1. Writing your personal statement can be one of the most satisfying--or frustrating--writing experiences you'll ever have.
2. The personal statement is an important part of your application package. Depending on the topic you choose, the essay you write provides additional evidence of your intellectual and creative achievement. The essay is also the only opportunity for the readers of your application to get a feel for you as a person as well as for you as a student. The essay is also the place where you can put your academic record into the context of your opportunities and obstacles.
3. There is no one correct way to write a personal statement, but in general those who will read your essay are looking for two important things:
4. • HOW the essay provides evidence of your achievements that isn't reflected in other parts of your application
5. • HOW and WHY the events that you describe have shaped your attitude, focus, and, most of all, your intellectual vitality.
6. This information will help you think about and craft a personal statement by taking you step by step through a process of brainstorming, drafting and revising. At the end, we hope that you will produce a personal statement that you are proud of and that will provide admissions officers with an accurate portrait of who you are and why a college education is important to you.
Characteristics of a Good Personal Statement
But before you write a single word, make sure you know what is expected of a successful college essay.
A good essay...
-Is thoughtful and honest
A strong personal statement is reflective; that is, it demonstrates that you have thought about and gained a clear perspective on your experiences and what you want in your future. It does not simply tell a reader what you think he/she wants to know. Instead, it gives the reader a vivid and compelling picture of you--in essence, telling the reader what he or she should know about you. Remember that the focus of the essay is YOU--your achievements, your obstacles, your goals, your values.
-Strives for depth, not breadth
A good essay is not a list of your accomplishments. Remember when your mom told you that it's quality, not quantity, that counts? Well, the same adage applies for your college essay. A reader will be much more interested in how your experience demonstrates the theme of your essay, not the number of accomplishments you can list. What is NOT interesting: an essay that devotes one paragraph each to a variety of different topics. This type of approach denies you the ability to give depth to your essay.
-Follows the conventions of good writing
A good essay uses appropriate grammar and syntax, uses precise and vivid language, and does not contain any spelling errors.
-Conforms to guidelines
If the essay instructions tell you that the essay should be two pages long, on white 8.5x11 inch paper, then the essay should be two pages long, on white 8.5x11 inch paper. Less is not more, and more is not better, either.
-Answers the question!
A good essay is the result of a writer who has examined the essay question and written an essay that explicitly addresses that question. For example, if you are asked to describe your greatest accomplishment or any unusual circumstances or challenges you have faced, then your reader will expect you to use vivid language that will enable the reader to visualize your accomplishment and share your sense of success.
-Benefits from several drafts and feedback from others
Revision allows an essay to grow. Revising is not editing; revising is the act of "re-seeing" and of looking for those parts of the essay that would benefit from more explication, more (or less) vivid language, or even deleting parts that simply don't work to move your primary theme forward. Similarly, feedback from others can help you identify those parts of the essay that work well--and those that don't.
-Contains a catchy introduction that will keep the reader interested
It is important to recognize that essay readers will read hundreds, maybe even thousands, of essays during the application review period. That means that an essay with a catchy introduction, one that gets right to the point and uses precise language and vivid imagery, is going to stand our more than an essay that is predictable and conventional in its opener.
-Transforms blemishes into positives
It's okay to have flaws! The essay is your chance to show how you have transformed blemishes. For example, if your essay theme is "overcoming obstacles" and you earned a poor grade in a class, but went to a community college at night to repeat the course, it is important for your reader to know this because it is an example of your perseverance. The reader does not want to hear complaints about poor grades or circumstances, but rather wants to know how you have overcome them.
-Demonstrates your knowledge of the major/college
No one expects you to know everything about the college or university to which you are applying. However, readers will want to know that you have done your homework. For example, if you write an essay that states your interest in becoming an engineer, but the college does not have an engineering program, then you haven't done your homework.
-Exudes confidence--you will be successful no matter what
A good essay doesn't beg or brag. Colleges and universities want to admit the best students, and the best students are those who can demonstrate their ability to pursue their goals regardless of where they are admitted. Think of this as quiet confidence--the kind that reveals itself through your description of lifelong interests, sustained commitment, and/or perseverance in the face of adversity.
Keep these characteristics of a good essay in mind as you compose. And be sure to avoid the typical college essay blunders.
Structuring Your Personal Statement
A typical two-page personal statement will consist of the following:
An introductory paragraph that provides your essay's controlling theme
2-4 body paragraphs that develop your theme through examples and detailed experiences and build upon each other. The final body paragraph will contain your most poignant information
A conclusion that widens the lens and wraps up your essay without summarizing or repeating what has already been written
The Writing Process
Writing a good college essay requires a significant investment of personal reflection, thought and time. There are no right or wrong answers--you are who you are, after all. The best way to get in touch with who you are through writing is to undertake a process of self-exploration and writing that will culminate in an essay that will reveal how unique and interesting you are.
Using all the stages of the writing process will help you to
•Understand your essay's theme--its controlling idea
•Analyze and reflect upon your experiences as they relate to your theme
•Craft a polished essay
Sample Topics for Your Personal Statement:
1. How can this college/university support you in the pursuit of your career? What academic strengths and weaknesses do you possess?
2. What is your life’s greatest accomplishment, and how have you worked to make that accomplishment possible?
3. Please provide information about yourself in a written personal statement. The subject matter of the essay is up to you, but keep in mind that the reader will be seeking a sense of you as a person and as a potential student. If you wish, you may discuss how your interests, background, life experiences, and perspectives would contribute to the diversity of the entering class. If applicable, you may also describe any disadvantages that may have adversely affected your past performance or that you have successfully overcome, including linguistic barriers or a personal or family history of cultural, educational, or socioeconomic disadvantage.
