US admissions

29 Aug 2026

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7 min read

The Common App essay, without the clichés

Why the strongest essays are about small things.

Adaeze Okafor

Lead advisor, US admissions

Cover image for a journal article on writing the Common App essay, Provost education consultant Framer template

Admissions officers read thousands of essays about winning the final or a life-changing trip. The ones they remember are about something small.

Find the small moment

A kitchen argument, a bus route, a habit nobody else has noticed. Small moments carry big ideas without announcing them.

Written by

Adaeze Okafor

Former admissions officer at an Ivy League college.

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The Common App essay, without the clichés

Find the small moment

More from the journal

How to build a university shortlist that holds

The personal statement is not a list of achievements

The admissions calendar for 2027 entry, month by month

How to build a university shortlist that holds

The personal statement is not a list of achievements

The admissions calendar for 2027 entry, month by month

Speak to a senior advisor

Speak to a senior advisor

Speak to a senior advisor