So I’m thinking about choosing Prompt 5 for my Common App essay, where it asks about an accomplishment or event that sparked personal growth. Does anyone have examples of what kind of topics they used for this? How did you guys make it sound impactful without bragging?
Absolutely, it's a common concern to share achievements without sounding like you're bragging. Remember that the key to this essay prompt is reflection. It's not just about the accomplishment but more so about how it has shaped you.
A student I worked with wrote about organizing a community clean-up and how it evolved from just picking up trash to understanding the socioeconomic factors contributing to community neglect. Another example could be learning a new skill independently, like coding, and how that led to the development of an app that addresses a problem in your community.
To keep it impactful, focus less on the accomplishment itself and more on your thought process, challenges faced, and what you learned about yourself. For example, maybe the app didn't gain much traction initially, but the iterative process taught you about persistence and user-centered design.
Reflect on moments of doubt and how overcoming those strengthened your character. This approach shifts the focus from the achievement to your personal growth journey, which is what admissions officers are looking to understand.
For some examples of how other students responded to this prompt, check out this CollegeVine article: https://blog.collegevine.com/common-app-essay-examples#5
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