What are the main 2025-26 college essay prompts, and how are they different from last year?

Great question! For the 2025-26 application cycle, the Common App has announced they are keeping the main personal essay prompts the same as last year’s. That means the seven options (including a "topic of your choice" prompt) remain, so you can safely start brainstorming or writing based on those prompts. You'll see familiar questions about background, identity, overcoming obstacles, accomplishments, gratitude, and problem-solving, among others. Here’s a quick example: one popular prompt asks you to reflect on a time you challenged a belief or idea and what you learned from the experience.

As for college-specific supplements, many colleges have not yet released their final prompts for the 2025-26 cycle as of early summer. However, highly selective schools often keep their supplemental questions consistent year-over-year—schools like Yale, Stanford, and the University of Michigan tend to reuse their classics, such as "Why our college?" or "How will you contribute to our community?" Occasionally, you'll see a slight tweak or an entirely new creative prompt (for instance, the University of Chicago is famous for unusual essay topics, and they publish fresh options each year in June or July).

It's a good idea to check each college’s admissions website for their most current essay questions later in the summer if you want to be absolutely certain. Many schools update their prompts between July and August. You can also find resources online that compile college essay supplements as soon as they're released, which can help you stay organized. Tracking changes in a spreadsheet—school by school—can also help you avoid confusion.

In summary, you’re safe to start working on the Common App personal statement with last year’s prompts, but wait to draft college-specific supplements until the new prompts go live. A pro tip: if you want to get ahead, practice answering past "Why this College?" or "Community Impact" essays, since those rarely change dramatically from year to year. This way, you won't feel behind when supplement updates start rolling in.