Common app prompt 4 sample essay. Prompt 4 Common App essay examples from all colleges.
Common app prompt 4 sample essay Jun 6, 2025 · How to write the Common App essay prompt 4 with examples: "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? Understanding the Common App personal essay prompts is essential for crafting an effective response. Why are you drawn to it? Word Count: 250 words, or fewer Sample Essay Learn how to approach UIUC’s short supplemental essays. Nov 11, 2024 · The Common App for the 2024-2025 application cycle features seven distinct essay prompts that encourage you to reflect on your personal experiences and tell your story. Expert guide on how to approach the 2025-26 Common App essay prompts. Mar 7, 2025 · We recommend using this resource alongside our Common App Essay Hub and our College Supplemental Essay Premium Example Hub, which include sample essays in response to every prompt required by the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States. Prompt #4 is about gratitude. How's this gratitude affected you? May 15, 2013 · How to Answer Prompt 4 for the Common App for your College Application Essay Prompt 4: Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. To help you write your own, we've asked former admissions officers to annotate, comment on, and grade every single essay. Writing a college essay? Using real sample college essays that worked will give you a great idea of what colleges look for. This places them on the same tier of importance as recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, first-generation status, volunteer work, and work experience. Learn how to write your personal statement and supplemental essays for college applications. Whether you're applying through the Common App, Coalition App, or directly to selective universities, your personal statement and supplemental essays are your opportunity to show admissions officers who you… Jun 7, 2024 · The best way to write this prompt, and any Common App essay, is by telling a story with a designated beginning, middle, and end. The writing section is one place in your application where you get to decide what you tell us, so we read your words carefully. Whatever questions you answer, make sure you show us your personality—just as you would in real life. Dec 1, 2024 · Discover the best Common App essay examples to inspire your personal statement. Common App Essay Examples - Prompt 2 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. Here, we go through outstanding essay examples for each of the 8 UC essay prompts. Students will see two changes to the optional “Additional information” questions as of August 1, 2025. While most of the seven Common App essay prompts remain unchanged in the past few years, this year one of the prompts is eliminated in favor of a new prompt. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Jul 24, 2023 · In 2023, the Common Application announced that the Common App essay prompts will remain unchanged from the 2022-2023 school year. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore Common App Prompt 4 in depth, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to craft a compelling essay that resonates with admissions officers. Get 35 real college essays from Ivy-League admits. Aug 28, 2025 · Applying to the University of Maryland, College Park? Learn how to write standout supplemental essays to improve your chances of acceptance! May 29, 2025 · For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2026, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App. Learn more about applying through our first-year application by following our step-by-step guide below. This year, the college has three required essays for students to respond to, as well as two optional essays where you can provide additional context about your application. Common App essay examples from all colleges. Jul 30, 2023 · How to write Common App Essay Prompt 4: Showing Gratitude. Nov 19, 2021 · We’ve provided seven essay examples, one for each of the Common App prompts. Jul 16, 2020 · Check out these outstanding college essay examples. In this post, we’ll focus on giving you a seriously in-depth analysis of the fourth prompt. Jul 3, 2025 · How to Write Common App Essay Prompt 4: Example and Guide 2025-2026 We’re continuing our deep dive into each of the seven Common App essay prompts, giving you advice on how to brainstorm, write, and refine your Common App essay. The table below links each prompt with a sample essay title and explains why it worked. Aug 6, 2022 · Want to know how to craft the perfect Common App prompt #2 essay? Check out this post for essay examples and writing tips. Of those eight, you must choose four (and only four) to respond to. Ready for number 4? Let’s do it! Jul 19, 2021 · Use our tips and strategies for thinking about each of the seven personal essay options on the 2021-22 Common Application. You could write about your creative side. Explain its significance to you and […] Jun 5, 2024 · The 2024-2025 college application season is about to start, so we’re starting our series on our favorite thing: the Common App essay. If we met face-to-face, what would you want us to know about you? These personal insight questions allow you to tell us. In the opinion of the College Transitions staff, the decision to stay the course was a wise one—it was based on the fact that the prompts, as presently constituted, consistently receive rave The Common App's Prompt #4 reads, "Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. All of them ask you to respond to broad, open-ended questions or statements that relate to a period of personal growth, intellectual challenge, and/or problem-solving capacities. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Oct 14, 2025 · Application Essay Guide Your application will include both a Common App essay and response to Purdue’s required questions. Here are Common App's essay prompts for this year. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?" Aug 13, 2024 · The 2025 Common App Essay Prompt 4: Reflect on something done for you that made you thankful in a surprising way. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. Oct 2, 2025 · Explore 12 Common App essay examples, 6 strong and 6 weak essays with expert annotations showing what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your draft. Jul 4, 2025 · As summer marches on, so does our series breaking down each Common App essay prompt. Tell us about your engagement with a topic or idea that excites you. (But if you really want to take a holistic approach to writing your personal statement Jan 21, 2025 · Ever wondered how to write an application essay for a college or for a job? Looking for a good example to download? Look no further, 6+ common app essay examples and in PDF or DOC. Get writing tips and essay help from Wordvice admissions editors. Discover what has changed and remained the same for the 25–26 prompts. Your word count should be between 250 and 650 words for each question. Feb 27, 2024 · The Common App essay prompts offer diverse topics, inviting students to share personal stories, challenges, growth, and meaningful experiences. Explore its purpose, current prompts, and key strategies to create an engaging piece that highlights your unique personality. This is part 4 of our “The Complete Guide to the Common App Personal Statement Essay” series. The Common App essay prompts have remained almost the same for the past five years, but crafting a strong and compelling essay to respond to these prompts has remained as important as ever to getting into top schools This article will explain how to choose the Common App Essay Prompts Expert Guide For Powerful College Applications A comprehensive guide to understanding and responding to the 2023-2024 Common App essay prompts, featuring expert advice, sample responses, and strategic approaches to help applicants craft compelling personal statements. See what past applicants did and make your Common App essay perfect by learning from examples! The Common App has seven essay prompts from which to choose. It helps streamline the essential college application during the college admissions process for first-year and transfer students. Sep 17, 2022 · Here are Common App essay examples from Top-20 colleges. Common App Essay Example #4 Prompt #2: The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Sure, there are seven different prompts, but at the end of the day, every school is looking for the same thing: a story. A college application essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. Jan 1, 2025 · Yale Supplemental Essay #1 For: Coalition Application or Common Application Prompt: Yale’s extensive course offerings and vibrant conversations beyond the classroom encourage students to follow their developing intellectual interests wherever they lead. Double and triple-check your spelling and grammar -- don't get dinged on a technicality! Read all of the topics and consider each of them before choosing In general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300-400 words in length. All of the Common App essay examples we will look at responded to one of the current prompts. See the tips and use this guide during your essay writing process. We do not consider the Common App writing section. collegevine. A good failure/setback/challenge essay has a few Nov 20, 2024 · This guide covers how to write the Virginia Tech Supplemental Essays prompts with exercises and essay examples to help you along the way. Oct 15, 2025 · See the 2025–2026 Common App essay prompts with expert tips, examples, and strategy. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. You are asked to write about your personal story, a life event that has prepared you for success in college, and a person who has profoundly impacted your life. In this blog check out 15 excellent common app essay examples having helped thousands of students to get into colleges and universities of their choice. Nov 17, 2025 · Learn how to answer the University of California Personal Insight Questions with detailed prompt breakdowns, real essay examples, and expert analysis to help you craft standout UC application essays. As for personal 1 essays--those are not 1 out of 4, those are more like 1 out of 3000. Oct 4, 2024 · A comprehensive guide on how to answer Prompt 1 of the Common App essay. com Sep 17, 2022 · Here are Common App essay examples from Top-20 colleges. If you’ve spent any time on our blog, you already know we’re big Prompt #7 people (the “write whatever you want” one). Harvard University 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations The Requirements: Five essays of 150 words or fewer Supplemental Essay Type (s): Diversity, Activity, Oddball How to Write Compelling Harvard Supplemental Essays Since Harvard University asks applicants to pen five (5) essays of 100 words or fewer (though the Common App allows for up to 150 words), the key to writing compelling Jul 9, 2025 · UC essays, or the UC Personal Insight Questions, require a very particular style and tone. Jun 12, 2025 · Struggling with your Common App essay? Learn how to write a Common App essay step by step, with expert tips and 3 real examples to inspire your own. For those of you just now learning about and exploring the Common App, it’s a unified college application portal that allows you to work on and apply to up to 20 coll May 21, 2025 · Explore current Common App essay prompts with tips, sample answers, and FAQs. Mar 12, 2025 · The folks at the Common Application have officially announced that the Common App essay prompt menu for the upcoming 2025-26 admissions cycle will remain exactly the same as it was the previous year. This is the fourth of my seven-part series on how to write the Common Application essay prompts. Learn from great examples here. While our example essay worked well for prompt 3, you can still translate its themes to other prompts. What’s Your Solution? More important than the problem you identify is your solution. Don't feel obligated to use every word -- but don't go over, either. You’ll also submit a few Penn-specific short answer prompts. Prompt 4 Common App essay examples from all colleges. Oct 9, 2025 · Learn about the 2025–2026 Common App updates, including unchanged essay prompts, a broader “Challenges and circumstances” question, and reduced word limits. Jun 23, 2024 · The Common App essay is where you really get to shine. If you’re just now learning what the Common App even is, we wish we could live in your world, but it’s a single application platform that lets you apply to up to 20 colleges at once. Jun 24, 2025 · Our Director of Coach Training and long-time Prompt Writing Coach will explain the differences between each of the Common App essay prompts and provide example topics for each. These prompts aim to help you articulate your identity, challenges, and growth, providing an avenue for you to express your unique perspective. A challenge you’ve faced. Plus, a full-length Common App Essay example When you apply to Penn through the Common App, Coalition App, or Questbridge, you will submit a personal statement which is sent to most schools you apply to. The Common App Essay prompts for 2023-24 remain unchanged from the previous year, and it has also recently been announced that they will again stay the same for 2024-25. Prompt 1 Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. As you all probably are well aware by now, our favorite prompt is always #7, but we know that a lot of students really value having the structure a traditional prompt offers Aug 5, 2025 · Writing your college essay isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it helps to have a variety of prompts to choose from. Jul 7, 2024 · In this article, we provide 3 successful Common App prompt 7 examples + a guide on how to answer prompt 7 to stand out from the competition. Let’s review the seven current prompts that inspired Mar 21, 2025 · Looking for strong Common App essay examples? Explore inspiring essays to craft a compelling personal statement for your college application. Looking for Common App essay prompts to get you started on college applications? We’ve got dozens of real common app essays for you today! Common App Essay Examples - Prompt 3 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. Jun 28, 2023 · Among its essay prompts, Common App Prompt 4 offers a platform to share a personal story of overcoming adversity and celebrating diversity. Essay prompt [required] Jul 28, 2025 · Here is your essential guide for the Common App essay prompts to write a personal statement that gets you accepted to the college of your dreams. Application Essay Choosing an Essay Prompt You may choose from any of the Common App prompts to provide supplemental information for the review of their application. There might be seven different prompts, but ultimately, all schools want the same thing from their applicants’ Common App essays: Jun 7, 2024 · The best way to write this prompt, and any Common App essay, is by telling a story with a designated beginning, middle, and end. Your writing is a window into how you think Oct 2, 2025 · Explore 12 Common App essay examples, 6 strong and 6 weak essays with expert annotations showing what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your draft. And to be blunt, unless you truly have an amazing personal story, I don't like your chances of beating those odds just by imitating the better essays you find online. Learn how these admitted students wrote their personal essay. Essay prompt [required] Aug 9, 2022 · Read on to learn how to write a great essay for prompt 3 of the Common App and to see an prompt 3 essay example Sep 2, 2025 · Texas A&M University has three required essay prompts on its application. A sleeper hit prompt, we actually really love this one. Oct 4, 2024 · A comprehensive guide on how to answer Prompt 4 of the Common App essay. Repurpose your UC Activities list for Common App Activities and your remaining UC essays for Common App supplemental essays. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?" Common App Essay Examples - Prompt 6 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. Each year, more than 1 million students apply to more than 1,000 Common App member colleges worldwide through our online college application platform. Includes some real Common App essay examples! Jul 25, 2023 · Write a Common App essay that will impress admissions officers and get you accepted into your college of choice. Regardless of which prompt you choose, all essays are reviewed equally. For each, you will have a maximum of 350 words. Mar 26, 2024 · Want to write the best college personal statement? Our Common App essay examples teach you about 3 essentials: detail, reflection, and voice. Learn how to write authentic, impactful essays that stand out to admissions officers. Mar 28, 2017 · Then Common Application essay prompt #4 may be for you. So today, we’re going to give you our takes on prompt #5, and give you some tips and tricks Personal insight questions Imagine UC was a person. The examples show you want to do (and not do) when responding to the Common App essay prompts. . See what past applicants did and make your Common App essay perfect by learning from examples! See full list on blog. Now, let’s talk about how to brainstorm ideas for Prompt #2 Common App Essay Prompt 2 Example Topics This prompt is begging for a story, which is one of the reasons we like it. After each essay, we’ve provided a table with commentary on the essay’s narrative, writing style and tone, demonstrated traits, and self-reflection. Learn how to craft a standout essay that showcases your unique story. Although some colleges have application fees, using the Common App platform is free. For Common App Prompt 4, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can serve as an exceptionally powerful tool for brainstorming and ideation. Common App Essay Examples - 2024/2025 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. Select and answer the prompt of your choice from the full list found on the Common App website. Jul 22, 2025 · What Are the UC Essay Prompts? Within the UC application, there are eight UC essay prompts, called Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). Aug 25, 2016 · As of August 1, the Common App published its five personal essay prompts. We will find the most relevant Common App essay examples for you. Sep 9, 2023 · Your go-to guide for the Common Application, including Common App essay prompts examples and essay prompts, templates, tips, and more! Aug 17, 2025 · The best Common App essays—starting with thoughtfully choosing the right prompt —give admissions officers insight into your personality, values, and how you’ll contribute to their campus community. With prompt #3, some students linger on the “here’s my bad wrong opinion, I’m self-flagellating, look how dumb I was” part for waaaay too long and don’t even touch on the last part of the prompt: what was the outcome? We don’t want that! Before we start May 31, 2018 · Learn how to write outstanding Personal Insights Questions for the University of California, including prompts and UC essay examples. Please note that the UW essay question must be answered within our application. Let’s take a look: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. Aug 18, 2022 · Wondering how to respond to the common app prompt 6? Read on for common app prompt 6 essay tips and ideas! Common App Essay Examples - Prompt 5 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. Apr 1, 2025 · Discover how to craft a compelling Common App essay that sets you apart. The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will also remain the same as last year, with the following essay prompt: “The transition […] Jun 23, 2025 · The 2025–26 college application season is here—and with it, a new batch of essay prompts that offer students the chance to reflect, reveal, and stand out. Download them now! Essay Prompts You'll also answer one essay prompt as part of your application. Mar 7, 2025 · Learn how to come up with a unique topic and choose the right Common App Essay prompt to write a strong personal statement and get into your dream college. Insider tips, examples & personalized help from College Essay Advisors. ---- Responding effectively to college essay prompts is quite different from other essay writing. Apr 26, 2021 · How to Write the Common App Essay Prompt #4, 2021-2022 This year, a new prompt replaced an old (and highly unpopular) prompt. Common App Sample Essay (Prompt 1) – Essay prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. So today, we’re diving into Prompt #5, sharing our honest Sep 3, 2025 · How to Write the UIUC Essays 2025-2026 The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign is one of the best public universities in the US. 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. Feb 23, 2021 · The Common App prompts have changed slightly this year! Here's what you need to know, plus our tips for writing a strong essay to improve your chances. Aug 1, 2025 · This blog reviews the 2025–2026 Common App essay prompts, explains each one, shares strategies, gives tips, and includes sample responses to help applicants write essays that fit Common App guidelines Aug 9, 2022 · Read on to learn how to write a great essay for prompt 3 of the Common App and to see an prompt 3 essay example Sep 2, 2025 · Texas A&M University has three required essay prompts on its application. Note of the prompts seen as better or worse in the college admissions process. Feb 14, 2019 · Check out 10+ outstanding Common Application example essays, including an analysis of why they're winning applications. Jun 22, 2025 · The 2025-2026 college application cycle is underway, which means we get to share with you our favorite part of the application: the Common App essay. By analyzing the prompt's core themes—challenge, setback, failure, impact, and learning—AI can help students unearth potentially suitable experiences from their past. So let’s dive headfirst into the scariest (but best) Common App prompt: We’re almost through our series on all seven Common App essay prompts, and today we’re talking about Prompt #6. Jun 9, 2024 · As a tip, don’t forget that you can draw themes and motifs from our example and use them for essays outside of prompt 3 —even if they’re supplemental school-specific essay prompts outside the main Common App prompt list. Let's look at each of the seven prompts for the 2023-2024 application cycle and explore sample essays that effectively address them. Common App Essay examples. Nov 19, 2021 · Here are seven examples of strong Common App essays with commentary to help you write your own college essay. You’ll learn about the question, the keywords, and the dos and don’ts of answering, I’ll also give you successful Common Application essay topic examples. Jun 17, 2020 · Before choosing this Common App essay prompt, assess whether you can convey this information through one of your supplements, leaving room for another meaningful story as the basis for your personal statement. Your essay response can be anywhere from 250 to 650 words total. Feb 25, 2024 · Explore 7 outstanding Common App essay examples for 2024, offering inspiration and insights for US students crafting their college applications. Sep 8, 2025 · What are the Common App essay prompts for 2025-26? Discover key insights, tips, and examples to ace each prompt. If you’re wondering how to write the best Common App essay, keep reading to see which elements matter and how you can make yours stand out. Feb 28, 2025 · The 2025-2026 Common Application questions for college have been released! First, a few ground rules. The combined challenge of addressing a Jun 19, 2024 · As the summer continues, so does our series on various prompts of the Common App essay. Each prompt is designed to elicit thoughtful responses, allowing you to demonstrate Jul 12, 2025 · Common App Essay Prompt #7 Essay Guide The truth is, most of the heavy lifting with your Common App happens during brainstorming, but that doesn’t mean the writing part won’t challenge you. Jun 3, 2025 · The essays (both the Common App essay and the supplemental one) are “considered” by the UGA admissions committee. Show research, detail, and cohesion to submit a strong application this cycle. There might be seven different prompts, but ultimately, all schools want the same thing from their applicants’ Common App essays: For students who wish to start exploring the application process, creating a Common App account before August 1 ensures that all their responses, including their personal essay, will be retained through account rollover. If this sounds like you, please share your story. Since then, we’ve been hard at work here at CollegeVine to come up with how-to guides to approach each of these essay prompts individually. Get tips and best practices for writing your college essays as you prepare to apply to college. For the Common App, that means within our UW questions. Jul 5, 2024 · We’ve spent the last few weeks breaking down the Common App essay prompt by prompt, and today we’re going to give you our ultimate guide to writing the Common App essay. Jun 28, 2025 · Common App Essay Prompt #3 Example Topics The best way to approach Prompt #3 (and honestly, any Common App essay) is to tell a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Break down the 2025-2026 Common App essay prompts with tips, examples, and guidance to craft a standout college application essay. Prompt 2 The Common App Essay Examples - Prompt 7 Type a couple of keywords or describe yourself. If you’ve spent any time on our blog, you’re probably aware that we’re huge prompt #7 fans—aka, write an essay of your own design, but we know not all students are ready to embrace a structureless prompt. Sep 24, 2025 · Working on the 2025-26 Common App prompts? Our post will give you expert tips on how to write stand-out essays. We love the freedom it gives you, but we also know that a structureless prompt can feel overwhelming for some students. Sep 7, 2018 · Common Application Prompt 4 is for students who are passionate about an issue and want to showcase their critical thinking skills. Feb 27, 2025 · The Common App essay prompts offer diverse topics, inviting students to share personal stories, challenges, growth, and meaningful experiences. In this guide, we’ll discuss each prompt and give you some tips on how to respond. Fortunately, there’s seven Common App essay prompts available during the 2025-2026 cycle. But with this one in particular, students often get stuck in the beginning. Jun 6, 2024 · Instead, your Common App essay should be used to express your personality and highlight your best traits and values. While we normally encourage students to respond to optional prompts, in this case, they Working on your 2021-22 college essay prompt? Our collection of essay examples will help you put together your own unique essay for your college application. Sep 3, 2025 · The University of Washington does not accept the Common App essays, so this required prompt serves as your personal statement. Your thoughts on leadership. Apr 16, 2025 · Shorten your Common App personal statement for use on one UC essay, if applicable. Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2025–2026: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. However, the open-ended nature of this prompt means that you might be able to repurpose your Common App essay here. Jun 23, 2024 · We’re almost through our series on all seven Common App essay prompts, and today we’re talking about Prompt #6. Jul 9, 2025 · We go through 12 Common App essay examples. Write remaining UC essays and fill out the UC Activities section (which is longer than the Common App Activities section). Jul 19, 2025 · Official Common App Essay Guide 2025-2026 We’ve spent the past few weeks breaking down each Common App essay prompt one by one, and now it’s time for the grand finale: our ultimate guide to writing the Common App essay. wtxzst fxlg nvh ooxq ysyau rcwla lnskas syvwvp znuvk jusbwc hzhq tkur ayafcvf kmss nnoe