How to slay the college application dragon.

In 2026, Common App revealed that the most frequently chosen topics were “Topic of Your Choice,” “Facing Adversity” and “Personal Growth.” At the bottom of the list were the prompts dealing with “Intellectual Curiosity,” “Gratitude” and “Challenging an Idea.”

If you want to stand out through your admissions essay — a particularly good idea if you don’t have a super impressive course list or co-curricular record — those last options are an open field. All three invite you to celebrate what makes you unique, interesting and engaged. It would be difficult to address any of those topics without being authentic.

And in today’s artificial intelligence-powered world, an authentic essay is exactly what most colleges need to see.

Share a true story. Zoom in on a small moment that illustrates the point you’re trying to make. For example, if you choose the 2026-27 Common App prompt, “Describe a topic, idea or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time,” write about a time when you did exactly that.

Pro Tip: The story doesn’t have to be completely true. If you are obsessed with the video game Tomodachi Life, but you’ve never literally lost track of time playing it, think instead about a time when you were really into adding all of the members of your favorite band to your island. Explain why this band is so important to you and how watching them interact with IRL friends and each other in Tomodachi helps you feel connected to them.

Regardless of what you write about, the secret sauce is to tie a small moment to a Big Idea: What does all of this say about your life, personality and skills? How does it illustrate why you are a good fit for this school?

Remember: 1. write it yourself, 2. focus on a small moment and 3. make it count.