Announcing the 2026–2027 Common App essay prompts

We are happy to announce that the Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2026–2027 🎉. Based on positive feedback from students, counselors, teachers, and colleges, we are keeping the essay prompts unchanged.

During the 2025-2026 application year, we’ve observed the following trends in prompt selection by students. The most popular essay prompt was ‘Topic of your choice’ (28%), followed by ‘Facing adversity’ (23%). Here’s the full breakdown:

1. Topic of your choice: 28%
2. Facing adversity: 23%
3. Personal growth: 20%
4. Background, identify, interest, or talent: 18%
5. Intellectual curiosity: 5%
6. Gratitude: 3%
7. Challenging an idea: 3%

Here is the full set of essay prompts for 2026–2027.

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design

By releasing the prompts early, we hope to give students ample time for reflection and brainstorming. We recognize that some schools and organizations are beginning discussions with juniors and transfer students about college options. As you guide students through their planning, feel free to use our essay writing resource, available in both English and Spanish, and our video tutorial breaking down each essay prompt.

Students who wish to start exploring the application can create their account anytime. With account rollover, Common App will retain students’ responses to questions in ‘My Common Application’, including the personal essay, when the 2026-2027 application opens on August 1.