Essay Brainstorm

Essay Prompt:

Three examples from your personal life that relate to the essay prompt:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

How did it impact you? (Your thoughts, feelings, and actions)

How will the lessons you learned help you be successful in the future?

Below is the full set of Common App essay prompts for 2023-24.

  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 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?
  3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  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?
  5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  6. 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?
  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.

Below is the full set of TeenWorks Scholarship essay prompts for 2023-2023. One of your essays must mention TeenWorks.

  1. Please describe your educational and career goals. What steps have you taken and what do you plan to do to attain these goals? (500-word max)
  2. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk, or ethical dilemma and its impact on you. How will this experience and skills you have developed help prepare you to graduate from college despite potential barriers? (500-word max)

STAR is an acronym for a formula which can help you structure your responses. The letters stand for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Most questions center on your past or current attitudes, and your work, academic, or service experiences. When talking about these subjects, choose specific examples to illustrate your answer.

  1. Describe the Situation you were in,
  2. The Task you were asked to accomplish,
  3. The Action you took and why,
  4. And the Results of your actions.

This will help the readers follow your "story" and see your accomplishments. Below is an example of a response that uses this method to describe an accomplishment in their life:

As you can see from the above example, the STAR method can help you answer tough questions clearly and concisely. Practice using this method as you prepare for your future essays and interviews.