My Common App essay is how a niche hobby of mine shapes the way I think and has expanded my perspective. I include examples of myself applying this improvement and it being key to my success in specific anecdotes about two extracurriculars. Total, this takes up a little less than 200 words of my CA essay.
Is it okay to use one of these activities (which was written about for ~100 words in the CA essay) as the focus of a supplemental essay? For example, a community service one?
If the essay is different - than yes.
Mentioning in one as an example. Then defining it in another is fine. But if it’s repetitive, then find another subject.
Also, check - the school may not even use the common app essay. Not all do.
You have very limited space to explain yourself in an application. If you believe that highlighting the same activity in the supplemental writing as in the main essay will expand on the application reader’s understanding of you, then go for it. But you might want to take that opportunity to highlight something else so they can see another facet of who you are and what you’ve done so far.
There is free essay help here on CC. It is hard to answer this question without seeing the essays but in my view, as a general rule, it is absolutely fine.
Please clarify. You have a common app essay of less than 200 words? Or only 200 words of your essay are dedicated to talking about your hobby? And you’ve described some of the activity in 100 words? Counting all these words is confusing and not necessary.
You want to refer to the same activity in a supplemental essay, correct?
You can refer to the activity in a supplement. Just say something different about it and answer the prompt. If you’re considering just cutting and pasting the same writing from your common app essay, no, don’t do that.