As we prepare for the upcoming application season, we’re excited to announce the 2025-2026 Common Application Personal Statement Prompts. These prompts are a crucial part of your college application, offering you the chance to showcase your personality, experiences, and aspirations.
The Common Application’s personal statement is an important opportunity for you to communicate directly with college admissions officers, and it can make a significant impact on your application. Whether you’re crafting a compelling narrative about your journey or reflecting on a moment of personal growth, your personal statement helps colleges understand who you are beyond your grades and test scores.
Here are the 2025-2026 Common Application Personal Statement Prompts:
1. Background, Identity, Interest, or Talent
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. Overcoming a Challenge
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. A Time You Questioned or Challenged a Belief or Idea
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Problem You’ve Solved or Would Like to Solve
Describe a problem you’ve solved or would 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 take to identify a solution.
5. Personal Growth or Accomplishment
Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
6. Topic of Your Choice
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 creation. Just be sure to focus on your story and your journey.
Tips for Crafting Your Personal Statement:
- Be Authentic: Your personal statement should reflect who you truly are. Focus on telling a unique, personal story that will help you stand out.
- Show, Don’t Just Tell: Use specific examples and experiences to illustrate your point. This helps create a more vivid, engaging narrative.
- Keep It Focused: While it’s tempting to write about multiple experiences, try to focus on one central idea or story that is meaningful and insightful.
- Be Concise: The word limit for the personal statement is 650 words, so make sure every word counts. Stay within this limit for the best impact.
- Edit, Edit, Edit: Review your essay multiple times. Ask for feedback from trusted mentors, friends, or family members. A fresh set of eyes can make a huge difference!
Need Help Getting Started?
We know that crafting a personal statement can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to help! Whether you’re brainstorming ideas, organizing your thoughts, or refining your draft, our team of experienced counselors is ready to assist you. We offer personalized coaching to help you put your best foot forward in your college applications