Common App Essay Tips and Examples That Worked:
“WRITING IS LEARNED BY IMITATION” — William Knowlton Zinsser（An American writer)
The Common App personal essay is an opportunity for students to showcase their writing skills and share a compelling story or experience that reveals their personality, values, and potential as a college student. The Common App personal essay prompts are designed to encourage students to reflect on their life experiences, goals, and aspirations, and to articulate their ideas in a clear, concise, and meaningful way. The essay plays a critical role in the admissions process, providing admissions officers with insight into the applicant’s character, background, and potential for success at their institution.
- Princeton
- It takes more than wishing upon a star (By Erica, who was accepted to Princeton, Harvard, William College, Duke, and a few other universities. She attended Princeton, Class 2020)
- I am an aspiring hot sauce sommelier (by Emma, who was accepted to Princeton University, Class 2021)
- You know nothing, Jon Snow (By Shanaz, who was accepted to Princeton University, Class 2021)
- My dance journey (by Anaika from Delhi, India, who was accepted to Princeton, Class 2023)
- Unshakable worth (by Sarah Langberg, who was accepted to Princeton University)
- Yale
- English in our house (by Cassandra Hsiao, who was accepted to all 8 Ivy League and other schools. She attended Yale University, Class 2021)
- 1 Year 100 Books (by Carolina Williams, who was accepted to Yale University, Class 2021)
- Dealing with my ADHD (author was accepted to Yale)
- Self mind (by Timothy Nguyen Le, who was accepted to Yale University)
- Watercolor (The author, a female student from China, was accepted to Yale and a few other ivy schools)
- MIT
- Cornell
- Brown
- UChicago
- Northwestern
- NYU
- UC Berkeley
- Emory University
- Harvard
- The Phoenix rises (author was accepted to Harvard University)(“浴火重生”。附中文译文，点击英文原文上方的浮动语言选择按钮读中文译文）
- My summer research at the University of Notre Dame (author was accepted to Harvard University)
- From Christianity To Different Truth (with comment by Harvard Admissions)(By Ella, who was accepted to Harvard University, Class 2025)
- My sad family experience getting me into writing (author was accepted to Harvard)
- I hate the letter “S” (by Abigail Mack, who was accepted to Harvard/Yale/Princeton and attended Harvard, Class 2025)
- Stanford
- My library (author was accepted to Stanford)
- A different kind of love (by Oana Emilia Butnareanu, who was accepted to Stanford University)
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (by Fareez Giga, who was accepted to Stanford University)
- Cuddle buddies (by Anastasia Fullerton, who was accepted to Stanford University)
- Stay hungry, stay foolish (by Tony Bruess, who was accepted to Stanford University)
- University of Pennsylvania
- Columbia
- My big household (by Cenon, who was accepted to Columbia University)
- Power of people (by Suzanne Arrington from Houston, TX, who was accepted to Columbia University)
- A hipster (Author was accepted to Columbia University)
- Sustainable development in South Africa (by Steve Schwartz, who was accepted to Columbia University)
- A timid girl no more (author was accepted to Columbia University)
- Dartmouth
- John Hopkins University
- Left And Right Don’t Exist (with comment by JHU Admissions)(by Stella, who was accepted to John Hopkins University, Class 2025)
- Fried rice in one (not so) easy step (by Jess, who was accepted to John Hopkins University, Class 2024)（“做蛋炒饭，只要（并非）容易的一步”，作者Jess 似是杭州人，被约翰霍普金斯大学录取，2024届。附中文译文，点击英文原文上方的浮动语言选择按钮读中文译文）
- Duke
- Caltech
- Washington University at St. Louis
(Source: various websites that are available to the public)
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