The Common Application Opens August 1, 2026: Time to Pick an Essay Prompt

Why the “Topic of Choice” Common App Prompt Works Best

Since you’re reading this, it tells me that you are on top of your college application and specifically your essays.

Good job! Based on my 15 years of working as a writing coach with these dreaded essays, you’re getting a head start over most students.

The other good news is that the Common Application opens shortly on August 1, 2026. This means you will know exactly your topic options for your Common App essay.

The prompts for the Common App essay have not changed in several years, and are staying the same this 2026-2027 season.

There are still seven prompts to pick from.

As in past years, I advise students to read through all seven prompts. If one of them sparks an idea, consider writing your essay about it.

That said, I believe you should write about the topic that best helps you reveal what sets you apart from other students, showcasing some part of both your personality and character.

Luckily, the seventh prompt allows you to do just that: Write about whatever you want. It’s called the “Topic of Choice” prompt.

In fact, last year, more students used the “Topic of Choice” prompt than any of the others.

According to the Common Application web site, 28 percent of students last year opted to choose their own topic.

Here’s the breakdown they shared:

Topic of choice: 28%
Facing adversity: 23%
Personal growth: 20%
Background, identity, interest, or talent: 18%
Intellectual curiosity: 5%
Gratitude: 3%
Challenging an idea: 3%

Besides championing the Topic of Choice prompt, I like the intention of the Facing Adversity prompt as well. Any chance to share a problem (challenge, obstacle, mistake, conflict, set-back, etc.) in your essay will set you up perfectly to share how you dealt with it and what you learned. This is Common App essay gold!

And remember, you don’t need a tragedy or crisis to write about facing adversity. Problems come in all shapes and sizes, and often the most everyday are the most interesting to read about. An argument with your mom while driving to ballet class. Mixing up your orders while working at a hamburger joint. Learning your feet may be too big to be a prima ballerina.

The Common App topics I would avoid are Gratitude and Challenging an Idea. Of course it all depends on the student, but I’ve found that these two Common App prompts tend to steer students toward less focused, less memorable pieces.

Also, make sure you don’t write directly to a prompt, as in picking it apart and simply answering the questions. These are unlike most Language Arts/English prompts or other more formal academic essay prompts. No one is going to grade you on how well you “addressed” the questions.

The point of these prompts is literally to “prompt” an idea or topic that you can write about that will help the colleges put a personal face on your application.

This entire blog is about teaching you how to do this.