The goal of these essays is to help all applicants, regardless of background or access to counseling, see themselves and their stories within the prompts. They are designed to invite unencumbered discussions of character and community, identity, and aspiration. 

These essays are IMPORTANT! They are what really sets you apart from other applicants and can highlight who YOU are in a powerful way. Especially if you decide to go test-optional, admissions counselors need to know what special qualities you can bring to their campuses. So start early, take your time, get feedback from teachers, counselors and mentors, and rewrite! This is YOUR STORY!

The word limit on the essay is 650 words (250 minimum). Shoot for at least 500 words- short essays are rarely effective. 

Sites to help you craft your essays (just use the FREE stuff!):

Common App- Tell Your Story

The Essay Guy

Prep Scholar: 

ThoughtCo

College Vine 

Essay Hell (site hasn’t been updated but still addresses same prompts and includes tips for first-gen students)

Big Future

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.

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?

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 all 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.

We will retain the optional community disruption question within the Writing section. Over the next year, we'll consult with our member, counselor, and student advisory committees to ensure we gather diverse perspectives and make informed decisions.

        Save the Speech. Tell the Tale. (from CA)

Are you stressed out about writing your college essay? You don’t need to be nervous – think of your essay as a conversation.

You love to share your opinions, right?

We know you do because you share them everywhere—whether it’s Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook, I know you love to talk about yourselves.

Here’s how to translate this love into a great college essay:

* Stop guessing. When a college asks, “Name a problem you’d like to solve,” there’s no one right answer for everybody. . . Cure cancer? Great. The need for your mother to work three jobs? Absolutely. The squeak in your garage door? That can work too—as long as it means something to you, and you can show that meaning in your essay. 

You get to decide what the answer is, and why it makes sense.

* Tell a story. Remember the time you told your best friend about the first concert you went to or the best pizza you ever ate? You were on fire at the end of the story, genuinely excited at the chance to share part of your life with them. That’s how you should feel once you’re done writing a college essay. 

This isn’t a speech you give to thousands of people -- it’s a story that means something to you, and you’re telling it to someone who really wants to hear it. 

* Remember, your goal is to write an essay that sounds so much like a conversation, they’ll be surprised you aren’t in the room with them when they’re finished reading it.