2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #5

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #5

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

 This prompt is the ideal way to  talk about the things  you do .
  Do not focus on the stor of your achievement but on what  how you  worked towards it. The journey is more important than the destination.

 Pleaes avoid cliches like  a "sports hero"  story unless you have a genuine  accomplishment at a very high level.( national or international)

As with most prompts the  second part - about  personal growth and  understanding is what the admissions officers are really interested in.

 An interesting twisdt to this is to pick an event where things did not work out - failure is ofte a great  learning experience.

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #3

  2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #3

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

 This is a  great prompt  to give an example of leadership. talk of how you took the initiative to act independently.   You can also give an insight to how you have a value system that makes you stand out from your peers. The belief you challenge can be  your own or that of a friend, teacher or even community.
  The second part of the prompt is key - What prompted your thinking.
 This should be used to  show the admission team how your mind works.
  You should conclude by describing the outcome and how it affected you.   Would you repeat this behavior r not. What did you learn from the experience.
 Universities want students whi are active participants in their education. You will be expected to ask questions and challenge the status quo.


 The clearsky team is just an email away if you need help. clearskyeducation@gmail.com

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #4

  2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #4

Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

 This looks very easy - how would tou solve a problem. But remember the key is why THIS problem. What is it sigbificance.  If you want to cure a disease - why -  have you lost someone special?

 This is a great prompt for STEM students - do use it to talk about any experiences you have had in  working on and solving challenging problems.

 As always focus more on your own learning and thought process than  describing the problem at hand.  Your answer   should leave the reader knowing you better - what issues matter to you and how you want to make a difference.

 The clearsky team is just an email away if you need help. clearskyeducation@gmail.com

 

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #2

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #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?

    Read this prompt carefully. There are multiple parts- do not write to much about  the incident   and failure. focus instead on the latter half - what you learned from the experience.

  Failure is not a bad thing, it means you tried.    hat you are  This essay can br used to talk abot. being  intellectually adventurous  and failing.   You should  show   that you can deal with difficulties and without giving up. It is a great way to showcase the resilient nature of your character.
 If you want thikn of an incident, then contact us  brainstorm and to craft  it into an essay
 

2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompt #1

The first prompt is:
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.

 This is a fairly standard prompt.  The key here is  to talk abiut something that defines you.
 Make sure  not to write about anything tha is already in your application.
  This is a great opportunity to add a personality to your application. You can talk about how your background  and interests have shaped you as a young adult. You can write about  your family background,  talent, interest m even a friendship that has helped shape you.
   It is important to try to connect your story to your collegiate aspirations and goals.
Focus on  how you were shaped .

 Some of the best examples I have seen are  a student talking about   having dysgraphia, a learning disability and  how this has made  him a more active "hands-on" student rather than bookish.

 Another student   opened with the line"   2 countries, 3 cities, 8 schools"  to talk about  her upbringing.  and education.
 A good opening line like this is a  great way to get the readers attention and draw them in to tour story.

You need to identify that one experience or personality trait that shows the kind of person you are.

Everyone has more than one important trait, but in answering this prompt, you're telling admissions officers what you think as your most significant quality.
 

Common Application Essay prompts

 The 2017-2018 Common Application Essay prompts are as follows:

2017-2018 Common App Essay Prompt
    

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. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
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. 


 The key is to use the essay to  talk about how you think and what you are like as a person rather than tell a story. The word limit is 650 words.

 I will  look at each prompt individually in the coming days

Class of 2022

August marks the start of the admissions cycle.


  There re only 5 ,onths left to  Jan,2018 and  3 months left for the Early  application cycles.
 By now you should have completed the SAT or ACT and  if not happy with your score -  get ready to retake it soon. Take 2 SAT II tests  so all your standardised testing requirements are out of the way.



 In  the coming days Iwill look  at the new common application essay prompts and ther  University of California   application.