Community essay prompt

On the Common Application, a number of colleges have begun to require that students respond to a supplemental essay question that sounds something like this: Tell us a bit more about a community you are a part of.

Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. For the 2021-22 application cycle, the Common Application essay prompts remain unchanged from the 2020-21 cycle with the exception of an all new option #4.

You may encounter the community service essay as you’re writing your supplemental essays for college. These are school-specific prompts that only go to the college that requests them, unlike the personal statement, which goes to every school you apply to. Not all schools require community service essays, but several do.

For the 2021-22 application cycle, the Common Application essay prompts remain unchanged from the 2020-21 cycle with the exception of an all new option #4. As in the past, with the inclusion of the popular "Topic of Your Choice" option, you have the opportunity to write about anything you want to share with the folks in the admissions office.