Hi, Reader!

I promise I won’t derail your Friday for long — but I just got word that the Common App released its essay prompts for the Class of 2027.

And the big headline? They’re staying the same. 🎉 👏 🎉

You can find the full details here.

This doesn’t mean juniors need to start drafting tomorrow or next week (please enjoy your spring and focus on ending the school year strong). But it does mean they can begin gently thinking about possible topics.

Last year’s most popular choice (picked by 28% of applicants) was Prompt #7 — the classic “Write on a topic of your choice.” Translation: students can write about almost anything. The magic is in how the story is told, not the topic itself.

So if you’re part of the Class of 2027, now is a great time to:

• Jot down potential personal statement ideas as they come to you
• Notice stories that feel meaningful
• Do a little low-pressure brainstorming (see more on that below)

A small amount of prep now can make summer feel a whole lot calmer — and we're big fans of calm (but productive) summers around here.

Happy Writing!

Julia

💻 What Software I'm Loving I recently tested out the free version of the Wispr Flow speech-to-text program, and I'm loving it. (So much so, that I upgraded to the paid version!) Sometimes, it's easier for me to speak my words than it is to type them (my essay writing students often agree). And now my dog walks are also my blog-writing sessions! I love that Wispr Flow naturally detects pauses, structure, punctuation, and intent. It has definitely made me more productive. In fact, I'm using it right now to dictate this text. It's been a gamechanger for me! (P.S. It's not writing FOR you -- just transcribing what you tell it.)

✅ What I'm Recommending If you're down for brainstorming, consider grabbing a copy of my “Nailing Your Personal Statement Topic in 60 Minutes” workbook. It's the same one I use with my 1:1 students and in workshops. “The seniors were buzzing with excitement at the end of their day,” one school’s principal told me. “You got their creative minds going.” Who doesn’t love that? (Oh, and there's an upgrade to get Loom feedback from me on what potential essay topics I see coming through!) Snag it now and save it for this summer!

📺 What I'm Watching If you missed College Essay Guy's live webinar on "Junior Night: What Colleges Are Looking for in 2026 (And How You Can Prepare)," never fear. A link to the replay is below. I'll be catching up on it myself over the weekend! ​

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