Common App Essay Tips: How to Craft a Standout Essay

The Common App essay is one of the most crucial components of your college application. It provides you with the opportunity to showcase your personality, values, and ambitions to the admissions committee in a way that your transcripts and test scores cannot. With so much riding on this essay, it's essential to craft a compelling, thoughtful, and memorable piece of writing.

In this guide, we'll break down the best Common App essay tips to help you craft a winning essay. From brainstorming ideas to polishing your final draft, we'll cover every step of the process, including:

1. What is the Common App essay
2. Brainstorming tips for your Common App essay
3. How to write a Common App essay
4. Revising and editing your Common App essay

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What Is the Common App Essay?

The Common App is a centralized application platform used by over 900 colleges and universities in the US and around the world. As part of the Common App, students must submit a personal essay, responding to one of seven prompts. This essay is your chance to tell your story, explain your personal motivations, and give admissions officers a deeper understanding of who you are beyond your grades and test scores.

Given its importance, the Common App essay should be given careful thought and attention. Let's dive into some key tips to help you brainstorm, write, and revise an essay that captures the essence of who you are.

Common App Essay Tips: Brainstorming Prompts

If you're stuck trying to figure out what to write about, here are five tips to help you brainstorm a unique and compelling topic for your Common App essay :

1. Reflect on personal growth
2. Consider your passions and interests
3. Think about turning points in your life
4. Ask friends and family for input
5. Review past journal entries or letters

Reflect on Personal Growth

When brainstorming topics for your Common App essay, reflecting on a time when you faced a challenge, made a mistake, or learned an important lesson can yield powerful stories. Growth often comes from overcoming adversity or recognizing personal shortcomings. Think about a specific situation where you navigated a tough decision, learned a valuable lesson, or transformed through failure. Essays rooted in personal growth are relatable because everyone experiences these moments. By sharing how you handled a situation and the way it shaped you, you not only showcase your resilience but also your self-awareness and capacity for introspection.

Consider Your Passions and Interests

Your passions and interests often play a large role in shaping who you are. Whether it's sports, art, volunteering, or advocating for a cause, these activities can highlight what drives you. Think about how these pursuits have influenced your identity, values, or future goals. For instance, if you've been involved in music for years, how has it helped you develop discipline, creativity, or teamwork? Sharing the passions that bring you joy not only gives the reader insight into what makes you unique, but it also demonstrates your commitment to something larger than yourself.

Think about Turning Points in Your Life

Turning points are significant moments when something shifts in your life—whether it's a new perspective, a decision that altered your path, or a transformative experience. These moments are rich in emotion and growth and can offer a compelling narrative for your essay. Maybe it was moving to a new city, a meaningful conversation with a mentor, or a life-changing travel experience. These defining moments can showcase your adaptability, ability to embrace change, or the courage to take risks, all of which are traits that admissions officers value.

Ask Friends and Family for Input

Sometimes, the people who know you best can offer insights into your unique qualities and strengths that you might overlook. Ask your friends or family what they admire most about you or if they remember a time when you showed remarkable resilience or passion. These external perspectives can uncover stories or traits that you may not consider essay-worthy, but that actually highlights your best qualities. Having a broader view of yourself can lead to a more well-rounded and insightful essay topic.

Review Past Journal Entries or Letters

If you keep a journal or have written letters to others, these personal reflections can be a goldmine for essay topics. Revisiting your own words can uncover moments of vulnerability, growth, or joy that you may have forgotten. A journal entry might reveal how you processed a difficult experience or reflect on a major decision. By mining these personal archives, you can find themes or stories that resonate with your current self, offering a deep and reflective angle for your essay.

Writing Your Common App Essay

Once you have generated some ideas for potential essays, it's time to put the pen to the paper and get writing! Here are some 7 common app essay tips as you draft your essays:

1. Start early and give yourself time
2. Choose the right prompt
3. Tell a story
4. Be authentic
5. Show, don't tell
6. Avoid clichés
7. Focus on one experience

Common App Essay Tips: Start Early and Give Yourself Time

One of the best strategies for writing a successful Common App essay is to start early. The process of writing, revising, and refining takes time, and rushing through it can result in a less polished final product. Begin brainstorming topics during the summer before your senior year. This gives you the flexibility to explore multiple ideas and work through several drafts without the pressure of looming deadlines. Allow yourself several weeks to experiment with different storylines, seek feedback, and make necessary revisions.

Common App Essay Tips: Choose the Right Prompt

The Common App offers seven Essay Prompts for First-Year Applicants , and while all of them allow for creativity, it's essential to pick one that resonates with you . Select a prompt that allows you to tell a story that reflects who you are as a person. If none of the prompts feel right, you can always choose the open-ended prompt, which allows you to write about any topic you want. Some topics, like sports victories or mission trips, can be overdone. That doesn't mean you can't write about these experiences, but if you do, make sure to focus on a unique aspect of the experience that is personal to you. For example, instead of writing about winning a game, write about how the loss taught you resilience.

Common App Essay Tips: Tell a Story

Admissions officers read thousands of essays, so make yours memorable by telling a compelling story. You want your application to Make Your Activities Sound Better to College Admissions , but the essays are not the place to do so. Instead, focus on a personal experience that shapes who you are and reveals your character. Some key tips for storytelling are:

Start with a hook that grabs the reader's attention. Describe a personal challenge or experience that led to growth. Show transformation by reflecting on how the experience changed you.

Common App Essay Tips: Be Authentic

One of the most important things you can do in your essay is to be yourself. Don't try to impress admissions officers with what you think they want to hear. Instead, focus on sharing your authentic voice and perspective. Authenticity is what makes essays stand out. Some ways to ensure authenticity are:

Write in your natural voice—avoid overly formal language. Share real experiences, not what you think sounds impressive. Reflect on personal growth and how your experiences have shaped your goals.

Common App Essay Tips: Show, Don't Tell

Instead of telling admissions officers you are hardworking or compassionate, demonstrate these traits through your story. "Show, don't tell" means using vivid language, sensory details, and specific examples to illustrate your qualities rather than directly stating them. This technique makes your essay is more engaging and memorable by allowing the reader to experience your growth and character through the narrative.

Instead of saying "I'm determined," describe a time when you overcame a significant challenge despite obstacles. Rather than stating "I'm compassionate," share an experience where you helped someone or took action to support a cause.