CommonApp Essay FAQs

Here are some common questions students tend to ask before writing their CommonApp essay. Please refer to the answers below before you start writing your draft. If there are any more questions that you may want to discuss, feel free to reach out to your assigned mentor and editor for additional guidance.

What is the value of the CommonApp essay in my overall application?

The CommonApp essay is the first long-form document that the Admissions Officer reads after going through your Scorecard, LoRs and Activity Lists. It is the only essay that goes to every single university you apply to and gives you the most room to fully express yourself.

I want to write about a big project related to my major of interest. How do I go about that?

Typically, your Activity Lists, CVs, and LoRs are where you rightfully keep all or most of your academic work, while the CommonApp essay showcases another unique dimension of yourself. However, you might feel compelled to write about the organisation you started, an invention you worked on, or a research project in which you were heavily involved. Tell the Admissions Officer in a long essay what motivated you to start this journey and how you see your personal growth through the project. Your CV will already have the measurable aspects of this endeavour, so for this essay, focus on conveying how you have grown through the project. 

I want to write about a traumatic life-changing experience that happened to me (e.g., deceased parent, serious illness, financial lows, story of being Othered, etc.). How do I make an essay out of this? 

Writing a trauma essay for college is a difficult exercise. Reading an essay about your trauma can be a negative experience for the Admissions Officer if not done correctly. This is because, in a CommonApp essay, an applicant is meant to turn every life-changing experience into a motivational journey as they look towards the future. Your essay shouldn’t be a description of the trauma but how you dealt with it and overcame it. What lesson did you learn from this experience, and how will that help you in university?

While engaging with the Writing Program, your personal essay will also go through several revisions, so you need to be willing to work with your editor to refine the essay. You should definitely talk to your mentor about this decision. 

I want to write an essay about my culture, and I am worried that the reader might not fully understand my journey. Do I have to explain my culture with context first? (Essay about Indian classical dance, Indian joint family, etc.)

Always explain the cultural practices and any jargon so you can fully communicate how you grew up (religious festivals, food choices, etc). Please note, however, that if the context is not directly needed to describe how you are as a person, or if the concept is globally popular, there is no need to provide that information presented like a Wikipedia article in your essay.

I have been reading essay samples online, and while I don’t want to copy other applicants, I want to learn what colleges like to hear from students. I also want to take writing advice from friends and family members. Is this a good practice?

Be assured that the Admissions Officer wants to hear your own story. Also, beware of accidentally plagiarising someone’s work, or you will be penalised if there is a lot of similarity in ideation or content between your and someone else’s essay. A student’s CommonApp essay works with the rest of their application (their grades, activity lists, LoRs, other college essays, etc), so a copy-paste approach for one essay will not work for you when the rest of your application is so different from theirs. Taking writing advice from college students or alumni is also not a foolproof strategy. You can definitely talk to your family and friends to get their perspective on what they think makes you an interesting person. Also, communicate any valid concerns to your editor, and they will help refine your essay. 

I’m having trouble starting my essay. What do I do?

Instead of a draft, start with an outline. Create a mind map of what aspects of your personality and what experiences you want in your essay. If you feel like you’re unable to express yourself through words, reach out to your editors so they can help you frame the idea. Please note that your essay will also go through multiple revisions and edits, so there is no need for you to be worried about the presentation of ideas. 

What are the biggest mistakes students make in their CommonApp essays?

• Deviation from the given prompt or not answering the prompt at all.
• Unfocused writing or overly descriptive writing. Eg: Writing about multiple things in an attempt to demonstrate too many aspects of yourself; or, presenting a detailed description of your activity without highlighting your personal growth.
• Overuse of cliched quotes in an attempt to submit a creative essay.
• Plagiarising a senior’s essay, even at the ideational level.

I have several ideas for my CommonApp essay. How do I narrow my options?

Keeping stock of multiple ideas is good, as this means that you will have several options when discussing a narrative with your mentor/editor. However, to narrow it down, ask yourself these questions-  

•    “Which of these ideas is most related to my personal development?”  
• “What crucial lesson did I learn from this experience?”  
• “Can I write 650 words around this idea?”

These three questions will help you sort through some ideas and zero in on what will work best for you. Also, note that you will have plenty of options for writing essays as you begin the college admissions process, so save some narratives for later!