As spring turns to summer, many grade 11s, soon-to-be seniors, are looking ahead to their university application essays. If you’re thinking about heading to the US, you’ve probably heard about the Common App and the Common App Essay. This part of the application is your chance to stand out, show who you are beyond your transcript, and give the admissions committee a deeper look at what makes you unique.
In this blog post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about The Common App Essay: what it is, where to begin, and where to seek help. In part two, coming next week, we’ll provide helpful examples and our best tips to help you craft a compelling and memorable Common App Essay that highlights your strengths and achievements.
What is the Common App Essay
Most post-secondary institutions in the US require the Common App essay. A clear, descriptive, and informal essay, 250 to 650 words in length, that gives students the opportunity to showcase their identity. This essay is a chance for you to show universities something beyond grades: who YOU are!
Make sure you check individual university requirements for Common App essays and additional prompts. It’s important to note that not all post-secondary schools in the US require the Common App essay, and some may require students to submit additional writing along with it.
Where Should I Begin?
It is important to start your application writing as early as you can. Starting early ensures you have enough time to think about your experiences, write drafts, and have multiple rounds of editing. The first step of starting your application writing is brainstorming. Start by writing down all the activities you have done, challenges you have faced, unique opportunities you have had, and life circumstances that may have affected your academics. This might feel difficult at first, but there is no right or wrong answer during this step. Save this list so you can refer back to it later if you think of any new ideas. You can also include a short description of what the activity is and how you would like to address it in your writing.
Feeling Stuck?
The best way to get started is to simply get started! Get some words on the page, and try not to overthink whether the topics you have written down would be “good topics.” The purpose of brainstorming is to explore ideas and potential topics. Even if the activity or challenge seems small or insignificant, you should still add it to your brainstorming page. It may seem like an insignificant detail to you, but to the reader, it could be a key detail that adds context, explains your personal interests, and adds information about your unique experiences. Try not to hold back ideas or overthink your brainstorming stage. The more ideas you explore for potential topics, the better!
Get Different Persepectives
Sometimes students are biased. You might not see the potential of your ideas, or you might even skim over great topics simply because they don’t “fit” a standard. This can be a huge disadvantage in your application writing. Try to gain different perspectives: ask friends and family about what experiences, challenges, or circumstances they have witnessed you grow from. This process might help you think of some topics you initially missed. The more ideas you explore, the more your writing has the potential to express your unique identity.
Asking for Help
Brainstorming can be difficult at times. If you find yourself questioning what topics to choose or how to brainstorm, it might be helpful to schedule an appointment with one of our writing coaches. At Options Solutions, writing coaches can help you find a topic that best displays your personality in your writing. No matter where you are in your application writing, Options Solutions is here to help! Contact us today to book an appointment.
Stay tuned for Part Two, coming next week, where we’ll dive deeper into the Common App Essay, provide detailed tips, and share sample essays to guide your responses.
Admissions is a dynamic field and process. This post was written in June of 2026, and the information discussed was accurate at the time of writing, but that information may be different when you are reading this post. Please check each institution’s website for the most recent information.
