July 6, 2023 | Great College Advice

Great College Advice Blog

common app essay prompt 1 background identity interest talent

Common App Essay Prompt 1: Background, Identity, Interest, or Talent

July 6, 2023

Writing your Common App essay about your background, identity, interest, or talent is a great way to stand out from the crowd–if you zero in on what the essay prompt is really asking you. Exercise care in choosing to write on Common App Essay Prompt 1. If you fully understand what the prompt is asking, you’ll be better able to write a fantastic Common App essay that can help you shine in the admissions office.

Get Accepted–with Scholarships

December 14, 2022 / Jared Hobson

Mark Montgomery, expert educational consultant, uses his insider knowledge of the college admissions process to help you navigate the world of scholarships and save money on tuition.

School’s Out! Top 10 Summertime Tips for College Admission

January 29, 2019 / Jared Hobson

Summer is a good time to relax and recharge--and prepare for the college admissions process. Learn what you can do to give yourself an edge (and have fun, too!).

How to Choose the Best College For You?

December 21, 2015 / Jared Hobson

With over 4,000 colleges in the USA, how do you know which one is the perfect fit for you? College admissions expert Mark Montgomery will use his encyclopedic knowledge of

Get Into the Best Colleges For You

December 11, 2015 / Jared Hobson

College admissions expert Mark Montgomery can help you find the college of your dreams, and will use his insider knowledge to guide you through the admissions process.

university building in the back of tress

Getting Into Top Universities

December 9, 2015 / Jared Hobson

Mark Montgomery is a college admissions insider: that means he knows the ropes, and can offer invaluable help in your college search.

The Student-to-Faculty Ratio: A Bogus Statistic You Should Ignore

May 13, 2009 / Jared Hobson

Student-to-faculty ratios mislead. While they are oft-cited indicators of teaching quality, these ratios have no bearing on an individual student's educational experience.

Why the ‘Community’ Essay has Become More Important in College Admissions

October 31, 2024 / Jared Hobson

The 'Community' Supplemental Essay is an opportunity for you to provide insight into your unique background and how you will contribute to a campus community.

What Do College Admissions Look For in an Essay?

October 23, 2024 / Sarah Farbman

What do college admissions officers look for in an essay? It’s a difficult question, because every essay is different–and every applicant is different. However, Great College Advice's Sarah Farbman offers

How to Write a Great ‘Why This College?’ Essay

October 16, 2024 / Andrea Aronson

Great College Advice’s Andrea Aronson discusses the do’s and don’ts for crafting the 'Why Our College?' supplemental essay.

Don’t Sleep on the Supplemental Essays!

October 7, 2024 / Jared Hobson

Be sure to carve out time to craft thoughtful supplemental essays as part of the college application process. In this post, Great College Advice offers tips on how these short

essay word written by black pen on a dairy

Common App Essay Prompt #5: Personal Growth

October 2, 2024 / Jared Hobson

In this post, Great College Advice provides insight in how to best address the personal growth Common App essay prompt.

Tips for Prompt #3 of the Common App Essay: Questioning or Challenging a Belief or Idea

September 25, 2024 / Jared Hobson

How do your beliefs and ideas shape who you are as a person? The Common App essay prompt #3 focuses on how those beliefs or ideas being challenged can reveal

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