How to Write the Best Personal Statement

You’ve done it – after weeks spent researching different colleges, programs, and areas of study, you finally found the perfect school that has every item on your wish list. From academic resources to award-winning faculty, you can easily imagine yourself taking classes there.

The only remaining step is applying. You look through the different requirements and fill in most of the information. A checkbox here, some background details there, things are going pretty smooth until you come to the end of your application and hit a roadblock: the personal statement.

 Sound familiar?

 Whether you are a natural in English class or find yourself spending hours staring at a blank screen, writing your college admissions essay can challenge anyone. Let's be honest: it's a weird essay to write. The word limit is short (or long, depending on your perspective). The topic is probably new to you. And there may not have been a lot of practice. This part of the application stalls some applicants so much that they abandon their application to the school altogether.

 Let’s make sure that this doesn’t happen to you.

 Why Does the Personal Statement Matter?

 You may think that having a good GPA, entrance exam score, and even an extra-curricular activity or two may be enough to help you earn a spot at your dream school. And, in many cases, you would be right. However, think about the other applicants vying for that same spot at that same school. Picture their backgrounds and what they have achieved. College admissions have become so competitive that it's not uncommon for many well-qualified students to receive rejection letters since there are a lot of applicants with similar accomplishments.

 This is why the personal statement is so critical. It's a chance to define yourself to the school. To share your capabilities and how these set you above the rest. You've worked hard, achieved milestones, and overcome challenges – things that your academic transcript could never properly express alone. It's this grit and commitment that schools are looking for. In truth, the personal statement is the bow to tie up your application. Share your unique story in a way that will make the admissions officer clamor to offer you a place at their school.

Curious as to how this is possible? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Break Down the Prompt

It may surprise you to know, but a number of essays that are ultimately submitted fail to adequately answer the prompt. A topic asking for a challenge or struggle the applicant has overcome is sometimes met with a story about how well he or she did at state finals or how meaningful their pet dog was to them (we're not kidding about this one). That's why the first thing you need to do is to break down the prompt into pieces.

Let’s use this common one as an example: 

            “The lessons learned from setbacks in our life often help guide us toward our future successes. Tell us about a time that you endured a challenge or failure. What did you learn from this experience, and how will you apply it to the learning environment at our school?" 

Before reading on, take a moment to break down the key elements of the prompt. What are the questions they want you to answer? How well does your story match up to them?

Ready for the answer? Here’s what we had:

 Part one: What (and why) was a setback in life?

Part two: What did you learn from it?

Part three: How did this learned lesson lead to future success?

Part four: What was a future success?

Part five: How will you apply this learned lesson (from part two) to the school’s learning experience (i.e., with your fellow students and professors)?

Everyone has different writing styles. From outlining to free-writing, how you write your statement is less important than what you write about. Before you even begin, take a few minutes to write down your answers to each of these questions. Merely answering all of these elements can help your statement reach the next level and keep the admission officer's attention. 

For practice, you can find more sample personal statements here [https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/application-essay-topics]

 Pro-tip: Ask a trusted friend or family member for help. Seek feedback on your answers. It's far better for them to find where you can improve than the admission officer.

Tie It Back to the School

 We mentioned this in part five, but that was because it was explicitly mentioned in our example prompt. However, even if your prompt does not say it, always tie your answer back to the school. This crucial detail can send your essay from good to great – from a double to a home run. As we already touched on, a lot of applicants are trying to get into the same school as you. Using as many details as you can about both you and the school can help you come across as a more serious student. 

 Put yourself in the shoes of the admissions officer. When they read information about the school they work for, it's the closest thing to reading a story about themselves. It's inherently more attractive to them. It'll draw their attention to your application and make your name memorable when it comes to assigning acceptance letters.

 Pro-tip: Get into specifics by identifying precisely the program or resource. Doing your research and putting in the effort could provide the crucial difference you may need.

Revise, Revise, Revise

Most of the great writers that you know and love probably don't produce their most celebrated works after their first draft. The magic of good writing often lies in rewriting your work. The first time around, don't worry too much about the word limit or even your word choice. The goal for your first attempt is to answer the prompt fully. Get your ideas down on paper and then clean everything up the next time through.

Pro-tip: There isn’t a set limit on how many times you should revise your statement. Twice is good, but three times is better. Ultimately, you know you're done when you honestly feel that your essay is as good as you can make it.

With this information in mind, you are ready to tackle your statement! Do you have any additional questions or concerns? Don't be afraid to contact us. Here are a few final tips to keep in mind:

• Don’t wait until the last minute.

• Have someone else read it before submitting – a parent, teacher, mentor, or friend.

• Don’t rely on spell-check.

• The best way to revise your statement is to print it out and grade it by hand.