Which Common App Essay Prompt Should You Choose?
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Which Common App essay prompt should you choose? Prompt Number seven. The other prompts place unnecessary limitations on you. I’m a big fan of Montage or Mosaic essays.
Combining disparate stories on a common theme. If an AO can predict the ending of your essay from the beginning of your essay, you become interchangeable. College admissions essays have very little in common with the five paragraph essays you’ve been trained to write in school. The more your AP Lang teacher loves your essay, the more concerned you should feel.
Most AOs I know don’t even read the Common App essay prompt. They just read the essay.
Short answer: Prompt 7.
Longer answer: The other prompts place unnecessary limitations on you. I’m a big fan of montage or mosaic essays — combining disparate stories on a common theme. If an admissions officer can predict your ending from the beginning, you become interchangeable with other highly qualified applicants.
College admissions essays have very little in common with the five-paragraph essays you’ve been writing in school. The more your AP Lang teacher loves your essay, the more concerned you should feel.
Fun fact: Most AOs I know don’t even read the prompt.
Reference: the Common App essay prompts.
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