Last week’s blog post focused on getting content from your thoughts onto paper. Take a look at your brainstorms and freewrites and see what kind of themes or influential experiences resonate most deeply with you.Common App Essay prompts give you a chance to really think about your achievements, struggles, passions, and relationships. Whatever it is you choose to use, make sure it’s something that you feel confident about and know you can expand upon.

Your biggest challenge will be taking an experience–winning a state championship game, building something, taking a trip somewhere–and making it not only interesting, but individual and special. There will be many students who might share similar experiences to you, but your personal description and reflection is what will make your essay stand out and allow your voice to shine.

Instead of writing about a week-long international trip, write about the first five minutes of the bus ride after arriving at the airport in a new city. Don’t take us through a play-by-play of your summer as a camp counselor, expand upon one memorable and meaningful conversation you had with a camper one afternoon. Sift through your ideas and make them small moments in time so that you can pack them full of detail and description.

Once you've identified a meaningful moment, it's time to craft a compelling narrative.

Show, don't tell: Use vivid language and sensory details to bring your experience to life.

Focus on your growth: Explain how the experience impacted you and how it shaped who you are today.

Connect to your future: Explain how this experience will help you succeed in college and beyond.

Remember:

Be authentic: Let your true voice shine through.

Be honest: Share your genuine thoughts and feelings.

Be yourself: Don't try to impress admissions officers with fancy words or inflated accomplishments.

Finding the right moments to write about requires introspection and self-reflection. But by digging deep and uncovering the stories that truly define you, you can create essays that are both insightful and memorable.