RISING SENIORS: In the fall, most of you will apply to multiple colleges through The Common Application.
The essay prompts for the 2025-2026 Common App are currently available; it is a great idea to choose a prompt and prepare a rough draft over the course of the summer. You'll have more time to think about your topic and sit down to write, which will make your life much easier once you return to school in the fall. However…
DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO COLLEGE THIS SUMMER! You can create your Common App account, add some of your favorite colleges to the “My Colleges” tab in your Common App, write good drafts of your college essay and some supplemental college essays, but DO NOT click on that submit tab! We’ll cover the application process in detail as soon as we get back to school in September.
Your main college essay (personal statement) must eventually fall somewhere between 250-650 words. You will very likely end up using this essay for other college or scholarship applications as well, as those essay prompts are often similar, or, will allow for a topic of choice.
Please remember that no one prompt is better than another. Choose the prompt that is most compelling to you, the one that will allow you to write about something truly meaningful to you. Don't concern yourself with what your friends choose to write about, or what you think college admissions officers want to hear. Whatever topic you choose, it should be an authentic expression of yourself and serve to help admissions officers to get a much better sense of who you are. That's really what they're looking for.
College specific supplemental essay or short answer questions should be available when the updated Common App officially launches for rising seniors in early August. They may also be posted on their websites before then. Once you add a college to your “My Colleges” list, you should be able to access any supplemental writing requirements. Remember that these supplemental written responses are often more important than your personal statement, as these questions are not only designed to learn more about you, but how much of a fit you might be for a particular institution. Familiarizing yourself with the college through in-person info sessions and tours and/or their websites (mission statement, virtual events, etc.), by connecting with current students and faculty, and through guides like the Fiske Guide to Colleges, is essential in order to craft effective supplements. Unlike your personal statement, supplemental questions often should be tailored at least to some extent to that specific college.
See your Naviance account some very helpful essay & supplement tips, which come from professional development workshops we’ve attended over the years that were conducted by admissions officers from Yale, U.Michigan, and Smith. Ignore the dates within; the advice is still on point!
Also, make sure to read the short sections on the personal statement and college specific supplements in Chapter 6 of the NACAC Guide to College Admissions. You can find these essay tips and the NACAC guide in the Document Resources section of your Naviance account within the College Office folder (click on About Me).
You can also check out the links below for more essay tips or to read sample essays from real college students:
https://apply.jhu.edu/application-process/essays-that-worked/
Essays That Worked - Admission Office - Apply - Hamilton College -
https://www.conncoll.edu/admission/apply/essays-that-worked/
A number of colleges and universities fun free virtual admissions workshops & webinars about a host of topics like the college search, financial aid, interviewing, and of course, the college essay. Check out the links below and revisit them in the coming weeks if you’d like to attend a college essay (or any other) workshop:
U. Rochester (summer events to be posted soon)
Loyola University Maryland
DePaul University is even offering free essay editing via the peer-editors working in their writing center.
Your college counselor and senior English teacher will gladly provide feedback on your essay drafts when you return in September. Make sure you have a draft ready for us by then.
Lastly, we want to caution you all about using AI in the college essay writing process. Admissions offices generally discourage or even strictly prohibit the use of AI in your applications. AI tools tend to produce formulaic or generic writing…and these tools are potentially used by thousands and thousands of applicants. Your essays are supposed to highlight your own unique voice and experiences, your creativity, your specific thoughts and feelings. Relying on AI can undermine exactly what admissions officers are looking for. Remember, you attend one of the most difficult high schools in the US; you can think for yourself, and you can write effectively.
