by Natricha Levy McFarlane
It is almost time for college. You have picked your top choices and gathered your standardised test scores, transcripts and other essential documents. You are now ready to complete the applications, but one area has you stumped – the personal statement!
What should you write about? Where do you begin? Why is this necessary anyway?
What is a personal statement?
A personal statement is the main essay for college applications where you get to talk about yourself – who you are, why you want to do that program, your suitability for it, your accomplishments, career goals and interests. This is where you get to show the admissions committee why you should be accepted.
Importance of the personal statement
The personal statement is a crucial part of your application. It gives you an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Some universities are relying less on standardised test scores and going test optional for their admissions. Therefore, the personal statement is even more critical.
A well-written personal statement:
- Gives the admissions committee insight into who you are as a person, what motivates you and what you will bring to the college.
- Complements the other parts of your application, sharing information that is not in your resume or transcript.
- Gives you a chance to explain personal circumstances that might have negatively impacted your high school record. If you had a tragedy that affected your performance in school, this is a chance to explain so the committee can see the whole picture.
- Shows off your writing skills.
- Demonstrates why you are applying to that college. Show the admissions committee that you are excited about being a student there.
How to choose a topic for your personal statement
You know what the personal statement is and its importance to your application, now you must decide on what to write about. This can be difficult, but some schools help by guiding you with specific questions or prompts. The Common Application usually offers topics to choose from but you may have the option of a “topic of your choice.”
When deciding on a topic, think about the following:
- What is unique, special, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
- Was there a time you rose to a challenge or showed leadership?
- Is there anything that is central to your identity that is worth sharing? For example, as a Black student you faced systemic racism in your school and was successful in getting school leaders to implement changes.
- Did you have an experience that changed your beliefs?
- Do you see a problem that you want to solve?
- Have you overcome any major challenges, hardships or failures in your life?
- Why are you interested in that field of study and why do you want to study at that specific college?
- Are there any inconsistencies in your academic record that you would like to explain? For example, underperformance in a term or semester.
Think about any aspect of yourself that is worth highlighting, especially something that is different from the expected.
Tips on writing a winning personal statement for college
You are ready to start writing but how do you pull everything together? Here are some tips to get you going.
1. Choose a topic that is unique to you and that you are excited about
“Do not write about COVID-19.” This was advice from a speaker at SOSA’s recently held virtual career fair. The reason given was that COVID-19 affected everyone so unless you did something truly exceptional or had a significant personal experience such as being in Wuhan when the pandemic hit, do not choose it as your topic.
Your topic should be unique to you. Even if it is a common topic, put a different spin on it. The best way to do this is to choose a personal experience that taught you something, changed your views on an issue or shaped your character.
You should also be genuinely excited about the topic you choose. Your excitement will show in your writing and help to make the reader feel excited as well. A lack of excitement will also show and can bore the reader. Additionally, the more excited you are, the more motivated you will be to write the essay.
2. Tell a story
Start off by telling a story. So said one of our facilitators at the SOSA virtual career fair. You want to pull the admissions committee in from your first sentence and keep them engaged to the end. Approach the essay like a creative writing exercise instead of a structured composition or report.
Recount an incident that happened or an experience you had, what you learned from it and how that has led you to be applying for your chosen program at that college. Our facilitator shared that she started her personal statement by talking about her visit to a holocaust camp, which made her think she would never do that kind of harm to anyone. She then used her story to pivot to her values that align with those of the medical field.
In sharing your story, “show, don’t tell.” Instead of telling the committee about what you did, help them to visualise it. Use dialogue.
For example, rather than writing “I could not believe I had just won my first debating competition,” you could write, “my heart raced and my mind went blank as pandemonium broke out in the auditorium. I had just won my first debating competition! Me, the kid who grew up with a stutter so bad I was terrified to speak in public.”
3. Disclose something new about yourself
Share something that is nowhere else in your application. Do not just repeat your CV, grades or extracurricular activities. Also, try not use something obvious such as the time you won the basketball championship if you already stated that you were captain of the basketball team.
Look for events or people who have made an impact on you and shaped who you are today. Let’s say you were terrible at math, but a teacher took interest and spent extra time with you. Now you are graduating with the top math grade among high schools and want to become a mathematician. Write about that.
4. Be careful of your choice of words, tone and voice
Write in your own voice. Your essay should sound like you wrote it and not like it was taken from a presidential speech. This is not an academic report so no extreme formality. Use words that you would normally use in speaking and not overcomplicated words that you looked up in the dictionary. Use clear, simple language to get your point across. Stay away from slangs and feel free to write in the first person.
5. Be specific
Choose one story and focus on that. This is not a chance to tell your whole life story. You have a limited number of words so use them wisely.
Also, be specific about claims you make. If you say you will make an excellent doctor, give specific reasons for saying so. Your story should show the qualities and skills you have that would make you an excellent doctor.
6. Edit, edit, then edit some more
Your first draft is unlikely to be your best. Do not be afraid to edit multiple times. Editing does not mean changing a few words, it means taking a deep objective look at your essay to see how you can improve it.
You will likely need many drafts before you have the perfect essay that expresses the words and emotions that you want to communicate. You may even need to re-write the whole thing! One of our career fair speakers shared that she only got her essay right after 8-9 attempts!
7. Get a second and third opinion
Ask a few trusted persons to review your essay and give you feedback. You can ask family and friends but since most may already know your story, they are not ideal. Ask people outside your inner circle (teachers, mentors, religious leaders) as they may be better able to see gaps and inconsistencies. They can also tell you whether your story is engaging.
8. Start early!
Do not wait until the last minute to start writing your essay. Even if you know exactly what you want to write, start early. Give yourself enough time to review and edit and get feedback. Also, you also need time to think and ensure you did not forget anything. You do not want a lack of time to prevent you from writing a winning essay.
Some do’s and don’ts when writing your personal statement
- Do ensure your spelling and grammar are correct.
- Do stick to the stated word limit.
- Do follow instructions – answer any questions asked.
- Don’t exaggerate – you could be asked about something you have written if you attend an interview and it can show that you embellished in your essay.
- Don’t use cliché language – avoid overused quotes from famous people or well-known lines from movies. Also, don’t make broad claims like “It was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Use your own words to share your story and show rather than tell.
- Don’t write about too many events or experiences – choose one main one and go in detail.
- Don’t use discriminatory language or share controversial opinions.
Still need more help? Find some amazing examples of personal statements here and here.