How to Write the Common App Essay (With Examples)

TL;DR

The Common App essay is a 650-word personal statement about YOU — not your achievements, not your résumé, not what you think colleges want to hear. Pick a specific moment or detail, be honest, show who you are, and write in your own voice. That's it.

---

What Is the Common App Essay?

The Common Application is used by 1,000+ colleges. When you apply through it, you write ONE personal essay (250-650 words) that gets sent to every school on your list.

This essay is your chance to show admissions officers who you are beyond your GPA, test scores, and activities list. It's the most human part of your application — and for many students, it's the most stressful.

But here's the good news: you don't need to write about curing cancer or surviving a tragedy. The best Common App essays are often about small, everyday moments that reveal something genuine about the writer.

The 2025-2026 Common App Prompts

The prompts rarely change, and most have been the same for years:

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, please share your story.

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?

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

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

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

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

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.

Pro tip: The prompt doesn't matter as much as you think. Admissions officers care about the ESSAY, not which prompt you chose. Pick the one that fits your story, or use Prompt 7 and write whatever you want.

The Biggest Mistake: Writing About the Wrong Thing

The #1 mistake students make is writing about the wrong thing. Here's what NOT to do:

Don't Write a Résumé Essay

"I'm the captain of the soccer team, president of NHS, and I volunteer at the hospital every Saturday." Your activities list already covers this. The essay should show something ELSE about you.

Don't Write a Travel Essay

"When I went to Costa Rica, I realized how different other cultures are." Unless the trip genuinely changed your worldview in a specific way, travel essays tend to be generic and privileged-sounding.

Don't Write a Trauma Essay (Unless It's Truly Your Story)

You don't need a tragic backstory to write a good essay. And if you DO have one, be careful — the essay should focus on your growth, not the trauma itself.

Don't Write What You Think They Want to Hear

Admissions officers read 20,000+ essays a year. They can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. Don't pretend to be passionate about social justice if you're really passionate about baking bread. Write about the bread.

What Actually Works: The Specific Detail Strategy

The best Common App essays zoom in on something small and specific, then zoom out to show what it reveals about you.

Example of zooming in:

• ❌ "I love cooking" (too broad)
• ❌ "Cooking has taught me about different cultures" (generic)
• ✅ "The first time I made my grandmother's mole recipe without her instructions, I burned the chiles and cried — not because of the smoke, but because I realized I'd been cooking from her memory, not my own." (specific, emotional, real)

See the difference? The specific detail creates an image, an emotion, and a question the reader wants answered.

Step-by-Step Writing Process

Step 1: Brainstorm (Don't Write Yet)

Spend a few days thinking about potential topics. Ask yourself:

• What do I think about when I can't sleep?
• What's something I do that most people don't know about?
• What moment changed how I see the world?
• What's a small detail or habit that's uniquely "me"?
• What would my best friend say is the most "me" thing about me?
• When have I felt most alive or most myself?

Write down EVERYTHING — even ideas that seem dumb or too small. Often the "too small" ideas make the best essays.

Step 2: Pick Your Topic

Choose the topic that makes you FEEL something when you think about it. If an idea makes you smile, cringe, or get emotional — that's the one. Readers can tell when a writer cares about their subject.

Step 3: Find Your Opening Scene

Start with a specific moment. Not a summary. Not a definition. A SCENE.

Weak opening: "Ever since I was young, I've been passionate about music." Strong opening: "The first time I played a wrong note in a recital, I was seven. I froze, hands hovering over the keys, and heard my mother's sharp inhale from the third row."

The strong opening drops you into a moment. You can see it. You want to know what happens next.

Step 4: Write a Terrible First Draft

Your first draft WILL be bad. That's normal. Just get words on the page without judging them. Don't worry about:

• Word count (fix later)
• Grammar (fix later)
• Whether it "sounds smart" (it shouldn't — it should sound like you)

Write the whole thing in one sitting if you can. Get the story out.

Step 5: Find Your "So What?"

After drafting, ask yourself: "What does this essay reveal about me that my application doesn't already show?"

Your essay should show at least one of these:

• How you think
• What you value
• How you've grown
• What makes you curious
• How you handle challenges

If your essay doesn't reveal any of these, you might need a different angle.

Step 6: Revise (The Real Work)

Good essays are REWRITTEN, not written. Plan for 5-10 drafts. Each revision should focus on something specific:

• Draft 2-3: Structure and story flow
• Draft 4-5: Voice — does it sound like YOU?
• Draft 6-7: Word choice and cutting unnecessary words
• Draft 8-10: Polish, proofread, read aloud

Step 7: Get Feedback (But Not Too Much)

Share your essay with 2-3 trusted people:

• A teacher or counselor who knows good writing
• A friend or family member who knows YOU
• Someone who can be honest (not just say "it's great!")

Don't send it to 15 people. Too many opinions will confuse you and water down your voice.

The Voice Test

Read your essay out loud. Does it sound like you talking? Or does it sound like a robot trying to impress a college?

Sounds like a student: "I've always been the kid who takes things apart. My mom stopped buying me toys with batteries after the toaster incident of 2019."

Sounds like a robot: "Throughout my formative years, I have cultivated a deep appreciation for the mechanical intricacies of everyday appliances."

Both say the same thing. One is memorable. One is forgettable. Write like you talk (but a slightly more polished version of how you talk).

Structure Tips

Length

Aim for 600-650 words. Using the full word count shows you took it seriously. But don't pad with fluff — every sentence should earn its place.

Structure Options

• Narrative: Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Most common and most effective.
• Montage: Connect several smaller moments around a theme. Works well for Prompt 6 (topic that captivates you).
• Reflective: Start with a moment, then reflect on its meaning. Works for Prompts 2 and 5.

Avoid

• Don't use a quote as your opening line (it wastes your words on someone else's voice)
• Don't end with "and that's why I want to attend [School Name]" (this essay goes to ALL schools)
• Don't use SAT words you wouldn't naturally use
• Don't write in the third person

What Admissions Officers Actually Look For

Based on what admissions professionals publicly share, they look for:

1. Authenticity: Does this essay feel real? Can I hear the student's actual voice?
2. Self-reflection: Does the student understand themselves? Can they analyze their own experiences?
3. Specificity: Does the essay use concrete details, or is it full of vague generalizations?
4. Writing quality: Is it clear, engaging, and well-organized?
5. Insight: Does the essay reveal something about the student that I wouldn't get from the rest of the application?

Notice what's NOT on this list: impressive achievements, perfect grammar, big words, or dramatic life events.

Common App Essay Timeline

When	What
Summer before senior year	Brainstorm topics
July-August	Write first draft
August-September	Revise (5+ drafts)
September-October	Get feedback, polish
October-November	Finalize
November-January	Submit with applications

Starting in the summer gives you plenty of time to write, revise, and not stress. Starting in November... doesn't.

Gradily Can Help You Find Your Voice

The hardest part of the Common App essay is making it sound like you. Gradily helps you brainstorm, organize your thoughts, and refine your writing — while keeping YOUR voice front and center.

[Try Gradily for Free →]

---

Quick Recap

1. Write about something specific and personal — not achievements
2. Start with a scene, not a summary
3. Use your real voice — write like you talk
4. Show self-reflection and growth
5. Revise 5+ times
6. Get feedback from 2-3 people
7. Start early (summer before senior year)

The Common App essay is 650 words. That's it. One page, double-spaced. You've written longer text messages. The difference is that these 650 words need to be authentic, specific, and unmistakably YOU.

You have a story worth telling. Now go tell it. ✍️