Keeping a running list or journal of potential essay topics is a great way to ensure that you have a variety of options to choose from when it comes time to write your personal statement. 

Once you have a list of potential topics, write small paragraphs or outlines for each one. This will help you to explore each idea more fully and determine which one will make the best personal statement. Keep in mind that the essay should be a positive piece of writing that showcases your strengths and unique qualities.

Common App & Coalition App usually come out with the prompts in early spring for the following year. The topics usually don’t change.

Common App Essay Prompts

Coalition Essay Prompts

Your personal story and experiences are what make your essay unique, so it's important to focus on those rather than trying to fit a predetermined prompt. When writing your essay, keep in mind that you want to showcase your personal growth, values, and strengths in a positive light. Avoid simply narrating an event or experience - instead, reflect on how that experience impacted you and what you learned from it. Make sure to keep the essay interesting and engaging for the reader by using descriptive language and vivid details. Overall, the essay should give the admissions officer a sense of who you are as a person and what makes you stand out from other applicants.

Some topics that can translate into good essays.

• A quirk or routine you have: This can be a great way to showcase your personality and values. For example, if you have a daily meditation practice, you could write about how this practice helps you to stay focused and centered, and how it reflects your commitment to self-care and mindfulness.

• Passion or interest: Writing about something you are passionate about or an interest you have can show enthusiasm and dedication. This can be a hobby, a community service project, or a creative pursuit.

• A unique family or cultural aspect: Your family background and cultural heritage can be a rich source of inspiration for your essay. You could write about how your family's traditions or values have influenced your own beliefs and goals, or about how you've navigated the challenges of being a first-generation college student.

• Something sentimental or of personal value: This could be a special object, a treasured memory, or even a favorite place. The key is to focus on why this thing is meaningful to you and what it says about your values and priorities.

• A defining moment: This could be a small moment or a major life event - the important thing is to reflect on how it shaped you and what you learned from it. For example, you could write about a time when you stood up for something you believed in, even if it was unpopular, and how that experience helped you to become more confident in your convictions.

• Overcoming a challenge: Writing about a challenge you faced and how you overcame it can show resilience and determination. This can be anything from a personal struggle to a difficult academic or athletic obstacle.

• Personal growth: Reflecting on a time when you learned something new about yourself or changed your perspective on something can show maturity and self-awareness. This can be a result of a new experience or a meaningful relationship.

• Role model or influential person: Writing about a person who has influenced you or served as a role model can show values and character. This can be a family member, teacher, mentor, or someone you admire from afar.

Remember, the most important thing is to choose a topic that is personal and meaningful to you, and to reflect on how that topic has shaped you as a person.

Some don’ts

• Don't write about something negative: Your essay should present you in a positive light, so avoid writing about negative experiences or traits. This doesn't mean you have to present yourself as perfect, but you should focus on your strengths and achievements rather than your weaknesses.

• Don't write about anything that shows privilege: Admissions officers are looking for applicants who are aware of their privilege and who are committed to using their education to make a positive impact in the world. Avoid topics that could be perceived as bragging or showing off your wealth or status.

• Don't make activities the main focus: While you can certainly mention your extracurricular activities or academic achievements in your essay, don't make these the main focus. Admissions officers will already have this information from other parts of your application, so use your essay to show a different side of yourself.

• Don't write about family trips or volunteer trips: While these experiences can be valuable and meaningful, they are also very common topics for college essays. If you do choose to write about a trip or volunteer experience, make sure to focus on what you learned or how it changed you, rather than simply describing the trip itself.

• Don't write about mental health issues: While it's important to be honest and open about mental health, it's generally not a good idea to write about your own mental health struggles in a college essay. This is a private and sensitive topic, and you don't want to risk revealing too much or making the admissions officer uncomfortable. If you feel strongly about addressing mental health in your essay, consider writing about advocacy or awareness-raising efforts you've been involved in.

• Don't use clichés: Avoid using overused phrases or topics, such as "overcoming adversity" or "finding myself through travel". These topics can come across as generic and unoriginal, and may not provide enough insight into your personality or character.

• Don't be too formal or impersonal: Your essay should be a personal reflection of who you are, so avoid being too formal or impersonal in your writing. Use your own voice and style, and don't be afraid to inject some humor or personality into your essay.

• Don't try to impress the admissions officer with your vocabulary: While it's important to write well and use proper grammar, don't try to impress the admissions officer with your vocabulary. Use words that you are comfortable with and that accurately convey your thoughts and ideas.

Once you've written a draft of your essay, be sure to get feedback from trusted friends, family members, or teachers. They can offer valuable insight and help you refine your ideas and writing.

Finally, make sure to proofread your essay carefully for spelling and grammar errors. Sloppy mistakes can detract from the impact of your writing and make you appear careless.

• Your essay should be about you at the core.

• Write your essay in first person. It’s a story you are telling about yourself.

• Use your authentic true voice and avoid cliches and flashy language.

• Make sure your story is believable and relatable. Use your spoken voice and informal words for the characters in your story.

• You can show vulnerability.

• Your essay should be self-reflective. It should show your growth, your understanding, your change for the better and should be overall positive/constructive. The essay should convey growth, hope, optimism.

• Have an impactful first sentence that draws the reader in.

• Your essay should be personal and not like the analysis essays you write in your English class.

• Show don’t tell. Don’t just write you changed, you solved, show the how or what and the “so what”.

• Don’t write very big paragraphs. They are harder to read.

• Do not write a title for your essay.

• Don’t make your essay like a resume and don’t make the entire essay about your activities.

• Don’t write on overused topics like a sports injury or a voluntary trip.

• Make sure there are no typos, grammatical errors.

• Write your drafts and keep a few days between your edits. Take your time and rethink/revisit what you wrote.

• Ask 1-2 trusted adults to read it.

• Get close to the word limit, within 50 words or so.

• When you copy the essay in the common app, it can distort the formatting. Usually, it shows up bold, un-bold it.

• The common app also adds an extra line between paragraphs, remove it.

• If this is your common app main essay it will be sent to all the colleges on your list. Hit the preview button on top of the common app and make necessary changes to the formatting. 

Most selective colleges have supplemental essays. First finalize the topic of your main college essay and make sure you have a good draft for it, and then proceed with the supplemental essays.

Supplemental essays need to show a different side of you. Do not repeat same information in different supplemental essays.

Some colleges announce their supplemental prompts over the summer on their website. For most colleges, the prompts are visible only when you add college to your common app as it opens on August 1. Prompt (https://app.prompt.com/) is free resource where you can add your colleges, and you will get a visual of how many additional essays each college has and what their prompts are. Some colleges open their applications later than August 1 (e.g., UIUC and University of Washington), you can still get an idea from last year's prompts as most often they won’t change.

For some colleges, as you pick major, the supplemental essay prompt will change. Make sure you have filled in all information related to the major or program to see all the prompts. Some colleges also have extra essays for honors programs. e.g., Penn State has a huge honors supplement.

Based on the supplemental essay prompts, you can get an idea of what is important to that college. For e.g., Virginia Tech has an essay prompt Virginia Tech's motto is "Ut Prosim" which means 'That I May Serve'. Share how you contribute to a community that is important to you. This prompt gives you a peek into what "VA Tech" values in an applicant, “Service”.

Supplemental essays are as important as the main essay, especially for highly selective colleges. These are their own prompts, and they are looking to craft their freshman class based on certain "values". To be competitive, always make sure that you also answer any optional supplemental essay prompts. This will help you demonstrate different aspects of you to the admission officer.

Some common prompts

• Why do you want to attend our university (Why Us essay)

  • This essay requires you to do research about the university and its programs, as well as reflect on your personal goals and interests. Your response should be personalized to the university and its offerings, showing that you have done your homework and have a genuine interest in attending.

  • To begin, research the university's website and other materials to learn about its academic programs, extracurricular activities, and other resources that interest you. Attend virtual sessions or visit the campus (if possible) to get a sense of the community and what it would be like to study there. As you research, take notes on specific aspects of the university that appeal to you, whether it's a unique major, research opportunities, or a vibrant student culture.

  • In your essay, start by introducing the university and the program you're interested in. Be specific and avoid generalizations that could apply to any university. Next, explain why you are drawn to the university and how it aligns with your academic and personal goals. Use examples from your research (course offerings, research opportunities, student life, major related clubs, student organizations and any other special interests) to show your knowledge of the university's offerings and how they would benefit you. Finally, tie your response back to your personal goals and how attending the university would help you achieve them.

  • Avoid generic statements or flattery in your response. Instead, focus on specific details and how they relate to your interests and aspirations. Show the admissions committee that you have done your research, and that you have a clear vision for how attending this university would help you grow and succeed.

  • When writing a shorter "Why Us" or "Why Major" essay, you should focus on the academic programs and opportunities that are specific to that university or major. Be sure to research the courses and professors in your intended major, and highlight any unique academic opportunities that interest you, such as research projects, study abroad programs, or specific courses. If you have space, you can also briefly mention other resources, such as clubs, extracurricular activities, or the university's location, that you find appealing and that align with your interests and goals. However, the focus of the essay should be on how the academic programs and opportunities at that university or major align with your interests and goals.

• Why do you want to major in the subject you indicated (Why Major)

  • You should explain why you are passionate about the subject you intend to study and how pursuing this major aligns with your career goals and interests. Consider discussing specific experiences or classes that sparked your interest in the field and how you have pursued this interest outside of the classroom. You can also mention any relevant skills or experiences you have that make you well-suited for this major.

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  • Avoid generic statements about the importance of the field or simply listing off classes you plan to take. Instead, make your essay personal and compelling by sharing your unique perspective and experiences.

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  • It's important to research the major thoroughly and understand what skills and knowledge it requires. This will help you make a convincing case for why you are a good fit for the major and how you can contribute to the academic community. 

• Write about one extracurricular activity

  • This need not be your number one activity or the activity that you spend the most time on. It can be something fun you do or something you do that connects you to the community. Try to pick and write about something that's unique to you. Avoid writing about common activities like volunteering or a service trip.

  • Write about how you have made a difference, how you have helped others, or how you have grown as a person through the activity.

  • Explain how this activity has helped you develop skills or interests that relate to your future goals. 

  • Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points. This will help your essay stand out and show your personality.

  • Make sure to convey your passion and enthusiasm for the activity. This will help the admissions officers see that you are a motivated and engaged student who will contribute positively to their campus community.

• Describe the community you come from 

  • Choose a community, this community could be based on a variety of factors such as your hometown, school, family, cultural or ethnic group, or any other group that has had a significant impact on your life.

  • Provide context: Start your essay by providing some background information about the community you are describing. This could include information about its history, traditions, values, or any other relevant details.

  • Use specific examples: To help bring your community to life, use specific examples and anecdotes that illustrate the unique characteristics and experiences of the community. This could include stories about people, events, or customs that are meaningful to you.

  • Show, don't tell: Instead of simply stating characteristics of the community, try to show how they have influenced you or how you have contributed to the community. Use descriptive language and sensory details to help your reader understand your experience.

  • Reflect on your identity: Consider how your identity has been shaped by your community. How have your experiences within this community influenced your beliefs, values, and perspectives? How have you grown as a result of being a part of this community?

  • Overall, the goal of this essay prompt is to help the admissions committee understand who you are and where you come from.

• Diversity 

  • It's important to first reflect on your own experiences and identity. Consider how your background, culture, ethnicity, beliefs, and experiences have shaped you into the person you are today. Think about specific instances where you have encountered diversity and how those experiences have impacted you.

  • Next, consider how you would contribute to the diversity of the university. This can be through your unique experiences, perspectives, and talents. Think about how you can use your background and experiences to enrich the university community and bring different perspectives to the table.

  • When writing the essay, be sure to provide specific examples and anecdotes that illustrate your experiences and how they have shaped you. Avoid generalizations or cliches and strive to be authentic and genuine in your writing. Show the reader how your experiences have impacted your worldview and how you can contribute to a diverse and inclusive community at the university.