How Do I Write a Competitive Personal Statement?

It’s that time of year again! When students across the country sit down in front of their laptop computers and try to come up with a compelling Personal Statement for their College Applications… What do I write? How do I convey it? What does “showing rather than telling” mean? What is the Admissions Committee looking for? All of these questions are probably going through the minds of millions of students across the nation as we come upon the opening of the Common App in a few days on August 1st.

There are 2 main strategies for crafting a compelling Personal Statement. The first is risky, but can pay off big time, if the student is a great creative writer! Recently, a student was accepted to 5 Ivy League Universities writing a creative piece about shopping at Costco. Yes, shopping at Costco… This was one of her favorite pastimes, so as a Physics major, she incorporated Newton’s Law of Gravitation, the concept of Momentum pertaining to other shoppers running into her cart, Faraday’s Law, and even the Law of Conservation of Energy as it relates to eating the plethora of samples offered in the aisles of the iconic warehouse store. It was masterfully crafted as a creative writing piece! Her Personal Statement discussed one of her hobbies, namely shopping, in a scientific context related to her declared major.

The other strategy, which is the path taken by the vast majority of DowEdu students, is writing about a life changing experience. This can be a challenge (e.g. death in the family, illness, injury, financial hardship, etc.) or a triumphant event that made an enormous impact on the student’s life. The goal is to illustrate a theme using imagery, so that the reader feels that they are right there in the room during this seminal event. The theme is then supported by describing one’s qualities, my favorite of which is perseverance. Discussing a desire to help humanity and giving back is extremely important in today’s College Admissions landscape. Too often, we read Personal Statements that involve the student only talking about themselves without any mention of others. Not only should they give credit where credit is due in terms of their teachers, mentors, and parents, but they should also discuss serving others. A desire to serve humanity in a selfless display of philanthropy is very important in the current College Admissions landscape.

So, while you and your student are seated at the dining room table wondering what to write about, remember that Admissions Officials want to learn more about the student. This is an opportunity to elicit emotions in the reader in order to win them over. However, the way you depict your experience can determine whether you get into your school of choice. We are here to help… Reach out for a DowEdu Personal Statement Workshop or a College Counseling Assessment with our representatives to assist you in your journey of achieving your dreams!