Common App 2018-19 Prompts Analysis: Prompt #2
Prompt: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
What is the prompt asking?
This prompt is clear-cut. It is asking you to describe a challenge or an obstacle or a failure you faced in your life, how you dealt with it, and what lessons you learnt from it.
The part many students forget is the second half: what lessons did you learn from your challenge or failure? If you decide to answer this prompt, you need to show your journey from a difficult situation to a resolved situation. You need to describe how you grew and learned from the journey.
What do the colleges want to know through this prompt?
This question has been presented to know two things about you: how you handle adverse situations and whether you are capable of learning from them or not.
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