Common App Essays

If you’re using the Common Application for college admissions, you’ll need to submit a personal statement essay responding to one of seven prompts provided.

This overview covers the Common App essay requirement and provides seven strong sample essays, one for each prompt, along with analysis explaining what makes these examples effective.

What is the Common Application essay?

The Common Application essay is a critical piece of your college application that allows you to showcase your writing abilities and share a personal story that reveals something meaningful about yourself. With a 650-word limit, this one personal statement gives you the opportunity to make your application stand out and help the admissions committee better understand you as a person beyond just grades and test scores.

Here are strong sample essays for each of the Common App prompts along with expert analysis:

Prompt 1: Background, identity, interest, or talent

“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.”

Example: Background, identity, interest, or talent

This essay uses an extended metaphor of the student’s life being “choreographed” by their Indian heritage and passion for dance. It provides rich cultural details about their Indian-American upbringing and evolution as a dancer blending traditions. We get insight into their unique perspective straddling different worlds and values of openness, harmony and celebrating our shared human experiences through creative expression. By the end, we understand their personal journey, multifaceted identity, and vision for bringing people together.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The essay uses an extended metaphor of the applicant’s life being “choreographed” by Indian heritage and dance to build a focused, cohesive narrative directly addressing Prompt 1 on background/identity. The structure moves intentionally from personal anecdotes about cultural upbringing to higher-level insights about blending perspectives.
Appropriate writing style and tone	The response employs an authentic yet sophisticated young voice, using vivid details (“bright Indian clothes”, “Hindu mantras played”) while avoiding overly casual language. The metaphors about choreography elevate the style: “embracing the interconnected roots of creative expression across humanity.”
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The specific personal experiences around dance, mythology, fashions, etc. convey the applicant’s prideful connection to Indian culture in a believable way. The different anecdotes also point to open-mindedness and a global perspective as key positive traits.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	The essay doesn’t just describe the applicant’s background, but also shares the deeper personal meaning and self-awareness gained from straddling multiple cultures. The insight about not “favoring one culture over another” and aiming to “blend different perspectives into harmony” reveals an admirable evolved mindset.

Prompt 2: Overcoming challenges

“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?”

Example: Overcoming challenges

Talk about an engaging opener! This narrative grabs the reader immediately by thrusting us into the visceral moment of the student’s sports injury and all of the initial anguish and self-doubt that follows. We become invested in their difficult journey of perseverance and both the mental and physical rehabilitation required to overcome this setback. The storytelling paints scenes in great detail while also conveying the writer’s determined mindset and insightfulness through self-reflection.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The essay follows an intentional narrative arc directly addressing the prompt – from the gripping opening injury moment, through the difficult recovery process, to the ultimate realizations about perseverance and inner strength. The plotline builds purposefully.
Appropriate writing style and tone	Vivid sensory details like “sickening crack” and “searing pain” immerse the reader, while metaphors such as “waves of dread” and “hazy scene” elevate the style. The personal, conversational voice remains consistent: “This couldn’t be happening…”
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The specificity in recounting rehab efforts like “attacked my regimen like the Olympics” and personal mindset shifts bring the resilience, determination, and persistence to life authentically through the writer’s own experiences.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	The response goes beyond just stating lessons learned by tracing the emotional inner journey, from despair at losing an identity (“trapped by anguish”) to evolved perspectives (“intersecting scars…hieroglyphic map”). The insight about needing “persistence, perspective, and profound hunger” feels hard-won.

Prompt 3: Questioning a belief or idea

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

Example: Questioning a belief or idea

This essay cleverly uses the extended metaphor of “numbers” and quantitative thinking to set up the writer’s challenge of questioning societal beliefs and ideas that don’t always add up. The initial discussion of the certainty of math and geometry evolves into a well-reasoned exploration of historical assumptions about race, sexuality, and other identities that should not be reduced to narrow categorizations. The conclusion circles back insightfully to question even mathematical “proofs” while vowing to embrace complex identities. An excellent balance of creative storytelling with intellectual substance.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The essay constructs a clear narrative of the writer’s evolving perspective, prompted by observations that challenged traditional categorizations across history, biology, etc. The structure builds intentionally towards the insightful conclusion about embracing ambiguities.
Appropriate writing style and tone The extended metaphor around numbers/quantitative thinking provides a creative frame in an academic yet accessible tone: “The world of quantitative thinking made sense in its certainties.” Personal examples balance the intellectual exploration.
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The applicant’s open-mindedness and intellectual curiosity shine through the first-hand anecdotes about grappling with limited racial classifications vs. their mixed heritage experience. Questioning assumptions feels sincere.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	The response goes beyond just stating the belief was questioned by diving into the introspective process and nuanced realizations – mathematics as “an approximation of higher dimensional complexity” and aiming for a “both/and perspective” on identities. The voice conveys hard-won wisdom.

Prompt 4: Appreciating an influential person

“Describe a person you admire and important lessons you have learned through your association with them.”

Example: Appreciating an influential person

This essay employs vivid storytelling and clever metaphors to make the influential person — the student’s grandmother — come alive. The details about the “cozy courtyard” establish an intimate setting for us to envision their special bonding moments. We get a strong sense of the grandmother’s unique voice, wisdom, and the profound impact her cultura teachings had on instilling values. The personal insights about embracing one’s heritage are woven naturally through the anecdotes in a way that deeply resonates.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The essay constructs a clear narrative chronicling the profound impact the grandmother had on instilling cultural values and pride through vivid personal anecdotes and stories she shared. The progression from courtyard lap sessions to museum visits provides an intentional arc.
Appropriate writing style and tone	Sensory details like the “aroma of herbs and pastries” and “her raspy voice” allow the reader to envision the intimate bonding moments, while phrases like “keeping hopes ablaze” elevate the tone. The voice remains grounded through the respect and endearment conveyed for Abuela.
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The specific anecdotes around Abuela’s legends, lessons on indigenous history, and personal significance of traditions reveal the applicant’s authentic appreciation for their heritage. An open-mindedness to different customs and belief systems also comes through.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	Beyond just recounting stories, the essay weaves in thoughtful insights about one’s identity existing in a “rich tapestry of ancestry” that transcends artifacts. The perspective of being a “guardian” persisting ancestral wisdoms feels like a personal mantra derived from Abuela’s influence.

Prompt 5: Transformative event

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

Example: Transformative event

Wow, what a gripping opening! We’re immediately immersed in a transformative moment for the student through sensory details and a building sense of tension. From there, the narrative invites us into the writer’s mind as they recount their adrenaline-fueled quest to aid in hurricane relief efforts. By weaving together the profound realizations catalyzed by this harrowing event with the dramatic setting, the essay paints a visceral portrait of personal growth. We understand exactly how these experiences reshaped the writer’s perspective on the world.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The narrative follows a purposeful arc directly addressing a transformative realization – from the tense opening that hooks the reader, to vividly depicting the relief mission’s challenges, to the profound growth and new perspectives gained. The storytelling intentionally builds to the insightful conclusion.
Appropriate writing style and tone	Immersive sensory details like the “permeating stench of mold” and “cracking of toppled trees” allow the reader to envision the scene, while metaphors like the “shine of brilliant azure” elevate the language stylistically. The personal yet reflective tone remains consistent throughout.
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The writer’s selflessness and drive to take action are palpable through their role in the relief efforts, despite the dangers. Anecdotes like the girl’s smile over a meal packet illustrate authentically an empathetic spirit.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	Beyond just recounting events, the response dives into the profound evolution of mindsets – from recognizing “depths of human resilience” to a “recharged humble outlook” on life. The insight about striving for “compassionate action” wherever possible exhibits vulnerability and wisdom gained.

Prompt 6: Interest or hobby that inspires learning

“Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you?”

Example: Interest or hobby

This applicant chose to focus their essay on their passion for photography and how it has inspired their learning about the natural world. The opening metaphor of becoming “a pupil under Mother Nature’s sage tutelage” sets a lighthearted yet reverent tone. We get a true sense of the writer’s enthusiasm for their hobby as they recount adventurous anecdotes about trekking through landscapes to capture the perfect shots. Their keen eye for detail makes us feel immersed in those moments. Thoughtful reflections convey how the patience and artistry of photography fostered personal growth too.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The response constructs an overarching narrative chronicling the writer’s passion for nature photography through vivid personal anecdotes like trekking to capture the Milky Way. These experiences connect back to the central premise of photography as an avenue for learning from and appreciating the natural world.
Appropriate writing style and tone	The opening metaphor of becoming “a pupil under Mother Nature’s sage tutelage” sets an elevated yet lighthearted tone. Sensory details like “the crisp fragrance of pine needles” allow the reader to envision the scenes, while the personal voice remains grounded: “For hours I waited…”
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	The patience, artistry, and adventurous spirit required for nature photography emerge authentically through the applicant’s own experiences like waiting for “the precise moment” and lying still to observe wildlife. Their enthusiasm and reverence for the subject shine through.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	Beyond depicting engaged hobbies, the response ties in thoughtful insights about how photography fostered personal growth – cultivating mindfulness, creative problem-solving, and a deeper appreciation for nature’s wisdom and cycles. These reflections illustrate meaningful perspective shifts.

Prompt 7: Free topic

“Share an essay on any topic of your choice.”

Example: Free topic

For the free topic prompt, this essay plunges us headfirst into the action of an international humanitarian project as an engaging hook. From there, we get a 360-degree perspective of the various challenges involved in pioneering sustainable construction methods in underserved areas of Nepal. The student’s multifaceted anecdotes show their project management skills, problem-solving abilities, and profound passion for sustainable development. Most impressively, moments of self-reflection woven throughout reveal the deeper lessons they derived about cross-cultural collaboration, adaptability, and servant leadership.

College essay checklist

Checklist Point	How the Example Meets It
Clear and well-structured narrative that answers the prompt	The response constructs a purposeful narrative chronicling the applicant’s experiences on an international sustainable development project, which directly addresses the “free topic” prompt invitation. Details about challenges faced provide an engaging through-line.
Appropriate writing style and tone	The immersive opening line plunges the reader into the scene, while vivid descriptions like “molten lava from the nozzle maw” create an appropriately elevated yet grounded descriptive style. The personal voice remains consistent: “I quickly discovered…”
Demonstrates positive traits and authenticity	Specific examples showcase the applicant’s problem-solving abilities (“each revision required hands-on solutions”), project management skills (“designing infrastructure systems”), and cultural sensitivity (“navigating socioeconomic divides”) in an authentic, grounded way through their firsthand roles.
Demonstrates self-reflection and insight	The response doesn’t just recount events, but derives broader insights about the importance of “adaptability, cultural humility, and meaningful relationship-building” for sustainable impacts. Personal realizations like becoming “humbled students” and seeing “human connections” as the greatest impact reveal thoughtful introspection.