If you have begun the college application process, you have probably heard - and feared - the words “Common App” over and over again. But for those of you who haven’t already heard this about a million times, the Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application that 625 colleges across the United States use for their applications. This application requires a “Common App Supplement” that will be sent to every school to which you apply. The 2016-2017 essay prompts are as follows:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

1. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?