3 Common App Essay Mistakes to Avoid for Student Success

Are you looking for some common app essay mistakes to avoid? Or maybe you are looking for tips for the Common App essay to help you tell your story, connect with college admissions officers, and strengthen your college application overall. One common app essay prompt reads, “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.”

Share your story… sounds simple, right?

I have worked with countless students who are in the process of writing their personal essays for college applications, and I have been greeted with a resounding, “I don’t really have a story. Nothing that important has happened in my life. I just go to school. That’s basically it.”

Luckily, I remind these students that we all have a story to tell. Sometimes we just have to figure out how to tell it.

I need help with my college essay!

Before we get into it: if you are searching for powerful tips on how to write the Common App essay, check out my blog post here. You can also download my free “Crush the College Essay Workbook,” which will guide you through the writing process. If you are looking for more personalized college application essay help, you can also book a session with me. No matter where you are on this journey, take a breath and remember – one thing at a time.

This blog post is all about what NOT to do in your college essay. Remember – college admissions already have your transcripts, they know your GPA, and they see your test scores if you are submitting those. They have your resume, which lists your honors, activities, and achievements.

The college essay is not a time to explain those things. It is a time to show a different side of yourself – to prove that you are a human with feelings, emotions, stories, and that you have a defining quality that would be a great fit for their school!

While it is tempting to include every accomplishment you have ever experienced in your personal statement for college, what really stands out is vulnerability and, most importantly, authenticity.

Now, the moment we have all been waiting for – my common app essay mistakes to avoid at all costs.

Common App Essay Mistakes

1. Focusing on academic accomplishments

We know that you have a 4.0 GPA (amazing work by the way). We know that you were in the National Honor Society four years in a row. We see that in the other parts of your application. In your college essay, avoid discussing your academic accomplishments or intellect. Those stand for themselves. The college essay is really a time to showcase your personality, not boast about how smart you are. Focusing on your academic accomplishments pulls us out of the story and leaves college admissions feeling a lack of personal connection to you.

2. Not fully understanding and answering the prompt

One of my first steps, when I work with students on their Common App essays, is asking them which prompt they chose. One of the most common app essay mistakes is tangential writing. What does that mean? Tangential writing is writing that goes off on a tangent. In short, it does not fully answer the question in the prompt and takes the reader on an unnecessary and confusing journey. You want to make sure that you are constantly referring back to the prompt you choose and making sure your writing matches the prompt the entire time. Ask yourself: Does my writing align with the questions being asked of me? Does it have a clear purpose?

3. Using a generic/cliché approach

“I love to be challenged.” “I am such a hard worker.” “I have the skills to succeed in college.” Cliché much? I see this all of the time. Those are fantastic skills and achievements, but it is much more important to SHOW those qualities through storytelling than to flat-out say them. One way to combat clichés is to add more specificity to your writing. Descriptive language is your best friend when writing the college essay. Find moments that sound generic and vague and spice them up by painting a clear picture. What did it look like, sound like, feel like in that moment?

I hope these common app essay mistakes are helpful as you start writing your personal statement. If you are looking for more guided support…

My free Crush the College Essay Workbook will take you through the entire personal statement writing process, so feel free to check it out! It also comes with a revision essay checklist. If you are looking for personalized college essay feedback and more tips for the Common App essay, feel free to book a session with me or take my self-guided college essay course.

Remember – you have a story to tell. You just need to figure out a way to tell it. I have loved sharing these Common App essay mistakes with you, and you are on your way to crushing the college essay!