COLLEGE ESSAYS 101

Introduce yourself, and set yourself apart.

Most college applications include a piece of writing. Many require more than one. These essays are your opportunity to let the college know who you are as a person -- beyond your grades, test scores, and activities list. 

The Common App essay is a (max) 650-word personal statement written to one of the Common App prompts. This essay will go to every school that you apply to through the Common App, so we refer to it as the “main essay.”

Some schools are not on the Common App. They may have their own version of a “main essay.” If you’re applying to one of those schools, you may need to write an additional personal statement.

The University of California schools have their own portal and do not have a “main essay.” They offer 8 prompts, and you pick 4. The word count is smaller, but there are four of them!

Many schools require “supplemental essays” in addition to the “main essay.” These pieces of writing can range from 50-800 words, with the majority of them being around 250. Depending on your school list, you could easily have 10 or more “supps” to write. 

The fact that these essays are typically shorter does not mean they’re easier. In some cases, they’re more time-consuming, because you may have to do research to write a meaningful answer.  The brainstorming we do together for the “main essay” typically turns up lots of topics for supplementals.  

To ensure you have plenty of unrushed time, our advice is to first get a sense of how much writing you need to do so you can set a schedule for yourself.

If you’re looking for support, we offer several coaching options.