Essays that stand out
A dear friend of mine once said, that a student’s personal statement is like an interview on paper. Let me be clear, that does not mean you should spend 650 words listing your accomplishments. On the contrary! Your college essay should be a story only YOU can tell. Another friend once said, that if you dropped your college essay in the middle of your high school hallway, without a name, someone should be able to pick it up and return it to you.
Don’t get hung up on having the saddest story, or craziest idea. I had another friend who wrote her college essay in her sleep. I was jealous. If you want the truth, I wrote about my grandparents. I’m 99% sure that is the biggest college admissions “don’t” I ever heard. I still got into college, so don’t worry!
I have read thousands of college essays. The best ones were not about the biggest accomplishment or the worst trauma. They were stories that captured the essence of a student. Maybe they told a story of a core childhood memory, and related it back to the values they still possess today. Others wrote about sports and other “don’t”s, but did so in a unique way. If it’s a story only you can tell, and it’s authentic, you can’t really go wrong (most of the time).
Be Specific!
My favorite essays were the ones that delved into a specific, detailed point in time. 650 is not a lot of words. You can’t really tackle divorces, illnesses, solving the world’s problems. So tell a story that while small, means a lot to you, or says a lot about you. Bring the reader into the moment - set the scene with details, tell your story, and relate back to the prompt. Keep it simple!
Be Authentic!
If you are funny, be funny! If you’re not, maybe not the time to try your hand at comedy. If you are creative, feel free to show that in your diction, writing style, etc. Don’t force it - this is after all, a personal statement
Be Respectful!
Be respectful of your reader, and the process. If there is a word count, adhere to it. If you are writing about inflammatory topics or controversial beliefs, be sure to do so carefully. Don’t instruct the reader on how to live their lives - tell them how you live yours.
Still stuck? Phone a friend.
If you can’t think of a topic, ask your friends! More than likely, you are traveling this road with a few peers. Ask them a few questions, like what makes you unique, or if they had to write an essay about you, what would it be?
Edit. Edit. Edit.
Trade with friends. Ask teachers to review. Edit, stop, and edit some more. A simple error, or a confusing sentence, can throw off your whole flow. With only a few hundred words to capture your essence, it can’t be wasted on errors and confusion!
