Smarter Admissions

In the post Preparing for the Common App, we outlined the background information that students must include in their college application when using the popular Common Application.

Absent from that article was any information addressing the Common App essay, the most challenging part of the application for most students. If writing your college essay feels daunting, know that you aren’t alone. With a few simple tips, students can proceed with confidence.

The first step in writing the Common App essay is to read the prompts. There are six specific prompts and a seventh option that allows students to “share an essay on any topic of your choice.” This means that you are welcome to write your Common App essay in response to one of the specific prompts or about whatever you would like. Regardless of the topic, your aim is to write an essay with a tight focus and clear, well-supported development.

Students should expect the Common App essay process to be similar to other writing assignments. Steps will include brainstorming, topic selection, writing an outline, writing a rough draft, revising for content and structure, editing for grammar and mechanics, and giving the essay a final polish. Knowing that this is a multi-step process should help set a realistic timeline for completion. 

Five tips for writing a compelling Common App essay

1. When you are brainstorming, think of what you are trying to convey about yourself through your essay. What adjectives or personality traits give an adult stranger a clear impression of who you are?
2. Your essay will be evaluated based on content and coherence. It is usually better to focus on a small event, lesson, memory, or idea and develop it fully rather than pick too broad a topic.
3. Make sure your essay is school-appropriate. You do not want to raise the eyebrows of admissions officers by writing about anything that even hints at being afoul of the law or societal impropriety.
4. Share your struggles by writing vulnerably while ensuring that your story ends in a place of confidence. Focus on your personal growth so that admissions officers know that you are ready for college.
5. Give yourself time to step away from your essay between drafts. Your brain will do a better job revising if you have had time to get a new perspective or generate fresh ways of thinking about your topic.

A bonus tip for students: Be wary of AI. Unless a school explicitly states that you can use AI to help brainstorm, structure, or write your essay, err on the side of caution. Schools want to read YOUR ideas.

A bonus tip for parents: Your well-meaning feedback needs tight boundaries. Admissions readers have a lot of experience reading essays by teenagers and can spot a “DDI” essay in seconds. What’s DDI? Dad Did It.

Need help with your Common App essay?

The Study Smarter team of college essay specialists is here to help! Whether you’re stuck brainstorming a memorable idea, struggling to create a logical structure, or just need a fresh set of eyes on your writing, give our office a call. We can help take the stress out of writing your Common App essay.