Tips for the 2013 Common App Prompts

By Quetzal Mama • August 14, 2013

The 2013

Common App Prompts

Just when I was certain I had examined every nuance, method, and strategy for the Personal Statement prompts on the Common Application . . . a new version was released! The new version called “Common Application 4” or “CA4” rolls out August 1.

For parents who are unfamiliar with the Common Application, it is an online application used by many universities and colleges. Students complete one, “common” application that can be sent to multiple universities. Currently there are 488 universities using the Common App. This application is not used by the University of California or California State University campuses (they have their own online application forms).

Why the new application and what can students expect? In addition to streamlining the application by creating a more intuitive, interactive process, the essay questions have been revamped. This is huge news for Quetzal Mama. My workshop on the Personal Statement is the most popular workshop I present. It has taken me years to tear apart each prompt, gather feedback, test out the strategies, and help students develop exceptional essays.

In this issue, I will share the new essay prompts, as well as my opinion concerning “pros” and “cons” for each prompt. I hope that by sharing this information, students can make a more informed decision in choosing an appropriate prompt to highlight their profile.

In my opinion, the most critical change is the elimination of my favorite prompt, “Topic of Your Choice.” I had advised most of my students to select this optional prompt as it gave them greater latitude in articulating their strengths to the admission reader. Another change is the word limit. Last year the limit was 500 words, and this year it is 650 words. Finally, they did away with the “diversity” prompt, but included a new prompt that may highlight diversity. Let’s get to the prompts.

Prompt #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

This could be the “diversity” prompt in a different flavor. The pro I see here is that the majority of my students have incredible stories that are worth telling. In this prompt, they have full reign to capture their unique backgrounds. This prompt is also a perfect segue to exemplify their cultural authenticity. Because many Latino students embrace their ethnic heritage, this is central to their identity and worth discussing.

The con I see is that it conveys an urgency – and the reader is, understandably, expecting the essay to be extraordinarily compelling. If the student is unable to convey something “so central to their identity” and misses the mark, their essay will be lackluster.

Bottom line? Consider this prompt if the student has a truly compelling background or story and can confidently articulate the significance of their unique background or story to enhance or complement their profile. Remember to include culturally authentic details!

Prompt #2: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

This is a fairly straightforward prompt. The pro here is that many of us have experienced failure at some point, so it is quite easy to recollect such an experience. The con I see is that some high school students may be naively honest. If the student is candid in discussing their response to the failure, s/he may unintentionally convey negative personal qualities. Some of these negative qualities may include immaturity, selfishness, and simple-mindedness, to name a few. Let me give you an example. Let’s say Hector wrote about his low performance on an SAT examination. Hector might say that he was disappointed in himself because he felt his score was a “failure.” Hector might go on to say that the reason he felt it was a failure was because he believed his score would lower his chances of admission to a prestigious university. While his logic may be true, it could convey that Hector values social status over learning – not something a student should highlight in a college essay. Instead, Hector may want to elaborate and discuss how he engaged in reflective analysis. In doing so, Hector arrived at another conclusion. His conclusion was that the short-term result was an inferior examination score. However, his long-term conclusion was a valuable lesson about preparing for such exams. He could concede that although he is naturally bright, he should have invested the time in attending a preparation program, joining a study group, or doing on-line drills. This type of conclusion would demonstrate Hector’s maturity, his ability to see the “bigger picture” and not to take himself (or the admissions process) so seriously.

Bottom line? The focus should be on how the student responded to the failure, not the failure itself. Universities may be interested in knowing how a student perceives herself/himself, responds to life’s unfortunate events, and successfully navigates challenging situations. Students who are reflective thinkers and writers may wish to consider this prompt.

Prompt #3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

For most students I believe this prompt will be the most challenging, and yet the most appealing. It presents a challenge because “belief” systems are hot buttons for many of us. Not knowing the political, socioeconomic, etc., affiliation of your reader, it may be risky for a student to candidly exposure his or her beliefs or philosophical ideals. On the other hand – this is precisely what many universities encourage. They hope to attract students who challenge the status quo, go against the grain, question societal norms, take action, and ultimately change our world.

The bottom line? The beauty of this question is that it hinges on how the student acted. It separates an ideal from an action; thinking versus doing. Students who can demonstrate they have ganas or conviction and have taken a stand may want to consider this prompt.

Prompt #4: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

One way to approach this prompt is to consider the place or environment as the student’s “passion.” It could be a passion for solving mathematical formulas, painting, playing varsity soccer, or teaching English Language Learners. The student may feel perfectly content in these environments because that is where their passion lies. Or, it could be the place where the student escapes (mentally) – where the environment is the imagination. You can see that this prompt is limitless, and quite fun.

The bottom line? The place or environment should not be limited to a physical place. This prompt allows for creativity, where students can describe their unique interests and passion.

Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

This is my least favorite of all five prompts. The reason I dislike this prompt is because it is so narrowly focused. The parameters of time and place within this narrow context create unnecessary limitations for the writer. It is so confining that many students will not be able to successfully respond to this prompt. Unfortunately, I think this prompt will yield hackneyed essays such as “My Bat Mitzvah” or “My Quinceanera.”

Overall, students should review each prompt carefully to determine whether their response will complement their overall profile. Regardless of the prompt selected, to develop an exceptional essay there are some basic guidelines and strategies students should follow. I will cover these strategies in a free webinar series this fall entitled, “CA4 – How to Nail the New Essay Prompts.” To participate in the free webinar series, students must belong to a historically underrepresented minority group (Latino, Native-American, or African-American), hold a minimum 3.0 GPA, be first in their family to attend college, and receive or be eligible to receive Free or Reduced Lunch. Registration will be on my facebook page: www.facebook.com/quetzalmama.