Common Application: Personal Essay
The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

 

- Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
- Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
- Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
- Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
- Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

 

Please write an essay (250-650 words) on the topic selected.

 

642 word version
Despite sundry doubts of everyone around me, I began learning computer programming from 4th grade on. Starting from C languages in elementary school to algorithms in middle school, I was elated that I could write my own programs, an elation that led me to participate in numerous competitions and be recognized for some of them, too...

 

UC—Berkeley: If you wish, you may use this space to tell us anything else you want us to know about you that you have not had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application.

 

545-word version
Despite sundry doubts of everyone around me, I began learning computer programming from 4th grade on. Starting from C languages in elementary school to algorithms in middle school, I was elated that I could write my own programs, an elation that led me to participate in numerous competitions and be recognized for some of them, too...

 

KAIST: 4. 고교 재학 중 지원자가 가장 중요하게 생각하는 활동과 그 활동이 자신과 주위에 미친 영향에 대하여 기술하십시오. (띄어쓰기 포함 한글 500자 또는 영문 알파벳 1,000자 이내)

 

162-word version
After perusing my pathetic internship evaluation on Working Interests, I realized what my colleagues at RANIX had expected of me...