A QUICK GUIDE
The 2014–15 Common Application opens August 1 and is accepted by over 450 colleges and universities.
The first portions of the application will take you only a couple of hours to complete. It consists of 6 sections:
1) Applicant Personal Information
2) Future Plans
3) Demographics
4) Family
5) Education
6) Extracurricular Activities & Work Experience
The second portion — the Personal Statement — will occupy a great deal more time since it is your opportunity to express the core essence of who you are in a powerful 250-650 words.
The 2014–15 essay prompts are:
• 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.
• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
NOTE that individual colleges and universities may require short essay responses in addition to the required Common Application essay. These prompts may be found on the school's website and are usually linked through your Common App account.
Your essay can be a fun journey through a memorable experience or dream. And although there is no right way to write, here are some simple guidelines to get you started.
1) Brainstorm and write down 5 people, 5 places, and 5 events that are important to you. (Ideas: your little sister, your tree house, Christmas morning at your grandmother's home). Do not edit yourself. Do not think about whether it makes sense for the prompts. Allow your creativity to flourish.
2) Find a friend and talk with them about a few of the things on your list. Tell them a story using all of your senses. What did it look, feel, smell, and taste like? Were you anxious and afraid or elated and thrilled? Get some feedback about which stories or parts of the stories are interesting to others.
3) Take the most interesting stories and dig deeper. Give more details. Use descriptive words and an active voice. Make the story jump off the page. (I fell asleep on the cold hard wood floor under the evanescent and transient light of the tree and awoke on Christmas morning to the punctuating yet fleeting smell of Grandma's warm and majestic cinnamon-apple pie.)
4) Review the essay prompts. Do any of your stories connect with one of the prompts?
5) Keep digging for treasure. Review some of your past writings and look for GEMS — Genuine Encounter Moments. Highlight or underline key phrases, words or thoughts that might help pull your story together.
6) Try to write your story in less than 10 words but don't do it directly. For instance, instead of "I really love the taste of chocolate." Try: "I anticipated the creamy goodness hidden within the foil wrapper." Could your 10 words or less statement make an interesting beginning?
Remember to spend only 60 minutes on each of your early brainstorming sessions. Take a break. Get some feedback. Enjoy your stories and share them with others!