Preparation:
- Read all directions carefully. When answering the question(s), be sure you understand the purpose of the essay
- Keep your audience in mind.
- The main focus of the first draft should be content.
- You do not have to get it right the first time! This is a first try
Content and Style:
Tell your story in your own voice, making your essay personal and real. Write so that the reader will care what you have to say.
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Some things to avoid:
- Do not repeat information that appears elsewhere in the application. Expound upon it, explain it, draw lessons from it, but do not repeat it.
- Do not go to extremes with wit, opinions, or an intellectual subject, and do not be “preachy.”
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Do not use the personal statement to excuse your shortcomings. It brings attention to them. (Find a different place in the application to explain a problem such as a failing grade, a suspension, or aberrations in your record. These may be topics that a counselor can help explain.)
Structure - more things to consider:
- Write about the specific rather than the general, the concrete rather than the abstract. Show, rather than tell.
- Consider the unique features of the institution and connect yourself to it by matching aspects of your record with the college’s focus.
- Do not use unconventional fonts or formats; make it easy to read. A standard font, such as Times New Roman, is crisp and easily read.
- Write in the active voice, and avoid the second person (the use of “you”).
- A well-placed quote can add a point of interest to the essay.
- Finish strong.
- Do not plagiarize.
Format:
There are four basic types to choose from when deciding how best to tell your story:
- Narrative: tells a story; explains the how and why.
- Descriptive: tells about a person, place, condition, situation or feeling; uses language that appeals to the senses.
- Definition: reveals your insight about something of significance to you.
- Example: anecdotes are used to bring out the ideas of the essay.
