Can I Use My Common App Essay For Scholarships?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can I use my common app essay for scholarships?

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count, and demonstrates the organization's values

. If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

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Can you use Common App for scholarships?


Common App has made it easy for applicants to access scholarship opportunities directly through your admissions application

.

Do colleges look at your Common App essay?

Should your main essay be the Common App essay or the college essay?

The main essay that is read by all colleges you apply to through the Common Application is your Common App essay

, so be sure to make this very strong and broadly applicable.

Can I write my Common App essay about anything?


You can discuss almost anything you want, provided your topic addresses the prompt you've chosen

. There are also no rules on style or how to tell your story. You must submit the Common App essay to all colleges that require it, though some may ask you to submit one or more supplemental as well.

Can you reuse essays for college applications?


You can't always reuse an essay

.

Some colleges will ask for different prompts, in which case you'll just have to write another essay to submit. You want to make sure each essay you submit—even if you're reusing it—is tailor-made for the college you're applying to.

Should you put AP Scholar on Common App?

If the answer is yes, don't worry –

you should still list these awards

. Common achievements like National Honors Society, AP Scholar, and Honor Roll are honors that admissions officers often see fill this section, but they still help demonstrate your academic excellence!

Where can I find scholarships that no one applies for?

One good place to look for scholarships is on the

Financial Aid Finder Scholarship Announcement Blog

. Every Friday, the site lists several scholarship opportunities with upcoming deadlines. Nearly all of the scholarships are nationwide opportunities, so you should be eligible for many, if not most, of them.

Do college interviewers read your essays?

The person who reads your application in a college admissions office might be a dedicated admissions officer, a faculty member, or a student or part-time essay reader.

They are reading your essay in the context of your application overall.

How many Common App essays are required 2021?

Write only

one essay

(plus any supplements).

You'll submit one essay through the Common Application for all your schools. Some colleges may ask you to also answer a few supplemental questions.

How long should a scholarship essay be?

In general, scholarship essays are meant to be

about 500 words or one page

in length. Many scholarship essays will provide some kind of minimum requirement for the word or page count of your essay. But if you can't find one then you are generally fine to stick to 500 words or one page.

Is the Common App essay a personal statement?

The Common App allows you to enter information like your name, demographics, extracurricular activities, and more just once for every school that uses it.

It's also where you'll encounter “The Common App Essay,” otherwise known as your personal statement (PS)

, which is what this guide will focus on.

How long should a college essay be 2021?

The primary essay for your college application, often called a personal statement, is typically around

400-600 words

. The Common App personal statement — which is used as the primary application essay by more than 800 colleges — must be 250-650 words.

How long is a 650 word essay?

650 words is

1.3 pages single-spaced or 2.6 pages double-spaced

. Documents that typically contain 650 words are high school and , short blog posts, and news articles.

Can I use my college essay for scholarships?


Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count, and demonstrates the organization's values

. If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

Is it okay to submit the same essay to two colleges?

Can I use the same essay for all my ?

You can use the same personal statement and additional information essays for all of your college applications

. The supplemental essay is a bit different as it tends to be more specific school focused.

Can you reapply to a college with the same essay?

Submitting the same personal statement: If you plan to reapply to a very similar set of colleges,

avoid submitting the same personal statement

.

Is the AP Scholar Award a big deal?

Nationwide,

only about 10% of students earn the distinction of AP Scholar or higher by the time they graduate

. We are thrilled to share some of the top accomplishments here: 70 of our high school students were awarded AP Scholar distinctions, representing approximately 63% of our high school.

What honors should you put on Common App?

The most competitive and well-known honors should be listed first, followed by awards that are lesser known. A general rule of thumb is that

national awards should be listed first, followed by state, local, and school awards

.

How many awards does Common App get?

First, it will ask you how many honors you wish to list. Because you are

limited to five

, you may need to choose the ones that are most important to you, or those that best represent your academic achievements.

What is the hardest scholarship to get?

  • Rhodes Scholarship.
  • Fullbright Scholarship.
  • Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
  • Princeton Scholarship.
  • Mitchell Scholarship.
  • Churchill Scholarship.
  • Marshall Scholarship.
  • Jardine Scholarship.

What are the weirdest college scholarships?

  1. The Parapsychology Foundation Eileen J.
  2. Student Donor Youth Leadership Awards. …
  3. The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund. …
  4. The John Gatling Scholarship. …
  5. The Starfleet Academy Scholarship. …
  6. The Loyola University Zolp Scholarship. …
  7. The Carnegie Mellon Bagpipe Scholarship. (Image Source) …

What are the easiest scholarships to get?

  • AFSA High School Scholarship.
  • Because College Is Expensive Scholarship.
  • Dr. Pepper Tuition Give-Away.
  • Easy Money Scholarship.
  • Valentine's Day Scholarship.
  • “No Essay” College Scholarship.
  • ScholarshipPoints $10,000 Scholarship.
  • You Deserve It Scholarship.

Can you lie on common app?

The short answer to this question is

yes, you can be expelled for lying on your college application

. If the school authorities suspect you of lying on your college application, you have to face a code of conduct violation.

Can I lie about extracurriculars?


It's never worth it to lie on your college application

! It will derail your education down the line if discovered (you'll get kicked out or have your degree revoked).

Can you lie about volunteer work on college applications?

Be honest about extracurriculars


Do not exaggerate your level of volunteer, work, or extracurricular experience or the number of weekly hours that you spent engaged in such activities.

What should you not talk about in a college essay?

  • Controversial Topics. Controversial topics, such as current political hot buttons, should be avoided at all costs. …
  • Highly Personal Topics. …
  • Personal Achievements and Accomplishments. …
  • Most Important Place or a Role Model. …
  • Creative Writing. …
  • Athletic Topics. …
  • Humorous Topics or Jokes. …
  • Tragic Events.

What makes a great Common App essay?

What Makes a Great Common App Essay? A great Common App essay is, first and foremost,

deeply personal

. You are relying on the admissions committee to choose you over someone else, which they are more likely to do if they feel a personal connection to you.

How do I make my college essay stand out?

  1. Write about something that's important to you. …
  2. Don't just recount—reflect! …
  3. Being funny is tough. …
  4. Start early and write several drafts. …
  5. No repeats. …
  6. Answer the question being asked. …
  7. Have at least one other person edit your essay. …
  8. Test Your College Knowledge.

What should you not do in a scholarship essay?

How do you write a killer scholarship essay?

  1. Follow directions. …
  2. Be concise. …
  3. Make sure the essay stands alone, but don't include every detail. …
  4. Plan it out. …
  5. Don't rush. …
  6. Have someone else read it. …
  7. Read it out loud. …
  8. Make it yours.

Do scholarship essays need a title?

If you're attaching an essay as a Word or PDF document,

you can optionally include a title, but this is usually unnecessary unless there are special scholarship essay format instructions to do so

.

Do Common App essays need a title?

How long does it take to write a Common App essay?

Write The Common App Essays (

20-30 hours

)

When you submit the Common App, you will need to use the essays to showcase who you are and why you stand out from other applicants.

Is the Penn State personal statement the same as the Common App essay?

In short, no. The Penn State application includes one optional essay.

It's essentially a personal statement, much like the CommonApp essay

.

What if my Common App essay is too long?

There are no strict word limits. We suggest that for the first essay (where you choose one of the seven prompts), the extended essay stay around 650 words. While we won't as a rule stop reading after 650 words,

we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you'd hoped it would

.

Are Common App essays the same every year?


The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for 2021-2022 with one exception

. We will retire the seldom used option about solving a problem and replace it with the following: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.