Are all college essay prompts basically the same or do colleges ask different questions?

It’s smart to think ahead about the essay workload! Here’s how it usually breaks down: the vast majority of colleges that use the Common App will require one main personal essay (the Common App personal statement), and you can use the same essay for every school on your list that accepts it. These prompts are intentionally broad—like "Describe a time you faced a challenge and what you learned," or "Share an experience that shaped your identity." So, you pick the prompt that resonates most with you and write one strong primary essay.

On top of that, many colleges (especially more selective ones) have supplemental essay requirements. These questions definitely vary depending on the school, but you’ll see some patterns. Common supplemental prompts include:

- "Why do you want to attend our college?"
- "Describe a community you belong to and your place in it."
- "What is a topic or idea you’re passionate about?"

While the wording may differ, you’ll notice themes repeat, and sometimes you can reuse pieces with some careful editing. For instance, you could adapt a "community" essay for multiple schools if the question lines up, or tailor your original draft for specific “Why this major?” or “Why us?” prompts. But, you’ll still need to do research and personalize your answers so each one genuinely matches the school.

For example, say you’re passionate about environmental activism and wrote a main essay about starting a neighborhood garden. For supplements, a school might ask "How will you contribute to our campus community?" You could reuse your story, but you’ll want to connect it to an environmental club or initiative unique to that college.

Expect to write your main Common App essay and maybe 1–3 supplementals per school, though some colleges require even more. If you’re applying to, say, 8–10 schools, it *can* become a lot of essays, but starting during the summer is a fantastic plan. Many students say they spent a good bit of their summer brainstorming, outlining, and drafting; that definitely helps reduce stress in the fall.

Bottom line: Most colleges do ask additional, specific questions, but there’s overlap, and you can often repurpose your writing. Planning ahead and tracking prompts for each school as soon as they release them (usually August 1st for the Common App) will help you see where you can reuse work. A spreadsheet—and getting started early—will make the process much more manageable!