For your academic applications, your main strength will be your essays. Some schools will ask for a lot of essays, some schools don’t want any, it really varies. When writing your essays, here are a few things to consider

1. First, look at the word count. Having a word count for a prompt is always the hardest thing because ultimately, you will have to cut down your writing no matter what, so preparing for that ahead of time is good. 

2. Make sure you answer everything that the prompts ask you! Sometimes prompts can be intentionally tricky, so you have to make sure that you’re answering the full question to the best of your ability. 

3. Recycling essays is okay! A lot of schools will have very similar essay prompts. Prompts like “why our school” and “why do you want to pursue [major]” are extremely common, so never be afraid to save yourself some time and reuse your essays for all the schools they work for. 

4. Finding balance is key. Schools want to see something that makes you feel unique amongst all their applicants, but that often means experiences that aren’t too positive that we’ve gone through (bullying, homophobia, family issues, etc.). If you have a situation like that that you want to write about, by all means go for it, but don’t make that the only thing you focus on. As much as they’re interested in the events that got you to where you are, they also want to see your personality and the positive side of you as well, so it’s all about balance.

5. If you don’t like an essay, don’t try to force it to work. Just start over. End of story. 

6. Never be afraid to ask for editing help! Even if it’s just a friend you trust, having someone else’s eyes on an essay you’ve written makes all the difference when it comes to making a final draft.

Now, the big essay that everyone talks about is the Common App essay. This essay gets sent off to every school on your Common App that asks for it, and it will probably be the longest one you’ll write. On Common App, you’re given a certain number of prompts, this year it was seven, and you choose one of those to write to! Here are the ones from the 2022-2023 application season: 

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. 

Don’t start writing your essays until the application portal has officially opened though, because sometimes the prompts can change from year to year. They usually don’t but it’s better to be safe than sorry. These prompts can follow the same tips as above, just write from the heart and make them see you through your writing!