The main Common App personal essay prompts will remain the same as last year. This stability is by design – Common App kept the seven prompts unchanged based on positive feedback from students and educators. That means you can choose from the same broad topics to write your 650-word personal statement. 

Why is this good news? 

It means you can start preparing early. You don't have to worry about new essay questions catching you off guard. Admissions officers are already familiar with these prompts, and they have found them effective in eliciting students' unique stories. 

Focus less on choosing the "perfect" prompt and more on writing a genuine, personal narrative highlighting what matters to you and what you would bring to campus. In fact, many students simply pick the "topic of your choice" prompt to write about something meaningful to them. 

Writing Tips

Start brainstorming early, draft and revise repeatedly, and seek feedback so your writing is clear, engaging, and error-free. Focus less on recounting events and more on why they matter and what they reveal about your character—admissions officers prize authenticity and thoughtful reflection.

If aspects of your background have shaped your journey, weave that context in naturally to help colleges understand your perspective. Above all, keep your prose lively yet readable, stay within the word limit, and prioritize clarity over flashy language.

The unchanged prompts give you a stable framework – you should use it to showcase your voice, experiences, and growth.

Personal Statement Prompts
Source: The College Board

Background or Identity
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.

Challenge or Setback
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?

Questioned a Belief
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Gratitude
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?

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

Passion for an Idea
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

"Topic of Your Choice"
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. (This prompt essentially lets you choose any topic)

Shorter "Additional Information" Section
The second big update is that the word limit for the general “Additional Information” section has been cut by over 50 percent. In past years, the Common App included an open-ended text box (up to 650 words) where students could add any extra information that didn't fit elsewhere. That box is still there for 2025–2026, but you will now have a 300-word limit  instead of 650. This is less than half the previous length. Transfer applicants see a similar cut: their limit goes down from 3,500 to 1,500 characters.

Why the change?
The College Board explained that they made this update after consulting with member colleges, counselors, and students about the application format. A shorter Additional Info section would encourage students to include only essential details. (Reading another 600+ words per applicant was a lot for admissions officers, and some students used this space in ways that weren't intended.) 

By cutting the section to 300 words, the College Board hopes students will share only the most relevant extra information and avoid turning it into a second essay. 

When to use it?

• Extenuating circumstances that affected your academic or extracurricular performance. For example, a one-time illness, a family situation, or a special education need that impacted your grades or involvement.

• Clarifications of anomalies in your transcript or activities. If your school uses a unique grading system, or you have a gap in your education, you can briefly explain it here. 

• Additional achievements that didn't fit in the limited Activities/Honors sections. You have 10 activities and five honors slots in the main application; if you have one or two extra items beyond those, you can list them here. 

• Explanations for test score variations or course choices. For example, if you scored much higher on a retake of the SAT/ACT because of a specific reason (like illness on the first try), you could note that. Or if you couldn't take certain advanced courses because your school didn't offer them or there was a schedule conflict, you might explain that briefly.

• Don't use the Additional Information box as an extra essay. If you don't have any additional context or achievements that truly need explanation, it's perfectly fine to leave this section blank.