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One of the most important parts of the college application process is writing the Common App essay. Writing this essay allows you to submit your application to multiple colleges and universities at the same time. When applying to such a vast range of schools, you might be wondering what to include in your essay to make an impression on admissions committees. This post is here to give you a suggested rubric to use when writing the Common App essay to ensure you tackle all aspects that admissions committees are looking for.
Common App Essay Rubric
While there is no official rubric given by Common App as each institute's admissions committee may have its own set of guidelines, we have prepared a recommended rubric below of things to keep in mind when writing your essay.
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Content and Ideas | The essay has a precise central theme or idea that is fully developed and allows the reader to understand the essay clearly. The ideas presented by the student show deep insight and reflective thinking, making the essay engaging to read. | The essay has a central theme or idea that is mostly developed but lacks depth in some places. Although the content is good, there is room for improvement. | The essay has a central theme, but it is not clearly developed or consistent throughout the essay. The ideas presented are generic and not unique. | The essay lacks a central idea or theme, making it difficult for the reader to connect to the topic. The content is disorganized or incoherent in many places, with ideas being vague or underdeveloped. |
Purpose | The essay clearly focuses on the chosen prompt, which allows the reader to have an in-depth look at the student's narrative. This strengthens the essay as the purpose is clear and not split between too many topics. | The essay is mostly focused on the prompt, with the main idea being developed appropriately throughout the essay. Some parts of the essay may deviate from the prompt slightly but this does not distract from the overall message of the essay. | The essay's focus may be unclear at times and the student's explanation has not adequately addressed the prompt in all aspects. The purpose of the essay does not fully align with the prompt. | The essay has an unclear focus and the explanation is off-topic. The purpose of the essay is unclear to the reader. The student's explanation does not address the prompt directly and is confusing to the reader. |
Level of Detail | Ideas are thoroughly developed and expanded upon. The student has provided examples and anecdotes to support their narrative. | Most ideas are well-developed, with room for improvement in some areas (eg: by providing more in-depth explanations). Most parts of the narrative have been supported by examples or anecdotes. | Ideas are not fully developed and lack the clarity required for a strong essay. In many areas, examples and anecdotes have not been provided to support the student's narrative. | Ideas are unclear and there is little to no development. Any explanations present are superficial or limited, with no examples or anecdotes to support the student's narrative. |
Organization | The essay is clearly organized into an introduction, body and conclusion. Transitions between paragraphs are smooth and enhance the flow of the work. | The essay mainly follows an introduction, body and conclusion format but may have incorrectly placed paragraph spacing or transitions in some places. The overall work is still readable aside from minor issues. | The essay follows a basic structure but may lack clear organization and a logical flow. Transitions between paragraphs are unclear or missing. | The essay lacks a clear structure or organization. There is no distinguishable introduction, body or conclusion which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the essay. Transitions between paragraphs are absent or confusing. |
Voice and Tone | The voice and tone of the essay are appropriate to the subject and topic being discussed. The student has adapted their essay to be more serious or lighthearted depending on the topic being discussed. | The voice and tone of the essay are mostly appropriate to the subject and topic being discussed. In some places, the student's voice is not clear but this does not take away from the main message of the essay. | The voice and tone of the essay are inconsistent and unclear. The tone of the essay may not fully match the essay’s purpose or audience. | The voice and tone of the essay are inappropriate for the topic being discussed, which makes the essay less impactful on the reader. An informal tone was used for a serious topic or vice versa. |
Grammar and Syntax | The essay is free of grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. The syntax is correct throughout the essay | The essay contains minor errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. However, these do not reduce the readability of the essay. The syntax is mostly correct, with minor issues in sentence structure. | The essay has several errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation that may distract the reader. The syntax of the essay is somewhat confusing and sentences are not appropriately constructed. | The essay contains numerous errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax that make it difficult to read and understand. |
Creativity | The essay is highly creative with the student describing an experience that is unique to them with a fresh perspective. | The essay is mostly creative. The student has described an experience that is unique to them but has used some ideas or phrases that are clichéd. | The essay shows minimal creativity. The student's narrative is predictable and is based on clichéd experiences. | The essay lacks creativity and originality. The student's narrative is not engaging to the reader as it does not show a unique perspective and reads like a generic essay instead of one that is specific to the student. |
We hope that this guide has helped you identify the rubric to keep in mind when writing the Common App essay. Good luck with your college applications!
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