4 Tips for Writing Your Personal Statement

I think writing personal statements and essays is probably the most dreaded part of the college application process for high school seniors. Year after year, deciding what to write and how to write it stumps even top students. Speaking as a college advisor, here are 4 things you should AVOID doing:  

#1: Don’t let your parents write your essays for you! Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? But every year, I read essays written from a 40-something-year-old perspective and remind students that college admissions officers can pick out essays written by parents in a New York minute. Remember, their view on life comes with years of experience — something you don’t have. So don’t let your parents write them!

#2: Telling your story even if it doesn’t quite answer the prompt! Remember that the admissions team reads hundreds or thousands of essays that do answer the prompt so if yours doesn’t, you’ll stand out — and not in a good way. They’re obviously hunting for something from you and you NEED TO DELIVER IT. Many applicants also try to reuse essays that really don’t address the prompt, and that again, is a RED FLAG!

#3:  Bore the admissions officers with general information already included on the application form, clichés and tired statements, and essays that lack personal details! Back up your statements with detailed stories that colorfully illustrate your point of view. First write your story, then carefully edit using good grammar and writing mechanics (no contractions!).  Make sure your opening sentence or paragraph grabs their attention with a unique hook.  Ask your English teacher or someone with great writing skills to edit it.

#4:  Glaze over why you’re applying to their college! They don’t want to hear that you’ve selected their college because it’s located in a particular city or that it has a great reputation. EVERYONE SAYS THAT! Do your research and tell them why their particular departments (majors) intrigue you and how it compares to other colleges that you are considering. Find interesting clubs or unique programs that this college offers.  While this may seem like an easy essay to write, you’ll do more research to prepare for writing it than any other essay topic.

If you’ve done a project — something that you started and completed on your own — definitely write about it in your personal statement or essays.  It gives you the opportunity to show the college admissions officers how you’ve turned your passion into a real product, service, or event. This will clearly make your application stand out among your competition. But remember while writing about it, avoid the 4 problem areas listed above!