Tips on How to Write a Personal Statement

personal writing

The personal statement is your chance to show the admissions committee that you are an actual person through words and not just how well you can write a research proposal in college. You are not just a bunch of numbers or a list of activities. In your admissions piece, try to have fun and write to showcase yourself. This is your chance to sell yourself and to write a unique story that only you can tell. Here are a few tips on how to write a college application essay:

Be a person. Other parts of your application will list your test scores, GPA, activities, classes you took, etc. Give the admissions committee the chance to “meet” you (however, do NOT say something corny like “Allow me to introduce myself…”).

Tell a story in your context rather than merely repeating information that is found elsewhere in your application. Avoid something like this: “I will be graduating from Main Street High School this June. So far I have maintained a cumulative 4.0 GPA while taking many Honors and AP classes. In addition, I have balanced this challenging academic work with playing on my school’s varsity tennis team.” Don’t do that. It’s boring, which leads to the next tip for a college application piece…

Don’t be boring. Admissions committees lock themselves up for months on end to read hundreds or thousands of personal statements. Create a strong opening paragraph when you begin the work. Hook your reader. Make them want to keep reading. This is not a custom research assignment for students in college, so write to be different. Throughout your college application, avoid cliches (e.g. “I always learn from my mistakes” or “as luck would have it”) and avoid phrases that have been used too many times in admissions essays (e.g. “I want to study English because I love books” or “I want to study Mathematics because I love solving problems”). Also, chances are no one cares where you were born. Leave out irrelevant details.

Be yourself! Unless you’re a serial murderer or something equally loathsome, be yourself. Your personal statement is the place to let your authentic writing voice shine through. Don’t try to be someone you’re not or like someone you think the admissions committee wants. Forcing your words to sound like something you’re not will sound stiff. Also, don’t try to ‘sound smart’; do not bother using a thesaurus when writing your application essay.

Be clear, concise and specific. Avoid generalizations. Back up your claims with concrete examples from your writing. Instead of saying “I have a strong work ethic” say something like: “I work part-time at XYZ Company. My manager recognized my strong work ethic and recently promoted me to shift leader.” Whenever possible, use examples instead of adjectives.

Answer the question. Be sure to follow each school’s guidelines (e.g. make sure your essay is the correct length). You might not be able to use the same essay for every school. If a school has a specific question, answer it.

Be careful. Avoid controversial topics such as politics or religious affiliations. Be careful with humor. Humor can be hit or miss, and often times if the reader does not know you, it’s more likely to miss.

Be positive. Don’t complain, provide excuses or be whiny. If the most interesting thing you can think of to say is that you got a C- during the second semester of your sophomore year because you were mourning the loss of your grandmother, then the admissions committee may not think you’re a good addition to their college. They will be sorry for your loss, but as for the C-, they’ll be thinking you should get over it and move on. Tell the admissions committee a story about you that makes them want you around. Focus on something that will make the reader believe you can succeed in college and that makes the admissions committee think you will be a positive addition to the campus.

Edit. Spelling and grammar count. A poorly written personal statement will not get you into college. Careless writing mistakes do not make a good impression. Read your finished personal statement aloud to yourself. You have probably heard that before, but have you ever actually done it? Do it. And then have someone else read it. And then someone else. Be open to their comments, but remember that you get to make the final choices regarding your essay.

Take time. If possible, allow yourself some time for the writing process. Start an essay, then put it away. Start writing another essay, then put that away too. Let your ideas marinate in your subconscious. Then return to the essay that draws you the most. Once you think you’re finished, put the essay away and then pull it out in a week or two so you can reread it with fresh eyes. But don’t do that if it means you’ll miss the application deadline!

Triple check the school name. If you send UC Berkeley an application essay saying you have always wanted to go to Stanford, not only will you not get in, but you’ll have bad karma for the rest of your life. Always make sure the right essay is going to the right school.

Good luck on your college application process. You’re taking time to read tips about how to write a college application essay, which means your ahead of the educational curve. May your educational journey be a rewarding one!