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Are you in the process of applying to college and need to complete your supplemental Common App essay? This post is here to give you the Common App essay prompts so you can start planning and writing your essays. The essay word count varies from 250-600 words. See the tips below to help ensure that you answer the prompts to the best of your ability!
Common App Essay Prompts 2025-26
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. (250-600 words)
Briefly describe your background, such as cultural or familial influences that have shaped your identity.
Explain a key aspect of your identity, such as being a first-generation college student or belonging to a specific community.
Highlight a particular interest or passion that has been central to your personal growth or achievements.
Describe a talent or skill that sets you apart and has contributed to your personal development.
Explain why this aspect of your background, identity, interest, or talent is so meaningful to you.
Reflect on how this aspect makes your application more complete, showing your uniqueness and potential contributions to the university community.
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? (250-600 words)
Describe the challenge, setback, or failure you faced, providing enough context for understanding.
Explain how the experience affected you emotionally, mentally, or in other ways.
Describe the specific lessons you learned from the experience, such as new skills, perspectives, or values.
Reflect on how you have grown or changed as a result of facing this challenge.
Discuss how this experience has influenced your approach to future challenges and how it has contributed to your personal development.
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? (250-600 words)
Describe the belief or idea you questioned or challenged.
Explain what prompted you to question or challenge this belief or idea, such as new information, personal experiences, or interactions with others.
Describe how you approached the process of questioning or challenging the belief or idea, including any research or reflection you undertook.
Explain the outcome of your questioning or challenging of the belief or idea, including any changes in your perspective or actions.
Reflect on what you learned from this experience and how it has influenced your beliefs or actions since then.
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? (250-600 words)
Describe the specific act of kindness that someone did for you.
Explain why this act made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.
Describe how this act of kindness and your gratitude for it affected you emotionally, mentally, or in other ways.
Explain how this experience has motivated you to act differently or to appreciate similar gestures from others.
Reflect on the lasting impact this act of kindness has had on you and your relationships with others.
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (250-600 words)
Describe the specific accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked your personal growth.
Explain how this experience led to personal growth, such as gaining new skills, insights, or understanding.
Describe the new understanding of yourself or others that resulted from this experience.
Reflect on how this period of personal growth has impacted your life and relationships since then.
Discuss how this experience has influenced your goals, aspirations, or actions moving forward.
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? (250-600 words)
Describe the topic, idea, or concept that captivates you and makes you lose track of time.
Explain why this topic is so engaging to you, such as its relevance to your interests, its complexity, or its potential for impact.
Describe what or who you turn to when you want to learn more about this topic, such as books, websites, experts, or experiences.
Share a specific example of a time when you delved into this topic and the experience of learning about it.
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. (250-600 words)
Explain why you chose this particular topic for your essay.
Provide a clear thesis statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your essay.
Outline the key points or arguments you will make in your essay to support your thesis.
Describe the evidence, examples, or experiences you will use to support each of your key points.
Summarize the main points of your essay and reiterate your thesis statement.
Reflect on what you learned from writing this essay and how it has influenced your thinking on the topic.
We hope this helps you get started on choosing a topic and writing your essays, good luck!
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