Common App Announces 2025-26 Essay Prompts
The Common App has announced their essay prompts for the 2025-26 application cycle, and for the most part, the prompts are the same as they have been during the last three cycles with a couple differences. Visit the post on Common App for the full breakdown.
Personal Statement Essay Prompts Remain the Same
This one will be short and sweet. The 650-word personal statement essay prompts remain the same for the 2025-26 year and have been published on their website.
The COVID Essay Has Some Changes
The COVID essay will now become a “challenges and circumstances” essay, which technically was within the scope of the original COVID essay (which mentioned natural disasters and community disruptions). My Western North Carolina students will certainly still be using this section to discuss the challenges that Hurricane Helene brought in fall 2024.
The Additional Info Essay Must Be Shorter This Year
The additional information section will remain as broad and vague as a prompt as it has in the past, but it will now shorten its word count from 650- to 300 words.
The Best Time to Start Is Now
Now is a good time for juniors to look into the current personal statement essay prompts and start brainstorming topics that might be inspired by these prompts and their own personal stories.
Essays are the area of the college application over which students have the most control. It allows them to contribute many of the wonderful qualitative aspects of self that don’t always shine through within the scope of transcripts, GPA, test scores, award, and activities lists. I encourage friendly, fun, relational conversations with my own students, so I can learn more about those unique and interesting stories that would make great personal statements.
The best time to start writing is now.
