Common-app

To effectively answer this prompt, select a key activity from your list and use it to tell a compelling story that reveals the deeper meaning and personal growth behind your background, identity, interest, or talent.

To write a memorable essay, applicants must avoid common pitfalls like clichéd topics, generic writing traps, and overused phrases by instead offering specific, personal, and nuanced reflections.

A thoughtful, multi-stage editing process can transform a good essay into an outstanding one. It is advisable to start the writing process early, ideally the summer before senior year, to allow ample time for multiple drafts and revisions.

A compelling essay, like a well-built house, requires a solid structure.

In the increasingly competitive landscape of college admissions, the Common Application essay serves a singular, critical function: it is the soul of the application.