There are seven prompts provided by the Common Application.  Over the next few days, we’ll examine each one in depth to help you come up with essay topics of your own. If you need more help, consider registering for the “Brainstorm Your College Essay” workshop on Wednesday, June 27, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Westford, Mass. You’ll leave with a solid topic and the opening paragraph. Your first draft will be edited if submitted by a mutually agreed upon deadline.

Prompt #3 examined

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 

This prompt requires a persuasive essay with careful research and accurate facts. I don’t discourage students from this prompt, but I warn them that it’s more work and will take more time.

So far, in all my years of teaching how to write the college essay, none of my students have chosen this prompt. But if it interests you, it’s probably because you have a burning belief or idea, and don’t need to brainstorm for one. I would suggest choosing this prompt only if that’s the case. If you don’t have tremendous passion for a belief or idea, I would suggest that other prompts are probably a better match.

Before you begin writing, do your research and make sure you’re highly knowledgeable on the topic. You have an obligation to present both sides of the issue and to strongly support the position you take.

Find a way to make your essay memorable either by writing extraordinarily well or by making counter-intuitive arguments that will stick in a reader’s mind and make him think about your comments.

Writing a persuasive argument for a college application can be a challenge, but if you feel strongly about this approach, it’s worth a shot.