university of washington personal statement vs common app essay

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Writing Your Personal Statement

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Main Content

You are required to complete a Personal Statement as part of your application. This is a critical part of your application, both for admission and scholarship consideration. Content, as well as the form, spelling, grammar, and punctuation will be considered. When you write your personal statement, tell us about the aspects of your life that are not apparent from your academic record.

Personal statement

Freshman applicants will choose one of the following prompts (400-600 words):

1.) Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2.) Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

3.) An essay topic of your choice. If you have written another admissions essay that captures what you want the UW Tacoma Admissions Committee to know about, feel free to share it with us. Be sure to include the topic or question you answered. 

Transfer applicants are asked to address the following writing prompt:

Describe how personal, professional or educational experiences have shaped your academic, career and/or personal goals. How will UW Tacoma help you attain these goals? (650 words)

Other comments (optional)

If there is anything else you think we should know, you can include that in the "Other Comments" section of the application.

Tips for Success

• Tell us who you are. We encourage you to share those aspects of your life that are not apparent from your transcripts. Be concise, but tell the whole story even if you need a little more space. All of the information you provide in your application and statement will remain confidential.
• Be specific. Personal Statements too often include sentences such as "I've always wanted to be a Husky" or "My whole family attended the UW." Though this may be important to you personally, such statements are not particularly valuable to the Admissions staff. Why? Because they don't tell us anything distinctive about your experiences and ultimate goals.
• You are a college student. Your Personal Statement should reflect the experience and maturity of someone who has already attended college. It should reflect your understanding of the components of an undergraduate education, such as general education and the major. We want to read how your academic and personal experience to date fits into your academic, career and personal goals and how UW Tacoma can help you attain these goals.

Write your statement first in a word processing program (such as Word). Then copy/paste your work into the application text box.

Here are some tips on  how to write a great college essay .

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• Applications & personal statements

Application materials like personal statements, resumes, and cover letters are an integral part of packaging your experience, academics, and interests in a meaningful way. The UW Career and Internship Center is a great resource to support you through the brainstorming, writing, and completion processes of your application materials. Here are some additional tips for telling your story for programs at UW and beyond!

Personal Statements

Since most majors at the UW require an application, many students are required to turn in personal statement essays and/or short answer responses to get into their major. For example, every application for the College of Engineering requires a short answer question that asks them to share the unique perspective that they can bring to the engineering classroom. 

Applications are not restricted to UW though — they are required for scholarship essays, internships, and jobs! That being said, here is an overview about how to organize an application like this:

• Section 1: What do I want to do and why? E.g. Why is this your field of interest, and what led you to explore this major?
• Internships, coursework, and special projects that contribute to the student’s learning
• Highlight specific things about the university/place/program in question
• Section 4: What will I do with this in the future?

The personal statement is a place to describe motivations and provide insight about the perspective you'll bring to the program, which could be related to your academic interests, identity, or past research/internship experience.

Although resumes can be personalized or designed based on the student’s area of study/conventions of the discipline, there are some tips that will apply to every resume:

• Keep it short and relevant to the job : Resumes should (typically) fit on one page, and the top part should include your name and contact information (at least your phone number and email address). Feel free to add links to your portfolio, LinkedIn, GitHub, or other outlets that are relevant to your discipline of interest.
• Break it up : Choose relevant section headings to break up your experience (e.g. Education/ Projects Leadership Experience / Working Experience / Skills). Try to incorporate buzzwords from job description into the resume.
• Keep is consistent : The headings should be in the same font size and style to improve readability for a recruiter. Leave some white space above headlines to improve readability.
• Use action verbs : Instead of saying “Helped organize event for office party,” try, “Proactively organized an annual donor event and interacted with professional staff, caterers, and attendees.”

Cover Letters

Typically, cover letters include information about how you found out about the job (this is a good place to name drop references/job fair recruiters/etc.), the extent of and reasons for your interest in the job, and a few examples of experiences that have prepared you for the job. Here are two great videos from the UW Career and Internship Center that can help you structure your cover letter and guide you through what to include in your cover letter .

Cover letters are not a reiteration of the resume. Instead, hey are meant to highlight relevant experiences that convey how you’d be an asset to the company, project, or internship you want to join.

Here are a few general tips for cover letters:

• Include your contact information : Your resume and cover letter might get separated during the recruiting process, and you want to make it easy for them to reach you!
• Provide signposts for reader:  e.g. “I’ve had X, Y, and Z experiences that will prepare me for this job/internship”
• Switch passive voice to active voice:  Don’t give the project so much credit – take ownership/agency of the skills you develop”
• Address a specific person:  e.g. “Dear (recruiter name)” vs. “To whom it may concern”
• Explain how your current skills translate in the context of the job (these are often called transferable skills)
• End by thanking the person for their time.
• Include a signature.

Things to Remember

Writing about yourself can be difficult, especially if you are more accustomed to the conventions of academic writing. Use the application as an opportunity to discuss your skills, motivations, and experiences.

• If you've applied to a program of opportunity before, see if you can get feedback about what could be improved about your past application.
• Keep the prompt in mind – it might be helpful to paste the guiding questions at the top of the document and check in about if you're answering every part of the prompt.
• Keep application deadlines in mind!

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• Tips for writing a personal statement

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How to Write the University of Washington Application Essays 2017-2018

Located just north of the center of Seattle, the University of Washington is an urban public university that boasts highly ranked STEM and business programs, ranks consistently in the top 20 public schools in the nation, and offers 180 majors to undergraduates.

UW uses a quarter system for their academic calendar, meaning that classes are fast-paced, exciting, and consistently intellectually stimulating. And with a class population of 31,418, the undergraduate community is vibrant and diverse.

The average SAT score of admitted students ranges from 1210-1420, with an ACT Composite of 26-32; the average GPA of admitted students ranges from 3.68-3.94; and the admission rate is at about 45%.

Since the University of Washington does not use the Common Application, the admissions process can seem particularly daunting. But don’t worry — we here at CollegeVine are ready to help you put your best foot forward when it comes to the UW essays.

University of Washington Application Essay Prompts

Part a: main essay (500 word limit), at the university of washington, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. some of the best statements are written as personal stories. in general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300 to 400 words in length. (maximum length: 500 words).

The main essay is the biggest, and usually most important, component of the University of Washington’s application. But before you begin to consider how to tackle the specific prompt on which you choose to write the main essay, it’s important to consider how to approach this essay in general, regardless of the prompt.

It’s important to note that since you don’t apply to UW through the Common Application, it’s helpful to consider the main essay as, essentially, a Common Application essay. With that in mind, it’s important to remember that this essay should accomplish the same things as a typical Common Application essay — that is, after reading it, the reader should feel like they just became friends with you and know you in a authentic, genuine way.

So, for example, if you are a prospective engineering major, this essay is not the place for you to list off all of the extracurriculars you’ve done that would make you a perfect fit for the engineering school. But it is an excellent time to talk about your intellectual curiosity and your knack for coming up with innovative solutions to problems.

To brainstorm ideas for this essay, you should follow the exact same strategy you would use to brainstorm for a Common Application essay . Make sure that when choosing the prompt you’re going to write about for the main essay, you select one that allows you to highlight the things about your story that you feel are most important.

If you are a very analytical thinker, choose the prompt that asks about a time that your opinion has changed, or if you’re very involved in your community, choose the prompt that asks you to discuss the meaningful contributions you’ve made. The only difference is that since this essay is slightly shorter than a regular Common Application essay (500 words instead of 650), the organization of this essay should be more compact.

Refrain from overly long introductions and conclusions, make your sentences concise and to the point, and make sure that your story flows coherently from paragraph to paragraph.

Main Essay Options: Specific Strategies for Each Prompt

Main essay prompt #1, tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it..

This prompt is a great opportunity to clue your reader in to your fundamental values. At the heart of it, it’s a prompt that is asking about who you are. What are the things that motivate you? Where are times in your life where people have seen the ‘true you?’

Something to keep in mind while you’re writing this essay is that the story you choose has to be dynamic. It should be a story in which a change occurs — either a change within yourself that helped shape your character, or a change that you enacted that demonstrates your character. For example, a good story for this prompt would be a story of the time you started a food drive after noticing a problem in your local community, or changed your lifestyle to incorporate more recycling and composting into your life after listening to a speech by a climate change expert.

By the end of the essay, the reader should have a clear idea of what your fundamental character and values are, based on how you conducted yourself within whatever situation you choose to tell.

In terms of writing technique, this prompt lends itself well to a more narrative style of writing. Instead of writing this essay like a regular English class essay, you could get inventive and write it more in the style of a novel or, if you’re daring, even a play. Above all, remember to show, not tell.

For example, if you’re writing about a time when you were waiting for results from a doctor, rather than just saying, “I was nervous because I didn’t know what my doctor was going to tell me,” you could say this: “The air was filled with electricity. My heart pounded in my chest, barely giving me room to breathe. What was my doctor going to tell me?”

Every opportunity you get, make an effort to immerse the reader in the story that you’re telling. This gives them more space to empathize and connect with you and your personal story and gives the essay more impact.

Main Essay Prompt #2

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution..

On its surface, this is a great prompt for people who are very involved in community service and volunteer work. But even if you don’t fly halfway across the world every summer to dig wells in foreign countries, this can still be a great prompt for you.

What’s important to remember is that here, the reader is not necessarily looking for you to list off all the volunteer hours that you’ve ever done — that’s what your extracurriculars section is for. This essay is about how those contributions have impacted you, and your view of the world. For this essay to stand out, you should discuss why making the contribution was important to you, and how you grew and learned from the experience.

This prompt is also implicitly asking you what you think the greater good actually is . This is something to be conscious of as you’re writing. Ask yourself: Why was this a meaningful contribution? Why do I believe that what I did was a good thing? How exactly did I make the world a better place, and for whom? Implicitly answering these questions in your essay will give it more depth, no matter how seemingly trivial the contribution you made was.

For example, if you baked your friend cookies after she had a bad day, you can discuss in your essay that afterwards, you came to the realization that making and maintaining kind and loving human connection is fundamentally important, both on an individual and a global scale.

Even if the contribution is small, if it is meaningful to you, there’s a good chance that it will be a meaningful and powerful essay to the reader as well.

Main Essay Prompt #3

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged how did you respond how did the challenge affect your beliefs.

This prompt is a great opportunity to talk not only about what your beliefs are, but why you believe what you believe. The reader wants to know that your ideas are a product of careful consideration, not just blindly following the crowd. This essay gives you a chance to show that.

At its core, this question is asking you about your critical thinking skills. The reader wants to understand how you work through problems in your head. What is your thought process when someone challenges you? How do you interact with ideas that are diametrically opposed to your own?

It’s important to understand that there are two different possible outcomes for this essay — either you changed what you believed, or you didn’t. If it was the former, you have to walk the reader through the steps that led you to change your mind. If it was the latter, explain why you didn’t change your mind.

In either case, make sure to walk the reader through your thought processes in an engaging way, adding in specifics to keep them hooked. So rather than saying, “I researched the question and realized I was wrong,” try saying something like this: “The combined force of the statistics published by UC Berkeley and the lengthy economic research paper from Harvard School of Economics convinced me that my beliefs on the San Francisco housing crisis were misinformed. Ultimately, I realized that my opinion had mostly come from the prevailing biases in my school and larger community.”

By the end of the essay, the reader should have a firm grasp on how you handle intellectual conflict and what you believe about the world as a result of the challenges your beliefs have encountered.

Main Essay Prompt #4

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now what’s the best part what advice would you give younger siblings or friends (assuming they would listen to you).

This prompt is interesting because it asks you to draw not only on your personal experience, but also implicitly asks you to draw on your historical knowledge. You have to compare teenagers now to teenagers in some historical era — it could be as recent as the 2000s, or as far back as the 1400s. If you have a strong passion for history, it could be interesting to draw that out in this essay — demonstrate your strong knowledge about teens in the 1600s by crafting an essay that is an extended compare-and-contrast type of essay.

Whichever time period you choose to compare your own experience to, you should make sure that your essay doesn’t just turn into you listing off good and bad things about being a teenager. While that might be a good brainstorming technique when you start writing the essay, tie the hard parts and the best parts of being a teenager to either one or two concrete stories in your life that demonstrate these parts, instead of just telling the reader what they are. This is much more engaging and will create a more powerful essay.

The second part of the question is the most essential part to answer because it’s the part of the essay where you show how you’ve grown and matured. Without answering the second part of the question, your essay just turns into an exposition about all the good and bad things in your life.

If you say that the hardest part of being a teenager is learning how to navigate the structures of school and home without losing your independence, you should also talk about how you and your teacher devised a way for you to self-study history so you could also take orchestra, or how you compromised with your parents so you could stay late after school for robotics and still get home in time to do your chores.  

The advice that you give shows that you are not a passive participant in your own life — you’ve taken the good and bad things in your life and learned meaningful lessons from them. This essay is an amazing way for your reader to see all the growing up you did in high school take place over the course of 500 words.  

An important thing to keep in mind when writing this prompt is that you should remember your audience. You don’t have to try and come up with adult-sounding problems that you don’t have — it will come off as disingenuous — but at the same time, now is not the place to talk about high school parties or your awful ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. Be yourself, and talk about the highs and lows of your life that are genuine and meaningful to you, but don’t feel compelled to overshare.

Main Essay Prompt #5

Submit an essay on a topic of your choice..

If you are applying to a lot of other schools on the Common Application and are looking to save some time, you might consider taking your Common Application essay and cutting it down to 500 words to fit this prompt. This is a good strategy, especially if your Common Application essay is already answering some other question because it means that the essay you’re submitting here is still targeted and on point.

The biggest pitfall of this prompt is that because it’s so general, you can get lost in your own essay and end up addressing too many things, rather than pinpointing one or two aspects and going in depth with them. To avoid this, a good strategy is to tie your essay to a concrete story in your life, and then build it off of that.

With that being said, this prompt can also produce some of the most amazing essays. Because you aren’t constrained by a question, you can literally write about anything that interests you. This is especially good for people with strong or unique writing skills. You could write an essay about how a specific book changed your view of the world in the same style that book was written, or tell a story about a specific extracurricular that drastically changed who you are throughout the course of high school.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to this essay is that depth is almost always better than breadth. Again, don’t just list out all of your accomplishments. Instead, choose something specific and dive deep into it, writing an essay that shows the reader who you are.

Part B: Community and Diversity Essay

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the university of washington. (word limit: 300 words), tip: keep in mind that the university of washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints..

The first essay prompt was about how you influence the world around you. This short response is about how the world has influenced you. As you write, consider: How have the people and the social structures around me influenced the way that I interact with the world? How does this mixture of influences make me unique?

Many students are scared by this question because they’re not from a background that people would consider conventionally “diverse.” But, as the tip for the prompt says, diversity is not limited to race or ethnicity. It encompasses ideas and life experience.

Keep in mind that no matter who you are or where you’re from, there are inevitably things about you and your experience in the world that make you unique from all of the other applicants. You could write an essay about how much your extended family gatherings at Christmas mean to you, and how they’ve influenced the way that you’ve grown up. Or you could talk about how your co-workers at your summer job taught you about the importance of teamwork and optimism.

It’s fine to write about community in a literal sense, and discuss your neighborhood or your city, but don’t let the textbook definition of the word confine you. Talking about your community can mean talking about your group of friends at school who all come from disparate backgrounds, and how you relate to them. Or it could mean talking about the people that you play video games with online, and what they taught you about how to interact with the larger world.

At its crux, this question wants to know one thing: What unique experience will you bring to the UW campus? Answering that question is the key to writing an impactful short response.

Part C: Additional Information

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. for example, you may use this space if:, you are hoping to be placed in a specific major soon, a personal or professional goal is particularly important to you, you have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education, your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations, you have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended (word limit: 200).

While this part of the application is not required, it’s probably in your best interest to submit something here, particularly if you want to get directly admitted into a specific major at UW. There are a few majors at the university — particularly Computer Science and most of the Engineering disciplines — that are extremely hard to get into after you’re on campus; most of the people majoring in these were directly admitted from high school.

With that being said, this is a great place to discuss why you are specifically suited to be in that major. For example, if you are applying directly to the Computer Science major, now is the time to bring up the app or website that you built for fun. Make sure to provide concrete connections between what you are doing in high school and what you want to do in college; also include a reason why you think UW would be the best place to further that interest.

If you’re not applying for a direct admission anywhere, this can still be a good place to highlight things that may not have come through in the rest of your application. If you were super involved in Model UN but didn’t get the chance to talk about it in any of your other essays, this is a good place to briefly explain what you did and why it was so important to you. Or if you did something interesting, but not immediately quantifiable, over the summer (like, for example, reading two books a week, or teaching yourself how to code using library books), this prompt would be an appropriate place to discuss that.

Another reason to use this prompt would be to address extenuating circumstances. An appropriate thing to mention would be a sickness that occurred — either to you or to someone in your family — that might explain why your grades slightly slipped during that semester, or that you have to drive your little sibling home from school every day, so you couldn’t do a particular extracurricular as much as you might have liked to.

All of these reasons are good reasons to use the space; however, remember that you don’t have to write anything here. Don’t repeat things that you’ve already gone over in your application. This will only frustrate the reader.

Part D: Further Explanation (if necessary)

You may use this space if you need to further explain or clarify answers you have given elsewhere in this application, or if you wish to share information that may assist the office of admissions. if appropriate, include the application question number to which your comment(s) refer..

This space is mostly for clarifying anything you said earlier in your application that might be confusing — for example, if you went to a school with a strange grading system, or if you studied abroad for a year and so your school transcripts are confusing.

This section can also be used to expand upon other parts of your application: For example, if you said earlier that you did Speech and Debate, you could use this part of your application to list off some of the most prominent awards that you received in that sport. There is no clear word limit here, but don’t take that as an invitation to submit a 1,000 word essay. It’s just a place for you to clearly and concisely clear up any lingering questions that the reader might have after going through your application.

Now, you know everything you need to feel confident and fully prepared to tackle the University of Washington essays!

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University of Washington Essay Prompts and Tips (2022-23)

July 24, 2022

The University of Washington’s main campus in Seattle isn’t the type of public school that just services local residents. Rather, UW-Seattle attracts twice as many applicants from out-of-state/country than in-state each year. Top-ranked computer science, engineering, business, and nursing programs, in particular, attract an endless stream of high-caliber applicants from around the globe. Great grades and test scores will put aspiring Huskies on strong footing. However, the University of Washington also requires you to address two supplemental essay prompts.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into UW? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into the University of Washington: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Let’s dive right in and begin examining the one required essay, one required short response, and optional Additional Information section.

University of Washington Essay Prompt #1 (required)

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. (maximum length: 650 words)..

This essay prompt succeeds in being both a) simple and straightforward and b) immensely challenging for many applicants. As you brainstorm, remember that the admissions committee is not looking for a rambling list of things you believe in the abstract. Instead, they are specifically asking for one experience that is revealing of your character and/or life story.

For many students, settling on a singular incident in their lives that will speak volumes about the core of their being is not an easy task. You could write about a moment of individual triumph here, but don’t rule out sharing about an incident where, for example: You are not the hero of the story, you had a humbling experience, or you changed a previously held belief.

The good news here is that you have up to 650 words to tell this story, which means you will have plenty of real estate in which to share rich details that will make your essay more compelling.

University of Washington Short Response #1 (Required)

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the uw. (maximum length: 300 words)..

Straight from the UW admissions staff, “Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints.”

Your answer here could be about an ethnic, religious, or neighborhood community/identity or a group of individuals who gather for a club, sport, or service project. Whichever elements you choose to focus on, make sure that you use your writing ability to  show  the admissions officer what type of community member you are rather than merely  telling  them.

You can also discuss how you have engaged with your high school local/community and what you have learned from interacting with people of a different ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual identity, etc. Draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in your community. You can also speculate how that is likely to manifest on the University of Washington’s campus. Research and cite student-run organizations at UW-Seattle, local nonprofit groups, or anything else you are excited about. The admissions committee wants to understand precisely how you will contribute to their campus community of 35,000+ undergrads. Drawing the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here.

Additional information about yourself or your circumstances (Optional)

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

Maximum length : 200 words

Unlike many optional essays that are not really optional for serious applicants, the UW Additional Info essay is one that you can feel free to skip unless you have a serious hardship/limiting circumstance to report. For more, visit our blog entitled: Should I Use the Common App Additional Info Section?

How important are the essays at the University of Washington?

UW-Seattle only labels three factors as being “very important” to the admissions process. Those factors are: the rigor of your high school coursework, GPA, and your application essays. In fact, the essays are rated as being of greater importance than test scores, extracurricular activities, or talent/ability.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your University of Washington supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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Essays That Work: How to Write a Strong Common App Personal Statement

As a writer myself, I have always loved the art of storytelling. When executed well, stories have not just the power of capturing a reader’s attention and imparting knowledge, but they often also leave a lasting impression on their readers – which, when you think of a college application, is exactly what you want to do. As a former admissions counselor and admissions reader, I have personally read thousands of college admissions essays, and yet in those roles – only a few have stood out as truly memorable. Perhaps this is why essays are my favorite part of the college application process in my work with students, but working with my students to uncover their voice, to tell their own personal stories in unique and creative ways is both a privilege and an absolute joy. To help you get started in uncovering your own personal narrative, I am going to walk you through what constitutes a strong admissions essay – focusing on the main essay that most students write: The Common Application Personal Statement . 

What is the Common Application?

The Common App is the most popular online system used by colleges and universities to help students apply to their college. Hundreds of colleges and universities accept the Common App , though it’s important to note that some schools do not participate (i.e. the UC schools are one example). As its name implies, the Common App is one centralized application that you can send to all participating colleges and universities who accept it (talk about a time-saver). While each school has the option to ask additional questions (and additional, custom to their school, supplement essays) – the main part of the application, and thus, the main essay – the personal statement, will be sent to almost every school that you apply to.

The Common App Personal Statement

The Common App essay, known as your Personal Statement, has a 650-word maximum word count, and as a writer, you have 7 prompts to pick from. While I will list the prompts for the 2023-2024 application cycle below, I strongly encourage you to write your essay first, and then choose the prompt to match it later – I’ll explain why below. 

Below is the full set of Common App Personal Statement prompts for 2023-2024.

• 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.

So often when we read prompts like these, we can be tempted to respond to the question quite literally. “ An accomplishment that sparked a period of personal growth for me was when …”, sound familiar? In reading those prompts, you might have even started to brainstorm your own responses with that exact sort of sentence structure. Imagine how many others also brainstormed in that sort of way, and then began their essay responses in this fashion. This is exactly the reason why I recommend figuring out what prompt your essays responds to, after you have written your essay. Do not trap yourself in such a literal box. Admissions teams are curious to see how you will approach your essays – approaching your writing in the same way as the large majority of applicants, does not set you apart, nor does it do much to show your creativity of thought.

So Then, How Do I Start?

First: know what your reader is looking for.

When I introduce my students to writing college essays, I always try to remind them that their application consists of various pieces of evidence that are all working together to hopefully make a strong case for them to be admitted at the respective schools to which they are applying. Supporting documentation like transcripts, recommendation letters, test scores, etc. all play a role in the review of a file – but how a student represents themselves, in the form of their writing pieces especially, can set the overall tone and narrative of who an applicant really is. 

When evaluating applicants in a sea of strong applications, admissions counselors are looking for top students who also present strong narratives. What exactly does this mean? If a student’s resume has a bunch of different activities that show off several sides of them, and then their essay shows off yet another completely different side of them and doesn’t compliment the rest of their file – the application can feel somewhat disjointed. In these instances, it’s hard to really get a pulse of who this student is, what their actual passions and interests are, nor is it easy to see how the student will contribute to the respective college or university community.  On the contrary, a student with a strong narrative – each piece of the application file works harmoniously together, to paint the scene of who this student is, what this student aims to achieve, and how this student will make a difference in a campus community. When there is this sort of cohesion present, a strong narrative results. Strong narratives allow your admissions reader to truly understand you, which ultimately, is what they need to be able to do, to effectively lobby for you in admissions committee. 

Brainstorming Your Essay Idea

I would encourage you to look at your resume and life story and look at the themes that present. What is your overarching narrative? From that, I would encourage you to think of 3-5 storylines from your life, that best tell how your narrative came to be what it is. Why is it that you are excited about the major you are indicating? How did you get here? Usually, I recommend fleshing out at least 2-3 of these ideas in outline form and see which of the possibilities best represent you as an applicant. I have students talk about everything from feeling helpless as a tourist on vacation but not being a tourist in their own life/community, to the loss of a sibling and how it inspired them in their future endeavors, to the beauty of deer grazing in the backyard. I think that as you are thinking of your idea, it’s important to remember that the goal of this essay is for the admissions team at each of your respective institutions to feel like they know you better at the end of this essay. Pick a storyline that best represents you at your core. They want to see how your passions developed, what motivates/drives you, and they want to get a sense for where you are going.

Note: This is Not a Resume Dump

The personal statement is diving into one storyline – it is not the place to brag about all of the things you have accomplished in life thus far. A common misperception is that you have to use your essay to highlight each of your most impressive accomplishments. This is what the activities and honors list sections of the Common App are for. Your personal statement needs to be a window into your life – it’s not your full autobiography. 

Writing Your Essay

I would encourage you to devote a good portion of time to essay writing and development. This is not something you can wait to do until the last minute – it requires intention and a great deal of effort to really nail this kind of writing. The majority of my students spend 4-6 weeks on writing this essay – if you write yours in a day and call it quits thereafter, it will likely show in your application results. Additionally, this essay is 650-words in length, maximum. I strongly encourage that your essay be between 600-650 words, in its final iteration. It is easier to start with more and then trim down to 650, so don’t limit your writing at first – see how it flows and once you have your essay’s first draft, you can work on trimming it down. I recommend you write and edit in either a Word document or in google docs – do not write and edit your essay within the Common App itself. Once your essay is ready to be added to your Common App – you can add it then but do all work on it outside of the Common App itself.

Recommended Outline for a Personal Statement

A 650-word essay like this is usually about 5 paragraphs in length. As this is a descriptive essay, you want to open your essay in descriptive text. A great idea here is to incorporate the senses – whether that be sights, sounds, tastes, or smells, paint the scene of your story in your opening. Take your reader alongside you in this opening, we want to feel like we are there, experiencing as you are.

In your second, third, and fourth paragraphs – you should zoom out more and introduce us to what your storyline actually is. In the meat of your essay, we should see how you got to where you are in your journey and have a good read on where you plan to go from here. Utilizing details on how you plan to explore this further in college (though remember: this essay goes to all colleges, so don’t put any specific college or university names or information in this essay), allows the admissions team to see how you will quickly assimilate at their school and the impact you will likely have.

Your final paragraph is your summary, and it should always tie back to your opening. Whatever story you kicked your essay off with, you need to refer back to it here. I like to tell my students that this is where you leave the reader with an impact of some kind. A realization or lesson, or some knowledge that could have only resulted thanks to the story you just told, is great. 

Essays That Worked

There are several colleges that share “Essays That Worked” yearly, to serve as an example of what other students have done for their essays. What I particularly like about these is that the college admissions team will also usually give notes on what “worked” about the essays they chose to share. My favorite Essays That Worked pages to explore yearly are:

Johns Hopkins University Essays That Worked

Hamilton College Essays That Worked

Connecticut College Essays That Worked

Need Additional Guidance?

At Solomon, we work with our students on all essays that they will write – the Common App Personal Statement, as well as all of the supplement essays. We help with brainstorming and idea selection, and provide countless rounds of editing guidance throughout the writing process. To discuss how we can help you best prepare for the upcoming college application season, we’d love to help – contact us today.

Adrienne Gilbert

Former Admissions Reader at Rice University, 3500+ Applications Read and Evaluated As college admissions professional for the last 16 years, Adrienne has experience working on all sides of the proverbial admissions desk. She has read thousands of applications in her role as an admissions reader for highly selective Rice University, she has aided in the development of admissions and financial aid strategies for colleges and universities worldwide as a higher education enrollment consultant, and she has served as the Director of College Counseling in an elite K-12 school - a role that she was recognized for in 2015 when she was selected as The University of Chicago's Outstanding Educator of the Year.

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University of Washington (UW) 2020-21 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

University of Washington 2020-2021 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: One 500 word essay (required), one 300 word essay (required), one 200 word essay (optional). Supplemental Essay Type (s): Oddball ,  Community , Additional Info 

Essay Prompt

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. (500 words).

You can think of this prompt as the slightly more general cousin to the Common App’s first prompt, which is about your background. You can write about almost anything in your life experience that has shaped who you are today. But maybe you feel like you used your best story in your personal statement. What to do? Your goal is to reveal a different side of yourself, so try thinking in opposites! If your personal statement was about your family, maybe this essay could focus on school or work. If your personal statement was about your leadership skills, could this essay cover a time when you let someone else lead the way and learned something new? As you begin to zero in on the area of your life that you haven’t tapped into yet, think about how your past experiences still resonate in your life today. Maybe your summer job as a lifeguard taught a new sense of personal responsibility that has made you more attentive in your day-to-day life. Maybe an ill-fated childhood attempt to drink an entire carton of milk taught you how to balance enthusiasm and moderation in every major project you take on. The experience itself can be big or small, but its connection to who you are today must be clear. UW wants to know who you’ll be on campus, so show them!

Short Response

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the university of washington. (300 words).

Ah, the infamous “community” essay. Many schools ask students about their communities because they want to know how applicants relate to the people around them, forge connections, and commune with their peers. In this particular instance, the question calls attention to family as well, so consider how the people who you are related to (or those who you consider family even if they’re not bound to you by blood) have influenced your life and worldview. Maybe you’re very involved in your local synagogue, polka dancing club, or environmental organization. University of Washington wants to know about your life beyond the classroom and how you will continue those activities and interests on their campus. Why do you invest in the people you invest in?

Additional Information About Yourself or Your Circumstances (200 words)

You are not required to write anything in this section, but feel free to include additional information if something has particular significance to you. for example, you may use this space if:, -you have experienced personal hardships in obtaining your education, -your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations, -unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended.

This prompt is an opportunity for you to explain just about anything else that you haven’t covered elsewhere on the application. Usually, we recommend this type of optional essay only to students who have experienced a major academic strain or have had noticeable blemishes on their records. One example could be the explanation of a complication, like an illness that caused you to miss school and impacted your grades. Perhaps your family moved around a lot, which made it hard to transfer grades or connect with your peers. Maybe an undiagnosed learning disability caused you major challenges in school until you learned how to cope with it.  UW’s prompt covers these circumstances, and invites responses from applicants who feel that their unique circumstances are not represented elsewhere in their application. 

Additional Space (Optional) (200 words)

You may use this space if you need to further explain or clarify answers you have given elsewhere in this application, or if you wish to share information that may assist the office of admissions. if applicable, be sure to include the question number to which your comment(s) refer..

Admissions is giving you one more opportunity to address anything that needs to be addressed. If you feel inclined to answer, think about what else might admissions officers might want or need to know about you. You have an additional 200 words at your disposal to speak to them in your own voice, so use them as long as what you’re writing isn’t simply filler — if that’s the case, it’s better just to leave this blank. 

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Crafting a Personal Statement

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A Personal Statement is a written component of a student’s application to a graduate or professional degree program that allows a student to explain their reasons for applying, and usually serves as the answer to a specific prompt that is given, such as “How will completing the _____ program at _____ college help you achieve your professional goals?” When no prompt is provided, the goal is to tell your story which creates a more holistic view of who you are and your candidacy.

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The Division of Student Life acknowledges the Coast Salish people of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot Nations. Student Life is committed to developing and maintaining an inclusive climate that honors the diverse array of students, faculty, and staff. We strive to provide pathways for success and to purposefully confront and dismantle existing physical, social, and psychological barriers for minoritized students and communities. We engage in this work while learning and demonstrating cultural humility.

• Faculty & Staff

Students admitted to the UW now have until June 1 to commit, a result of FAFSA delays. We anticipate that financial aid offers will be sent in late April or early May.

Applying with the Common App

Only apply once! The UW does not have a preference of application platform. The deadline for both is November 15, and decisions will be released March 1–15. Should you submit both applications, one will be withdrawn and will not be reviewed. You will not receive a refund of the application fee.

General instructions

Grading scale changes/covid-19 impacts.

Running Start / College in the High School / other dual enrollment

Pre-9th grade courses

International curriculum

All applicants

You must complete your Common App Profile and add the UW to your list of colleges before you can start the UW questions.

Use the College Search to find and add the UW.

Then select the UW to begin the UW questions.

As you move through the application, you will be able to complete only one section at a time. Completion of the sections will be indicated with green check marks. Once you have completed all sections within the Common App profile as well as the UW questions, submit your application, pay the application fee and you’re done! We will contact you if we have any questions or are missing any information.

International applicants

Once you have completed the General , Academics and Contacts section, you will answer the Residency questions. This will determine your application type.

If you have attended a school outside of the U.S. that follows a national compulsory curriculum, you are required to upload a scanned, unofficial copy of your transcript(s) for grade levels 9 and higher in the Educational background section of the UW application.

Your admissibility will not be impacted if your school changes its grading scale to Pass/No Pass, Credit/No Credit, A/Incomplete, A-C/Incomplete. The holistic review will accommodate all of the various grading policies that school districts implement in a way that neither advantages or disadvantages any applicant. Use the following steps to notify the Office of Admission of a grading scale change when you self report your courses.

Step 1: Add high school information

Before you begin entering your coursework, you will need to add your high school information to the Common App Education section by selecting Find School .

If you took any classes that allowed you to earn college credit, you will also need to add your college information by selecting Colleges & Universities and Find college .

Step 2: High school coursework

Once you have completed the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School and or Colleges & Universities section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

If a school changes the grading scale to Pass/No Pass, Credit/No Credit, A/Incomplete, A-C/Incomplete, select A-F in the Grading Scale drop-down menu. Select the grade that fits your school’s grading scale changes by scrolling through the drop-down list for each schedule type indicated.

If you have courses you are currently taking and need to report, add them in the Education section under Current or Most Recent Year Courses .

Select the Course subject from the closest matching option or choose ‘Other/Elective’ if your subject is not on the list. Then enter the Course name for any class that was part of College in the High School or other dual enrollment program.

Running Start, College in the High School, or other dual enrollment classes

Even if you earned college credits while in high school, as long as you have not taken any college-level courses after graduating from high school, you should apply to the UW with the freshman application. Running Start, UW in the High School, College in the High School or other dual enrollment classes should be entered in the Education section. Be sure you have completed the Current or Most Recent Year Courses and the Courses & Grade sections, and indicate all dual enrollment courses.

• Changes to your senior year schedule If you anticipate your senior year schedule might change or you haven’t met with an adviser to make your plans, please let us know in the “Additional information about yourself or your circumstances” writing section.
• Transcripts. Transcripts are not required for admission consideration, and we ask that you do not send them unless requested. However, having an unofficial copy in hand may help you complete the application.

Step 1: Add high school & college information

Make sure you have completed the Courses & Grade section and reported all subjects taken at a College or University, as well as grades received as they appear on your academic transcript.

Step 2: Self-reporting high school courses

Once you have completed the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Select the subject from the closest matching option or choose ‘Other/Elective’ if your subject is not on the list, then enter the Course name for any class that was part of College in the High School or other dual enrollment program.

Select “Dual Enrollment” in the Course Level drop-down menu.

Include courses taken in grades 7 and 8 only if they are high school courses that are also included on your high school transcript. Most applicants have not completed high school courses in grades 7 and 8.

Before you begin entering your courses, you will need to add your high school information to the Common App Education section by selecting Find School . You do not need to list the name of the school at which you took pre-9th grade courses. Instead, use the name of the high school where you received the credit.

Start entering high school courses in the Courses & Grades section. Select the Other Courses selection, then indicate you have other courses on your transcript by selecting Yes .

Select the School Name where you received credit then the School Year where you took this course. For example, students applying for autumn 2023 who took coursework in 8th grade would select the School Year of 2018-19. Finally, enter the rest of the course information.

International Curriculum

Applicants studying foreign/national compulsory curriculum will self-report their yearly coursework for grades 9 -12.

Step 1: Reporting current courses

If you have not yet graduated high school, you will need to report your courses for the current academic year. Complete the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile then you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Once you have completed the Education section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Report your coursework and grades listed on your high school transcript by selecting the appropriate grade level.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT report courses for grade 12 if you are currently enrolled for grade 12. Instead, report your coursework in the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile under the Education tab.

Select the School Name, School Year, appropriate Grading Scale, appropriate Schedule for each course .

•        Choose Semesters if your school has two terms per academic year.
•        Choose Trimester if your school has three terms per academic year.
•        Choose Quarter if your school has four terms per academic year.
•       If your grading scale is not listed in the drop-down menu, please select Other.

Select the appropriate Subject , Course Name , and Course Level

•       If your Subject is not listed in the drop-down menu select subject title with other as an option, for example Math (Other) .
•       Report the Course Name exactly as it is listed on your transcript.
•       Select the appropriate Course Level.

Report your final Grades exactly how they are listed on your high school transcript. Do not convert your original grades. If you did not receive a final grade, select N/A.

Enter Credits exactly how they are listed on your high school transcript. Do not convert your credits. If you school does not provide credits, please enter 1 for an entire academic year of study or enter .5 for a half-year of study.

Review the self-reported information that you have provided.

(I)GCSE sample below

China sample below

IB samples below

Step 3: Upload

You are required to upload unofficial copies of transcripts or exam certificates for grades 9-12 if you attended a school outside the U.S. that follows a local or national compulsory curriculum, even if the year was repeated in the U.S.

You do not need to upload or submit unofficial transcripts if you attended a U.S. high school or an international school that follows a U.S.-style curriculum unless requested by the Office of Admissions.

Do not mail transcripts or exam certificates to the Office of Admissions.

British-Style Curriculum

• If you studied a British-style curriculum, such as, (I)GCSE, SPM, Singapore-Cambridge (O-level) submit your exam certificate in addition to your high school transcripts.

India Curriculum

• Applicants will need to upload their scanned unofficial copies of their 10 th year exam certificate and grade 11 transcripts.
• If you have graduated, we will require scanned unofficial copies of your 10 th year and 12 th year exam certificates to complete your application.

China Curriculum

• Submit your transcripts for grades 9 and higher.

Other International Curriculums

• If you have completed any leaving exams, upload scanned copies of your exam certificates.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, common app essay vs supplement: which carries more weight.

Hey everyone, stressing a bit here. I've been working on my Common App essay and it’s coming along, but I just started looking at the supplements for the schools on my list. So, I gotta know, how important are those supplements compared to my main personal statement? Should I be putting just as much effort into those? Thanks!

The short answer is that both are crucial components of your application, as they play different roles in creating a comprehensive picture of who you are. For most schools, the Common App essay is a chance to see your personality and values at a high level. It's the only essay every college you apply to through the Common App will see, which is why it's so important. Since you're not catering your response to any one school or group of schools, what you say is entirely up to you, and that freedom means schools can learn a lot about you based on what you choose to include.

Supplements, on the other hand, are a way for colleges to gauge your interest in their specific institution and to determine how you might fit into their community. While there are certain values like intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, and altruism that all colleges value, each school also has its own set of criteria that it looks for in applicants, which can vary slightly from one institution to another.

Ideally, you should put equal effort into crafting both your Common App essay and your supplemental essays. You also want to make sure you aren't repeating yourself in your responses—if you wrote your Common App essay about volunteering at your local animal shelter, and you have to write a supplement about an extracurricular activity, you should probably write about something else, so that admissions officers learn something completely new about you from your response.

If you want help with any school's particular supplemental essays, you can check out CollegeVine's essay breakdowns on our blog. Best of luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Common App Personal Statement vs. UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)

Applying to colleges via the Common Application and the University of California application? Wondering if you can just copy and paste your responses from one app to another, and be done with it? The short answer: We wouldn’t recommend it.

Why? The UCs are looking for some very specific things—in short, they want information that relates to the 13 points of comprehensive review .

But the differences between the UC Personal Insight Questions and Common Application personal statement don’t end there.

Here’s our quick guide to the differences between the personal statement and the UC Personal Insight Questions. You’ve got this!

Personal Statements vs. UC Personal Insight Questions

Essential Qualities of a Personal Statement vs. UC Personal Insight Questions

We think a strong personal statement demonstrates Values, Insight, Vulnerability, and Craft , perhaps in descending order of importance.

Core Values (aka Information). Can you name at least 4-5 of the author’s core values? Do you detect a variety of values, or do the values repeat? 

Vulnerability. Does the essay sound like it’s mostly analytical or like it’s coming from a deeper, more vulnerable place? Another way of asking this: Does it sound like the author wrote it using mostly his or her head (intellect) or his or her heart and gut? After reading the essay, do you know more about the author AND feel closer to him or her? 

“So what” moments (aka Important & interesting connections). Can you identify at least 3-5 “so what” moments of insight in the essay? Are these moments kind of predictable, or are they truly illuminating? 

Craft. Do the ideas in the essay connect in a way that is logical, but not too obvious (aka boring)? Can you tell that the essay represents a series of carefully considered choices and that the author spent a lot of time revising the essay over the course of several drafts? Is it interesting and succinct throughout? If not, where do you lose interest? Where could words be cut or which part isn’t revealing as much as it could be?

A strong Personal Insight Question, on the other hand, offers Information, Clarity, Action, Values, and (maybe) Insight (again, in roughly descending order of importance).

Information . Does your PIQ provide information that adds to your application? And does the information you provide connect back to one of the UC 13 points of comprehensive review? 

Clarity . Is your topic clear, hopefully at/near the start of your PIQ? And is the purpose of each paragraph clear? 

Action. Do you use active verbs to describe specifically what you’ve done—either to explore the activity you’re describing, or to overcome a particular challenge?

Values . Can we understand your core values? In fact, can we highlight and name those values based on the specific details and examples you’ve provided?

Insight . Do you answer “so what” several times in your PIQ? Do we get a sense of why the details you’ve shared are important in general, or meaningful to you in particular?

Differences in Purpose

With the above in mind, and as mentioned elsewhere, one of the primary goals of a personal statement is to demonstrate who a student is through the values, interests, qualities, and skills they’ll bring to a college.

The goal of a UC PIQ , on the other hand, is to provide what they’ve referred to as “contextualizing information” — what have you as a student done with the opportunities or in light of the obstacles you’ve encountered? Do you demonstrate a capacity to contribute to intellectual life on a UC campus?

To that end, one of the most important aspects of the UC application is the 13 points of comprehensive review . (Note that each UC campus applies these factors differently from the others, and differences are described in the link above.)

The 13 points of comprehensive review are

Grade-point average 

Performance in and number of courses beyond minimum a-g requirements 

UC-approved honors courses and advanced courses 

Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) – CA residents only 

Quality of senior-year program of study 

Academic opportunities in California high schools 

Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas 

For Engineering at Berkeley, Math/Science is important (Prompt #6)

Achievements in special projects 

Improvement in academic performance 

Special talents, achievements and awards

Participation in educational preparation programs 

Academic accomplishment in light of life experiences 

Geographic location

The ones crossed out are likely to be elements covered elsewhere in a student’s application—in other words, probably not in the PIQs. Those bolded are the ones a student likely needs to address within the PIQs. As a student, ask yourself: Am I checking most of these boxes? Better still, how could I be checking more of these boxes using my PIQs? (Example: Could I perhaps write about an academic subject, if I haven’t already?)

Differences in Tone/Approach

In many of the personal statements on the CEG website, you’ll see a poetic tone.

But the tone/approach to a PIQ is fairly different from those that many personal statements take. For PIQs, the tone is far more straightforward—and that’s totally okay. In fact, the UC readers in most cases prefer it!

One way we like to put it: On the spectrum from poetry to information, the UC PIQs are pretty far toward the information end.

A Small Note on Language

Note that the UCs have directly stated that they don’t call these essays intentionally, and discourage others from doing so. That difference hopefully helps to reinforce some of the above distinctions.

Want more help?

Check out my pay-what-you-can course —free to anyone who wants it. 

Are you a counselor wanting to share this course with your students?

Send them to this page , or contact us and we’ll strategize together. 

10 Exceptional Common App Essay Examples

Common app essay examples.

One of the most important pieces of the college admissions process is the Common App essay, also known as the college essay or the personal statement. By reading Common App essay examples, you can prepare to write your own. 

However, what is a personal statement? In a word, a personal statement is an essay you’ll write for college. We will learn more about what makes a great personal statement by exploring sample Common App essays. In fact, the best way for students to ace this type of essay is through dissecting Common App essay examples to see what works. 

Breaking down the Common App essay

In this article, we’ll use Common App essay examples to explore what makes a strong personal statement. We’ll break down what makes each of these Common App essay examples successful. That way, you can find inspiration and tools to unlock the best version of your own college entrance essays. We will also provide tips for coming up with college essay ideas and finding a college application essay format that works for your story.

At CollegeAdvisor, our goal is to demystify the college admissions process for all students. As such, we’ll also introduce you to many resources about how to write a college essay—like our guide on How to Write a Personal Statement linked below! In it, you’ll find even more stellar Common App essay examples to help you get inspired.

How to Write a Personal Statement – 5 Personal Statement Examples

What is a Common App essay?

The first step in writing a college essay is understanding the varying types of college essays. When students look up “what is a personal statement?” they are likely to come across many articles about sample Common App essays. Indeed, personal statement sample essays are often the same as Common App essay examples. While there are many other types of college essays, such as supplemental essays, the Common App essay/personal statement is extremely important. 

Let’s first explore one major question: what is a personal statement?

Whether you are applying to undergrad, grad school, or a scholarship, the personal statement is a general term for an essay that introduces you to admissions officers. As such, personal statement sample essays must tell a unique story about you that conveys who you are. They should showcase your personality traits, values, and personal growth. With this story, you are showing admissions teams what kind of person and community member you will be when you step onto their campus. For this reason, no two personal statement sample essays are identical.

Understanding the Common App essay

Now, let’s explore what the Common App essay is. A Common App essay is a personal statement submitted through the Common App. Astoundingly, over 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States use the Common App as an application platform. As a result, when you apply to college, you will almost definitely use the Common App. This is why there are so many Common App essay examples out there.

All Common App essay examples are 250-650 wo r ds long. Since students can apply to multiple schools using the Common App, the Common App essay examples we provide were likely submitted to several different colleges. Note how these sample Common App essays are personal to the student but still general enough to work for different schools. 

Do all schools require a Common App essay?

Besides wondering “what is a personal statement?”, many students wonder if they need one for every school.  As we mentioned, many universities in the U.S. use the Common App . However, the personal statement, also known as the Common App essay, is not required by all schools. 

For example, the Universi t y of Washington-Seattle does not accept the Common App essay even though students can apply using the Common App. However, the school has different college entrance essay requirements . These appear when you select a school on your Common App portal. 

Encouraged but not required

Some schools encourage but do not require students to submit a college entrance essay. For example, Bridgewater State University encourages students to write a college entrance essay, but it’s not mandatory. In this case, we still recommend submitting an essay, since every part of an application is a chance to showcase who you are and why you’re a compelling candidate. 

Furthermore, some schools do not require essays at all. In fact, they won’t even read your college entrance essay should you submit one. These schools, one of which is the University of South Florida , rely exclusively on other measures such as grades, test scores, or extracurriculars to make their college admissions decisions.

Though all schools don’t require a Common App essay, many do. They also might require supplemental essays. As such, it’s important to start preparing your essays early by first reading Common App essay examples. This will help you learn what makes a great college essay.

Common App Essay Prompts

The second question students might ask after ”what is a personal statement?” is “what do I write about?”

Luckily, the Common App gives you plenty of college essay ideas through the college essay topics it provides. All of the Common App essay examples we will look at responded to one of the current prompts. 

Let’s review the seven current prompts that inspired our Common App essay examples:

Current Common App Essay Prompts

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., 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, 3. reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. what prompted your thinking what was the outcome, 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, 5. discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others., 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, 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..

When looking at these prompts, you’ll note that they are all asking you to be reflective. Indeed, all common app essay examples and college essays that worked involve the student engaging in self-reflection. As such, it matters less what you write about and more what deeper meaning the topic at hand has to you. Successful sample Common App essays demonstrate that the author is a deep thinker.

Choose your own topic

Furthermore, note that prompt #7 allows you to submit an essay on any topic of your choice. So, if none of the first six prompts inspire you, you can focus on another topic of your choice that is meaningful to you.

There is no one-size-fits-all college application essay format. Indeed, all of the Common App essay examples we will explore take different approaches to telling their stories. 

As we look at Common App essay examples, take note of how students were self-reflective and demonstrated their unique passion for a topic. We’ll dig into how they accomplish this as we review each of these college essays that worked.

And remember, while your essays are extremely important, they are just one part of the overall admissions process. So, before you jump into these essay examples, don’t forget to take our CollegeAdvisor quiz to see how prepared you are to successfully tackle your college applications!

How to use these Common App Essay Examples

Before we look at sample Common App essays, let’s discuss how you can use these examples of college essays to support you in writing your own.

First, avoid the impulse to compare your life to other students’ stories in these Common App essay examples. These sample Common App essays are great tools because of the students’ reflections. It truly doesn’t matter what you write about so long as you can do it in a meaningful way that shows personal growth and self-awareness. Great personal statement sample essays can be written about the most mundane or common topics . So, don’t compare your life experiences with those of other students. Simply add these Common App essay examples to your college essay writing toolbox and understand what works.

Reflect on how you want to tell your story

Secondly, use these Common App essay examples to find inspiration for how you wish to tell your story. Do these Common App essay examples use dialogue that really makes a scene come to life? Maybe a few sample Common App essays discuss topics you hadn’t realized you could write about, giving you ideas for new college essay topics. Drawing inspiration from Common App essays that worked is distinct from copying their ideas or language. So, don’t try to imitate any of these essays. Rather, use them as a tool to enhance your own unique essays. 

Finally, take note of what you learn about the writers of these sample Common App essays. Then, look at yourself through the same lens. What do you want college admission officers to learn about you? Your college entrance essay is your chance to show that.

Common App Essay Examples #1

The first of our sample Common App essays discusses a topic that many students might assume is too ordinary: a student’s love of books. After reading each of our sample Common App essays, we’ll break down what makes them strong Common App essay examples.

Sample Common App Essays #1: Books and Identity

Under the harshly fluorescent lights of an aisle in Walmart, I take position amidst the rows of plastic silverware, paper towels, and household goods while my mother searches for supplies she needs for a Fourth of July party. Neither the faint swells of an outdated and overplayed pop song nor the hustle and bustle of a retail store on a holiday weekend reach my ears because as usual, my nose is buried in a book. My mother calls to me, but her voice barely registers and I ignore her, shifting in the spot I have designated for myself aside the packages of Hefty trash bags on the bottom shelf.

She finally finds me, and I reluctantly tear my concentration away from the page. “I’ll just stay here,” I say, buying myself precious time in which I can finish the next sentence, paragraph, or chapter of the novel, and I sink contentedly back into a state of mind where I am entirely myself and nothing, not even other customers searching for trash bags, can disturb me.

This memory is not an uncommon one for me. As a child, I could always be found in stores or restaurants with my latest literary pick in hand. I constantly nagged my parents to bring me to the library or bookstore; this was a constant even as I went through “phases” as I grew up, dabbling in music and theater with temporary or half-hearted enthusiasm. Other children dressed up as astronauts or princesses, but I took on roles of different people as I struggled to find myself.

As I grow older and continue to explore different interests, my love for reading has sparked my intellectual curiosity and taught me valuable life lessons. Reading was an escape during a time when I didn’t quite know who I wanted to be. Now it marks the cornerstone of who I’ve become. I’ve read just as many books about fictional villains and heroes as those about regular people who face the same struggles I do. For me, it’s these kinds of books, stories of people not so different than myself, that have changed and defined my outlook on life. 

One such book is I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, a story of twins and their difficulty finding their own identity in a world where they are bound together. Noah, one of the twins, describes how he feels he is always “undercover.” He says, “‘Maybe a person is just made up of a lot of people. Maybe we’re accumulating these new selves all the time. Hauling them in as we make choices, good and bad, as we screw up, […] grow, dive into the world.’” I was unable to realize a person could be defined by multiple aspects of himself.

My tendency to try to fit into a specific role proved to be unsuccessful, but one of my different “selves” was always a part of me, even when taking on the role of someone I didn’t want to be. A love for reading is not a temporary persona I put on to appease parents, friends, or college admissions officers. The reader of a story has an unique perspective of the mind of a character. Because of this, I have realized the true depth and intricacy every person and situation can hold.

I struggled with defining my own identity, with labeling who I was, but now I know every person is much too complex to be defined by a label as simplistic as “athlete” or “musician.” So although it might be assumed that an individual pursuing an engineering degree does not enjoy reading, I am grateful for my love of books, as it is with this passion that I find myself ready to “dive into the world.”

Why this essay worked

As we mentioned earlier, it may feel difficult to come up with college essay ideas. This student chose a topic that some might consider mundane— their love of reading. However, the student is successful because they show how reading has been a critical part of their identity and personal development. 

In this essay, the student tells us how reading was an escape from the pressure she felt to define who she was. Later, reading became an integral part of her identity as a learner intrigued by stories. Given that the student plans to major in engineering, this fact adds depth and intrigue to the student’s personal brand. A college admissions officer would find this student an appealing candidate because they will likely be engaged and passionate. Through this example, we see that any topic can be a successful one if it is important to the reader and connects to a core aspect of their identity.

Lastly, as we see in many great examples of college essays, this student includes many details. They even reference dialogue from a favorite book, further illustrating their love of reading. 

Now, let’s look at a very different college application essay format in the second of our Common App Essay examples.

Sample Common App Essay #2

The second of our Common App essay examples takes the unique—and potentially challenging—approach of talking about another person. In this essay, the author describes her relationship with Sophia, a child with special needs that she meets while volunteering. 

The author’s essay is in response to prompt #3 of the Common App essay prompts: 

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

Not many Common App essay examples respond to this prompt. Let’s see how this student tackles it.

Common App Essay #2: Challenging Bias about Ability

I see Sophia and wave, laughing at her leaps of excitement that brighten my day. Sophia grins up at me, pointing at her two missing front teeth, and I marvel at how grown-up she is becoming. Deciding to capitalize on her boundless exuberance, I suggest we work on her backstroke, her least favorite. Sensing her reluctance to lie flat on the water, I point out the purple monkey and the giraffe on the ceiling, coaxing her to relax on her back and practice a few kicks. I know that with this distraction, she will slowly uncoil her arms from my waist, gaining the confidence to float on her own. Beaming, I praise her courage, offering a congratulatory high-five. Proud of today’s improvements, I hand her the dreaded kickboard. Sophia’s dimples vanish as she vigorously shakes her head, inching away from the terrifying aqua board.

Recognizing this fear, I remember a trick she loved from the previous lesson. I promise to teach her how to do an under-water handstand, and in response, she tentatively grasps the board with one hand, while clinging to me with the other. I then challenge her to splash me as hard as she can with powerful freestyle kicks, and laugh as my face is soon drenched with water. Clapping, I marvel at her ability to propel herself without any assistance, and to celebrate, we belt out “Let It Go” from Frozen together. My giggles vanish and my heart aches as she begins to recollect the long needles from her latest hospital visit, but I am amazed to see that her laugh never ceases.

Sophia has special needs. Despite her mental challenges, her bubbly and infectious personality never fails to be an uplifting inspiration. I marvel at how this 10-year-old has learned to fully appreciate the life she has been given and cherish each precious moment. In and out of surgeries, hospitals, and clinics, she still exhibits an unparalleled enthusiasm for life.

Sophia’s determination coupled with her bright personality inspires me to embrace optimism in my life. I am passionate about enabling Sophia to break down any perceived obstacles and stereotypes in front of her and lead an active life, just like any other child. Though I go in each week as the teacher, I leave having been her student. Each evening after volunteering, I would lie awake, tossing and turning, wondering how I could do more for Sophia. Prior to volunteering, I often took for granted that I have sports and activity programs readily available. But with far more athletes than coaches in the program, why did more of my peers not volunteer? Why did more people not know about the special gifts people with disabilities radiate?

Yearning to share my experience with others, I founded a club at my school called HandiCapable, encouraging my peers to volunteer with people who have special needs through sports mentoring. I hope to encourage my school community to see that people with mental disabilities are people first, facing challenges like us all. I fought to change an underlying culture where people with intellectual disabilities are mocked or misunderstood in today’s society by spearheading a campaign to eliminate the word “retarded.” Breaking away from using hurtful and derogatory colloquialisms is the first step towards understanding and compassion, altering the way we think, speak, and ultimately act.

Sophia has taught me that nothing is insurmountable if you have courage, foresight and above all, a positive attitude. She has driven me to be more accepting of people who may seem initially quite different, but face challenges like I do. She has inspired me to be more appreciative of uniqueness, because everyone has an individual personality and perspective from which I can learn. Sophia has changed how I view the world.

What makes this a successful essay ?

Writing about another person when applying to college can be tricky. Many sample Common App essays write so much about the other person that they forget to center the author. However, in this essay, the author demonstrates the impact that Sophia had on her, centering her own experiences. In doing so, it highlights how Sophia taught the author to face challenges with joy and courage. 

The student also answers the prompt fully and in detail. Specifically, the writer discusses how her experience with Sophia led her to challenge ableist thought. Moreover, the author tells the reader how her inspiration led her to create a club at her school. By doing this, she demonstrates her own leadership skills and activist mindset. In short, we learn a lot about the author even though this essay is about someone who inspired her.

For our third sample, we’ll give into the challenging world of Common App essay examples that talk about sports.

Personal Statement Sample Essay #3

Many examples of college essays talk about a sport that a student has played for a long time. Writing about this topic can be difficult. At times, students spend too much time talking about the details of the sport rather than their experiences. 

In the third of our sample Common App essays, the author shows us how her relationship to gymnastics changes over her lifetime. In doing so, she reveals a lot about her character. Let’s take a look:

Personal Statement Sample Essays #3: Perseverance and Commitment through Gymnastics 

Gymnastics has always been a part of my life and has shaped who I am today. Without gymnastics I would not have the same determined mindset, competitive nature, and appreciation of a team. If I were to neglect sharing this aspect of my life, my application would truly be incomplete.

When I was two years old, my parents enrolled me in the Parent-and-Me program at Countryside Gymnastics. At six, I became part of the pre-team program, Dynamos, and was placed in the compulsory team at age seven.  As a compulsory, I struggled to be as good as my teammates. This struggle caused frustration which evolved into determination and a competitive nature. Throughout the rest of my compulsory years, I gradually improved but still felt as though I were stuck. I knew I had to “up my game.”

The optional levels, 7 and up, brought a new factor—fear. Even though this fear did hold me back at times, I did not let it keep me from achieving my goals. Gymnastics is also extremely tough on the body. Once I entered the optional level of gymnastics, I trained at least 20 hours a week and endured the aches and pains that came along with it. However, I did not let these pains defeat me. When I reached level 9, I began to experience severe back pain, which a spine specialist diagnosed as a subcutaneous lipoma. Although the physician highly recommended I stop training to avoid complications later in life, I was too committed to stop the sport.  I let my desire push me through the pain, and I had a successful competition season, qualifying for the Region 8 Regional Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. 

During summer training in 2013, I worked as hard as possible to reach level 10, with the back pain progressively worsening. Once my pain peaked, my coach told me it may be time to “hang it up.” I could either quit or repeat level 9 with minimal training. Ultimately, the choice was mine. To prove I was capable of reaching level 10 and to support my team, I continued to train on a vigorous schedule. At level 10, I am the highest level gymnast at Countryside Gymnastics and am determined to have an exceptional competition season.

This determination and competitiveness that pushes me to accomplish my goals in gymnastics also exists in my current scholastics—the health sciences, which will ultimately prepare me for my future in pediatric medicine. Without the desire to be the best I can be, I might not have achieved success throughout my high school years.

Why this essay worked 

Some sample Common App essays that write about sports focus too heavily on the sport. In doing so, they fail to tell us much about the author. However, colleges want to know about you!

This author writes about what gymnastics has meant to her throughout her life. This gives us a window into how she thinks, what she fears, and how she handles challenges. Through describing how she pushed forward when faced with injuries or fear, she shows us how she will succeed in college and in life.

Common App Essay Examples #4

Many Common App essay examples attempt to subtly weave in achievements. However, in the fourth of our sample Common App essays, the author takes a bold move. This essay talks about how the author handles failure, revealing critical details about their character. Some might assume that successful Common App essay examples need to focus on “successes,” not failures. However, this essay shows how failure can be a good essay topic choice—if you address it the right way.

Let’s see how one student skillfully tackles the topic of failure.

Sample Common App Essays #4: A New Perspective on Failure

Stretching my ankle against the theraband, my pre-pointe teacher hands out evaluations, determining who will move up to pointe shoes. The TheraBand, worn from months of strengthening in hopes of earning pointe shoes, snaps as I eagerly grab my evaluation. Dumbfounded, I wonder how all my friends were advancing to pointe while I wasn’t. Maybe my body is not built for ballet, I conceded.

A year later, the server on the other side of the net serves the ball with a loud smack. The ball hurdles towards me in seemingly slow motion. Other players yell my name, encouraging me. I need to pass the ball, or else I won’t make the middle school volleyball team. Positioning myself, I bend my knees, and… I hit it out of the court. 

Defeated, I accept the rejection with the mindset that my lack of athleticism is permanent. 

The following fall, walking out of the audition room and having made it successfully past the first round, I was dizzy and elated. Moments prior, I perfectly performed an excerpt from a piece I prepared for 3 months and was about to play yet another excerpt, which would determine whether I would make the district honors band. Breathing rhythmically, my fingers glide over the familiar scales, my heart thumps the beat of the piece, and I triumph in my second successful audition of the evening. The results the next day were disappointing. I thought about how my mother is tone deaf, and decided that was the reason I would never be successful in my musical aspirations.

Regarding my failures as something out of my control was a recurring theme in my life. Reflecting on past experiences, I am not sure when the thought that my abilities were unchangeable began to prevail. However, I am aware of when the toxic mindset began to change.

For years, I had marveled at long distance runners. Their athleticism and ability to persistently push onwards in a race was something I lacked in my life and simultaneously desired. Spring of my freshman year of high school, I decided I wanted to join the Cross-Country team. However, joining a sport in high school tended to be very difficult, due to the fact current players had already been participating for years prior. Despite anxiety about possibly “failing” at something again, I tried anyways. After careful research and planning, I set a schedule of running and cross training six days a week. Beginning in March, I developed the capability to keep up with experienced teammates by the time the pre-season began in June.  With determination, I trained myself from a 12-minute mile runner to a 7-minute mile runner and a competitive Cross-Country athlete.

For the first time, I realized something: Failure does not define me. Instead, it drives me to succeed.

Having previously believed negative qualities cannot be changed, self-training for a sport revealed situations are not permanent. Whatever I lack in inherent talent can always be made up for in hard work and strategic planning. Innately, I am self-motivated and resilient.  Once I realized this, obtaining my goals was a possibility, and eventually, a reality. 

Because of my newfound self-awareness, pursuing goals is efficient and organized, and often produces favorable results. I no longer believe traits, such as my body type or genetic predisposition for music, restrict my ability to achieve. Instead, they are simply obstacles to be overcome. 

Letting shortcomings or events define my future or limit my aspirations is a thing of the past. What truly defines me is my ability to push past rejection and continually better myself – no matter what version of myself I am at the moment. 

Why did this essay work well?

One approach that successful personal statement sample essays could take is focusing on an unexpected topic. Throughout this essay, the author plays with the idea of failure. They introduce us to many specific moments in life when they have failed. 

As the essay moves forward, the author’s perspective on failure shifts. They learn that through their failures, they can identify ways to improve. They also realize that their own perceptions of their abilities shape how they set goals and whether they achieve them. Essentially, this student tells us through stories how they have developed a growth mindset. This is something that college admissions officers highly value in applicants.

The best Common App essay examples showcase traits that are both true to the author and appealing to colleges. Think about how to do this as you craft your own essays.

Sample Common App Essay #5

Personal statement sample examples are incredibly personal, and this next example is no different. Here, we’ll learn about a tradition that the author values deeply—spending Saturday mornings with family. 

Common App Essays that Worked #5: Family Values

I relish Saturday mornings. After a long week of rushed early mornings and drawn-out nights filled with studying, Saturday is the reward. My eyes open at my own pace. Weekdays, I awaken at 6:45 a.m. to the harsh sound of my cell phone alarm or my mom calling through my bedroom door. But not on Saturday, on that day, I rise to the sound of birds chirping or my dad moving around downstairs. Stretching for a long moment, I just enjoy staring at the ceiling. I am content after an extra hour and half of sleep.

Slowly, I leave my warm bed, throw on a comfy sweater and place my glasses on my head. It’s a welcome change from my weekday routine. I do not miss forcing my sleepy body out of bed, slipping into my itchy uniform, or forcing contacts into my tired eyes. When I make my way down the steps I am greeted by my dad reading the newspaper in his favorite leather armchair rather than my full backpack in the foyer.

These relaxing mornings offer me a much-needed break. For once, I’m not rushing off to school or soccer practice. Any essays I need to write or physics tests I must study for can wait a while. 

I take the time to just sit on the couch and read a book or watch TV. I can do everything I want or do nothing at all.

However, the true highlights of these mornings occur when I am sitting at the kitchen table with my crossword puzzle and pencil on my right and my breakfast plate and hot mug of tea on my left. Between bites of pancake, I share tricky crossword clues with my family. My mom looks up from the sports section to carefully consider the hint and my sisters bombard me with suggestions but it’s usually my dad, standing over the griddle flipping pancakes, who calls out the correct answer. As I find contentment in a meal, the Puzzles and Games section of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the company of my family, I realize that it truly is the little things in life that mean the most.

I appreciate my dad who works long hours but still gets up to cook a big weekend breakfast for my family and the way that he serves me tea in my mom’s white college mug because he knows it’s my favorite. My sisters’ and I laugh playfully as we compete over who’s the strongest and tease me because I’m the weakest. I shake my head and smile at my mom who insists that she can eat three pieces of French Toast even though we all know she’ll barely finish two. To someone else, lazy Saturdays and family breakfasts may appear so routine, so insignificant. But to me, these moments are perfect.

This essay proves that sample Common App essays that worked don’t have to be about a huge life event. In fact, this student is writing about the most common aspects of everyday life: spending time with family. However, the way the student writes about their family demonstrates a lot about the student’s character. We learn that this student values the little things in life and cares deeply for others. 

Secondly, by using specific details, from crossword puzzles to coffee mugs, this essay highlights the author’s love for their family. This student masters the age-old writing advice of “show, don’t tell.” This approach keeps Common App essay examples intriguing and fun to read. 

Personal Statement Sample Essay #6

There isn’t one successful college application essay format or topic. However, writing about a pivotal moment in one’s life can lead to a very compelling story. Though it can be difficult, this student chooses to be vulnerable about how a catastrophic injury changed their life.

Common App Essay Examples #6: Lessons from an Injury

When I finally woke for the first time in three days, I could feel needles dancing up and down my legs where there were none, and when the doctor asked me to wiggle my toes, there was not even a flicker. Regarding my condition, the doctor told me, “Your skiing accident has left you paralyzed. Permanently.” 

In Korea, where I was born, a disability is considered very shameful. Many see people with disabilities as aliens of society. People with disabilities in Asian countries rarely leave the house due to the inaccessible nature of the society and the unbearable piercing stares of the surrounding community members. Seeing this as my only possible life in a wheelchair, the people closest to me repeatedly etched into my brain that without the use of my legs, I could never be successful or happy–a forever pitied human being.

As my church and family members visited me after my injury and saw me in the wheelchair, they reacted in shock, saying, “I’m sorry. I really hope you walk again.” As they tried to console me, I could feel their deep pity. Before even asking if I was okay, or how I was doing, my immobile legs had already drawn in their minds a picture of my bleak future. 

As apologies and condolences were continuously thrown at me, I started to believe that everyone was right. Maybe I was just a burden. Maybe I would not ever be happy. Enveloped in a façade of darkness, for so many days, I merely sat in bed begging my legs to move again. 

I would be lying if I claimed I suddenly woke up one day and was completely happy again. But through weeks and months, I started to discover that if I continued to look to my surroundings for motivation or support, I would not find it. To everyone else, my church members, my family, I had just become “that girl in the wheelchair.” But I knew I could not just give up on my aspirations or conform to the definitions that I had been labeled with due to one physical attribute.

Through my experiences after my injury, I started to notice so much, especially the lack of diversity in the workplace, and the support that this fact gave to existing societal stereotypes. I started to wonder, how would my experience after my accident have changed, or how much encouragement would I have received if I saw a doctor, teacher, nurse, that had the same abilities as I did? Motivated, I began to involve myself more, and started to work harder academically, so that one day, through my life, I can become this strength and encouragement for someone else. 

Many people, seeing me driving, or even just sitting at the movie theater, come up to me and tell me that I’m an inspiration. They tell me how amazing I am for just having gotten dressed in the morning and leaving the house. Honestly, these actions should not be considered inspiring. I’m just living my life. But because of the many prejudiced opinions towards the disability community, opinions that I too once held, the fact that a person in a wheelchair can complete even just everyday activities is considered a great feat. 

Someday, I want to be someone that inspires, not because I can get dressed or talk for myself, but because I have really accomplished something that significantly influences the world. 

Yes, there are times when I wish I could just get up and walk. However, these moments are temporary and trifling. It scares me to think that without the occurrence of my accident, I may have remained living with the traditional and well-known biases regarding disability and other differences that exist in society. Then, I may have been a true pitiful character. 

Today, I am Korean and still, a person with a disability. But I am proud. 

A common assumption is that college essays that worked simply highlight a major hardship or tragic life event. However, this is simply not true. Common App essay examples about hardships are successful only if they show how the author grew from an experience. 

In this essay, the student shares how their skiing accident changed the way they were treated, thereby changing how they viewed themselves. Rather than feeling pitiful or less-than, this student discovered a newfound determination to positively influence the world. Their perseverance is seen not only in surviving an accident, but in overcoming the limitations society places on people with disabilities. 

Common App Essay Examples #7

Many powerful sample Common App essays tap into core aspects of the human experience. This often includes how we navigate our identities– especially in an ever-globalizing world. The following example of Common App essays that worked tackles that topic with grace.  

Sample Personal Statement #7: Embracing Heritage, Integrating Identity 

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” 

Six words. Six words were all it took for Ernest Hemingway to embody the sorrow of a family after losing a child. It seems almost impossible to so elegantly summarize a life in six words. 

I received this seemingly impossible assignment in AP Language a year ago. How could I encapsulate my seventeen years of life into six words? Would those words sound funny, poignant, dark? I reflected on important moments that shaped me as a person to answer my questions. 

I reminisced about my early years: two loving parents and a playful younger sister. During those years, my parents instilled in me their most important values: meaningful academic pursuit, following our Indian traditions, and preserving cultural heritage.

I remembered the first time I faced the struggle that would tear me apart for the next twelve years: values ingrained in me as a child versus values my friends and the society around me possessed. As I grew older, I learned just how different my friends’ values were from mine. 

Throughout my middle school and freshman years, I had two sets of friends: my school friends and my travel basketball friends. The former focused on social status rather than academics; the latter focused on athletics rather than academics. To fit in, I created another persona for myself: someone who focused singularly on social status and athletics. This decision to change my personality based on my surroundings cost me my drive for academic pursuit, and I threw away educational opportunities. I lost sight of who I was and what held true meaning for me. 

At that time, my six words would’ve been: “Flip a coin, American or Indian.” For the next two years, I lived by that mantra.

My struggle with balancing the two-sided coin ended in tenth grade by a chance conversation with a cousin in India. As she described her social struggles and their limiting effects on her educational opportunities, I realized how fortunate I was to be in the U.S. I held my destiny in my hands; all I had to do was to reshape my mind. The dissonance created by compartmentalizing my two important sides prevented me from moving forward, and I had to bridge the distance I had created between my Indian heritage and living as an American. 

I embraced my cultural heritage by immersing myself into Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance, and passionately committing to it by completing a rigorous 3-year Certificate Course with Alagappa University of Performing Arts. In order to share my art with the community, I performed for neurologically challenged senior citizens residing in assisted living homes. Through this service, I was able to spread joy and culture amongst my American community, helping me bridge my cultural gap. 

Additionally, my upbringing had been focused on science with an expectation that my career would be in the medical field. Eventually, I developed an affinity toward science. Growing up, I was exposed to the American ideal that I can shape my own opportunities, pursue whichever career I desired, and just follow my heart. I found myself naturally attracted to journalism, and following my heart I ventured into journalism. 

Still, a key part of me was missing, and I found it only after conversing with my journalism teacher. She was describing an article by Helen Pearson, renowned science journalist, when it hit me: this is what I wanted to do. Science journalism was the product of my Indian upbringing and go-getter American attitude. That cathartic conversation is all that was needed to find the perfect career path for me. 

My cultural confusion turned out to be the springboard I needed for discovering balance, finding a potential career, arming me with rich life experiences, and allowing me to write the six words that transformed my life and that I still stand by:

“Shape my mind, shape my destiny.”

What makes this essay great ?

For students coming from multiple cultures or marginalized identities, writing a personal statement can be a healing form of self-reflection. Indeed, many successful Common App essay examples touch on this topic. However, as always, writing about it with intention and care is ultimately what makes these personal statement sample essays work. 

As an Indian-American, this student feels torn between connecting to their Indian heritage and integrating within their American community. They overcome this inner conflict by reframing how they view their identity, rejecting the either-or paradox they felt caught in. They even intentionally immerse themself in their Indian culture and share it with others through volunteer work. From their reflection, they discover how science journalism could be a career that merges all parts of their identity.

Compelling Common App essay examples are written engagingly . This author hooks us from the start of their essay with an intriguing quote that immediately catches the reader’s attention. They also bring that hook back to show us how changing their mindset allowed them to overcome their inner conflict.

Our next example of Common App essays that worked brings together two topics that the author feels passionate about. In doing so, the author doubles their ways to showcase who they are. 

Sample Common App Essay #8

All Common App essays that worked have touched upon a topic that is meaningful to the author. This next author wrote about two – their love of Rubik’s cubes and scientific research.

Common App Essay Examples #8: Rubik’s Cubes and Research

The complex array of colors had always baffled me. Orange, yellow, green, red, white, and blue all jumbled together on a mystifying gadget that just could not be completed. Twisting and turning side after side was of no use, the Rubik’s Cube could not be solved. This elaborate contraption presented me with the most overwhelming experience of my life. It outshined everything else in my dull life, and solving it became a life-changing experience.

I spent many weeks trying to find different combinations that could solve the mysterious puzzle. After continuously failing, I felt infuriated. However, rather than giving up on my goal, I knew I could do it. I worked backwards until I realized what I did wrong early in the solving process. I kept forgetting to do a critical step, causing me to get two colors in their wrong spots. Knowing this, I was able to alter my procedure and make significant progress. I was finally able to solve four out of the six sides over the course of 45 seconds. Solving the last two sides, however, needed a little more time and effort. My affection for mathematics and science stems mainly from this- both involve a similarly coherent and disciplined approach just like the Rubik’s Cube. 

This past summer, I did research work at Columbia University Medical Center on ion channel membrane proteins and studied their structure and function in the ultimate goal to find drug targets to help cure cancer. When some research experiments provided dubious outcomes, I was given the assignment of checking that the viruses we were working with had been identified correctly. I spent weeks running DNA gels through gel electrophoresis and trying to find specific genes in each virus, but I had varying results. I was exasperated, but rather than giving up on my task, I thought about my past experience with the Rubik’s Cube. Working backwards on the Rubik’s Cube helped me figure out exactly at which step I went wrong.

So I decided to work backwards on my research until I reached the source, the primers, I had used to amplify the DNA and specify the desired mutations were nonspecific, thus making them ineffective in distinguishing the six genes of interest to us. Knowing this, I was able to modify my experiments accordingly, looking at protein content instead of DNA sequences. I was finally able to prove that four of the six viruses were correct. The last two, however, needed to be reanalyzed. Just like the troubleshooting strategy with the Rubik’s Cube, working backwards helped me to find my source of error and ultimately got me 4/6 th of the way through my goal.  My research work was crucial to the graduate student whom I was working with, and he was able to redesign his experiments to account for the fifth and sixth viruses.

Researching in a lab alongside a renowned professor was a thrilling experience for me. I gave up hanging out with my friends on the beach and chose to work with chemicals and viruses instead. My urge to understand these proteins was the driving force of my research. I am incredibly proud of my contribution to solving the puzzle of cancer. It was a small piece, but vital nevertheless. This cerebral inspiration, combined with an aspiration to learn more about life’s ambiguities, compels me to chase a profession with scientific research.

The sense of self-satisfaction and achievement I felt from my research work at the Columbia University was much the same as that I felt upon solving the Rubik’s Cube. This sensation is one I hope to experience throughout my life as the cancer puzzle is unequivocally one of the most critical puzzles of the modern era and certainly the first of a myriad of puzzles I hope to solve in the field of scientific discovery. 

Why this Essay Worked

This sample combines two college essay ideas flawlessly. First, the student introduces us to their love of Rubik’s cubes. Then, they flow into their love of research and the impact they made through their summer internship at a cancer research lab. 

The real power comes in how the student uses their approach to Rubik’s cubes in order to overcome a roadblock in their research. By doing so, the student highlights their problem-solving skills alongside their compassion for others. In this, this essay highlights the writer’s wish to positively impact the world. We can learn a lot about crafting a strong college application essay format from this example.

Our next sample of Common App essays that worked highlights a student’s passion for language . Moreover, it uses a hook and a writing style that makes it a standout essay.

Personal Statement Sample Essay #9

When thinking about how to write a college essay, start by thinking: what could I talk about all day? Great Common App essay examples often focus on passions. This author introduces us to one of their passions—the written word—through a story about an influential English teacher.

Common App Essay Examples #9: A Love for Language 

It is like selecting the perfect pair of socks, I suppose. I envision myself kneeling before the bottommost drawer of my bureau, my chilled feet egging me on, and perusing the trove of choices that awaits my roving fingertips. I meditate on the day’s promises before making my selection – now, did the weatherman say 65 or 55 degrees? Was that rain the Farmers’ Almanac called for? Perhaps I should just wear sandals. After a few more moments of inspection: Ah – there it is! Of perfect hue, texture, and temperament, it is exactly the article for which I sought.

There exists a great parallel between this, the daily hosiery search that begins my mornings, and my lifelong pursuit of the perfect word. Socks and words, both objects of my affection, are united in their enduring qualities: both involve a weighty decision, require a certain shrewdness and pragmatism from the selector, and offer nearly endless options that only intensify the quandary. However, in seventeen years of interaction with both, I informedly pronounce that I find the latter to be infinitely more cumbersome, convoluted, and, thus, beautiful. 

My rendezvous with language began as all children’s do: with crying. On the heels of crying came babbling, soon ousted by laconic speech and finally replaced by comprehensible expression. To my youngest self, language was mechanical and lifeless, a rigid blend of lexicon and grammar that broke as many rules as it created. This sentiment prevailed until I walked into Mrs. Regan’s fourth-grade class.

On that fateful first day, I recall being struck by her inviting personality and stylish plaid frock (I was personally wanting in the department of fashion). Beyond the warmth of her disposition, her pedagogical philosophy was unconventional and striking, even to an easily-distracted girl who wore the same green shirt every day. Her intention was not to satisfy district-determined measures or adhere to the antiquated curricula her coworkers professed. Instead, she pushed her students to invite intellectual challenges and conundrums, exposing us to the complexities of academia that she adored.

Her passion was best evidenced by the infamous vocabulary lists that circulated every Monday, boasting words typically native to a high school workbook. Suddenly, pedestrian exercises in ‘Choosing the Right Word’ were transformed into riveting explorations of the English language’s multiplicity, breadth, and allure. Within weeks I was concocting sentences just to employ ‘voracity’ and asking for synonyms for ‘vociferous’ that could aptly describe my rowdy classmates.

With thanks due to Mrs. Regan’s tutelage, my enthusiasm for words matured into an infatuation. I began to pour through the well-worn dictionary that presided over my nightstand, tasting the foreign syllables as they rolled from my lips. Coincidentally, I was soon given the title of the ‘human dictionary’ at school and have since served as a consultant for my friends and peers, answering questions of “What word fits best here?” or, the age-old query, “Affect or effect?” But the further I read, the more humbled I become, dwarfed by the vastness and mystery of my mother tongue.

Though my ensuing years of education have been enormously fruitful, Mrs. Regan remains my childhood hero on two counts: she encouraged my obsession with the written word and indulged my fourth-grade wish for a challenge. The insatiability I feel puzzling over jargon on PubMed, hearing the ping of Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s word of the day arriving in my inbox, and maybe even shedding a tear at the aesthetic tenor of ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ can be traced to those days of yore, spent copying definitions in a blockish scrawl. Today, as in that year far gone, I am still in pursuit of the perfect word – ever elusive, sitting on the tip of my tongue. But pouring through the dresser drawers of my mind, abundant with the tokens of my educational and lingual experience, I know it will not be long until I find it.

What makes this essay stand out?

Great Common App essay examples must be well-written. In this essay, the student’s writing mirrors her love for writing; they are both exceptional. Not all effective sample Common App essays need to have large vocabulary words like this essay does. However, they all need to reflect the student’s unique voice and be grammatically correct. 

This essay takes us into the student’s mind, showing us how they think and how much they love the English language. They highlight countless examples of how they embrace the challenge of writing, all through the metaphor of choosing socks. As such, we see a student who is ambitious and passionate. These character traits make them a very desirable candidate.

Common App Essay Examples #10

Next, let’s look at our final sample of Common App essays that worked. In this essay, we’ll explore a student’s relationship to acting and labels throughout their life.

Common App Essay Examples #10: Letting Go of Labels

“Are you ready?” I looked up at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, which I followed to a face caked in a mask of stage makeup. I replied with a curt nod and feigned smile, forcing my expression to oppose the dread welling inside my stomach. In no way did I feel prepared; truthfully, I felt nothing short of ridiculous, clad in an electric green, one-sleeved spandex dress reminiscent of a 4 th grader’s discarded dance ensemble (and no doubt someone’s well-intentioned but unfortunate donation to the costume bin). Trapped in my orb of painful self-awareness, I peeked into the audience, imbibing Coke from the concession stand and looking detachedly at iPhones, waiting for the dimming lights to signify the start of Act I. All I felt was my heart careening into my throat.

Weeks before, I accepted the request to play my ukulele during the high-school production of Godspell the musical. I thereupon decided to enter the wily seas of the theatre arts with the remarkably determined response of “Hey, why not?” Initially, my decision seemed an innocuous one. Playing ukulele? Seeing a show? Indulging in complimentary refreshments? The positive haze that enveloped the future reminded me that this could be my shot – the chance of realizing my Audra-McDonald-and-Angela-Lansbury-inspired dreams of performing, a dream left behind long ago.

Music and theatre forever had been a part of me, a shaper of the fantasies of grandeur and fame inherent with childhood. Christened with the bellows of Tchaikovsky and Dvořák and raised alongside a sister infatuated with the spotlight, it seemed only natural for me to ascend to my own musical perch. As years passed, however, my shier disposition guided me to athletics, and I soon became the recipient of patronizing nods when I explained that, no, I did not sing too. Even so, with the purchase of a ukulele, my passion became a quiet one, made undeniably alive in the moments everyone left the house and silenced as the family car pulled in again. 

Unfortunately, no late-night bedroom performance could have prepared me to step before an audience. In the wing, someone grabbed my arm and motioned onto the stage. My legs took on the cartoon effect of wobbling back and forth, and I plastered a perturbed grin on my face as a sorry attempt at joy (probably reading more a grimace than the beacon of ecstasy I had hoped). The cast shuffled onto the stage, cloaked in the colors of Stephen Schwartz’s vision, and the cue sounded for the song to start.

I stood arrested under the searing lights, feeling my heart race and sweat glands dilate. I looked into a faceless audience, blackened by the concentration of light striking my retina. Blinking and restoring my vision, I glanced beside me and saw the warmth and undiluted joy of my peers. Their smiles were not feigned. A lone flautist tooted out the first notes and, still watching over my shoulder, I fumbled to make a C chord. The tune began; I inhaled and opened my mouth and sang. 

I used to fashion square containers in my mind, ones in which I placed my friends, acquaintances, and, often, myself. I smacked a label on the box – maybe ‘Equestrian’, ‘Mathematical Genius’, or ‘Makes a Mean Stew’ – and relied upon my scheme, this Dewey Decimal System of my interpersonal library, to govern my conceptions of those around me. Only once I had lumped myself into the ‘Athlete’ bin and sealed the lid did I notice that an air-tight container is not where I belong, not where any free-thinking, passionate, idiosyncratic being belongs. Immersing myself into the vibrancy of the Godspell stage, uke in tow, and exuding what I had internalized shattered this jejune way of categorizing the world.

As I reassessed my perspective, I thought, maybe one day I’ll become a crusader of self-expression, a lover of every powerful facet that culminates in the individual, no matter where I find myself. Until then, I’ll keep on singing – not proudly, not defiantly, and definitely not concordantly, but my voice will pipe to the intricate, malleable tune of myself.

One college application essay format that works for some students is to take us directly into a scene through dialogue. This is often an effective hook. Here, the author uses this tactic to capture our attention. They also describe the moment before they step on stage with evocative details, allowing us to experience their anxiety. This is another great example of showing and not telling. 

However, the author’s anxiety about acting transforms into several realizations about their relationship to the arts. Fear led them to stop acting, and embrace athletics instead. However, in the end, the author realizes that they don’t need to choose one or the other. Instead, they can continue to evolve and explore new sides of themself as they grow. 

Undoubtedly, college admissions officers evaluated this writeras a lifelong learner who faces fears and constantly questions society’s assumptions. Like many compelling personal statement sample essays, this student takes us on a journey through her self-development.

How to write a college essay?

We’ve looked at 10 successful Common App essay examples. Now, you might be wondering how to write a college essay that is equally as compelling. Let’s look at some college essay tips to help you ace the process :

4 tips for writing college essays

1. start early.

We can almost guarantee that none of the Common App essay examples featured here were written overnight. In fact, these Common App essays that worked required ample time to choose a topic, reflect on one’s growth, write the essay, get feedback, and edit. 

Often, to write a successful essay, one must step away from a piece and come back to it. As such, it is important to give yourself plenty of time to write your essay. For most, this means several months. If you’re a college junior, start the summer before your senior year. 

2. Be you, specifically and authentically

Whether you’re writing about an injury or a favorite book, make sure your college essay ideas are meaningful and personal. Pick a topic that you could passionately talk about all day. Furthermore, always speak about your ideas and experiences in detail. Telling us that you love books is not as powerful as telling us how your parents had to continually turn off the lights in your room because you would stay up all night reading.

3. Write many drafts

Your first draft is often not your best draft. In fact, it can take upwards of 3-4 drafts to get to an essay that you’re proud of. Likewise, prepare yourself for the possibility of completely scrapping one of your college essay topics or reworking your entire college application essay format. These are all natural parts of the process.

4. Get help from others

Like many of the most challenging things in life, applying to college is best done with help. When brainstorming college essay topics, consider asking friends and family what makes you stand out in their minds. Ask experts like a CollegeAdvisor admissions counselor or an English teacher to review your essay. And, of course, read many examples of college essays to find inspiration. But don’t forget that you aren’t alone in this process!

We’ve now talked about how to write a college essay and looked at some Common App essay examples. But what makes a great college essay? We’ll explore characteristics of Common App essays that worked next.

What makes a great college essay?

We’ve looked at many Common App essay examples in this guide. As you’ve likely noticed, there is no single perfect recipe for college essays that worked. In fact, these sample Common App essays are all very different. From college essay topics to college application essay format, there is great diversity in what makes a great college essay. 

Still, there are some traits that many great Common App essay examples share. Here are a few:

Unique to the student 

Among the most important college essay tips is to write about what matters to you. If you try to copy someone else’s idea or write what you think colleges want to hear, your essay will feel forced. Instead, choose the topic that immediately catches your attention. This will lead to you writing about your most meaningful experiences. These could be anything from growing up without money to remembering your favorite toy. The personal statement sample essays we highlighted touch on many different topics. However, all of them were important to the authors.

Along with this, focus on writing in your own voice. If you don’t naturally write with four syllable vocabulary words, then don’t try to do so in your essay. Our personal statement sample essays highlighted several different writing styles, and they all worked.

Well-written

You don’t have to write like a college professor. However your essay does have to be easy to read and free of grammatical errors . Note that our personal statement sample essays were free from slang and typographical errors. In part, admissions officers are assessing your writing abilities. Show them the best writing you can produce.

Undoubtedly, admissions officers are looking to see how you reflect upon your experiences. Ideally, they want to see personal growth. What did you learn? What do you value? How do you solve problems? How do you approach challenges? All of our Common app essay examples demonstrate the author reflecting upon their experience in order to answer such questions. 

Additional Common App Essay Tips

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this guide to Common App essay examples. To finish, we have a few more tips from what we saw in our personal statement sample essays.

Show, don’t tell

A common literary approach that all of the sample Common App essays employed is the maxim of “show, don’t tell.” Though this is a cliché piece of advice , it is critical to all college essays that worked. It involves using descriptive language, dialogue, and other details to make your story come to life. Imagine you are a film director – how would you describe the story you are trying to tell in 3D detail? Our sample Common App essays were chock full of details that brought each story to life and made for an engaging read.

Find a hook

A hook is a compelling start to an essay. It is one of the most common aspects of a successful college application essay format. A hook can look like a piece of dialogue, an evocative sentence, or a surprising statement. If you look at our Common App essay examples, you’ll see that they all start with an interesting hook.

Read your essay aloud

The last of our college essay tips has to do with how you edit your essay. We recommend reading it aloud to yourself. This not only helps with finding typos or wordiness; it also allows you to connect with the emotion behind your essay. Does reading it make tears well in your eyes? Does it make you laugh? If so, you’re likely onto something great. Reading your essay out loud also helps to know if it sounds natural. As we stated earlier, all of our sample Common App essays capture the unique voices of different students.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore

At CollegeAdvisor, we’re committed to helping you ace the admissions process and get into a school that makes you happy. As such, beyond this article with sample Common App essays, we have other resources to guide you through the essay process.

Common App Essays 2023‒2024

If you liked reading our Common App essay examples, check out this article about personal statement sample essays. You’ll find more college essay ideas and college essay tips inside. 

Alternatively, if you’re already in college but are considering transferring , we have a guide for writing your transfer essay. With this guide, you’ll be able to reflect on why a new school might be a better fit for you. You’ll also learn how to ensure that your application to a new school is compelling. Since transfer essays have a slightly different college application essay format, you shouldn’t simply recycle a past personal statement.

Additionally, we have helpful webinars about writing your Common App essay. Our webinar on crafting your unique story will help you think about what kind of characteristics or branding you wish to highlight in your essay. Thinking in this way may feel more natural than trying to simply answer a prompt. 

Crafting Your Story: Effective Strategies for College Essays

If you’re a junior , our webinar on using the summer before your senior year to get ahead on writing your personal statement will help you get organized. Resources like these can help make the college application process much less stressful. We can guarantee that each of these sample Common App essays took a good amount of time to write. With that in mind, starting early is key.

Common App Essay Examples – Final Takeaways

In this article, we showed you ten Common App essay examples and broke down why they are Common App essays that worked. Hopefully, you can now answer both the questions “what is a personal statement?” and “what makes great sample Common App essays?”. If you remember only one of our featured college essay tips, let it be to stay true to yourself in your essay. 

The process of applying to college, and especially being vulnerable in an essay, can be daunting. However, CollegeAdvisor is here to support you. In addition to providing dozens of examples of college essays and other resources , we offer personalized admissions guidance designed to help students succeed. Click here to connect with a member of our team and learn more. 

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UCAS vs. Common App: What International Students Should Know

The application portals for U.K. and U.S. university admissions have several differences, including the personal statement or essay component.

UCAS vs. Common App

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Students can use the UCAS to apply to up to five U.K. universities at the same time.

As an American high school student in Colorado, Zachary Fornelius says his school held projects to help students prepare for applying to college; however, those did not help when it came to applying to universities in the United Kingdom, he says. Fornelius says he applied to five U.K. universities and a few safety schools in the U.S.

"Applying to the U.K. was foreign to me; however, the application process was really straightforward. The most difficult part was making sure you had all of the equivalent test scores and grades because they do grades very differently here and it was hard to understand at first," says Fornelius, who is now pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fashion design at Arts University Bournemouth in England.

Prospective international students planning to apply to U.S. universities for undergraduate admission can typically apply through one streamlined portal, The Common Application, while those applying to U.K. universities for undergraduate admission and some graduate programs can do so via Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, or UCAS.

While both portals offer the convenience of applying to universities, here are three key differences between UCAS and the Common App that prospective international students should know about:

• Fees and deadlines
• Personal statement/essay

One major difference between UCAS and the Common App is what each portal is used for; while students use UCAS to apply for admission to U.K. universities , they use the Common App for U.S. college admissions, though some universities outside of the U.S. are also included. While the Common App is a popular platform, not all U.S. colleges use it.

"What sets UCAS apart from other admissions organizations across the world is that all universities in the U.K., around 350, accept undergraduate applications through us," says Courteney Sheppard, senior customer experience manager for UCAS.

Sheppard says students can use the online application to apply to up to five U.K. universities at the same time. Applicants are required to choose five specific programs of study at those selected universities when applying, according to UCAS.

“International students need to submit similar details as U.K. applicants; however one key difference is the personal statement section," Sheppard says. "As well as explaining why you want to study a particular course or subject, it's also a good idea to write about why you want to study in the U.K. instead of any other country, and why you're interested in becoming an international student rather than study in your home country."

The Common App is used annually by students from more than 200 countries, says Scott Anderson, the organization's senior director of solutions strategy and student success. He says the Common App has more than 900 member colleges and universities worldwide, including 61 schools outside of the U.S. Students can apply to up to 20 colleges, per the website.

Gambian national Sainabou Jallow, a junior at Ithaca College in New York majoring in math and biology, says she remembers feeling overwhelmed when she started to fill out the Common App.

"I felt that there were so many questions and I did not know where to start from," Jallow says. "It was my first experience with an extensive application, but once I started filling it out, it was very straightforward and easy to complete."

Anderson says the Common App is essentially the same for both domestic and international students, "with small differences, such as the questions about citizenship and residency, application fees and payment."

He says schools may also add additional questions required of international applicants on the Common App's My Colleges tab, which is where students can complete the applications for the colleges they add to their list. Students can also learn more about each school in the college information section and find deadlines, requirements for testing and more.

New this year, the Common App added an optional question for all students to respond to, in 250 words, about the impact of community disruptions such as the coronavirus pandemic and natural disasters.

Scott Alexander, senior associate dean of admission and director of international enrollment at Bates College in Maine, says international students "can provide context on how COVID-19 continues to affect them, their families, their schools, their communities and their regions," and adds that having this extra information can provide "invaluable insight as part of our application review."

Fees and Deadlines

Prospective international students should know that fees and deadlines also differ between UCAS and the Common App.

"The UCAS application is inexpensive, approximately $36 collectively for five universities. Since the application is rather inexpensive, I encourage students to apply for the U.K. limit of five schools," says Sandy Furth, founder and certified educational planner at World Student Support in Colorado.

Sheppard says the deadline to apply for most undergraduate programs in the U.K. is Jan. 15 each year. "However, many universities are flexible and will accept applications after this, in the months leading up to the course starting," he says.

As for the Common App, Anderson says individual colleges may charge application fees but that the Common App is a completely free service.

"Schools decide if international applicants pay the same fee as domestic applicants, or if they must pay a different fee amount," Anderson says.

He says 448 colleges have no application fee for international students, such as Ithaca College, Wright State University in Ohio, Duquesne University in Pennsylvania and Saint Martin's University in Washington.

Anderson says international students may be eligible for a Common App fee waiver, based on financial need. "It's important to check each university's fee waiver policy for international applicants," he adds.

Regarding Common App deadlines, he says each college can choose their own application options and deadlines. Options include early action, early decision , regular decision and rolling admission.

"Keep in mind that to meet an application deadline, they must submit their application materials by 11:59 p.m. in their local time zone, not the college's time zone or any other time zone," Anderson says.

Personal Statement/Essay

When comparing UCAS with the Common App, it's also important for international applicants to be aware of differences in application requirements, particularly with the essay. UCAS refers to it as a personal statement, which is limited to 4,000 characters, while the Common App requires an essay of 650 words.

"UCAS personal statement is all about 'why this course.' Students are not only applying to a university they want to attend, but a major of study," Furth says.

Fornelius says he worked with Furth on a few drafts before submitting his personal statement.

"I talked about the hardships I've been through and how I developed and became a better person. I also talked about what I'm good at and what my goals and aspirations are," Fornelius says.

Craig Meister, who runs CollegeMeister, a college consulting firm in Maryland, says while the UCAS has "one relatively workman-like essay about why a student wants to study a particular course, the Common App gets all touchy-feely with applicants." He says the biggest issue for international students is the amount of writing that they need to do in English, using the style of personal persuasive writing.

"The Common App asks questions that are more personal in nature and many international students are not used to such personal questions being asked in formal applications in their cultures," Meister says. "I advise students to let their heart show."

He says the Common App essay asks students to share how they have grown or changed, which they can only do effectively by offering personal details that they may not have shared in writing before.

Whether applying to universities through the Common App or UCAS, prospective international students should start early and avoid working on the application the night before or pulling an all-nighter, Furth recommends.

"They take thought, drafting, revision, reflection – and it is a process," Furth says. "In order to make it as less stressful as possible, the best practice is devise a reasonable timeline so there is room for reflection and thoughtful revision."

See the complete rankings of the Best Global Universities.

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Tags: education , colleges , Global Universities , international students , college applications , United Kingdom

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Common App vs. Supplements vs. Personal Statement

<p>I have threeo questions:

• Is the “college essay”, as it is referred to, the essay that is required for the Common App? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
• The Common App essay word limit is 500 words. However, many of the other supplements are much higher than that. For example, the supplement for Stanford is 2000 characters. Is this large gap normal? And should I max out the supplement word count as well?
• What is the difference between a Personal Statement as opposed to the other two essays? Sorry, I know these questions are common knowledge :(</p>

<p>nverqrui -</p>

<p>Never be sorry for asking a question! Except to CCers, this information is hardly common knowledge!</p>

<p>1) The “College Essay” that is so infamous is indeed the common app essay. It’s also known as the personal statement and has a 500 word limit. </p>

<p>2) There’s a very large range of word limits, minimums, and suggestions for college essays. It’s very normal. However, a 2000 character essay is roughly 300-400 words. You should come close to the limit because the better essays tend to be the ones that are less rushed. Having said that, if you write an impeccable 1300 character essay for Stanford, by all means go for it!</p>

<p>3) The personal statement is when you either choose one of five topics or write on anything you want. This is THE essay. It represents you and shows what you’re passionate about. I’m not sure what the other “two” essays are, though. If you mean the extracurricular essay than that is a much shorter essay (1000 characters or about 160 words) where you describe in detail one of your extracirriculars. </p>

<p>Supplemental essays are just essays that each individual college requires. Sometimes, these are more important than the common app essay. Each college has their own rules on the supplemental essay. Some have none, some have 1 and some have many! </p>

<p>So, to sum up, THE college essay is the same as the common app essay which is the same as the personal statement. </p>

<p>If you need anything else, just ask!</p>

<p>Best regards,

• Mike</p>

<p>No problem!</p>

<p>As for your next question, the personal statement is more important. HOWEVER, the extracurricular essay is still very, very important. The problem is, like you noticed, most people don’t care about it. They seem to think its just a few sentences that you can piece together and not worry about, but in reality it is a short essay! Colleges have to deal with so many bad ones that a good EC essay is a big plus. </p>

<p>Anything else, just ask!</p>

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