When I first begin a consulting call with a college-bound student, one of the very first questions I ask them is if they have some knowledge about what the personal statement is all about. I do this to gauge their level of understanding and to avoid repeating information that they already know. However, in most cases, the college-bound student is completely in the dark. That’s where I come in and shine some light on the situation! Here, you’ll find ten illuminating tips on how to tackle the personal statement.
Read an example or two
Before embarking on your personal statement writing journey, do some brief research. Go online and look up an example or two to see what the essay itself looks like and how it is presented. Note how the student author uses creative writing techniques and effective storytelling to convey their narrative in 650 words or less.
Brainstorm
One of the hardest things to do is sit down and start typing…about anything, let alone a college essay! Since this essay is a personal narrative, this means you have the ability to choose the topic you want to write about. In order to gather some possible leads, grab a pen and paper or type up some notes in a document. For starters, use these guiding statements to help you:
- Think about some of the most impacting, influential, and interesting experiences you have had thus far
- Think about what is most meaningful to you and why
- Think about if there is a defining moment in your life that has changed you for the better and how it has changed you
- Think about a special skill or talent you have and how you have developed it
- Think about a strength of yours and how you demonstrate it
Point being, by going through this type of exercise, you will begin to recall important events and lived experiences that can possibly turn into a memorable and unique topic to write about!
Select your topic
Once you have jotted down some notes, now sort through them. Think about if any of these ideas can turn into a story that has a clear beginning, middle, and end and if you can share what you have learned from the experience itself/how you have changed for the better as result. If you believe you have a topic that can reveal something valuable about you to your reader (in this case, the admissions officer), then you are ready to outline.
Outline
Now that you feel good about your chosen topic, create a brief outline stating key aspects of your story from start to finish including a reflection and simply ask yourself: why am I telling this story in the first place and what do I hope the reader will learn about me? You can certainly use a classic five-paragraph essay structure (intro, three body paragraphs and a conclusion) or you can certainly use whatever structure you feel will best convey your story (ex: diary entry, travel log, manifesto, one-act play, etc). Since the personal statement is a work of creative writing, you have such flexibility!
Look up creative writing techniques and personal narrative essay tips
Since most high school students tend to have more experience with academic-style writing, they may find creative writing to be a bit challenging. By taking the time to go online and look up creative writing techniques and how to approach personal narrative writing, this can truly help you tell a memorable and dynamic story that showcases your personality!
Draft
Once you feel ready, go ahead and write your first draft. Though the Common App personal statement (college essay) has a 650-word limit, this does not mean that your draft has to adhere to that requirement. In fact, I tell college-bound students all the time that it is better to get their ideas on paper and produce good content—going over the limit to do so in this initial phase.
Revise content
After your first draft is complete, go back with fresh eyes and revise your work. To do this, use the following questions to guide you:
- Are there areas of the essay that are unclear?
- Are there areas that could be more exciting to the reader?
- Are there areas that could do more showing than telling?
- Are there areas that can be condensed whereas others can be better expanded?
- Is the overall theme/message of the narrative clear in the way it comes across?
Revisit the revised draft
Once you have made your revisions, go back with a fresh set of eyes (perhaps a day or two later) and re-read your essay. If needed, make even more changes as needed. Here’s a tip: with each draft/revised version, save the document as “Version 1”, “Version 2”, “Version 3”, etc.
Edit and proofreading
After you feel good about your essay, it is now critical that you go back and edit it to perfection. Be sure that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation is all correct along with the structure of your sentences/structure of the essay, overall. Also, be sure that you vary any repetitive words. At this point, the essay needs to be no more than 650 words as per the Common App requirement.
Share your essay with a select few
Now that your essay is fully realized, ask a trusted group to review your essay and provide you with any feedback that could help you improve it if needed. Also ask for assistance to ensure there are no errors. In this way, you can make any final changes before submitting your essay on the application platform. Tip: ask a guidance counselor, an English teacher, and a parent/family member to review your essay. However, when more than three people review the essay, things can start to get confusing!