The personal statement or admission essay is one of the most important aspects of your entire college application. Unlike your transcript, your essay gives you the chance to show that admission officer who you really are. Your spelling, grammar, and writing have to be completely perfect - nothing will get your application essay thrown out faster than these common errors. But most importantly you must stand out - in a good way - among the stack of applications they may be reading that day.
First, you should think about an aspect of your personality or an experience you have had that make you very unique. Think about a difficult situation that you have overcome. Describe why you were in that situation, how it made you feel, and what you learned from it. Everyone is going to write about why they want to attend that college, but you're really trying to get them to understand why you would be a unique asset to the student body.
Second, rely on your own experiences. It is great if your dad is an astronaut - but unless you were on the shuttle when he traveled to the international space station - it is really not even worth mentioning. Remember, what makes you unique does not have to be that impressive. You don't need to talk about publishing your first movie at the age of 13 - unless you actually did which is definitely worth mentioning. The reader wants a compelling story. I was accepted to every college to which I applied and I wrote my entire essay about how it felt to be asked - "What are you?" as a person who happens to be biracial. How you share it will be more important than the actual event or experience.
Also, try to avoid experiences that may be better contextualized in person rather than in 500 words or less. For example, it's wonderful if you have faith God will help you get into college - but unless the particular person reading your essay also believes in God in that way - you may end up confusing - or worse - offending the reader - which will definitely get your application placed on the bottom of the stack.
Finally, start writing your essay early enough in advance of any application deadlines so that you can get a few other people to read it before you submit. They can help you proofread for errors. More importantly, having a few different readers will give you the chance to see if your story is clear, interesting, and completely inoffensive to others.
In summary, you must proofread like crazy to ensure that there are absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors, tell an interesting story, and have as many others review it as possible. If you follow these tips, you will have a college essay that will secure your spot in the incoming class.
First, you should think about an aspect of your personality or an experience you have had that make you very unique. Think about a difficult situation that you have overcome. Describe why you were in that situation, how it made you feel, and what you learned from it. Everyone is going to write about why they want to attend that college, but you're really trying to get them to understand why you would be a unique asset to the student body.
Second, rely on your own experiences. It is great if your dad is an astronaut - but unless you were on the shuttle when he traveled to the international space station - it is really not even worth mentioning. Remember, what makes you unique does not have to be that impressive. You don't need to talk about publishing your first movie at the age of 13 - unless you actually did which is definitely worth mentioning. The reader wants a compelling story. I was accepted to every college to which I applied and I wrote my entire essay about how it felt to be asked - "What are you?" as a person who happens to be biracial. How you share it will be more important than the actual event or experience.
Also, try to avoid experiences that may be better contextualized in person rather than in 500 words or less. For example, it's wonderful if you have faith God will help you get into college - but unless the particular person reading your essay also believes in God in that way - you may end up confusing - or worse - offending the reader - which will definitely get your application placed on the bottom of the stack.
Finally, start writing your essay early enough in advance of any application deadlines so that you can get a few other people to read it before you submit. They can help you proofread for errors. More importantly, having a few different readers will give you the chance to see if your story is clear, interesting, and completely inoffensive to others.
In summary, you must proofread like crazy to ensure that there are absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors, tell an interesting story, and have as many others review it as possible. If you follow these tips, you will have a college essay that will secure your spot in the incoming class.
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