根据Common Application的官方Twitter，2019-2020年申请季的主文书已经定题，2018-2019年申请季的7个问题得以保留，今年申请的同学可以正式开始着手准备啦。
科普
Common Application Personal Essay可以说是整个申请过程重的重头戏。Common Application是美国传统名校中除MIT，Georgetown和加州大学之外都接受的通用申请系统。而这篇Personal Essay是唯一一篇所有你通过Common Application申请的学校都会看到的文书。
2019-2020 Common Application Personal Essay Prompts
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.
有些学生有一个背景，身份，兴趣或者技能，它如此重要以至于不被分享的话这些学生的申请就是不完整的。如果你是这样的学生，那么分享你的故事。
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
失败可能就是成功之母，请回忆一次你面对困难，挫折，或者失败的经历。它如何影响了你，然后你从中学到了什么？
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
回想一次你质疑或者挑战一个信念或者观点的经历。是什么推动了你的思考，结果如何？
4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
描述一个你已经解决或者想要解决的问题。这个问题可以是学术方面的挑战，研究方面的探索，或者一个伦理上的困境 – 总之就是无论大小但是对你个人来说非常重要的问题。解释这个问题为什么这么重要，你已经做出了哪些工作去解决或者可以采取拿些行动去发现解决方案。
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
讨论一个激发了你成长并且让你对自己或者他人产生新的认识的成就，事件，或者意识。
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
描述一个话题，想法，或者概念，它让你如此着迷以至于迷失了时间。为什么它对你这么有吸引力？如果你想知道更多你会如何寻求线索和帮助？
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
写一篇你自己命题的文章。它可以是你之前写过的文章，回答的是其他的题目或者是你自己的命题。
