GradGPT

Common App Essay Prompt #2: Overcoming Obstacles

Pros:

Showcase ability to overcome challenges.
Demonstrate growth and resilience.
Reflect on what you've learned from difficult experiences.
Opportunity to show how you've become a stronger person.

Cons:

Emotionally challenging to write about.
May need to revisit painful memories or experiences.
Difficult to strike the right balance between focusing on the challenge itself and your response to it.

Template:

Introduction (1-2 sentences): Grab the reader's attention and explain the challenge, setback, or failure you faced.

The Obstacle (1-2 sentences): Describe the situation and the obstacle you encountered.

Your Response (1-2 sentences): Explain how you responded to the challenge, setback, or failure.

Impact (1-2 sentences): Describe how the experience affected you, and what you learned from it.

Conclusion (1-2 sentences): Sum up your essay with a memorable statement that highlights your growth and resilience.

Sample Essay: Championship Lessons

As the sun began to set over the horizon, I took a deep breath and prepared to face the biggest challenge of my life. It was the day of the state championship game, and our team had made it further than anyone had expected. We were the underdogs, the team that nobody thought had a chance. But we had fought hard and persevered, and now we were one game away from the title.

The game was intense from the very beginning, with both teams battling fiercely for every point. I could feel the pressure mounting with each passing minute, and I knew that we couldn't afford to make any mistakes. But as the game wore on, I began to feel the weight of my own expectations bearing down on me. I had always been a star player, the one who everyone looked to for guidance and leadership. But as the game got tougher and the stakes grew higher, I began to doubt myself. What if I wasn't good enough? What if I let my team down?

It was in that moment that I realized that the true test of a leader isn't how they perform when everything is going well, but how they respond when faced with adversity. I knew that I couldn't let my doubts get the best of me. I had to dig deep and find the strength to keep pushing forward, no matter how difficult it became.

And so I did. I rallied my team, encouraged them, and pushed them to be their best selves. And as the game drew to a close, we found ourselves tied at the last minute. It was then that I knew that everything we had worked for had come down to this one final moment. I took a deep breath, focused my mind, and launched the ball into the air.

The ball soared through the sky, spinning and turning, until it landed with a satisfying thud in the center of the goal. The stadium erupted in cheers, and my teammates hoisted me up on their shoulders. It was a moment I would never forget.

But as I celebrated with my team, I realized that the true value of the experience wasn't in the victory itself, but in the lessons I had learned along the way. I had learned the importance of perseverance, of staying focused in the face of adversity, and of the power of teamwork. And those were lessons that I would carry with me for the rest of my life.