<h2>I'd like to start a thread to record prompt-specific advice for the five current Common App essay topics:</h2>
<p>Prompt 1. Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. </p>
<p>Prompt 2. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?</p>
<p>Prompt 3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?</p>
<p>Prompt 4. Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?</p>
<h2>Prompt 5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.</h2>
<p>Here is one of my observations: </p>
<p>Prompt 2. Make sure you don't sound privileged, condescending, or ungrateful when discussing your failure. I remember reading a results post from an extremely academically qualified student who was rejected from several of his top choice colleges. His failure essay was about being rejected from MOP, the extremely selective program for top USAMO scorers. (If you don't already know this, the path goes AMC >> AIME >> USAMO >> MOP >> IMO, so making the USAMO alone is an extraordinary achievement.) Writing about not qualifying for MOP sounds ungrateful, in my opinion; the student should have been happy that he qualified for the USAMO.</p>
<p>Prompt 4: I’ve read and edited a lot of these essays, and a lot of people choose to write about their families, friends, or some other group of people. Firstly, that’s not a “place or environment,” and secondly, there is a tendency to spend all of the essay writing about the people. Moreover, writing about how close you are to a group of people in your hometown doesn’t speak well to your ability to be content around new people, which you will definitely have to do in college.</p>
<p>I’ve also read a lot of essays about random woods, rocks, or parks used to contemplate life and the future. This is not the place to get introspective or poetic; always remember that the goal is to say something about yourself through the essay. Many teenagers have a place to reflect and get away from their hectic lives; say something new. Such an essay can be done well, but I know that admissions officers get many “peaceful place” essays, so stand out if at all possible.</p>
<p>If I were to discuss my race and how it’s affected my life, would that still be answering Prompt 1? Also, is writing about a summer camp for Prompt 4 too cliche?</p>
<p>And @Hawkwace, things that will make you stand out with such a prompt are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>If you have a unique place or environment, that would help you stand out, like an exotic country where you vacation often or the location of a unique job or EC. </p></li>
<li><p>Not spending the majority of your essay describing the place itself</p></li>
<li><p>Writing about a kind of contentment that does not equal peacefulness or serenity. For example, maybe you feel more comfortable onstage or in a busy restaurant. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>And yup, I’m available to read the essays of anyone who wants some help! Something I wish I’d done before submitting my essays back when I was applying to colleges… -_- Just PM me!</p>
<p>Prompt 5: Don’t think generic. Adcoms probably receive thousands of essays every year about getting your driver’s license, sweet 16, getting your first job, etc. Everyone goes through that, and most of them aren’t “adults” yet. Think outside the box.</p>
<p>Prompt 1: Make sure the background or story you write about is truly central to your identity. I remember reading an essay on CC about a single experience that, while indicative of the writer’s personality, had no real effect on his life. (Always respond to the prompt.)</p>
<p>Prompt 5: Don’t assume adulthood too early. If you write about how getting your first job suddenly made you a mature, responsible adult, you are overestimating your maturity. Personally, I don’t like the fifth prompt: becoming an adult is a transition, and most of these “marking events” are clichéd, superficial, and uninteresting. However, I read a Quora post (not responding to this prompt) that would have made an excellent response:
<p>Hey for prompt #4, if I talk about a place where I volunteer that makes me feel at home… would that be ok? Like it is related to my future career plans. Would that be saying too much on common app?</p>
<p>@frenchgal: I don’t see why not. I’m not sure what you mean by “saying too much on common app,” but college adcoms want to see all aspects of you.</p>
<p>Like I describe my weekly volunteer experience at the hospital and how this allows me to do what I love best: helping people. I also discuss how this helps prepare me for my future career (fingers crossed) as a doctor.</p>
<p>Would talking about music for prompt 4 be all right? I usually escape from everything stressful and whatnot by listening to music… But I feel like that doesn’t really show my personality… Any advice? Or could I take a more metaphorical sense of “being content” and say that I’m the most content in my imagination? I’m trying to think outside the box because I don’t want to be cliche… :/</p>
<p>And also for prompt 1 could you talk about religion? I’m Christian, and that’s central to my life, but I was wondering if that’s too controversial or opinionated for certain schools that I may apply to.</p>