2021-2022 Common App 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. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? {NEW}
   
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.

Some important things to keep in mind regarding the Common App Essay:

• The essay is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic, and will help you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the college to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores?
• Choose the option that best helps you answer that question, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response, in 650 words or less.

Want to learn more about how CAP can help with the college application process, including the Common App essay? Visit our website at https://collegeadmissionpros.com to request a free consultation.

In theory, test-optional policies help ease the burden on students applying to college – especially as testing sites have cancelled test dates. Now that we have almost finished a cycle of admissions with these new policies, there are a few Myths we want to share. 

MYTH: Students are going to skip taking the ACT and SAT

Clearly, that is not the case, as testing sites across the country fill up on the first available day of registration. While many students are going to skip taking the ACT and SAT, many are not. Test scores can and will be a key differentiator between candidates in competitive applicant pools. Optional or not, strong test performances can and will still open the door to opportunities like scholarships and honors programs. Elite students will do what it takes to fight for their spots. 

It’s important to remember that admissions officers carefully consider each applicant. A student from New York, or California, where test sites were completely shut down for months, will have good reason to apply without a test score. Students who were given many opportunities to take the test, but chose not to submit a score, may not be given the same grace. I encourage high school students in our area to prepare early and diligently for standardized tests, given the fact that a strong test score may very well be the best way to set oneself apart from other applicants. 

MYTH: Testing companies are adding test dates, so there will be plenty of opportunities to register for tests

This is where things get tricky. As tests get cancelled last minute, many students are registering for every test date “just in case.” With capacity limits remaining an issue, and test sites being closed at the last minute, registering for a test is not going to be easy. Many students will be lucky to nab a single test day seat. Getting the chance to take a test is going to be difficult enough – let alone getting multiple chances to retake to try for score improvement.

To make the most out of your Test Day opportunities, there are several strategies to consider:

• Register for multiple dates and consider both the ACT and SAT. Each test is slightly different, and students often see a real score difference between the two. Go ahead and try both if you can, and watch for opportunities to register for later dates.
• Use real practice tests effectively – Since students may not be able to register to take multiple tests, authentic practice tests are even more important. CAP offers real practice tests under real conditions, giving students the opportunity to obtain in-depth score analysis to guide their practice and growth. This is actually more helpful than taking the test too soon – an analyzed practice test will give you valuable information and guide your preparation.
• Be sure to stay on top of test and registration dates – Landing a seat at a testing center can be a challenge. Keep up with the ACT and College Board websites so you can register as soon as dates open. And check your registration often – both companies have been known to cancel sites and move students with no notice.

MYTH: “Test-Optional” schools don’t care about test scores

Colleges are test-optional, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care about test scores (if that were true, they would be test-blind). “Test-Optional” schools still have every intention of reviewing student scores that are submitted as part of an application package. Generally speaking, students with strong test scores will have a leg up on those who do not submit any.

Apart from the extra data point a test score can provide to an admissions counselor, test scores are key markers used by colleges and universities to tout their own prestige. Look at any brochure or college ranking publication and you are almost certain to find the average test scores of the latest freshman class. Higher averages imply a more selective, and higher caliber institution. A student with a high ACT or SAT score is valuable to a college. 

Also, many colleges in our area are still granting automatic merit scholarships based on GPA and test scores. Sure, there are other ways to qualify for these scholarships, but the easiest way is definitely to have both data points. A small investment in test prep can translate to thousands of dollars in additional scholarship money.

MYTH: Test prep will become obsolete

In fact, test prep has become even more important. Unless colleges go test-blind, elite students will be focused on obtaining the highest scores possible in order to stand out. In this “Test-Optional” era, strong test scores are a key way for students to set themselves apart in a crowded field of applicants. A differentiated, student-centered test prep experience can unlock that opportunity, giving students the skills, strategies, and confidence to make the most out of their test day.