We’ve spent the last few weeks breaking down the Common App essay prompt by prompt, and today we’re going to give you our ultimate guide to writing the Common App essay. There might be seven different prompts, but ultimately, all schools want the same thing from their applicants’ Common App essays: a story.
As you know (or if you don’t, strap in), the Common App essay might be the most important part of your college application. Yes, your grades and scores and activities and all of that stuff matters a lot, but the Common App essay is the one thing that actually shows schools who you are, and it goes to almost every school on your list. So, (and not to put the pressure on too hard because we know that if you’re here, you’re a Type A nutjob like we are and are fully aware of the weight of this essay) the Common App essay needs to be perfect. So let’s talk about what the Common App essay wants of you:
In 650 words, synthesize everything about yourself. KIDDING.
College admissions officers also are reading hundreds of these a day, and you want to take into account that most kids do not read our wonderful blog and therefore are not heeding our advice and are writing about those cliche things we tell our clients to avoid. You shouldn’t write an essay that brags about your accomplishments, tell a story about someone who isn’t you, or talk about something that’s already in your Common App activities section. You also don’t have to write about the worst day of your life or the traumas or hardships you’ve faced just to get into college. You are more than the challenges you’ve dealt with, and if there’s something you absolutely need to tell schools in order to give them important context, you can put it in the additional information section.
2024-2025 Common App Essay Prompts
Before we get into how to write the Common App essay, let’s rapid-fire through each prompt and give you our hot take on whether or not it’s worth your time:
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.
A lot of the things students immediately want to write about here are already covered in their activities section, belong in the additional information section, or should be better saved for fodder for the school-specific supplements you’ll have to write. If you do choose to write this one, it needs to lean into the super-unique.
Our verdict? Not our fav. Read more about Prompt #1 here.
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 one is great because it literally begs you to tell a story! A word of warning, many students often want to write about those additional information-y type things here, like a trauma, disability, learning differences, or why their grades weren’t strong. Avoid that with this prompt. Also, a lot of students spend too much time self-flagellating about the failure and not enough time on the growth!
Our verdict? This one’s pretty good as long as you follow our advice.
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 feels like a trap. Not that you can’t write a good essay for it, but this is one of those questions that a lot of school supplements are going to ask you too, and you don’t want to burn material. We also see a lot of students answer this one and they either write about a social issue or cause instead of writing about themselves, or they write something that makes them look ignorant or biased, and we don’t want that for y’all! If you do write this one, you’ll want to lean into less serious beliefs or ideas that you’ve challenged.
Our verdict? We strongly recommend passing on this one, but we have some tips if you choose to forge forward.
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?
The newest prompt, added in the wake of COVID-19, is actually one we really like. Common App essays should be positive! The biggest pitfall we see students make with this one is writing about someone else instead of themselves, and the Common App essay should be what? About ourselves, that’s right. If you have a nice story about someone following your love language or someone inspiring your new hobby, go for it.
Our verdict? We like this one! But make sure to heed our advice.
Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
This one also feels like a trap!! Most of what you all want to write about for this one will either be already covered elsewhere in your application, should be in additional information, or would be better used as fodder for supplemental essays. If you do write #5, focus on smaller things, like a personal goal you set and achieved or how you fell into your newest quirky hobby.
Our verdict? Again, not our favorite one, but not impossible if you listen to our words of wisdom!
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 should be all about the unexpected, and we love it. If you’re a jock who loves to ballet dance, or you’re a cheerleader who goes to Star Trek conventions, or a tuba player who moonlights as a metal drummer, those contradictions should be highlighted here. Big thing to remember is do not write about your college major.
Our verdict? This might be our favorite prompt that isn’t Prompt #7 (our true favorite prompt). We love it, and we have advice for you.
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.
Oh Prompt #7, how we love you. This open-ended prompt gives you the freedom to sidestep all the things you don’t like about the prompts above and instead focus on the things you do want to answer. However, do not send them an essay you’ve already written, especially if it’s a school paper. This is not just a writing sample–it’s an open space for you to humanize yourself.
Our verdict? 10000% absolutely, this is the prompt all our clients answer. More on it here.
Writing the Common App Essay 2024-2025
Remember, you only have 650 words! You can’t boil down the essence of who you are or tell an epic life story. Instead, you want to focus on the things about yourself that cannot be quantified or revealed through the rest of your application. If you’re applying with all As, a nearly perfect test score, and a list of activities that would put Leslie Knope to shame (are the youths still watching Parks and Rec?), admissions counselors will be able to tell you’re hardworking or ambitious or driven or dedicated, etc. What admissions officers don’t know from that list of stats is how funny you are, or how you do magic at little kids’ birthday parties, or how your favorite thing in the world is grilling the perfect steak. Go through the prompts above and see if any of them really ~speak to you~ in particular, or if any stories come to mind.
If you’re really stuck, you can also ask your friends and family to give you a list of five or so words they’d use to describe you. Once you get these lists from a few friends, you’ll notice some overlap in the words people use, and this might also help a certain story come to mind. Think about the rituals or traditions you take part in, or your perfect Sunday night, or even look around your room for inspiration. You can even take a look at some sample essays that past clients have written, to get some ideas of what you could talk about.
If you have your idea, you’ve honestly gotten through the hardest part. Brainstorming the perfect Common App essay is a challenge, and if you have a good idea that you’re excited about, the next step shouldn’t be so difficult. Now, it’s time to write.
If you take one thing away from this blog post, let it be this: your Common App essay should be a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Your essay's opening should immerse the reader in the vivid sensory details, placing them right in the middle of your scene. If you’re telling a story about the thrill of the hunt in a thrift store, think about what you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste—incorporate all those sensory elements. Is it a little basement-y in there? How do the clothes feel in your hands? Is there music playing? You also might want to identify a problem or crisis you need to solve. Are you there to find something specific? In a race against time to find your prom dress? Maybe you locked eyes with another thrift store regular and are in an imaginary competition with them. Your intro shouldn’t just set the scene, but it should give your reader a reason to stick around and be invested in your story.
In the essay's middle, keep the momentum going. Are you there hunting for a specific thing? Maybe you can liken it to an adventurer hunting for an elusive rare animal. Maybe you’re almost at your wit’s end, especially as you sit in the parking lot, drenched in sweat, looking through the piles of clothes. Maintain the sensory-rich language you used in the beginning to keep the reader engaged. Maybe an advancement in the story has occurred, like you reached for the same thing as someone else, and now you have to talk your way out of it.
Your conclusion should have a satisfying resolution. While not all real-life stories end happily ever after, your Common App essay should. If you aren’t writing a story with a happy ending, start over! Reflect back on your introduction—has the conflict been resolved? Did you find that holy grail item? The conclusion should tie up everything nicely.
Once you have a draft, it’s time to edit. Read your essay out loud to spot any awkward or stiff sections and make the necessary edits. It can even be helpful to retype the entire document to catch errors or improve phrasing. Go through this editing process several times before getting feedback from a trusted friend, parent, teacher, or mentor. Be mindful not to overwhelm yourself with too many opinions—one or two reviewers should be fine.
Now that your essay is polished, it's time to submit! Good luck!
We are experts in writing creative and unique college essays. If you need help brainstorming or writing your Common App essay, reach out to us today.