So you’ve filled out the information on your college applications, sent in your transcript requests, and your letters of recommendation are being written by the teachers who know you inside and out. Sounds like you are all done with your applications, right? Not quite.
The college essay -- known to most as the “Personal Statement” -- is not the most important thing in your application, but talk to any admissions office and they’ll tell you that your personal statement can tell them what is unique about you (and could even make or break your chances of getting into a particular school). I just finished writing my college admissions essays, and here’s what I learned from the process:
• Remember that this 300-400 word statement shows the college you’re applying to how you write, how you think, and how you might fit in their program. Be sure to write well, to demonstrate your critical thinking skills and to portray yourself as the kind of person that the college is trying to attract.
• While it is important to answer the prompt being asked of you, don’t be afraid to get a little creative. You must realize this is the one part of your application that you have almost complete control over; and if you get a “topic of choice,” well then that’s just gravy. So use your imagination and take advantage of the opportunity to share something about you that you weren’t able to mention on the application form.
• Don’t use the first draft as the final draft. Personally I write best when I start with a little free writing. That is, for the first draft I don’t stop typing. I will continually write my thoughts, whether they’re connected or not. From that, I pull the sentences or ideas that I can expand upon. When writing a college essay, this can be helpful because you can find many different ways to write about one topic and then you’re able to pick which one you like best.
• Write an essay that admissions staff won’t forget. Your personal statement doesn’t necessarily have to talk about your great achievements or any great big obstacles that you have overcome. Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of these kinds of essays. They are looking for those essays that they’ll remember when they go home at night. Write about anything that makes you interesting (big or small) but make it readable and, even more importantly, memorable.
• The way to make any essay a great essay is to edit. After you’ve written your personal statement go to a few teachers and definitely go to your counselor to make sure it’s not only grammatically correct, but that it reflects your personality or whatever it is about you that you want that college to see.
These are just a few tips to writing a good college essay. Follow them and I’m sure when someone reads your personal statement they will be thoroughly impressed.
