4? Let’s do it!

Common Application 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 that is 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.

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

“Problem you’ve solved or would like to solve”…“Personal importance”…“No matter the scale”

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

Answer yes IF:

You’ve identified a problem with meaning and importance to you.
You’ve actively worked on a solution OR have an idea about what steps you’d take to work toward a solution.

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

An idea or experience you truly value
Your problem-solving skills
Your critical thinking skills
The course you plot when you have a goal

Pitfalls to Avoid:

Answer the Entire Question. The question has three parts: (1) Describe a problem; (2) Explain its significance to you; (3) Identify a solution and either how to get there or how to begin to get there. You must answer all three parts.

The Problem Isn’t Meaningful Enough to You. You could write about lobbying for longer lunch periods at school, but so what? Don’t be superficial. Your topic tells the colleges who you are and what you care about.

Vague or Generic essays. The prompt says you can write about anything “no matter the scale.” But broad topics still need to be of personal significance, with the emphasis on personal. Sure, you can write about world peace—but can you demonstrate your passion and connection? Be specific about how a topic has touched you or meant something to you—and put your personality squarely on the page.
Don’t Skimp on the Solution. I’ve seen students devote most of their essays to the problem and only a couple of sentences to achieving a solution. Don’t skimp on this section—you’re showing colleges what kind of critical thinker and problem solver you’ll be at college—show them you’ll be a darn good one.

How to write Common Application essay describe a problem you've solved or would like to solve Hot Tips: You don’t need to fly solo. Problems can be complex and so can their solutions. So when you’re thinking about your solution, you don’t need to be the only one involved. You may require a team or teams of people with specific skills to achieve your goal.

You don’t need the perfect answer. The prompt gives you the chance to explain the steps you’d take to identify a solution. As long as you discuss the process—the way you’d get to a solution—that’s okay, even if you’re not quite sure what the exact solution might be.

Examples of Successful Essay Topics

Brain Farts

Kenny was driving home and missed the turn down his street. He was stumped. He couldn’t figure out why he’d missed doing something he had done a hundred times. Kenny wanted to know what caused his “brain fart,” so he found the scientific name (maladaptive change) and developed a two-part experiment to identify and predict when these changes would occur. Kenny hopes to conduct his experiment when he gets to college. With an interesting and personal essay topic, Kenny was able to demonstrate his scientific mind and problem-solving skills.

Water Pollution Detective

Last summer, during a school research project, Liz helped identify the source of pollution flowing into a local river. Helping her community meant a lot to her, and she wanted to do more. So now Liz plans to contact local authorities and work with them to set up a better monitoring system to prevent future spills. She hasn’t implemented the solution yet, but can explain the steps she’d take.

Saving the Crops

Lily, a student from China, witnessed locusts destroy her entire community’s harvest. Lily reasoned that if scientists could understand more about insect life cycles, they might be able to save crops and even combat hunger. To work on the problem, she plans to set up a research project in college. The project will use mathematical applications to more accurately predict the insects’ life cycle. Lily dreamed big, but at the same time her story was specific: She had a personal connection and a passion for solving a large-scale problem.

Interested in Common App essay #4? Include your decision-making process. Explain how you came up with (or would come up with) a possible solution (Research? Thought? Talking to people?). Make sure you explain why this topic is meaningful to you. And write a great problem-solving essay.

Next time: How to Write Common App prompt #5.

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
Coming Soon:
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

For the entire list of 2017 Common Application essay prompts click here.
If you’re not familiar with the Common Application, click here for more info.

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March 23, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 7 Comments

How to Write 2017 Common Application Essay 3: A Time When You Questioned or Challenged a Belief or Idea

Hooray! You’re applying to college!

How do you choose which Common Application essay to write?

This 7-part series will help you figure out which 2017 Common Application question is right for you. You’ll learn what colleges look for, what pitfalls to avoid, and read examples of successful essay topics.

For the entire list of 2017 Common Application essay prompts click here.

Ready for number 3? Let’s do it!

Common Application Essay Prompt #3:

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

Is This Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

“Questioned or challenged”…”Belief or idea”…”Prompted your thinking”

Why Should You Consider This Topic?

This is a great essay to show off your critical thinking skills. That’s why it says “what prompted your thinking”—they want to get a good peek inside your head and see how your wheels turn.

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

A “belief or idea” can mean many things, including something you learned or were taught, or an opinion you or someone else holds. But it can also be bigger than that—take a look at the essay example below where a student challenges the existence of an entire school event.

Pitfalls to Avoid

This question has THREE parts—make sure you answer ALL of them: The event, what prompted your thinking, and the outcome.
Thoughts rarely arrive fully formed! Thinking is a process. It comes in stages. It’s important to show that process. For instance, if I have a pebble in my shoe, first I might think that something’s bothering me, then I want to see what it is, then I decide to take it out of my shoe. This is a simple example, but what if I wrote, “I had a pebble in my shoe and I took it out.” No! You actually thought about it before you acted. It’s like math class when the teacher makes you show your work—that’s what I mean when I say show the process of how you came to challenge your belief or idea.
Don’t forget to reflect on your decision. Were you satisfied with the outcome? Did you learn something from this experience? Would you do it again? Reflection demonstrates insight and maturity.
Caution: You never want to offend your reader. Remember that a belief or idea you disagree with could be one that your reader accepts, so always watch your tone and be respectful when needed.

Not Sure this Question Relates to You?
Here are 3 ways you might answer this question:

Were you told by an adult that you wouldn’t be successful in an activity, but you chose to pursue it anyway?
Did you challenge what a group of friends told you to do because you thought they were wrong?
Did you see someone being treated unfairly (perhaps even yourself) and attempt to rectify it?

What Other Kinds of Beliefs or Ideas Can You Consider?

It can be a belief or idea held by others (including friends, schoolmates and family).
It can be a belief or idea you’ve been taught (including your attitude or action toward others, or how something should or shouldn’t be done).
It can also be your own belief—something that’s unique to you. What if you thought your sister came from Mars? (Okay, that’s silly.) But sometimes we have our own ideas: Consider the student who thinks being loudest is the best way to gain attention, or the girl who thinks she’s happiest being alone. What if the student realized he’d rather have friends than negative attention, or the girl pushed herself out of her comfort zone to find out she enjoyed being a leader at school? Think about what you believed when you were younger, and if your ideas changed, why. If your experience is meaningful and says positive things about you (and answers the question), this prompt could be for you.

Which brings me to:

Should you write about religion? You can. I’ve had students who’ve written about different aspects of their spiritual journey, whether it was trying to conform to their parents’ religion or searching for their own truth. But remember the caution: You don’t want to offend your reader. So along with topic choice, consider the tone of your writing. For instance, it’s a lot different to say you felt a need to find your own spiritual path than to say you hated a specific religion and couldn’t wait to get out of there.

Bottom line: If you feel it could impact your admission, choose a different topic.

Hot Tip from College Admissions Officers: Some admissions officers tell me that many essays about spiritual journeys are starting to sound very similar to them. So if you want to write about your spiritual journey, find an original approach that makes your essay stands out. If it starts to feel generic, dig deeper into who you are and how this topic reflects your values, your ability to problem solve, or your goals. If you’re not sure it will stand out, switch topics.

Example of a Successful Essay Topic:

“Standing up for Autism”

An autistic student’s school held an annual event that supported autism. The event also supported a prominent charity devoted to autism. But the student had become aware that many people in the autistic community were upset with this charity. They felt it didn’t recognize the full value or contributions of the autistic community, and in fact had made some very negative statements. After researching the charity the student agreed, and decided he wanted the school to end its support of the charity. But he knew he’d have to handle it carefully and respectfully. So he collected evidence and videos and presented them to his vice principal. Then he wrote a formal letter to the Board of Education. After discussing the student’s material, the Board agreed that future events wouldn’t include the charity. The student was both surprised and delighted. In his essay he wrote that he learned that if he communicated his views in a clear and mature way, people in authority would respectfully listen to him and consider his viewpoint. In this case he was successful, and he felt he made a positive difference.

Why This Topic Succeeds

All the keywords are addressed. The student described the situation, discussed his thought process, and told the outcome.
He demonstrated critical thinking skills. He researched the charity to come to his own decision and then decided on the correct way to approach the school.
He included a learning experience. He learned that if he presented his views in a clear and respectful way that adults in authority would listen. He saw how he could make a positive change.
He gave colleges excellent reasons to admit him: He took on a leadership role, communicated well with adults, and worked to create change. Even if he hadn’t been successful these qualities would stand out.

Reasons Essay Prompt #3 Can Work for You:

You can communicate your level of maturity.
You can highlight your critical thinking skills.
You can demonstrate that you’re open-minded and have respect for the beliefs and ideas of others.
You can show that your choices or ideas had an impact on yourself or others.

Remember: For your essay to be successful, show the schools some of your best qualities, and make sure they come away feeling that they’ve learned something interesting about what makes you, you.

For more information on the Common Application visit their website. They also have a very helpful Facebook page.

Next time: How to Write Common App prompt #4.

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve|
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
Coming Soon:
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

For the entire list of 2017 Common Application essay prompts click here.
If you’re not familiar with the Common Application, click here for more info.

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March 17, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 7 Comments

How to Write 2017 Common Application Essay 1: Background, Identity, Interest or Talent

Do you know how to write your best Common Application essay?

Do you know which Common App essay prompt is right for you? Or even how to choose?

Some schools read tens of thousands of essays a year. So it’s important for your college essay to stand out.

In this series of posts, I’ll give you tips on how your Common Application essay can stand out.

You’ll learn:

What schools look for in Common Application essay answers
How to choose an essay prompt
How to avoid college essay pitfalls

I’ll give you essay examples, too.

First — let’s start with Common Application Essay basics:

The 2017 Common Application has seven prompts (up from five last year). You answer one of them.
The Common App essay must be between 250-650 words.
You can’t upload more than 650 words (or fewer than 250).
Not every school accepts the Common Application, so check every college on your list for its essay requirements.
Click here for the entire list of 2017 Common App essay prompts.

There are two new prompts this year. The Common Application wants to make sure every student finds a question that’s inspiring.

What do schools look for in a Common Application essay?

Your writing skills
Your ability to communicate your ideas
Your personality on the page. (What you care about, what makes you laugh, think, hope, dream, care, stay up at night. In other words, what’s meaningful to you and why.)
Often, a learning or growth experience

Common Application Essay Instructions

What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response.

What should you know about these instructions? They’re open-ended on purpose. You can write about anything that’s important to you, that inspires you, that you care about—in other words, what helps makes you, you. Just make sure you know what your good qualities are, and what you want the schools to know about you.

Tip: If you’re not sure what your best qualities are, download my positive qualities worksheet, which will help you figure them out. Then you’re on your way.

Okay, ready? Here we go…

Common Application Essay 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.

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

Background — Identity — Interest — Talent — Meaningful — Incomplete without it.

Do these Keywords Apply to You?

“Background, identity, interest, talent.” These words are meant to spark your imagination. Think about what’s shaped your life: Is it who you are…where you’re from…what you love…how you think…a hobby you just learned? You can write about almost anything as long as it’s important to the person you’ve grown to be.

“Meaningful” means that this experience has shaped you in a fundamental way—It has influenced your choices, outlook, perspective and/or goals.

Your application would be “incomplete without it.” You need to tell this story in order for people to fully understand you. You also haven’t told it anywhere else in your application.

Choose this Prompt IF:

1. This experience helped shape you in a positive way.
2. If you didn’t tell this story, the admissions committee wouldn’t fully understand you.
3. Your topic doesn’t fit any of the other prompts.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

It has to mean something. Sure, you may like to swim or travel, but unless it’s a meaningful experience that helped define you in some way, it doesn’t qualify. You have to satisfy the keywords.

Don’t omit what you learned. Even though the prompt doesn’t specify it, make sure to include what you’ve learned or how you’ve grown from your experience. This is essential for a complete answer.

Don’t sound like anyone else. Choose an original topic. Definitely avoid writing about sports or mission trips—they’ve been written about so much most of them sound stale. It’s better to think about what else makes you stand out. If you’ve got the best recipe for sticky buns or like to hunt for fossils, and you can link that to who you are, that’s going to be a more original topic.

Examples of 2 Successful Essay Topics:

“Road Trip”

My student, Jeff, was the youngest of three brothers, all of whom were a lot older (one was in the Marine Corps and one was a teacher). Jeff was proud that the example his brothers set had helped him become responsible and mature, and he wanted to write about it. So he chose the summer they invited him on their cross-country trip, and the night they found themselves heading into a dangerous storm.

The two older brothers began arguing: One wanted to be safe and stop for the night and the other wanted to make it to their destination on time. Jeff recognized his brothers were at an impasse, so he checked the forecast and radar maps and figured out they could avoid the storm by taking a less direct route to their destination. When they stopped for gas, Jeff got out of the car and presented his solution. When they voiced their concerns, he calmly answered all of their questions. Eventually, his brothers agreed to continue to Denver using the longer route. When they got back in the car they asked Jeff to navigate.

By keeping a level head and finding the right way to communicate with his brothers, Jeff was able to facilitate a solution that satisfied everyone. He was proud that he helped lead them safely to their destination, and even more so that he lived up to the examples of responsibility and maturity that his brothers had taught him.

Why Does this College Essay Topic Succeed?

All the keywords are addressed. Jeff couldn’t talk about his identity without writing about his family. The example his brothers set for him made him expect a lot of himself and become a responsible leader in many of his daily activities. It was central to who he was.
He learned from his experience. By being mature and thoughtful he found that he could make a positive difference in a difficult situation.

“Ballet Dancer”

Marina was such an accomplished ballet dancer that she studied with the prestigious Bolshoi ballet in New York. Everyone, including her family, assumed that she’d turn professional. Instead, she decided to become a nutritionist. Marina wrote about her love of ballet and how it exposed her to a hidden world of young dancers with eating disorders. Ballet led her to a new goal: helping dancers stay healthy.

Why Does this College Essay Topic Succeed?

All the keywords are addressed. Marina couldn’t tell her story without writing about dance. It was central to her identity and her application would be incomplete without it.
She learned from her experience. Her perspective as a dancer showed her what she wanted to do with her future.

Example of a Poor Essay Topic:

Alex enjoyed driving his car. He liked to ride for hours listening to his favorite music and taking twists and turns he didn’t know, just see where he would end up. Sometimes he drove so far that he had to use his GPS to get home.

Why Does this College Essay Topic Fail?

The keywords are not addressed. This is a nice story, and probably would be interesting to read. But the student doesn’t indicate anywhere how or why it’s central to who he is or what his talents are. If he didn’t write about this activity, no one would miss it.
There’s no learning or growing experience.

Is Common App essay prompt 1 a good choice for an original, memorable topic? Absolutely.

Everyone has a background, identity, talent or interest. Brainstorm. See if you can come up with one, two, or three answers to this question. Have fun! Be silly, serious, original, provocative. Make connections and see where they take you. You might just arrive at a wonderful, meaningful, and memorable Common Application essay personal statement.

Next time: How to write Common Application essay prompt #2.

Read the entire series:
How to Write Common App Prompt #1: Background, Talent, Identity, or Interest
How to Write Common App Prompt #2: The Lessons We Take From Obstacles
How to Write Common App Prompt #3: Challenged a Belief or Idea
How to Write Common App Prompt #4: A Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
How to Write Common App Prompt #5: An Accomplishment, Event, or Realization
Coming Soon:
How to Write Common App Prompt #6: Topic, Idea or Concept that Makes You Lose Track of Time
How to Write Common App Prompt #7: Topic of Your Choice

For the entire list of 2017 Common App essay prompts click here.
If you’re not familiar with the Common Application, go to their website. They also have a very helpful Facebook page.

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February 9, 2017
by Sharon Epstein 8 Comments

2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts

Great news!

The Common Application personal statement essay prompts are out for 2017-2018. They’re new and improved: There are now 7 questions instead of 5. Best of all, there are more possibilities for writing an essay that has impact and lets your personality shine through.

Juniors: This absolutely doesn’t mean you have to amp up the stress and start writing in February. But do read the Common App prompts and give yourself time to think. Write stuff down. Take photos. Brainstorm ideas. Then, when it’s time to start writing, you’ll have you’ll have exciting places to begin.

Common App essay requirements:

You answer one of seven prompts.
The maximum essay length is 650 words.

Here are the 2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts:

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

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.

Tip: Check out this article on the Common Application prompts by Scott Anderson, Senior Director at The Common Application. He provides excellent insight into how to think about these questions.

Interesting Stats from 2015-2016 Applications:

More than 800,000 applicants submitted a Common Application
47 percent chose to write about their background, identity, interest, or talent – making it the most frequently selected prompt
22 percent wrote about an accomplishment
10 percent wrote about a problem solved

For more information, go to the Common Application website or The Common App’s Facebook page.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing insights, question by question, to help students understand, think about, and write outstanding college application essays.

Find your story. Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting in Redding, Connecticut. She’s a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee who teaches students how to master interview skills, write killer resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. I work with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, Skype, Facetime and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

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Common Application Essay Prompt #7

Is this Prompt for You? Answer Yes IF:

Pitfalls to Avoid

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Common Application Essay Prompt #6:

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

Pitfalls to Avoid

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Common Application Essay Prompt #5

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords

Do The Keywords Apply To You?

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

Pitfalls to Avoid

Still Not Sure This is Your Topic?

Successful Essay Topic Example

Why is this Example Successful?

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Common Application Essay Prompt #4:

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

What Can Colleges Learn About You From This Question?

Pitfalls to Avoid:

Examples of Successful Essay Topics

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Common Application Essay Prompt #3:

Is This Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

Why Should You Consider This Topic?

Do the Keywords Apply to You?

Pitfalls to Avoid

Not Sure this Question Relates to You? Here are 3 ways you might answer this question:

What Other Kinds of Beliefs or Ideas Can You Consider?

Example of a Successful Essay Topic:

Reasons Essay Prompt #3 Can Work for You:

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Common Application Essay Instructions

Common Application Essay Prompt #1:

Is this Prompt for You? Look at the Keywords:

Do these Keywords Apply to You?

Choose this Prompt IF:

Pitfalls to Avoid:

Examples of 2 Successful Essay Topics:

Example of a Poor Essay Topic:

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Not Sure this Question Relates to You?
Here are 3 ways you might answer this question: