Top 3 Tips for Answering Common App Prompt 4
Top 3 Tips for Answering Common App Prompt 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?”
Common App prompt 4 offers students the opportunity to showcase gratitude, an easy to overlook but vital trait possessed by the most successful applicants (and the happiest people). Has your high school experience been profoundly affected by the kindness of someone else? Have you been building a legacy of “paying it forward” in your own way?
If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, then you might consider using this prompt as a guide for your personal statement. But before you settle in on this topic, take note of our top three tips below for how to answer it successfully.
Don’t Forget the Surprise
For your answer to this prompt to stand out, pay close attention to the adjective at the end of the first sentence. Whatever the “something” is that you want to write about, it must have been surprising in some meaningful way.
For example, it would not be that surprising for you to be happy or thankful to receive a birthday present from a loved one. Even if it was the most useful or special gift you’ve ever received, it would be hard to write about it sufficiently to move an admissions officer. However, if you received a letter from a relative you never knew you had or a warning from a family member that turned out to be prescient, you may have the basis for an outstanding essay on your hands. The more your situation can only be true of you, the better!
If you choose Common App prompt four, you must write your response in a way that illuminates your values to an admissions officer. Part of doing this is demonstrating how the actions of someone else forced you to reevaluate your path or your plans. As you draft, you’ll want to build suspense and intrigue into your story. Remember if it’s easy for your reader to predict the affect or outcome, they will struggle to find your essay memorable.
Reflect on Your Emotional and Intellectual Growth
It should go without saying that whatever “something” you pick will have had a strong emotional effect on you. But make sure that it also sparked a renewed or refocused interest in learning as well. Admissions officers want to know that you are intellectually curious, that you push yourself to learn new things and are genuinely excited by that growth.
This doesn’t mean that the actions of the person in your story have to be directly related to school or learning; there are ways to apply virtually any lesson you learn to your approach to the classroom.
Maybe you were the beneficiary of an unexpected kindness; did that push you to think more about the science of gratitude? Or perhaps it sparked a newfound dedication to the work you’re doing on your internship or personal project. Maybe it made you begin to rethink why you’re interested in the major you always assumed was right for you. Wrestle and reflect on these issues as you draft your response to Common App prompt 4.
Prove the Impact with Action
A true sign of gratitude is how it affects your behavior and your relationships with the people around you. Grateful people feel a welcomed obligation to pay it forward in large and small ways. Does this ring true in your case?
Admissions officers want to get a sense of how you will contribute on their campus in and out of the classroom. Especially at schools that practice holistic review processes, the people who read your application are looking to build a well-rounded class full of conscientious and action-oriented people. To stand out from the crowd, it is not enough to be grateful or to have been surprised by someone else’s kindness; you must be stirred to action because of it.
Perhaps that means you reinvest an unexpected gift to benefit others in your community. Or maybe you start a club or group at school to share your newfound knowledge. Push yourself to think creatively about how you can act on your gratitude to make life better for those around you.
If your essay has strong examples illustrating these three elements, you are well on your way to writing a winning personal statement. Start early enough to allow yourself time to revise your writing and push your critical and reflective thinking skills to their limit. And remember, you don’t have to figure this process out on your own! Working with an admissions expert can help you pull the most meaning out of your story and capture the attention of highly selective admissions officers.
The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started?