Common Application Writing Prompts 2013-2014
Admit It! Some of you are eager to get started on your college applications. Some of you may be less so, but you recognize that those essays will sadly not write themselves. Well, for those of you applying to schools that accept the Common Application (W&M is an exclusive user of the Common Application), you still have a bit of waiting to do. The 2013-2014 Common Application will be live on August 1.
However, for those of you who like to work ahead of deadlines, there are components on which you can get started. The Common Application requires one essay. The four prompts being used in the 2013-2014 application cycle have been announced. You must choose one of the specific questions to respond to. Feel free to begin writing. Whatever you write between now and August 1 can always be loaded to the application when it goes live.
The only writing sample we require is the Common Application’s essay. However, we do have a W&M-specific optional additional submission prompt. It reads as follows:
Beyond your impressive academic credentials and extracurricular accomplishments, what else makes you unique and colorful? We know that nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less, but you can provide us with some suggestion of the type of person you are. Anything goes! Inspire us, impress us, or just make us laugh. Think of this optional opportunity as show and tell by proxy and with an attitude, but please restrict your submission to what will fit on one sheet of paper. For additional context, check out the William & Mary Admission Office video message.
So while we would not encourage you to spend your entire summer break writing college application essays, there’s nothing wrong with at least getting started. We look forward to reading the results.
Wendy Livingston ’03, M.Ed. ‘09
Associate Dean of Admission
Comments are closed on posts older than one year, but we still want to hear from you. If you have a comment or question for us, please email admission@wm.edu.
I actually prefer this years Common App essays. I did the common app essay and am now looking for inspiration for my W&M supplement essay.
@Nancy, that’s good feedback for you to give to the Common App. I know they’re interested to see how students and schools react to the new essay prompts.
I can’t find a blog for housing so am hoping someone here has an answer. Does housing pay ANY attenetion to the housing preference sheet that we filled out? I requested a large dorm and got the smallest one on campus. And worse, I have worked on several political campaigns, all for Democrats, and my roommate’s Facebook is full of Obama hate. I have gone from being excited to dreading college with one email!
@Frustrated, you’re certainly welcome to contact Residence Life and inquire more. They absolutely do use the forms submitted but sometimes aren’t able to honor every single request. And we’re pretty sure political affiliation is not part of the form.
Remember, your roommate may not be a Democrat but that doesn’t mean you won’t get along. One of the great things about W&M is how open everyone is to other viewpoints and cultures. You’re likely to make friends across the political, racial and cultural spectrums while at W&M. Even if you and your roommate don’t end up as BFFs you’ll likely be able to live together.
Plus, there will be an entire hall of other students living with you where you might find those BFFs. Don’t assume the worst before you arrive on campus.
I saw a bunch of William & Mary supplement videos from previous years on YouTube. Are you accepting videos this year?
@Shanti, we generally discourage students from submitting a video. We don’t explicitly forbid them but we believe all parts of your application to be confidential. YouTube isn’t confidential in the slightest.
Hi William & Mary admissions team, I have a question about the word count on this essay. The prompt says “We know that nobody fits neatly into 500 words or less,” but does that mean our essay has to be 500 words or less? The Common App now leaves room for 650 words, but what is preferred by W&M?
@Colleen, we ask you try to stay as close to the 500 words as possible. There’s a little wiggle room but as the Common App is truly enforcing word limits this year we encourage all applicants to stay close to the word count recommended and preview their essay(s) to make sure they don’t have anything left out due to exceeding a word count.
If a person’s essay does exceed the word limit, will they be automatically disqualified from being admitted?
@Jesse Tanson, no, you’ll absolutely still be considered but your essay will be cut off so we won’t be able to see anything that exceeds the word limit. So the best thing to do would be to make sure your essay doesn’t exceed the word limit.
If I mail something in for the supplement, what do I need to do for the supplement part of the Common App?
@Kimberly, you can just put that you sent your supplement by mail in the supplement space on the Common App.