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Common Application — 2024–25 Prompts
Background, Identity & Talent
Share a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful your application would be incomplete without it.
Common App #1Overcoming a Challenge or Failure
Recount a time you faced a challenge, setback, or failure and what it taught you about yourself.
Common App #2Challenging a Belief or Idea
Reflect on a time you questioned or challenged a belief — what sparked it and what came of it.
Common App #3Gratitude & Unexpected Kindness
Reflect on something someone did for you that made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.
Common App #4Personal Growth & Realization
An accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked personal growth and a new understanding of yourself.
Common App #5Topic That Captivates You
A topic, idea, or concept so engaging it makes you lose track of time — and why it captivates you.
Common App #6Free Choice — Your Own Topic
Total freedom: write about anything meaningful to you in your own way.
Common App #7University of California — Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)
Your Creative Side
Describe your creative side — whether through art, writing, research, coding, or another outlet — and what it means to you.
UC PIQ #1Greatest Talent or Skill
What's your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed it and what opportunities has it given you?
UC PIQ #2Greatest Challenge You've Faced
Describe the most significant challenge you've faced and what you've learned about yourself through it.
UC PIQ #3Educational Opportunity or Barrier
How you've taken advantage of an educational opportunity — or overcome a barrier that others didn't face.
UC PIQ #4Community & Sense of Belonging
Describe your community and the role you play in it — what does belonging mean to you?
UC PIQ #5Academic Subject That Inspires You
Think about an academic subject that excites you. How have you gone deeper than the classroom?
UC PIQ #6Common Supplemental Essay Prompts
Why This College?
What specifically draws you to this school — programs, culture, professors, or campus life?
SupplementalWhy This Major?
Describe your intellectual interest in your chosen field and the path that led you to it.
SupplementalMeaningful Extracurricular Activity
Share an extracurricular, job, or responsibility that has shaped who you are.
SupplementalDiversity & Unique Perspective
How will you contribute to campus diversity? What unique perspective or background do you bring?
SupplementalDefine Yourself (Short Answer)
Tell us something about yourself that isn't captured anywhere else in your application.
Short AnswerIntellectual Curiosity
What question or idea keeps you up at night? How do you pursue it beyond the classroom?
SupplementalCommon Scholarship Essay Prompts
Financial Need Statement
Describe your financial circumstances and how this scholarship supports your educational journey.
ScholarshipCareer Goals & Future Vision
Where do you see yourself in 10 years and how does this scholarship help you get there?
ScholarshipCommunity Service & Leadership
What community service or leadership have you done? What impact have you made and learned?
ScholarshipPerson Who Inspired You
Describe someone who has had a significant impact on your life, values, or sense of purpose.
ScholarshipOvercoming Adversity
A significant hardship you've overcome and how it shaped your character and academic drive.
ScholarshipFirst-Generation Student Essay
As a first-gen student, what challenges have you faced — and what drives you toward higher education?
ScholarshipThe more details you share, the more the essay will sound like you.
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