2025-2026 Common App: The Full Set of Essay Prompts for 2025–2026 and the updates
- getincollegesmaste
- Jul 23
- 1 min read
✅ Common App essay prompts will remain unchanged for the 2025–2026 application cycle.
💬 Decision based on positive feedback from students, counselors, teachers, and colleges.
🔍 Common App will continue analyzing trends in prompt selection to guide future updates.
Changes to the optional “Additional Information” section (effective August 1, 2025):
🔄 “Community disruption” question will be renamed to “Challenges and circumstances”
Expanded language to capture a broader range of student experiences
Word/character limits remain the same:
First-year: 250 words max
Transfer: 1250 characters max
✂️ Word/character limits for the general “Additional Information” question will be reduced:
First-year app: from 650 → 300 words max
Transfer app: from 3500 → 1500 characters max
🛠️ Changes based on feedback from advisory committees and listening sessions.
⚠️ For first-year applicants:
If their response exceeds the new word limit after August 1, an error message will appear.
Content written before the change will be saved, but must be revised to fit the new limit.
🔄 For transfer applicants:
Responses to the “Additional information” question will not carry over after August 1.
The Full Set of Essay Prompts for 2025–2026. (Check the official website)
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