COLLEGE APPLICATION PERSONAL STATEMENT PROMPTS

[Pages:1]COLLEGE APPLICATION PERSONAL STATEMENT PROMPTS

Common Application Personal Statement Prompts

Please write an essay of 250 ? 650 words on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below, and attach it to your application before submission. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. NOTE: Your Common Application essay should be the same for all colleges. Do not customize it in any way for individual colleges. Colleges that want customized essay responses will ask for them on a supplement form.

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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?

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.

"Through the Common App essay prompts, we want to give all applicants - regardless of background or access to counseling - the opportunity to share their voice with colleges. Every applicant has a unique story. The essay helps bring that story to life," said Meredith Lombardi, Associate Director, Outreach and Education, for The Common Application.

TIPS:

*Show the reader your voice!

*Don't tell a pity story.

*Don't try to be so unique that you end up sounding like everyone else.

*Colleges want to hear about how you have grown as a person, shown resiliency or maturity.

*What is something that you could write about forever? We will hear your voice when you are excited or moved by that thing.

*Write and rewrite and rewrite. Have different people read it and get feedback.

*Don't tell a story about a friend or relative, we want to know more about YOU!

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