Common App Personal Essay

If this sounds like you, then please share your story.The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success.

) Below are all of the 2019-2020 Common App prompts.

Notice that each prompt really has two parts to it: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.

Whether you know immediately which prompt you’re going to choose or not, do yourself a huge favor and .

Take out a notebook and jot down or free write all of the ideas that spring to your mind for as many of the prompts that you’re considering.

Part of the reason the Common App can seem intimidating is because of the Common App essay component, which is required of all students who submit a college application this way. In reality, the Common App essay is easy to ace if you know how to approach it and you give it your best.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at anything and everything you need to know about the 2019-2020 Common App essay in order to help you get into the school of your dreams.You might be surprised what ideas you generate as you start doing this, and you might be surprised which ideas seem to have the most content and examples to elaborate on.Also, it’s important to note that your subject matter doesn’t have to be highly dramatic or spectacular.Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?Regardless of which prompt you choose, colleges are trying to get a sense of how .And furthermore, they want to get a sense of who you are—your interests, your personality, your values—the dimensional aspects of you as an applicant that simply can’t be expressed in transcripts and test scores. That said, there is no exact formula for “cracking the case” of the Common App essay, but there are plenty of useful steps and tips that can help you write a great essay. Download our quick and concise handout that sums up some of the keys to the Common App essay!We’ve also created a downloadable quick guide to writing a great Common Application essay.Below are just a few of the short and sweet things you need to know about the 2019-2020 Common App essay, but we’ll elaborate on some of this content later in this post.After four years of high school, you’re expected to be able to craft a clear and concise piece of writing that addresses a specific subject.So yes, you’re actually being evaluated on your essay writing skills, but the purpose of the Common Application essay is deeper than that—it’s to present the type of person and thinker that you are.