Learn The Art of Writing a Personal Statement for College Admission

Summary:

Writing a personal statement for college applications demands specific skills. Here are important tips to help you succeed.

Key Points:

• Start with a hook.
• Tell a compelling story.
• Be specific about your aspirations.
• Share real-world examples.
• Do some research.
• Write clearly and correctly.
• Use an editor.

A teacher was asked by her daughter to read the personal statement she wrote for college admission. This young woman had written a story about her younger brother’s disability, which she believed was central to her own story. She felt that helping with her brother’s challenges is what formed her emotionally and intellectually. The story had merit, but there was one important thing missing — the author. The young woman had written her brother’s story, not her own. 

The teacher gently probed with questions:

• Where are you in the story?
• How did your brother’s disability impact the family?
• What were the biggest challenges to you personally?
• How did your brother’s struggles affect your daily life?
• Do you feel that you matured as a result of your story?
• Do you aspire to a career path because of what you learned?
• How do you believe the lessons you carry with you will help you succeed in college?

In other words, she missed the point. One of the first lessons of writing a personal statement? Make it personal.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a brief essay that you submit when applying to college or university. It is part of the traditional undergraduate application process. If you demonstrate great storytelling, along with the value you bring to the college, the personal statement can not only impress admission committees, but get you across the finish line. 

So how should it start? 

How should a personal statement start?

Create a hook. This is a short first paragraph; a couple of sentences that makes the reader want to know more. For the example above, the young woman could have hooked her audience with something like this:

By the age of 12, I knew that one day I would be a psychologist. The impetus came in the form of my baby brother, who was born with cerebral palsy. It disrupted my mom’s career, made my dad the sole breadwinner, and inspired me to set an example that led to a wealth of new habits: I was part tutor, part listener, part support system, part caretaker, and a full-time learner.

No matter the story you tell, the hook is essential. Make sure you write something compelling that gets the reader into the personal statement.

But what else should you focus on when writing your personal statement? Here are six questions upon which to focus.

Six questions to ask yourself while forming a personal statement

1. What is unique and impressive about your personal story?
2. What aspects of your journey have shaped you or inspired your goals for the future?
3. When and how did you become intrigued with a particular field and what aspects of your background make you a good fit for a particular area of interest?
4. What did you do to gain knowledge of the field you wish to pursue? Through classes, extracurriculars, volunteer work, research, seminars, or jobs?
5. What are your goals for a major and a career path?
6. Did you take college prep courses that demonstrate your sincere interest in a subject?

The above is essential to ensure that you focus on the ways in which your experience can ignite your future. How successful you are at writing your personal statement will set the tone for your potential entry into the schools of your choice. Here are a few tips:

Tell a compelling story: Share your personal experiences; the ones that support your dedication, your interests, and your potential. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge painful truths. 

Be specific about your aspirations: Don’t just say you would make an excellent physician. Back up your claims with specific reasons and experience. For instance, many teens today engage in college prep courses online. Admissions officers love that kind of dedication.

Share real-world examples: Too many people write about what they aspire to without any real knowledge or experience in the field. Be specific about what you know and how you gained this knowledge. Write about the classes you took that relate to your passion for a subject. Share research experience, internships or shadowing experiences, books you’ve read, seminars you attended, meetings with professionals in the field, or your participation in in-person programs for high school students. 

Do some research: A college might want to know why you chose them. Do some research to find out what sets them apart from other universities. If the school setting offers an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention. Also, if you took college prep courses from a particular school, make sure to mention this as a deciding factor for you.

Write clearly and correctly: To admissions counselors, this is a critical ‘tell.’ Type and proofread your essay carefully. Avoid cliches, and adhere to stated word limits. 

Find a trusted editor: Every writer knows that self-editing is ill advised. Finding someone to review your work with fresh eyes will help you potentially catch slight errors you may have missed.

Remember, Prelum, Powered by Kaplan, partners with some of the most renowned universities and colleges in the nation. Visit our site to find in-person opportunities and online courses designed for motivated high school students like you; the kind of opportunities that will make your personal statements more compelling to admissions boards.