Common App | Common App

Some colleges require submission of the personal essay with your Common App. You may submit a personal essay to any college, even if it is not required by that college. If not required by a college, you will be given the option during submission to include your essay or not for that college.

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Here is the current list of colleges on your Dashboard and whether they require the Personal Essay.

Required

Not Required

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

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.

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?

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

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?

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

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?

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.

Please write an essay on the topic selected. You can type directly into the box, or you can paste text from another source.

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Min: 250 / Max: 650

0/650 words

Add 250 or more words to meet the 250 word minimum.

Press Alt/Opt+F10 from the editor to navigate to the toolbar, or Alt/Opt+0 for a list of .

Press Alt/Opt+F10 from the editor to navigate to the toolbar, or Alt/Opt+0 for a list of keyboard shortcuts.

Min: 250 / Max: 650

0/650 words

Writing

Personal Essay

Additional Information, Incomplete