Many colleges require a personal statement in addition to short answer essays while some do not require a personal statement at all. With few exceptions it doesn’t hurt to send a personal statement, whether the institution requires one or not.

The essay is becoming increasingly important as selective colleges find it more and more difficult to distinguish among applicants with similar test scores and grades. And it is the one part of your application that you still have control over. It is your opportunity to show another dimension of yourself, to show how you fit in or match the school to which you’re applying, and how you might stand out from other applicants. That doesn’t mean you have to have invented something that will win the Nobel Peace Prize. Each of you is so unique that if you can capture what makes you YOU in your essay, you will stand out from everyone else.

Your essay should NOT be a grocery list of activities or events; those are covered elsewhere in the application. Admission officers will look for the basics of grammar and spelling but will also consider your facility with language, your fluidity, your voice, and your creativity. In the words of different admission officers:

Weak essays “kept the subject at arm’s length, lacked personal voice, displayed the excessive formality of the kind that students may think teachers and admissions people are looking for; had limited vocabulary. Others had too much generalization not backed up by the kind of vivid detail that brings the essay to life.” (Colgate University)

“To us the topic is of less importance than that the student conveys a genuine self-awareness. What matters is that the topic be as personal as possible, sound as much like the student as he or she can make it sound, and provide information which we will not be able to get from any other source.” (Brown University)

What makes a good essay? One that animates the applicant as a real person, conveys what you have accomplished, and fills in the gaps around your grades and test scores. Your essay is also a sample of your writing ability and should show your best possible effort.

Ms. Voss and Ms. Cabal are available to help students brainstorm ideas for the personal statement, or to review drafts from the perspective of a college admissions reader.

GETTING STARTED

• Make a list of the various questions required by your applications. Are there any overlaps? Similarities? Pay special attention to directions so you answer the correct number of questions and don’t exceed word limits.

• Take time to reflect on the questions. Carry them around in your mind and jot down ideas as they come to you. The self-assessment you will be asked to do as juniors will come in handy here; think about what makes you unique, who you are, and how you got to this point in your life. Who have been your influences? How were your values acquired? See Ms. Alamilla or Ms. Voss for a handout on brainstorming.

• Read some sample essays, both good and bad, to get a sense of what works and what doesn’t. There are books on writing the essay in the Counseling Center and several websites (e.g., www.justcolleges.com/essays/essay_art.htm) that can give sample essays.

• Sit down and write a first draft.

• Review your draft. You may want to let it sit for a few days, then read it aloud to yourself. Does it flow easily?

• Rewrite your essay—as many times as it takes for you to be satisfied with it. Three drafts are best: one to get your ideas on paper, one to polish your grammar, and a third to make it snappy, with a clever opening and conclusion. A final question to ask yourself: Does the essay leave the impression you want to give to the admissions committee?

TIPS ON WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT/ESSAY

• Start early, plan ahead. Leave time for rewrites.

• Focus your essay topic. Choose one topic with one main theme throughout the essay instead of providing a “grocery list.”

• Be yourself. Write about what interests you, what you know. What are your passions? What drives you? What’s going on inside you, what’s the story behind the many outward actions captured in your resume or list of activities? Admission officer are looking for an “interior monologue” more than a travelogue.

• Be honest. Don’t feel you have to impress admission officers with world record performances or exotic exploits. If telling the story of what happens around your family dinner table best reveals who you are, then tell that story.

• Be specific. Fill your essay with concrete details and examples.

• Back up your claims and assertions with tangible evidence or descriptions of results. For instance, if you describe yourself as “conscientious” give an example of how you are so. Maybe you take care of a younger sibling or have a position of leadership at a job.

• If you can, tie yourself to the college/university. Consider the unique features of the institution (this takes more research than simply the size of the school or its faculty to student ratio), such as a particular department structure you like, or a particular professor you are looking forward to working with, or a special program the school offers.

• Proofread! And this means going beyond the spell check on the computer, as the computer cannot tell you when to use “to” or “too.” Don’t submit an essay with typing errors, grammatical problems, or inaccuracies.

• Think quality, not quantity. You need to write enough to get your point across thoroughly; any more than that will test the patience of the admissions officer who is reading your folder.

• Don’t plagiarize!

• Don’t confuse applying online with sending email. Write your essay in a word processing program and then cut and paste it into your online application, rather than trying to type it as you go when you’re applying online.

• Use the essay to complement other parts of your application rather than repeating them.

• Don’t force it. If creativity or humor is you, fine. If not, don’t do it.

• Make copies of everything you send.