Examples · five invented students · every sample is labelled

Five Common App openings, before and after.

The same five students, written twice: the first draft and the rewrite built from the same facts. Prompts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 are quoted word for word from the Common App. Nothing in the rewrites was invented; every detail came from the (made-up) student's answers to our form.

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The rule behind all five

A first sentence that could open anyone's essay is cut. A first sentence that could only open yours stays. The three openings we cut most: “Ever since I was young…”, “Failure is something everyone faces…”, and a dictionary or famous quote. The reader has seen each one today already.

Prompt 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.”

Priya, an invented student whose family runs a laundromat · sample

Before · first draft

My family's business has been a huge part of my life and has shaped me into the person I am today. Working at our laundromat since I was twelve taught me responsibility, hard work and the value of a dollar. It also taught me how to talk to people from all walks of life.

After · same facts

Machine 14 takes quarters only, and it has eaten enough of them since I was twelve that my father calls it my college fund. I know which regulars will ask me for change before they reach the counter, which ones fold on the table by the window, and which ones come in at nine on a Sunday because the laundromat is the only warm room they have that day.

What changed. The first version names three lessons and shows none of them. The second starts at a machine, a number and a father's joke; the reader learns the same things (responsibility, people, money) without being told. Every fact came from the student's form: machine 14, quarters, the window table, the Sunday regulars.

Prompt 2

“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?”

Marcus, an invented student who was cut from the varsity swim team · sample

Before · first draft

Failure is something everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives. For me, that moment came when I was cut from the varsity swim team in my junior year. It was devastating, but it taught me that hard work and perseverance are more important than talent, and I came back stronger than ever.

After · same facts

The list was taped to the pool office door at 3:40, and my name was not on it. I read it four times, the way you re-read a text that already says no. Then I went to practice anyway, because the JV lane was open and nobody had told me I could not swim in it.

What changed. The draft opens with a sentence about everyone and ends with a sentence every coach has heard. The rewrite gives the time, the door, the four reads and one surprising choice (swimming anyway), which is the whole essay in miniature. The lesson comes later and is not announced.

Prompt 4

“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?”

Lena, an invented student whose bus driver waited for her · sample

Before · first draft

I am very grateful for many people in my life, including my parents, my teachers and my friends. But one person who impacted me in a surprising way was my school bus driver, Mr. Dale. Every morning he greeted me with a smile and made me feel welcome, and I did not realise how much that meant until later.

After · same facts

Mr. Dale waited. Not every day, and never for long, but on the mornings my mother's shift ran late and I came running down Birch Street with one shoe on, the bus was still at the corner with the door open, and he was looking at his watch like it was the watch's fault.

What changed. Gratitude prompts pull drafts toward a list of thanks. The rewrite picks one person and one repeated act, with the detail (one shoe, the watch, Birch Street) that only this student could know. The surprise the prompt asks for is in the second paragraph, not the first sentence.

Prompt 5

“Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

Diego, an invented student who ran his school's robotics budget · sample

Before · first draft

Being elected treasurer of the robotics club was a major accomplishment that helped me grow as a person and as a leader. I learned how to manage money, work with a team and make tough decisions. It was not always easy, but through this experience I discovered my passion for engineering and finance.

After · same facts

We had $212.40 and the regional entry fee was $250, and I was the one who had said yes to the second motor. I found this out at 11 p.m. in a spreadsheet, and I spent the next hour deciding whether to tell eleven people or quietly sell my bike.

What changed. The accomplishment prompt is the one most often answered with a title and a list of skills. The rewrite starts with the number that caused the problem and the decision it forced. The growth the prompt asks about is still coming, which is why the reader keeps going.

Prompt 7

“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.”

Hana, an invented student who translates for her grandmother · sample

Before · first draft

Language has always fascinated me. Growing up bilingual, I was often the bridge between my grandmother, who speaks only Korean, and the rest of the world. Translating for her at doctors' appointments and parent-teacher conferences taught me empathy and the power of communication.

After · same facts

There is no good Korean word for “copay”, so for six years my grandmother has believed the clinic charges her for being on time. I have let her believe it. Some translations are kinder wrong.

What changed. “Topic of your choice” tempts a draft toward a theme (language, communication) instead of a story. The rewrite is three sentences long and already has a person, a problem and a small confession. The theme arrives on its own.

What the full edit looks like

An opening is one of six parts. The whole order is the marked-up draft, the clean rewrite inside the word limit, a second opening, the cut list and a read-aloud guide. See a full sample edit on one 650-word essay.

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Questions

How do you start a Common App essay?

With one specific moment that only you could have written: a place, a time, a thing that happened and what you did. Not a sentence about everyone (“Failure is something everyone faces”) and not the lesson. The lesson goes near the end, after the reader has seen it.

How long should a Common App essay be?

The limit is 650 words and the minimum is 250. Most strong essays use 550 to 650. If a draft is short, add a scene, not a summary.

Which Common App prompt is easiest?

None is easier; the prompt is a door, not a grade. Write the story first, then pick the prompt it fits. Prompt 7 (topic of your choice) takes anything, so no story is ever disqualified.

Can someone edit my college essay, or is that cheating?

Editing help is what teachers, counselors and paid editors give every year. What colleges forbid is someone else writing it or inventing facts. We work only from your draft and your facts, you make the final changes and submit it yourself, and you should check your school's and each college's rules on outside help.

How fast can you edit my essay before the 1 November deadline?

Orders come back within 1 day of payment. For a 1 November Early Decision or Early Action deadline, send the draft by 30 October to leave a day for your own changes.

Free: the 12-point essay check

The checklist we read every draft against, by email. One message, no list.

The Common App prompts are quoted from the Common App's published 2025–26 list and are its property. All five students, drafts and rewrites on this page are written samples made for this page; no real applicant's work appears here. Not affiliated with the Common App or any college.