It's time to conquer Common Application Essay Prompt #4! Below I take you through some strategies for approaching one of my all-time favorite essay questions, which asks students to describe their favorite place. This question leaves plenty of room for creative interpretation and personal expression. Here's how students can make the most of it.
PROMPT #4: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
I always ask students to begin their brainstorming for this prompt by asking themselves, "What is a place, really?" A place can be a physical location, a state of mind, even a period in time. Students can really have fun addressing this question from a quirky perspective. Are you a board game addict? Maybe your favorite place is the “GO” square in Monopoly, which marks the start of a fresh journey around the board. What might that place say about you? How might it relate to the way you attack life’s journey? Often, if students have a story they would like to tell and are not sure how it fits within the confines of the Common App prompts at first glance, I suggest they find a way to back their story into Prompt #4. If you are a swimmer, maybe your favorite place is mid-stroke. Maybe that place is deep in your thoughts right before the start of a meet. Some of the most creative and thoughtful essay topics can be uncovered by taking this prompt and turning it on its head. That said, if you do have a physical place worth writing about, go for it. Do your best to describe that place’s value and meaning. If you’re obsessed with birdwatching, tell us what it is like to be out searching for owls in the park in the middle of the night. Why does this immersion in the darkness of nature appeal to you, and how does it inspire action in the rest of your life? Be descriptive. Be specific. And don’t forget to link your place back to its overall role in your life and experiences thus far.
Did you miss my explanation of Prompts 1-4? Fear not! Find them on the CEA website, and stay tuned for my breakdowns of the remaining prompt!
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