The essay can truly make or break your college application. Every year, admissions officers read thousands of them. The goal is to make yours stand out from the rest. The truth is that many students make the same Common App essay mistakes that weaken their admission chances. Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing how to write the Common App essay well. In this post, we will break down the 10 most common college essay mistakes and give you practical college essay tips to fix them. With the right approach, your college admissions essay can become a powerful story that shows admissions exactly who you are and why you belong on their campus.

Being Too Vague or Generic

One of the most frequent Common App essay mistakes that students make is writing an essay that is so general that it could be anyone’s essay. If you include broad statements and empty descriptions in your essay, admissions officers won’t remember you. They won’t even get to know you because there is nothing specific in your essay that shows them who you are. For example, using a vague line like “I love helping people and try my best in everything I do” doesn’t tell the reader how you help people, when you helped them, or why that experience meant something to you.

You can fix this by replacing generic statements with vivid anecdotes and personal details. Instead of saying you are dedicated, show it to the reader through a moment that shows your dedication. Use specific stories that highlight your personality, your growth, and what makes you unique. Specific details stick and being vague fades. This is one of the most important college essay tips to remember.

Choosing a Topic That is Cliché

Another big college essay mistake is picking a topic that has been seen a thousand times before. Stories about winning the big game, going on a mission trip, or overcoming an injury can feel predictable, even if they are meaningful to you. It might be your experience, and that’s not the problem. The problem is that these topics are often overused and tend to blend in instead of standing out.

If you are drawn to writing about a common topic, dig deeper to find an unexpected twist or a fresh angle. Maybe it isn’t about the touchdown you scored but about the quiet moment in the locker room after the game that changed your perspective. The key is to focus on what exactly makes your story different and how it has shaped you in a way that only you can explain in your essay. Finding your own unique spin is key to how to write a Common App essay that truly resonates.

Turning Your Essay into a Resume

One of the most common college essay mistakes is treating the essay like an extra resume. Many students feel pressured to cram in every honor, award, and leadership role that they have ever had, thinking that it will be the most impressive. But your Common App already has a section for activities and achievements. Repeating that information in your essay wastes valuable space and misses the point of what a strong college admissions essay should do.

Instead of listing what you have done, tell a story that reveals who you are. Pick a single experience, moment, or turning point that highlights your character, growth, or values. Let the narrative speak for your accomplishments naturally, rather than reciting one achievement after another.

Writing About Someone Else’s Accomplishments

You might want to write about someone that inspires you. Many students choose to write about a parent, teacher, or family member who made a significant impact on their life. But one of the biggest Common App essay mistakes is letting your essay become more about someone else than you. For example, an essay that includes 600 words about how amazing your grandmother is, without connecting back to yourself, completely misses the point. Admissions want to learn more about you, not someone else and their accomplishments.

It is fine to write about someone who influenced you but always keep the focus of the story on you and your experience. How did your grandmother change you? What did you learn or do differently because of them? Keep focusing on your own actions, lessons, and perspective.

Lack of Reflection or Personal Insight

Some students will craft beautifully written essays about interesting events that have happened in their lives, but they forget to show how those events shaped them, one of the most damaging college essay mistakes. Without reflecting or having personal insight, even the best story can fall flat. Talking about what happened is only half of the job. You must also show how you think, what you have learned, and how you have grown. Having that self-awareness and displaying that in your essay is what will set apart a strong college admissions essay from a simple narrative.

After writing about an experience you have had, ask yourself, “What did this experience teach me?” and “How did it change me?” Be specific in your writing when it comes to the lessons you have learned, realizations you have had, and values that you have gained. Reflection displays maturity and depth, which are top qualities that every college wants to see.

Sounding Too Formal or Academic

It’s commonly thought that your Common App essay needs to sound like an academic paper. So, many students choose to cram in big words, use overly complex sentences, or include formal phrases to try to impress the reader. However, this approach easily backfires. Instead of your essay making you appear intelligent, you make your essay feel inauthentic and robotic. It looks like you are trying to be someone you are not.

Write the same way that you speak, but just a bit more polished. Use thoughtful and clear language that is true to your personality. A good college admissions essay should read like a conversation with a trusted mentor, not sound like a textbook. Being relatable and genuine will help you connect with admissions officers far more than using fancy words ever could.

Ignoring the Word Limit

Ignoring the word limit is one of the easiest mistakes that you can avoid. But still, so many students still slip up and forget this important detail. When writing your essay, having it too short will look underdeveloped, and writing past the word limit means your words could get cut off when you submit. Colleges set a word limit for a reason. They want to see you express yourself clearly and concisely. If you were given unlimited space, it would be easy to run on and on and drift off topic by adding unnecessary details and end up with an essay that feels sloppy and disorganized. This is something every guide on how to write the Common App essay warns against.

Aim to keep your Common App essay between 600-650 words. With this word limit, you have enough space to tell a compelling story without losing focus. If your draft ends up being too long, you can trim unnecessary sentences, get rid of repetition, and take out filler phrases and details that don’t help make the story you are trying to tell. Every sentence should earn its place.

Trying to Be Funny Without a Real Point

Including a little humor can make your college essay show off your personality. However, trying too hard to be funny is a common college essay mistake that can easily backfire. Remember: Humor is subjective. What makes you laugh might not do the same for the admissions officer reading your essay. Some students fill their essay with sarcasm or jokes but miss the mark when including anything meaningful about themselves. If humor doesn’t serve the story, it can come off as forced and distracting.

It is fine to use humor, but only if it feels natural and enhances the message of your essay. If a lighthearted tone or a witty line helps reveal who you are in your story, great! But don’t forget that the core of your college admissions essay should show depth, reflection, and real substance of who you are.

Waiting Too Long to Start

One of the most preventable Common App essay mistakes people make is waiting too long to start. Many students really underestimate how long it will take them to write, edit, and refine their college admissions essay. Procrastinating only results in a rushed essay that feels shallow and unpolished. There is no time to reflect on your topic, get helpful feedback, and rethink your structure when you wait until the last minute. The best ideas need plenty of time to develop and being in a time crunch will only turn your great story into a missed opportunity.

Make sure you start early. Give yourself weeks, or even months to brainstorm, draft, and revise as needed. Don’t be afraid to write multiple different versions and ask mentors, teachers, or family members for their feedback. The more time that you spend shaping your story and making your essay its best, the more authentic and compelling your Common App essay will be.

Not Proofreading for Typos or Grammar Mistakes

Imagine spending hours crafting your story and then forgetting to proofread your essay for typos and grammar mistakes. First impressions count and any errors can make the admissions officers think you didn’t care enough to polish your work before submitting your essay. Even the smallest mistakes can pull the reader out of your story and doubt your attention to detail.

Always proofread your college essay multiple times. Reading it out loud will also help you catch awkward phrasing and missing words. Ask two people whom you trust to review your essay for grammar, spelling, and clarity. Someone else’s eyes can spot mistakes that you might overlook. These final checks show care and polish, exactly what strong college admissions essay advice calls for.

Avoid Common App Essay Mistakes

When learning how to write the Common App essay, knowing how to avoid these common mistakes can make all of the difference. Be reflective, authentic, and specific. Your college admissions essay should feel like the real you on the page, not show a generic version of what you think colleges want to hear.

The good news? Every one of these essay mistakes is fixable. With thoughtful planning, honest reflection, and careful editing, you can craft an essay that stands out amongst the sea of college applications and gives the admissions officer a clear reason to say yes to you!

Need more college essay tips or one-on-one help? You can book a free consultation today with The College Admissions Experts and get the college admissions essay advice that you need to tell your story with confidence and get into the college you desire.