Writing your Common App essays can be overwhelming. Especially, if you are new to reflective writing. We have observed that it often takes multiple rounds of discussions with students to identify a personal story they want to elaborate on. We have broken down the common app essay prompts into simple topics to make your writing process easier.

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.

Cultural Background:

• You can discuss how your family environment /culture/ heritage have shaped your worldview, values, and aspirations. 
• Share traditions, or customs that are significant in your life. 

Example: You could write about belonging to a business family and how it has sparked an interest in entrepreneurship if that is what you want to study. Or if your city has shaped your worldview. One of our students wrote about how growing up in a city like Mumbai shaped her view about individual space as three generations of her family shared a 1400 square feet area.

Identity:

• Explain how aspects of your identity (such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.) have influenced your experiences and perspective. 
• Describe challenges faced and how these experiences have contributed to their personal growth. 

Example: If you have an Indian nationality and are settled abroad, you could talk about your challenge in finding your identity or how it made you  a global citizen due to your unique situation. If you follow a vegan lifestyle and are really passionate about animal rights, you can talk about it.

Interest or Passion:

• Write about a subject or activity you are deeply passionate about and how it has influenced your academic and personal journey. 
• Illustrating how this interest has driven you to pursue specific goals or engage in unique experiences.

Example: Talk about specific project work/internship you did out of your own volition to explore your interest in the subject. Keep in mind that you should have done something super-curricular/extra curricular to exhibit your passion. 

Talent or Skill:

• Detail a particular talent (e.g., music, art, sports, writing) and its importance in your life. Share achievements, struggles, and the dedication involved in honing this talent.

Example: Universities prefer to see a consistent, deep engagement. For instance, talk about piano if you have played it for the last 7-8 years and have done recitals/ released your own music/have your own social media with a considerable following.

Community Involvement:

• Discussing your role in your community and the impact you have made through service or leadership. Your initiative needn’t be a big one but an impactful one. One of our students talked about his work at an old age home where he engaged senior citizens in engaging with technology gadgets.

Also Read: 7 Mistakes To Avoid In Your University Essay

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?

For this prompt, you can write about any of the challenges mentioned below. For each of these, you can give an introduction for a problem or struggle that initially seemed insurmountable. Follow it with the efforts/steps you took to overcome it. It could be about seeking help, changing your habits or time management. You can also talk about the process of recovering from a setback, including any changes in attitude, preparation, or approach.

Finally, reflect on how this episode has led to personal growth – enhanced resilience, empathy, perseverance, team work, confidence, standing up for yourself, creativity or problem solving.

1. Academic Challenges:
2. Personal or Family Issues: like illness, financial hardship or family conflict.
3. Extracurricular or Sports Setbacks: losing a competition, being cut from a team, or experiencing an injury.
4. Social or Peer-Related Challenges: social dynamics, such as bullying, exclusion, or peer pressure.
5. Creative or Artistic Failures: an experience of failure or rejection in a creative endeavor, such as a failed project, a rejected submission, or a creative block.

One of our students wrote about his puberty struggle. In an Indian society, boys are normally reticent about their puberty struggle. They essay talked about his challenge of dealing with stretch marks due to sudden height gain as well as friends making fun of his voice. He talked about his becoming part of the basketball team where his height became his advantage and delivering a speech for student council in a rap style. It was an authentic reflection of perseverance and turning a challenge as a springboard for growth.

Prompt 3

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

For this prompt, you can write about any of these:

1. A time when your personal belief or value was challenged by new information or experiences.
2. Question established social or cultural norms such as gender roles or class / caste distinction within the society.
3. Spiritual or religious beliefs or atheism.

Introduce the topic by elaborating on a time when you challenged it. Describe the situation that prompted the questioning, such as a conversation, a book, a class, or an event. Reflect on how this challenge led to a change or reinforcement of the belief and what you learned from this experience. You can also write about the changes in personal identity and relationship changes that this episode sparked in your life.

A student wrote about class distinction that is practised every single day in Indian society. In almost all residential societies, there is a separate lift for residence owners and a separate one for domestic helps and drivers. The essay talked about her fight with the residential society members for equal space for all users.

Prompt 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?

This prompt requires you to write about unexpected acts of kindness, mentorship or guidance, support during your difficult times, encouragement and belief in you or any act of generosity. Describe a time when someone went of their way to help you – it could be a teacher or a senior at school who helped you in a subject you were struggling with, someone who helped you during a family crisis, or a person who encouraged you to pursue your goals, or any gifts or opportunities you received from someone in an unexpected way. In the end, reflect on this experience and write about how it inspired you to be kind, seek out opportunities to help others or help the community.

Also Read: A 5-Step Guide For High School Students To Learn A New Concept

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

For this prompt, you can talk about any of the below:

• Academic Achievement
• Athletic Achievement
• Community Service/Volunteering
• Travel Experience
• Mental Health Crisis

Detail the incident, followed by how it led to increased confidence, recognition of your potential, exposure to new cultures, or a deeper passion for the subject. To conclude, you can talk about how you  have learned the value of hard work, impact of a positive  mindset, more faith in your capabilities, developing maturity or deeper bonds with your family.

For this prompt, a young man talked about his travel to a small village with his friends and seeing first hand the hardships faced by locals while attending primary school and still enjoying playing football. He with a few friends created a football coaching group for those students and travelled for six months in training them.

Also Read: The UK Personal Statement – 5 Key Recommendations

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?

For this prompt, you can talk about your interest in a subject, creative arts, your interest in coding/robotics/other pursuits, reading and exploring philosophical concepts. It could also include your interest in sports or commitment to being fit. Discuss the nuances of these activities that keep you engrossed and perhaps discover a new side of yourself. Explain how you engage with the activity to seek more information and become better at it. For instance, watching TED Talks/other YT videos, attending seminars or extra classes, joining or starting clubs, reading more books and discussing them.

This is one of the favourite topics with students. It provides enough flexibility to showcase your love for a subject that they want to engage in their college journey and also showcase how they have deepened their interest.