isaagny essay prompts 2022

The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts

Tips and Guidance for the 7 Essay Options on the New Common Application

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For the 2021-22 application cycle, the Common Application  essay prompts remain unchanged from the 2020-21 cycle with the exception of an all new option #4. As in the past, with the inclusion of the popular "Topic of Your Choice" option, you have the opportunity to write about anything you want to share with the folks in the admissions office.

The current prompts are the result of much discussion and debate from the member institutions who use the Common Application. The essay length limit stands at 650 words (the minimum is 250 words), and students will need to choose from the seven options below. The essay prompts are designed to encourage reflection and introspection. The best essays focus on self-analysis, rather than spending a disproportionate amount of time merely describing a place or event. Analysis, not description, will reveal the critical thinking skills that are the hallmark of a promising college student. If your essay doesn't include some self-analysis, you haven't fully succeeded in responding to the prompt.

According to the folks at the Common Application , in the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Option #7 (topic of your choice) was the most popular and was used by 24.1% of applicants. The second most popular was Option #5 (discuss an accomplishment) with 23.7% of applicants. In third place was Option #2 on a setback or failure. 21.1% of applicants chose that option.

From the Admissions Desk

"While the transcript and grades will always be the most important piece in the review of an application, essays can help a student stand out. The stories and information shared in an essay are what the Admissions Officer will use to advocate for the student in the admissions committee."

–Valerie Marchand Welsh Director of College Counseling, The Baldwin School Former Associate Dean of Admissions, University of Pennsylvania

Always keep in mind why colleges are asking for an essay: they want to get to know you better. Nearly all selective colleges and universities (as well as many that aren't overly selective) have holistic admissions, and they consider many factors in addition to numerical measures such as grades and standardized test scores. Your essay is an important tool for presenting something you find important that may not come across elsewhere in your application. Make sure your essay presents you as the type of person a college will want to invite to join their community.

Below are the seven options with some general tips for each:

Option #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.

"Identity" is at the heart of this prompt. What is it that makes you you? The prompt gives you a lot of latitude for answering the question since you can write a story about your "background, identity, interest, or talent." Your "background" can be a broad environmental factor that contributed to your development such as growing up in a military family, living in an interesting place, or dealing with an unusual family situation. You could write about an event or series of events that had a profound impact on your identity. Your "interest" or "talent" could be a passion that has driven you to become the person you are today. However you approach the prompt, make sure you are inward looking and explain how and why  the story you tell is so meaningful. 

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #1
• Sample essay for option #1: "Handiwork" by Vanessa
• Sample essay for option #1: "My Dads" by Charlie
• Sample essay for option #1: "Give Goth a Chance"
• Sample essay for option #1: "Wallflower"

Option #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?

This prompt may seem to go against everything that you've learned on your path to college. It's far more comfortable in an application to celebrate successes and accomplishments than it is to discuss setbacks and failure. At the same time, you'll impress the college admissions folks greatly if you can show your ability to learn from your failures and mistakes. Be sure to devote significant space to the second half of the question—how did you learn and grow from the experience? Introspection and honesty are key with this prompt.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #2
• Sample essay for option #2: "Striking Out" by Richard
• Sample essay for option #2: "Student Teacher" by Max

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

Keep in mind how open-ended this prompt truly is. The "belief or idea" you explore could be your own, someone else's, or that of a group. The best essays will be honest as they explore the difficulty of working against the status quo or a firmly held belief. The answer to the final question about the "outcome" of your challenge need not be a success story. Sometimes in retrospection, we discover that the cost of an action was perhaps too great. However you approach this prompt, your essay needs to reveal one of your core personal values. If the belief you challenged doesn't give the admissions folks a window into your personality, then you haven't succeeded with this prompt.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #3
• Sample essay for option #3: "Gym Class Hero" by Jennifer

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?

Here, again, the Common Application gives you a lot of options for approaching the question since it is entirely up to you to decide what the "something" and "someone" will be. This prompt was added to the Common Application in the 2021-22 admissions cycle in part because it gives students the opportunity to write something heartfelt and uplifting after all the challenges of the previous year. The best essays for this prompt show that you are a generous person who recognizes the contributions others have made to your personal journey. Unlike many essays that are all about "me, me, me," this essay shows your ability to appreciate others. This type of generosity is an important character trait that schools look for when inviting people to join their campus communities.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #4

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

This question was reworded in 2017-18 admissions cycle, and the current language is a huge improvement. The prompt use to talk about transitioning from childhood to adulthood, but the new language about a "period of personal growth" is a much better articulation of how we actually learn and mature (no single event makes us adults). Maturity comes as the result of a long train of events and accomplishments (and failures). This prompt is an excellent choice if you want to explore a single event or achievement that marked a clear milestone in your personal development. Be careful to avoid the "hero" essay—admissions offices are often overrun with essays about the season-winning touchdown or brilliant performance in the school play (see the list of bad essay topics for more about this issue). These can certainly be fine topics for an essay, but make sure your essay is analyzing your personal growth process, not bragging about an accomplishment.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #5
• Sample essay for option #5: "Buck Up" by Jill

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?

This option was entirely new in 2017, and it's a wonderfully broad prompt. In essence, it's asking you to identify and discuss something that enthralls you. The question gives you an opportunity to identify something that kicks your brain into high gear, reflect on why it is so stimulating, and reveal your process for digging deeper into something that you are passionate about. Note that the central words here—"topic, idea, or concept"—all have rather academic connotations. While you may lose track of time when running or playing football, sports are probably not the best choice for this particular question.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #6

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.

The popular "topic of your choice" option had been removed from the Common Application between 2013 and 2016, but it returned again with the 2017-18 admissions cycle. Use this option if you have a story to share that doesn't quite fit into any of the options above. However, the first six topics are extremely broad with a lot of flexibility, so make sure your topic really can't be identified with one of them. Also, don't equate "topic of your choice" with a license to write a comedy routine or poem (you can submit such things via the "Additional Info" option). Essays written for this prompt still need to have substance and tell your reader something about you. Cleverness is fine, but don't be clever at the expense of meaningful content.

• See more Tips and Strategies for Essay Option #7
• Sample essay for option #7: "My Hero Harpo" by Alexis
• Sample essay for option #7: "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"

Final Thoughts

Whichever prompt you chose, make sure you are looking inward. What do you value? What has made you grow as a person? What makes you the unique individual the admissions folks will want to invite to join their campus community? The best essays spend significant time with self-analysis rather than merely describing a place or event.

The folks at The Common Application have cast a wide net with these questions, and nearly anything you want to write about could fit under at least one of the options. If your essay could fit under more than one option, it really doesn't matter which one you choose. Many admissions officers, in fact, don't even look at which prompt you chose—they just want to see that you have written a good essay.

• Tips for Writing an Essay on an Event That Led to Personal Growth
• Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
• Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure
• Common Application Essay Option 3 Tips: Challenging a Belief
• Common Application Essay on a Meaningful Place
• 2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
• "Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
• Common Application Essay, Option 1: Share Your Story
• 5 Tips for a College Admissions Essay on an Important Issue
• Tips for an Application Essay on a Significant Experience
• How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
• Addressing Diversity in a College Application Essay
• Tips for the 8 University of California Personal Insight Questions
• The Length Requirements for the Common Application Essay in 2020-21
• Tips for Writing a Winning College Transfer Essay
• Private School Application Essay Tips

How to Apply | 9–12

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What is ISAAGNY, and Why Does It Matter?

As your family begins the admissions process, you may notice the term “ISAAGNY” coming up often - begetting the common question, “What is ISAAGNY”? We’re here to clarify, and explain why ISAAGNY is an important institution that helps to ensure that your family can move smoothly through the admissions process. 

What is ISAAGNY?  

ISAAGNY stands for the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York. It is a nonprofit association of independent schools, and its purpose is to ensure that all of its member schools follow an ethical and equitable admissions process. ISAAGNY sets out various guidelines and deadlines to maintain consistency and predictability through the admissions process. 

ISAAGNY notes on its website that its mission statement is: 

 “By coordinating practices and procedures, ISAAGNY aims to ensure orderly, professional, and equitable admissions processes at member schools across greater New York. The resulting spirit of cooperation serves schools and families alike.”

ISAAGNY member schools are all independent schools, meaning they are not public schools. The network is composed of a broad range of schools, each with a unique mission and educational environment. ISAAGNY provides a directory of all of its member schools here . 

In addition, ISAAGNY offers a number of helpful admissions resources, including the “why”s behind choosing an independent school , a glossary of admissions-related terms , a step-by-step outline of member schools’ application processes, and much more. 

Why Does ISAAGNY Matter?

If you’re applying to independent schools, ISAAGNY is playing a large role in your admissions process - whether you realize it or not! ISAAGNY is a very important force in the admissions landscape. Imagine if every single independent school had an entirely unique application process - the admissions process would be impossibly grueling (even more so than it already is!). It’s thanks to ISAAGNY that you can expect a relatively consistent experience across schools, which allows you to spend your time efficiently and explore all of the educational options that might be a fit for your family. 

In addition, ISAAGNY’s stated goal is to protect families throughout the admissions process. ISAAGNY member schools are committed to equity and fairness in their admissions processes. The organization provides crucial oversight and guidance to ensure that high-quality education in New York remains attainable for all, based on merit. 

We’re big fans of ISAAGNY at Admit NY, because we recognize the valuable role of a third-party association to govern and regulate admissions processes across a large network of schools. We also greatly appreciate the resources that ISAAGNY provides to our families, and frequently recommend leveraging ISAAGNY materials or attending ISAAGNY sessions to learn more about the application process. 

Of course, ISAAGNY can’t provide personalized guidance to each and every family navigating the admissions process - that’s where we come in. Admit NY is a leading New York City educational consultancy partnering with families to find their best-fit school. We’re experts in the huge range of options that families have to choose from in New York, and can work together with you and your child to find their perfect educational environment. We also help you navigate the stress and complexity of the admissions process with custom trackers, checklists, and action plans. 

Beyond our individualized consulting, Admit NY offers a wide range of resources for all families applying to schools, whether public or private. Our blog contains information about a wide range of admissions topics, and we frequently host webinars to share additional tips and tricks and answer questions for families. 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we can answer any questions about the admissions process, or advise on your family’s unique situation. Like ISAAGNY, we’re here to make sure that your child thrives in the best school for them!

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• To schedule the ISEE, please visit the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) website . Please select LREI as a school to receive your student's scores by entering our school code: 336195.
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Nightingale’s Upper School provides our students with strong academic programming, vibrant student life offerings, and extensive off-campus experiences as they strengthen their voices, deepen their friendships, and prepare to enter the world beyond the blue doors. Upper School students graduate as independent thinkers, agents of change, and citizens of the world.

To apply, follow the process below and complete each step by the included dates.

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After you have clicked on Apply Now, select the blue Create Account link to create a username and password.

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Click on the Apply Now button. Enter your username and password for the Nightingale website when prompted.

Schedule Schoolhouse Tour and Family Interview

To apply to Classes IX-XI for your daughter, you will need to schedule two appointments: a family interview and a Schoolhouse tour. We have created two tracks for you to choose from:

Track 1 (Hybrid Option): In-person family Schoolhouse tour; virtual family interview

After you submit your application, you will have access to the appointment calendar to schedule a time for your family to come visit in-person for a Schoolhouse tour with a student tour guide.

You will make a second appointment for a virtual family interview with a member of our admissions team. It may be helpful for you to schedule the virtual interview appointment to happen after the Schoolhouse tour, but it is not required.

Track 2 (Fully In-Person Option): In-person family Schoolhouse tour; in-person family interview

After you submit your application, you will have access to the appointment calendar to schedule a time for you to take a tour of the Schoolhouse with a student tour guide, followed by an in-person family interview with a member of our admissions team.

Submit ISEE/SSAT Standardized Test Scores

All students applying to Classes V-XI are required to submit either SSAT or ISEE scores during the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. Scores are valid from April 1 of the prior school year; i.e., for the 2024-2025 academic year, all tests must be taken after April 1, 2023. To ensure Nightingale receives official score reports, Nightingale's ISEE school code is 333860 and SSAT code is 5340. Students are welcome to submit multiple score reports.

Score reports must be received no later than January 4, 2024.

Request School Transcripts

Request that your daughter's current school send school records directly to [email protected] . Schools should submit school records from the 2023-2024, 2022-2023, and 2021-2022 school years. The school records request form will be available through the online application checklist.

Request Teacher Recommendations

Recommendations from the 2023-2024 English and math teachers are required for admission. You will find the link for recommendation forms in the online application checklist.

Submit the ISAAGNY Applicant Essay

Submit one essay from the list of ISAAGNY essay prompts. You will find the link for the ISAAGNY essay prompts in the online application checklist. The essay can be submitted via the online application checklist.

Submit Graded Writing Sample

Submit a graded writing sample from the 2023-2024 school year (preferably a writing sample from an English class). The writing sample should include teacher comments and/or the student’s grade. Submit the graded writing sample via the online application checklist.

Submit the ISAAGNY interests and activities form

Submit the form which lists co-curricular activities, interests, and/or responsibilities. If you have not had the opportunity to participate in activities, please list those you are interested in trying. You will find the link for ISAAGNY interests and activities form in the online application checklist. The form can be submitted via the online application checklist.

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2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts

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The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2022-2023. Because as we enter the third year of a global pandemic, consistency is not a bad thing.

That’s not the only reason, of course. We know from our most recent survey on the topic that over 95% of every group who responded--students, counselors, teachers, and admission officers--agree that the prompts spark effective essays. That’s why we kept them the same last year as well, with the exception of adding a new one about gratitude .

As we’ve said in the past, this announcement is not an invitation to juniors to start writing. And it’s definitely not a signal that they start thinking about applying. Those things will come in time. We share this news in January because it’s when some schools begin conversations about college options. It’s a time for learning, reflecting, and planning. That’s where the prompts can be useful: in helping students understand the aspects of their lives that colleges are curious about. 

"We share this news in January because it’s when some schools begin conversations about college options. It’s a time for learning, reflecting, and planning. That’s where the prompts can be useful: in helping students understand the aspects of their lives that colleges are curious about." Scott Anderson, Senior Director, Common App

Something else we’ve said in the past: prompts are not topics. They are simply questions designed to spark thinking. Our Telling Your Story resource shows students just how much flexibility they have in what they write when the time comes.

Below is the full set of essay prompts for 2022-2023. We will also retain the optional COVID-19 question within the Additional Information section.

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

News and updates

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NYC Private High Schools Debut ISAAGNY Common Essay

Apparently taking a cue from the Common App, numerous NYC private high schools, including Dalton, Grace Church and Trevor Day, have debuted the new ISAAGNY Common Essay.  In 2014-2015, students can choose from common essay topics:

1) Describe the environment in which you live – your family, home, neighborhood, or community. How does it shape who you are?

2) If you could capture your life in just one snapshot, what would that photograph look like? Describe it and explain why you chose that image. You may include a photograph if you would like (you may mail or email your photo to the Admissions Office with your essay, or bring it to your interview).

3) Music spans time and culture. Explain how the lyrics of one of your favorite songs define you or your cultural experience.

4) If you could change any existing law, or if you could bring a new law into existence, what would it be

I think this is a smart direction for NYC private high schools.  Too often, 8th grade applicants are caught in a crunch with too many private school essays to write in too short a time.  Often I see sympathetic parents stepping in and getting overly involved helping students, either by editing and writing essays themselves, or by hiring English tutors to do the job.  These actions send students the wrong message, and can be detrimental to their admissions chances.  As a reader, it’s irritating when an essay doesn’t sound like a real 8th grader.

While I like that many NYC private high schools are sharing the ISAAGNY Common Essay, I am not keen on the questions, which are needlessly highfalutin and difficult.  Can you describe your life in a snapshot?  Or your cultural experience in music lyrics?  It’s not easy for a 13-year-old, either.  I am not sure what value this exercise brings to an admissions decision.

I am working now with my clients applying to NYC private high school to help them best approach the new ISAAGNY Common Essay.

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2023-2024 Common App Essay Prompts

March 1, 2023

The folks at the Common Application have officially announced that the Common App essay prompt menu for the upcoming 2023-24 admissions cycle will remain exactly the same as it was the previous year. In the opinion of the College Transitions staff, the decision to stay the course was a wise one. A quick look at the data shows that the prompts, as presently constituted, received rave reviews across the board—more than 95% of admissions officers, guidance counselors, parents, and students rated the selections positively.

In this blog we will review:

• What’s new in 2023-24?
• The COVID-19 essay
• The Common App essay word limit
• A look at all 2023-24 Common App essay prompts
• Links to supplemental essay prompts for 50+ colleges
• The most popular Common App prompts that students choose
• Advice on brainstorming/writing your Common App essay

What’s New for 2023-24?

Absolutely nothing! Again, this is a good thing. The Common App seems to have found an array of topics with something to offer just about everyone. Last year, they altered prompt number four, to include an invitation to talk about gratitude, a welcome addition in this crazy pandemic-impacted world in which we find ourselves.

The COVID-19 Optional Essay

The optional COVID-19 question will remain within the Additional Information section. For tips on whether to/how to best utilize this space, check out our blog on the topic —  How to Answer the COVID-19 Question on the Common App.

Common App Essay Word Limit

The Common App essay word limit remains at 650 words. There is also a minimum floor of 250 words.

All 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts

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

Which prompts are most popular?

In the most recent cycle reported by the Common App, the most frequently selected topic was #7, the “topic of your choice” essay. This prompt was chosen by 24.1% of applicants. Prompt #5, the “discuss an accomplishment” essay was a close second, attracting 23.7% of seniors. The bronze medal went to prompt #2, the “challenge, setback, or failure” themed essay, which netted 21.1% of Common App filers. Overall, the three most popular prompts accounted for 68.9% of applicants.

Looking for Supplemental Essay Prompts and Advice?

The Essay Section of our blog has you covered with the latest prompts and tips for 50+ top colleges.

Common App Essay Prompts – Advice on brainstorming/writing your essay

The basic rules for writing a stellar college essay vary little from the general guidelines for producing any strong piece of written work: be authentic, tell a story that is personal and compelling, and diligently edit, revise, and polish your product.

Writing an essay that is compelling doesn’t mean that you need to have wrestled a puma, grown up in a cult, or discovered a new galaxy at age seven.  A great college essay can take place on a grand stage but it can just as effectively take place in everyday life.  There is a ready supply of drama, tension, and conflict in a typical day.  Over the course of your life, you have undoubtedly had experiences that constitute worthy essay topics.  Think it over.  Talk to family and friends.  Your compelling story will emerge.

We also invite you to review the following resources to help with your college essay writing:

• Advice on what to do is useful, but tips on what not to do are of equal importance. Check out our  Five Essay Topics to Avoid  to discover what topics admissions officers are sure to find unappealing, off-putting, or downright gross.
• If you are a real go-getter, you may also wish to get a start on the most prevalent Common App supplement required by colleges—the “Why this College?” essay. Reference our guide for  mastering the “Why this College?” essay .
• If you are also applying to a school in the University of California system, you’ll also need tips on answering the  UC Personal Insight Questions .
• Are you a transfer applicant? Don’t worry, we have advice for you too in our blog entitled  How to Write a Winning Transfer Essay.
• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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What are the 2023-24 Common App essay prompts?

Jul 25, 2023 • knowledge, information, below is the full set of common app essay prompts for 2023-24..

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

We will also retain the optional COVID-19 question within the Additional Information section.