The Common Application announced the essay prompts for 2019-2020 will remain the same.
This week the Common Application announced an update for the 2019-2020 cycle of the applications. Based on counselor feedback, the essay prompts will remain the same.
If you are a junior, this is great news! Now you know the essay prompts and can start thinking about how you would answer them.
A good idea is to print out the prompts or save them to a word document on your computer. Then as you start to narrow down your college list you can refer back to your list as you check which essays are required for which colleges. Keep these prompts in mind as you go about your days and jot down ideas to use for each of the essays as they come to mind. This quick capture will be a great asset this spring or summer when you start to actually write the essays required for your college list.
The Common Application essay prompts will remain unchanged for 2019-2020.
2019-2020 Common Application Essay Prompts
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Visit the Common Application website to learn more and read the application update yourself!
https://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/2019-2020-common-app-essay-prompts