Common app essay 2

Common app essay 2

Don’t procrastinate the critical importance of the essay section of the Common Application. Your dream school is waiting for you to share with them (in words or less) what you will bring to the next incoming class! In this installment of our series on Writing the New Common Application Essay, we’ll look at prompt #2 (if you’re not a fan of this prompt, check out our thoughts on prompt #1, prompt #3, prompt The college admissions process can be stressful, and drafting a word essay that’s supposed to explain who you are can seem daunting. We hope that the following quick guide on how to draft a compelling response to the Common App essay prompt #2 will help ease your burdens! For additional resources regarding other Common App essay prompts and the college admissions process, generally, feel free to visit our Resources Page and our College Admissions Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins  · Admissionado’s Analysis of The Common App, Essay #2 This is simply another way to discover “what you’re made out of.” It’s a cool little prompt to help that along—nothing more. Don’t get fixated on the pathway; if this leads you to a super cool insight into what makes you tick follow blogger.comted Reading Time: 6 mins

Common Application Essay Option Two: Learn from Failure

The following sample essay responds to the Common Application 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? A lot can be learned from Richard's writing by looking at all of its pieces.

By thinking objectively about another person's essay, you will be better off when it comes time to write your own because you will understand what admissions officers are looking for. It tells you that you are about to read an essay about failure and common app essay 2. A good title summarizes an essay and intrigues its readers but focus more on an appropriate title than on an interesting one.

Richard leans into informal language such as "I mean" and "you'd think" to make his essay conversational and friendly. He introduces himself as an unimpressive athlete who doesn't quite measure up to his brothers, this humility making him more relatable to his readers. While this level of informality is not preferred by all colleges, most are looking to learn as much about your personality as possible, common app essay 2. Richard's easy tone accomplishes this. The language of the essay is also tight and engaging.

Each sentence gets a point across and Richard is economical with his use of words to clearly convey the setting and situation. College admissions officers are likely to appreciate the overall clarity and meticulousness of Richard's essay, common app essay 2.

Richard establishes and maintains a self-deprecating and humble voice throughout his writing His willingness to be honest about his shortcomings shows that he is sure of himself and also tells colleges that he has a healthy self-concept and isn't afraid of failing. By not boasting about athletic prowess, Richard demonstrates a valuable quality of self-assuredness that colleges admire.

College admissions officers read many essays about sports, especially from applicants that are more interested in playing sports at college than getting an education. In fact, one of the top 10 bad essay topics is the hero essay in which an applicant brags about making a goal that won their team the championship. Self-congratulatory essays have the effect of distancing you from the authentic qualities of successful college students and are therefore never a common app essay 2 idea.

Richard's essay has nothing to do with heroism. He is not claiming to be a star or over-inflating his abilities and his honesty is refreshing. His essay perfectly satisfies every aspect of the prompt by presenting a clear moment of failure and a significant lesson learned without blowing his accomplishments out of proportion.

He managed to take the cliché topic of sports and turn it on its head, which admissions officers are much more likely to respect. Richard's essay would be appropriate in most but not all situations. If he were hoping to play a sport competitively for a college, this would be the wrong essay. It would not impress NCAA scouts or make him likely to be recruited. This essay would be best for universities common app essay 2 interested in his personality than his baseball skills.

Any college looking for mature, self-aware applicants with affable personalities would be drawn to Richard's story of failure. Always keep in mind that the purpose of the Common Application essay is for colleges to learn who you are. While grades and test scores will be considered, admissions offices will also be using more subjective and holistic information about what you are like as a person, common app essay 2. Richard succeeds in making a good impression by common app essay 2 a strong and engaging writer with a positive sense of self.

Most would agree that he seems like the type of student who would be a useful addition to the campus community. While the essay is successful, keep in mind that your own essay needs to have nothing in common with this sample and you should not use it as a model.

There are innumerable ways to approach the idea of a challenge, setback, or failure and your essay needs to be true to your own experiences and personality. Share Flipboard Email. Allen Grove. College Admissions Expert. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.

our editorial process. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated October 08, Cite this Article Format. Grove, Allen. Striking Out: Sample Common Application Essay, common app essay 2. copy citation. The Common Application Essay Prompts. Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure. A Sample Essay for Common Application Option 7: Topic of Your Choice. Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions, common app essay 2. Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter.

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��READING MY COMMONAPP ESSAY (that got me into Cornell University, USC++) - Katie Tracy

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Sample Common Application Essay: Learn from Failure

 · The following sample essay responds to the Common Application 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 Estimated Reading Time: 6 mins Common App Essay #2. Acceptances with these essay(s): Yale, Stanford, Princeton. Decision: Biology, Yale Personal Essay. Please write an essay ( words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. I never knew I’d find a second home. I guess it waltzed itself into my life the moment I timidly walked into By Scott Anderson. February 16, The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for with one exception. We will retire the seldom used option about solving a problem and replace it with the following: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way