As the new school year progresses, the idea of college applications looms over the heads of many seniors. One of the biggest burdens of college applications is writing the infamous Common App personal statement.
Many worry about the 650-word limit, choosing a theme or an important moment. However, the best thing for seniors beginning this process is to take each step one at a time and find a topic you are able to write confidently about.
1. Build on a childhood experience that guided you towards your desired career.” For so many, you knew exactly what you wanted to be when you grew up. This assurance may have stemmed from when you visited a place, received a specific gift, met someone, and so on. Colleges want to see passion within their potential students, so write about what you’re passionate about, especially if it has been present throughout your entire life.
2. If you have experienced hardship, describe your growth from it. Most people growing up have experienced some form of hardship.” It could be financial troubles, a death in the family, an injury, or even the loss of a friend. If you feel that this experience has greatly shaped who you are, then write about it.
However, do not spend the majority of the essay discussing the event. Your main goal should be to show your growth from this experience, not to simply retell the occurrence.
3. Highlight a piece of yourself that is nowhere else in your application.
If you find that an essential part of your personality, interest, or identity is not in your application, highlight this aspect of you in your personal statement.” This could be about a musical passion, love of reading, and so much more. There may be some overlap in your overall application, which is fine, but it is important to give your college admission readers a complete understanding of who you are.
4. Is there an object, symbol, or quote that you find reflects your identity, growth, or life? Then, write about its significance to you. There are boundless things that we find are representations of ourselves. It could be an old stuffed animal, a flower, or a saying. However, an important thing to consider is that it should not be difficult for your college admissions reader to understand how it metaphorically relates to your life. Do not overcomplicate the story.
5. If you are a part of a community, club, or group that has impacted your life, then discuss its importance to you. Community is an essential part of the college experience. You have your classes, peers, and professors, all of which colleges wish to see how you will contribute to their school community. Do not hesitate to show how you positively impact the people, community, and groups around you.
The best piece of advice regarding the personal statement is to relax. The entire college application process can be stressful, but the personal statement is one part that doesn’t have to be. Write about what comes the easiest to you as it’s usually the best reflections of ourselves.
