How to Successfully Answer Common App Essay Prompt #1

How to Successfully Answer Common App Essay Prompt #1

Now that the Common App has confirmed this application cycle’s essay prompts, it’s time for rising seniors to begin thinking about how they’ll respond. Your personal statement plays a major role in telling your story to admissions officers; starting early will give you the time you need to do your best.Over the next few posts, we’ll take a closer look at each of the Common App essay prompts and give you a few pointers to keep in mind as your craft your response. Let’s start with the first prompt:“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.”This question gives students a lot of freedom to talk about themselves. But this can be a blessing and a curse. Below are some of our best tips for using the space you have to tell your story.

Show, Don’t Tell

This is true for every piece of writing you will complete during the college process. Admissions officers want to be engaged by your story, not read a list of soulless facts. Place your reader in the heart of your story using descriptive words, sensory clues, and active sentences.Think about the elements of your background or identity you want to celebrate. Make a list of stories that reflect on times when that background or identity was at the forefront. Recreate those scenes as fully as possible with little regard to the word count in your early drafts.Remember, your admissions officer will read hundreds, possibly thousands, of essays each year. Inevitably there will be overlap in your life experience with other students. However, no one can tell your story like you can. Your goal isn’t to find the most unique topic of all time; great essays are borne from honesty, authenticity, and creativity paired with hard work and revision. Dig deep into the particulars of who you are and the examples that illustrate them and your story will stand out.

Remember the “Why”

When answering a question about your background or identity, it can be easy to fall into the trap of providing too much biographical information at the expense of illuminating why it makes you a more desirable applicant. Your ultimate goal is to demonstrate to an admissions officer that you are the kind of student their campus needs.As you consider sharing a personal story, remember the second part of the prompt’s first sentence. Why would your application be incomplete without this knowledge? Ask yourself the following:

• How has my personal story influenced my intellectual curiosity?
• How has it shaped my future goals?
• What unique obstacles have I had to overcome because of my personal story?
• How has my perspective of the world changed because of my personal story?
• What will I bring to campus that others cannot because of my experience?

Before you begin writing, develop clear, compelling answers to these questions so you can ground your response in substance.

Don’t Generalize Your Experience

As you celebrate the elements of your background that make you you, be careful not to generalize beyond your own context. Your experience interacting with the world through the lens of your heritage or identity is unique, even if it isn’t uncommon.Speak from the “I” perspective; culture is not monolithic. Focus on what you’ve learned, how you’ve grown, and what you value. Don’t assume the reader feels any particular way about that experience beyond what you share.The more personal your story is, the better. Think about how you and your family have adapted traditions you share with a larger group. Reflect on the personal spin you add to them or the most impactful aspect of them in your life. The word count is too restricting for you to convey any sense of universal significance accurately; but you can tell a very persuasive story that revolves around your individual experience.

Highlight Action Steps

Even as you infuse your story with the “why” that drives you, remember to give evidence of how you’ve been active in impacting the world around you. The main objective behind your personal statement is to make you a more desirable candidate for college, not simply to tell a great story.You provide ammunition for an admissions officer to advocate for you in your writing. They want to see that you are an engaged, contributing member of society. As great as it is that your personal story means something to you, it’s even more important to demonstrate how you have acted on that meaning.If you are writing about a talent or interest, reflect on the steps you’ve taken to hone your craft. What learning have you pursued outside of school? What challenges have you faced? And how have you or can you use this talent to help someone who needs it?The reason to choose this essay prompt over the others is because you believe that the part of your identity you’re sharing is crucial for a reader to understand to be able to make an admissions decision in your favor. You will need to be willing to dig deep and take an objective viewpoint about situations that may be highly personal or emotional to you as you refine this essay.Done well, this can be a very powerful topic for students to share their story. But be sure to keep sight of the main goal: demonstrating your value as a student on campus.You can do it!The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us