How do you start preparing your college application essays?
I'm a rising senior, and everyone keeps telling me how important college essays are. I'm honestly not sure where to even begin.
Is there a specific process most people follow to brainstorm topics, or should I just start writing and see what happens? How soon am I supposed to start drafting, and do most people pick a Common App prompt first, or figure out a story and then fit it into a prompt?
Anyone who's already gone through this process, I'd love some tips or suggestions, because the pressure is starting to get to me.
Is there a specific process most people follow to brainstorm topics, or should I just start writing and see what happens? How soon am I supposed to start drafting, and do most people pick a Common App prompt first, or figure out a story and then fit it into a prompt?
Anyone who's already gone through this process, I'd love some tips or suggestions, because the pressure is starting to get to me.
4 months ago
•
12 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
Feeling overwhelmed at the start is totally normal, but taking it step-by-step will help make everything more manageable. One of the best ways to begin is actually not about writing right away—it's about brainstorming and reflection.
Instead of worrying about selecting the perfect Common App prompt at the beginning, focus on you: your experiences, what matters most to you, what makes you different, and the moments you’ve grown or learned something important. Try jotting down 5-10 of your most memorable life moments, no matter how big or small. Include successes, failures, times you stood up for someone, a quirky family tradition, or even a moment you felt out of place. Don’t judge your ideas—just get them out there.
A practical exercise many students use is the "Values Exercise": make a list of values that are important to you (like curiosity, resilience, kindness), and then try to remember specific situations where you embodied those. This can spark essay ideas rooted in real stories rather than abstract descriptions.
Once you have a list of experiences or moments, look for themes that connect them. For example, if you notice several stories reflect your love for problem-solving, that could become the thread of your essay. Only after this brainstorming should you look at the Common App prompts. Most are broad enough to fit a lot of stories, so don’t stress about picking a prompt first—the story usually comes before the prompt.
It’s smart to begin drafting anytime between the end of junior year and the summer before senior year. Early drafts are rarely perfect, so allow yourself plenty of time to revise and get feedback. Here’s a quick example: a student realized her passion for environmental science started with her childhood fascination with frogs in her backyard pond. She wrote anecdotes from both childhood and her present-day environmental club work, connecting them to show a developing interest and curiosity. That ended up fitting perfectly with the "background, identity, or interest" Common App essay prompt.
Starting can feel like the hardest part, but breaking the process into smaller steps—reflection, brainstorming, freewriting—makes it way easier. Remember, your essay will go through many drafts, and that’s totally normal! Try to give yourself the summer to experiment before school and deadlines start piling up in the fall.
Instead of worrying about selecting the perfect Common App prompt at the beginning, focus on you: your experiences, what matters most to you, what makes you different, and the moments you’ve grown or learned something important. Try jotting down 5-10 of your most memorable life moments, no matter how big or small. Include successes, failures, times you stood up for someone, a quirky family tradition, or even a moment you felt out of place. Don’t judge your ideas—just get them out there.
A practical exercise many students use is the "Values Exercise": make a list of values that are important to you (like curiosity, resilience, kindness), and then try to remember specific situations where you embodied those. This can spark essay ideas rooted in real stories rather than abstract descriptions.
Once you have a list of experiences or moments, look for themes that connect them. For example, if you notice several stories reflect your love for problem-solving, that could become the thread of your essay. Only after this brainstorming should you look at the Common App prompts. Most are broad enough to fit a lot of stories, so don’t stress about picking a prompt first—the story usually comes before the prompt.
It’s smart to begin drafting anytime between the end of junior year and the summer before senior year. Early drafts are rarely perfect, so allow yourself plenty of time to revise and get feedback. Here’s a quick example: a student realized her passion for environmental science started with her childhood fascination with frogs in her backyard pond. She wrote anecdotes from both childhood and her present-day environmental club work, connecting them to show a developing interest and curiosity. That ended up fitting perfectly with the "background, identity, or interest" Common App essay prompt.
Starting can feel like the hardest part, but breaking the process into smaller steps—reflection, brainstorming, freewriting—makes it way easier. Remember, your essay will go through many drafts, and that’s totally normal! Try to give yourself the summer to experiment before school and deadlines start piling up in the fall.
Related Questions
Students also ask…
Camille Luong
Nomadic
Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
Experience
5 years
Rating
5.0 (5 reviews)