Application Essay

Byigotaccepted

Common Application Essay, or Personal Statement, is a 650-word essay that you will submit to schools that use the Common App. Think of it as your opportunity to reveal the person behind the numbers presented in other parts of your application, to show them the “real” you.

To write a successful essay:

  • Focus on yourself, not on someone or something else.                               
  • Describe not just what you did, but why you did it and how it affected you.
  • Avoid repeating information that can be found elsewhere in your application.
  • Don’t tell; show.
  • Be specific: use examples and tell stories.

Preparing your essay can be a time-consuming process, so start working on it early in your college admissions journey—ideally, no later than the summer after your junior year.

 Follow these steps:

  • Brainstorming
    Review the Common App essay prompts and choose the ones that resonate with you. Start recording your ideas: topics that matter to you, significant dates or events, family members or friends who have had a profound impact on your life, and experiences or travels that changed your worldview. Recall stories—funny, sad, tragic, or dramatic—and answer the questions: Why is this important to you? How did it affect you?
  • Freewriting
    Write a little every day for 10-15 minutes. Don’t push yourself; just jot down a few sentences each day. Focus on telling the story rather than merely describing what happened. Avoid rereading what you’ve written, and don’t ask anyone to edit it at this stage. Remember, your goal is to narrate the story.
  • First Draft
    Now you can review everything you’ve written in the previous step and create your first draft.
  • Second and Subsequent Drafts
    Reread your essay and make revisions. Does it tell a story, or does it merely present facts? Is it within the 650-word limit? Ask someone to read it for you, such as school counselors, English teachers, or other advisors.
  • Complete the Final Draft

Carefully review your essay for any grammatical errors, misspellings, or other mistakes. Also, double check the word count; you won’t be able to submit it if it exceeds the limit.

At IGotAccepted we can help you with every step of writing a successful Common App Essay. Please give us a call at 773.548.2533 or email to igotaccepted@outlook.com to get started or schedule a free consultation now.