Changes in the Common Application for the 2025-2026 Season

As the college application season approaches, high school students and their parents are preparing for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The Common Application, a widely used platform for college admissions, has announced updates for the 2025-2026 application cycle. Here's a breakdown of what you need to know:

No Changes to the Main Essay Prompts

Good News for Students: The main essay prompts for the Common Application remain unchanged for the 2025-2026 cycle. This consistency allows students to benefit from existing resources and past advice, making it easier to prepare and draft their essays confidently. The seven prompts are as follows:

1. Personal Background or Talent: Share a meaningful background, identity, interest, or talent.

2. Learning from Challenges: Recount a time when you faced a challenge or failure and what you learned.

3. Questioning Beliefs: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.

4. Expressions of Gratitude: Discuss something that made you happy or thankful.

5. Personal Growth: Describe an event that sparked personal growth.

6. Passion and Curiosity: Write about a captivating topic or idea.

7. Topic of Your Choice: Share any essay you choose.

Updates to the Additional Information Section

New "Challenges and Circumstances" Prompt: The Additional Information section has been updated to include a broader prompt called "Challenges and Circumstances." This replaces the previous COVID-19 question and allows students to share a wider range of personal experiences and obstacles, such as family disruptions, housing instability, or difficulties accessing resources.

Reduced Word Limit: The word limit for this section has been reduced to 300 words for first-year applications and 1500 characters for transfer applications. This change encourages concise responses while still allowing students to provide essential context.

What You Can Do Now for Your Common Application Next Year

Junior Year (January to May)

1. Meet with Your Counselor: Discuss your academic and testing requirements for colleges you're interested in. Ensure you're on track to meet these requirements.

2. Prepare for Standardized Tests: Plan your SAT or ACT test dates with the goal of achieving desired scores by the end of summer.

3. Develop Extracurricular Projects: Think about capstone projects or significant extracurricular activities that can enhance your application.

4. Request Letters of Recommendation: Identify teachers or mentors who can provide strong recommendations and ask them early.

5. Plan College Visits: Arrange visits to colleges you're interested in to get a feel for the campus environment.

Summer Before Senior Year (June to August)

1. Brainstorm & Write Your Main Essay: Spend a couple of weeks reviewing the Common App prompts and brainstorming potential essay topics.

2. Freewrite: Use summer to write about your essay.

3. Prepare Your Application Profile: Complete demographic information sections on the Common App and other platforms you'll use.

4. Finalize Your Activities Section: Ensure your extracurricular activities are well-documented and highlighted in your application.

By following these steps, you can prepare effectively for the Common Application and set yourself up for success in the college admissions process.