[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-detail-350635-en":53,"doc-seo-350635-105":75},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":54},{"doc_id":55,"user_id":56,"nickname":57,"user_avatar":58,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":60,"doc_content":61,"file_id":62,"file_url":63,"file_type":64,"file_size":65,"view_count":66,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":67,"language":68,"language_code":69,"site_id":70,"html_lang":69,"table_of_contents":71,"faqs":72,"seo_title":73,"seo_description":60,"update_tm":74,"read_time":9},350635,5909892332657,"Anna Hans","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Writing the College Application Personal Essay","Guide for students writing the main personal essay for the Common App and other college application systems. Explains the essay’s purpose: answering who the applicant is and what they value, and notes its impact in admissions decisions. Provides the Common App word limit and prompt options, then details six prompt themes. Includes practical Q&A on how to begin, required length, suitable content, what admissions officers look for, evaluation criteria, and two suggested structures, ending with advice to brainstorm, outline, and communicate growth.","Writing the College Application Personal Essay  \nIf your student is applying to a four-year college , they will most likely have to write at least one personal essay. The personal essay is the main essay required in the Common App and most other major application systems. It aims to answer who are you and what do you value? And it’s important. A recent survey shows that college admissions counselors weigh the personal essay more than standardized test scoresand a personal essay can be the deciding factor in an admissions decision. Although most students will have to write various supplemental essays and answer schoolspecific questions, the Common App essay has a 650-word maximum and your choice of seven different prompts.  \n• 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.  \n• 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?  \n• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?  \n• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?  \n• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.  \n• 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.  \nIn this College and Career Corner, we’ll write you through some essay essentials and frequently asked questions to help get you on the right track for your personal essay and make your writing process easier.  \nQuestion 1 – How do I begin to write my essay? First, read through all the promptsand pick which one you’d like to answer. Make sure you understand the prompt and  \nWriting the College Application Personal Essay  \nwhat it is asking you, specifically. Some essays will be similar but no two are exactly alike. It is important to make each essay prompt-specific. Then, start brainstorming ideas on possible topics.  \nQuestion 2 – How long should my essay be? It depends. The main Common App essay can be up to 650 words, while supplemental essays will vary between 250-650 words. While you may be able to reuse essays for schools with similar prompts, you should never repeat content for essays for the same school. Make sure each essay (main or supplemental) is on a different topic, value or aspect of your character.  \nSuzzallo Library at the University of Washington  \nQuestion 3 – What should my essay be about? You – your character, experiences, how you’ve grown over time, and things that have shaped you into who you are today. Learn to be vulnerable and share things about yourself that go beyond just the surface.  \nWriting the College Application Personal Essay  \nQuestion 4 – What are college admissions officers looking for? They are hoping that your essay will answer the following questions – Who is this person? Will they contribute something of value to our campus? And can this person write?  \nQuestion 5 – How will my essay be evaluated? Each school has its own criteria. Some may more strongly assess your writing ability, while others are more interested in your actual story. But both are important – your goal is to have a good story that is well told and grammatically correct.  \nQuestion 6 – What kind of structure should I follow? There are two common structures – Narrative and Montage. Narrative is the most commonly used when telling a story (introduction, main paragraphs, conclusion) and a Montage is a technique that involves using separate elements, ideas or stories to create a new whole. Just remember, this is no","cbCaisIHBWmuFQ99","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisIHBWmuFQ99","pdf",471363,6,3,"English","en",105,"# Essay Purpose and Core Prompts\n## Word limit, prompts, and required themes\n# Practical Q&A for Writing\n## How to begin and brainstorm\n## Ideal length and reuse rules\n## What to write about\n## Admissions officers’ priorities\n## Evaluation criteria and writing goals\n## Common structures: Narrative and Montage\n# Writing Process and Next Steps\n## Outlining, adapting topics, and showing growth","[{\"question\":\"How do I begin writing my College Application personal essay?\",\"answer\":\"Read all prompts first and choose the one you want to answer. Understand exactly what each prompt asks, then brainstorm possible ideas and topics.\"},{\"question\":\"How long should the essay be for the Common App and supplemental essays?\",\"answer\":\"The main Common App essay can be up to 650 words. Supplemental essays vary between 250–650 words.\"},{\"question\":\"What structure should I follow, and is this an academic essay?\",\"answer\":\"Use one of two common structures: Narrative or Montage. This is not an academic or scholarly essay, so there is no thesis, but you still need an introduction, main paragraphs, and a conclusion.\"}]","Writing the College Application Personal Essay | PDF",1790090062,{"code":4,"msg":76,"data":77},"ok",{"site_id":70,"language":69,"slug":78,"title":59,"keywords":79,"description":60,"schema_data":80,"social_meta":135,"head_meta":137,"extra_data":139,"updated_unix":140},"writing-the-college-application-personal-essay","",{"@graph":81,"@context":134},[82,97,117],{"@type":83,"itemListElement":84},"BreadcrumbList",[85,89,92,94],{"item":86,"name":87,"@type":88,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":90,"name":10,"@type":88,"position":91},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":93,"name":41,"@type":88,"position":67},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",{"item":95,"name":59,"@type":88,"position":96},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/writing-the-college-application-personal-essay/350635/",4,{"url":95,"name":59,"@type":98,"image":99,"author":104,"headline":59,"publisher":106,"fileFormat":109,"inLanguage":69,"description":60,"dateModified":110,"datePublished":111,"encodingFormat":109,"isAccessibleForFree":112,"interactionStatistic":113},"DigitalDocument",{"url":100,"@type":101,"width":102,"height":103},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/writing-the-college-application-personal-essay/350635.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":57,"@type":105},"Person",{"url":86,"name":107,"@type":108},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-08","2026-09-22",true,{"@type":114,"interactionType":115,"userInteractionCount":66},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":116},"ViewAction",{"@type":118,"mainEntity":119},"FAQPage",[120,126,130],{"name":121,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":123},"How do I begin writing my College Application personal essay?","Question",{"text":124,"@type":125},"Read all prompts first and choose the one you want to answer. Understand exactly what each prompt asks, then brainstorm possible ideas and topics.","Answer",{"name":127,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":128},"How long should the essay be for the Common App and supplemental essays?",{"text":129,"@type":125},"The main Common App essay can be up to 650 words. Supplemental essays vary between 250–650 words.",{"name":131,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":132},"What structure should I follow, and is this an academic essay?",{"text":133,"@type":125},"Use one of two common structures: Narrative or Montage. This is not an academic or scholarly essay, so there is no thesis, but you still need an introduction, main paragraphs, and a conclusion.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":95,"og:type":136,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":107,"og:description":60},"article",{"robots":138,"canonical":95},"index,follow",{"doc_id":55,"site_id":70},1791316276]