Pros & Cons: Common Application Prompts

By Quetzal Mama • September 28, 2014

Quetzal Mama’s Pros & Cons
for the Common Application Prompts
Copyright Roxanne Ocampo 2014

If you read my blog post earlier this month, How to Pick the Right Prompt, you learned how to strategically eliminate some of the five Common Application prompt options.  In this blog post, I’m sharing a strategic tool to give you an expert’s perspective into the pros and cons of the five Common Application prompts.

Here are the five Common App prompts:

Common Application Prompt No. 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.

Pros
1.    Most of you have incredible stories.
2.    Excellent prompt to demonstrate cultural authenticity, overcoming obstacles, or social justice advocacy.
3.    Perfect prompt to convey passion for your discipline.
Cons
1.    Conveys a sense of urgency.  Reader will expect an extraordinarily compelling essay.
2.    If you are unable to convey something “so central to your identity” you might miss the mark.

            Example of a strong student response:  My student used the theme, “Mi Abuelita – the Superhero.”  This student discussed the influence of growing up with her abuelita, a hierbera, who taught her indigenous culture and medicinal properties of native plants on her rancho.  She tied this influence to her aspiration to become a Pharmacist.  She nailed it!

Common Application Prompt No. 2:  Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

Pros
1.    Straightforward.  We’ve all experienced failure.
2.    Opportunity to demonstrate how we overcame the obstacle, turning a negative into a positive.
3.    Demonstrates maturity, creativity, and a clear and purposeful vision.
Cons
1.    Students may be naively honest and recall topics not advisable within a Personal Statement!
2.    Being too candid in discussing response to a failure may unintentionally convey negative personal qualities:  immaturity, selfishness, and simple-mindedness, etc.

            Example of a strong student response:  Find a context that places you in a positive light (leader, social justice advocate, community servant), and discuss how a particular challenge (aka “failure”) led to a positive outcome.

Remember, don’t make a “mountain out of a mole hill.”  This means don’t focus on a topic considered trivial by dramatizing or exaggerating the importance.  Also, be careful not to disclose sensitive or confidential information like a learning disability, mental illness, or getting caught cheating – which may signal some red flags.  There are exceptions to this rule, but generally, write about something that places you in a positive light.

Common Application Prompt No. 3:  Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Pros
1.      The most challenging, yet most appealing prompt.  Why?  Because this is precisely what 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.
Cons
1.    Belief systems are hot buttons.
2.    Not knowing politics of your reader may be risky.
3.    Candidly exposing your beliefs or philosophical ideals is tricky.
4.    Forces student to quantify and qualify – no speculating or theorizing.  You must “prove it!”

            Example of a strong student response:  My student used the theme, “Political Asylum as a Transgender Teen.”  She discussed how she successfully challenged political, religious, and societal norms in order to obtain political asylum status.  Her narrative illustrated the qualities of independence, leadership, and bravery.  She nailed it!

Common Application Prompt No. 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?

Pros
1.    Place or environment is not limited to a physical place.
2.    May be a figurative “place” representing the student’s “passion.”
3.    May be the place where the student escapes (mentally) – where the environment is the imagination.
4.    This prompt is limitless – allows students to creatively describe their unique interests and passion.
Cons
1.    A fine line in semantics here.  Being “perfectly content” could convey complacency.
2.    If you are “perfectly content” does that mean you are not striving toward excellence?
3.    World leaders never settle for “content” – they continually seek excellence.  Select your words carefully!

            Example of a strong student response:  What if you are a Plant Biology major or Environmental Science major? Perhaps the “place or environment” where you are content is your backyard garden, or student-run garden on campus?  How about an aspiring chemical engineer, who feels content in his/her laboratory?  Or, the aspiring journalist who feels content while creating a blog, writing for the school newspaper, or self-publishing her novels?

Common Application Prompt No. 5:  Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Pros
1.    Opportunity to demonstrate maturity or to discuss an intellectual growth spurt.
2.    Opportunity to expand upon an activity listed in your application – internship, leadership program, or community service activity.
Cons
1.      Narrowly focused.  The parameters of time and place create unnecessary limitations for the writer.
2.      Foresee many hackneyed essays like, “My Bat Mitzvah” or “Mi Quinceañera.”

            Example of a strong student response:  One of my student’s discussed the pivotal moment where he “matured” from a shy, introverted student who lacked confidence, into an assertive and confident young man.  He used the context of a summer residential program to highlight his transformation.  Another student eloquently discussed the “event” that marked her transition from being a manual laborer in her family landscaping business, to becoming a university researcher.  She used the context of a summer research internship as the transition from childhood to adulthood.  Both students nailed it!

            The above examples do not cover every conceivable “pro” and “con,” but they give you some additional insight to consider as you begin writing your essay.  If you enjoyed these tips, why not like this page?




¡Buena Suerte!  

―Quetzal Mama