Many of you will have to write an essay as part of your college application process, and some of you, for sure, will have to submit an essay written on one of the five Common App prompts. Regardless, all of these prompts can inspire effective personal essays that will help tell your "story" to a college admissions counselor.
NOTE: Much of what follows comes directly from the Common App website
For the Common App, you must 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. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so (the Common App organization won’t accept a response shorter than 250 words).
For this blog response at Schoolsville, choose an option and write a response of 250 words or more as a "warmup" or first draft of the "real thing." One advantage to having a small English class is that I can work more closely with all of you to make your essay even more effective. This blog response "warm up" is due Tuesday, September 8.
Here are the 2015-2016 Common App Essay Prompts. New language (updated from 2014-2015) appears in italics:
- 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.
- The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
- Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
- 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.
- Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
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.
Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so. (The application won’t accept a response shorter than 250 words.)
Follow this link to read the responses of 77 seniors from the Class of 2015.