The New 2015 (-2016) Common Application Essay Questions (Prompts) have been released

writing-an-essayAs we’ve preached many times, this is one skill you can start with when you’re very young.  You aren’t limited to 25 minutes to write your essay.  You could literally fine tune this essay for years especially given they announce their topics like this.  As a result, we wanted to make sure you have them as soon as we found out.

2015-2016 Common App Essay Topics

1. 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.

2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

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

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

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

If you need help with your writing skills, please visit our SAT/Test Prep center in Causeway Bay and talk to our many award winning writing instructors who can help you advance your skills to help you obtain admissions to top Universities like Harvard, Yale, Stanford or Berkeley.  

Do the prompts look familiar?  They should.  The italicized words are what changed even though the paraphrasing of the questions is quite similar.  Check out last year’s topics:

2014-2015 Common Application Essay Topics

  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.
  2. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
  3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
  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?
  5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.