If you’re still staring at a blank document, wondering how to begin your Common App essay… Well, welcome to the writer’s room! Every autumn, more than a million students across the world sit down to tackle the very same prompts — and most of them are asking the same question: What should I write about?
The truth is, there’s no magic formula. A successful Common App essay doesn’t come from picking the “trendiest” topic or writing about what you think is most relevant to the admissions officers. Instead, the strongest essays reveal something genuine about who you are: your voice, your values, and how you make sense of the world.
That’s why choosing Common App essay topics can be so difficult — and vulnerable.
How do we overcome it? For starters, a few strong examples can help you start to visualize the end result. When you see how other students took everyday experiences (like teaching origami, learning from a tough coach, or even booking flights) and transformed them into essays that earned spots at Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, you realize something important: great essays don’t come from extraordinary events. They come from ordinary moments, written with extraordinary reflection.
So, how do you choose the right Common App essay topic in 2025? In this article, we’ll break down five of the strongest examples of college essays we’ve seen, and show you why they worked so well.
What makes a successful essay?
First, you gotta know what admissions officers are looking for. According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), personal essays remain one of the most important factors in admissions decisions, alongside GPA and test scores. But unlike numbers on a transcript, the essay is a chance to show colleges something they can’t quantify: your personality, resilience, and potential contributions to campus life.
Here’s a rundown of how you can maximize your Common App essay submissions:
The best Common App essay topics usually check these boxes:
- They show growth; did you change, learn, or see something differently by the end of your story?
- They reveal values; does the story connect to what you care about most?
- They highlight action and impact; were you a passive observer, or did you play an active role?
- They feel authentic; does the essay sound like you, or like a student trying to sound impressive?
Hopefully, by the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer sense of what makes a great Common App essay stand out in 2025 — and maybe, even find the inspiration you need to turn your own draft into a winning application.
Great Common App essay examples for 2025
Next, we’ll walk you through a few real student essays who were accepted to top colleges and unpack why they worked. You’ll notice these essays don’t all start the same way, follow the same structure, or choose the same themes. And that’s the point!
Stanford essay example: theater & identity
Essay summary:
This student wrote engagingly about performing as Oberon in his high school theater’s production of Shakespeare’s famous stage play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The essay discusses a personal realization of the student’s complex identity sparked by the performance.
Why it works:
Taking on the role of the frightening and fantastical goblin king Oberon, the student steps far outside his comfort zone to challenge his usual introverted tendencies. But it’s not just a story about trying something new for the first time. As he recites his lines, the student imagines himself through the eyes of various characters in the audience: his MUN colleagues, his school classmates, his parents, and his mentors. Each individual he recognizes in the seats knows a different version of him, and all of them are surprised that such a shy and studious boy could become this vibrant actor. Ultimately, the student wisely concludes that there is no single version of himself, but all of these different facets are part of the dimensional human he is becoming.
Takeaway for your essay:
You don’t need to play a Shakespearean king to make your story compelling. What matters is showing how a single experience helped you see yourself from new perspectives. Ask yourself: What everyday role or activity has revealed a side of me others might not expect?
Duke essay example: flight deals & data patterns
Essay summary:
This essay focuses on the student’s passion for finding patterns and applying them to computational medicine. The student describes how an experience finding cheap flights sparked an interest in understanding data patterns in medicine, particularly after family experiences with misdiagnosis.
Why it works:
The student starts with a bang: a flurry of activity, reserving a few last-minute flights at a shockingly low price in the nick of time. He then goes on to reveal that due to his individual curiosity about — and demonstrable skills in — computer science, data analysis, and travel logistics, he identified an accidental trend in the ticket booking system and leveraged the glitch to his advantage before the airline company fixed it. This same passion for data analysis leads him to want to apply these skills to the medical field, in the hopes of improving disease diagnostic tools that have alternately helped and failed members of his own family.
Takeaway for your essay:
Notice how the student tied a quirky personal story (finding cheap flights) to a deeper academic passion (computational medicine). For your own essay, look for ways to connect the dots between hobbies, challenges, or “random” interests and your future goals; that’s what makes an essay memorable.
Vanderbilt essay example: origami & problem solving
Essay summary:
The essay discusses the student’s personal growth, starting with a childhood memory of learning origami from their grandma. This experience instilled a value for learning, creating, and sharing.
Why it works:
This essay compares the student’s love for unraveling and analyzing complex computer problems to the moments of magic she felt learning how to fold origami cranes from her grandmother. In both scenarios, she works methodically to learn the proper steps, then feels a moment of epiphany when it all comes together into a finished product. That ability, to make a breakthrough — and then, go on to explain or teach it to others — manifested in her CS internship when she was selected as one of the youngest fellows to present her project in a showcase for the entire program.
Takeaways for your essay:
This essay shows how childhood memories or family traditions can reveal lasting values. When brainstorming, think about formative experiences that shaped your approach to learning or working with others. Even something seemingly small — like folding paper cranes — can highlight intellectual curiosity and resilience.
Yale essay example: science & uncertainty
Essay summary:
This essay describes the author’s journey from a rigid, fact-based understanding of science to appreciating the creativity and intuition involved in scientific discovery. Initially drawn to chemistry for its exactness and predictability, the author’s perspective shifted during a summer organic chemistry intensive. This experience highlighted the experimental nature of organic chemistry, where problems often lacked single correct answers and required critical thinking and design.
Why it works:
This student talks at length about a particular scientific research project that changed her perspective on academic research itself. Initially, she imagines the scientific method as an orderly system of rules. By the end of the summer (and the end of the essay), she sees it differently; her new understanding is that research is more like a feral wild animal than anything else. While the majority of the essay focuses on this one experience, she manages to keep it dynamic by incorporating specific anecdotes of moments when she “struck lightning,” through a surprising comment or a brain-bending concept, and felt inspired.
Takeaways for your essay:
You don’t need to sound like a published researcher to impress admissions. What shines here is the student’s shift from rigid thinking to creative problem-solving. For your own draft, focus less on what you studied and more on how the experience changed your perspective.
Harvard essay example: tennis & motivation
Essay summary:
This essay details the author’s experience training with a former professional tennis player from South Africa. Initially, the author’s motivation was inconsistent, dependent on personal interest. However, the coach’s intense discipline and drive inspired the author to develop a similar work ethic. This dedication led to the author consistently showing up for practice and committing fully to tennis, even sacrificing personal time.
Why it works:
She starts by describing her tennis instructor, a former pro athlete who — like this student — found a deep, unshakeable drive to succeed at a young age. The student finds that the two have much in common, and she pours herself into tennis practices, admiring (and mirroring) the steely determination of her coach to overcome any circumstance or obstacle in her way. The student does achieve an impressive level in tennis, but also realizes that her goal in life is not to be a professional tennis player. However, the experience was transformative, and the lessons she learned have stayed. Now, she channels this incredible work ethic into other pursuits that motivate her, like volunteering and tutoring others.
Takeaways for your essay:
This student’s growth wasn’t about becoming a pro athlete, but about adopting a new mindset. That’s key. Your essay doesn’t need to end with a trophy moment — it just needs to show how someone, something, or some experience taught you discipline, resilience, or empathy that carries into other parts of your life.
What these essays can teach us
Looking at these Common App essay examples, one thing is clear: there’s no single “right” topic, only what’s right for you. Some students wrote about science research, while others reflected on theater performances or family traditions. What tied them together was not the subject but the self-awareness, growth, and voice each student brought to the page.
Before we wrap up, here are three common mistakes that can weaken even a well-written draft:
- Trying too hard to impress. Don’t write what you think admissions officers want to hear. Write what’s true to you.
- Skipping reflection. A good story is just the beginning — the takeaway is what matters most.
- Repeating your resume. The essay shouldn’t just be a list of achievements. Choose one story or thread, and go deep.
For advice on the brainstorming stage, hear from Empowerly counselor Denard on what you should avoid:
Once you’ve settled on your topic, it’s all about the finishing touches. For a helpful guide to the college essay process, check out Empowerly’s Guide to Essays and download your free PDF copy today.
Need a helping hand?
You don’t have to write your Common App essay alone. At Empowerly, we’ve helped thousands of students brainstorm ideas, structure drafts, and polish essays until they shine. If you’re ready to leave your writer’s block behind, book a consultation with Empowerly today and start writing with confidence. The sooner you begin, the stronger your essay will be when deadlines roll around.
Your story matters. Let’s make sure admissions officers see it!
