College Essay Advice

The time has finally arrived. We seniors are finally applying to college! Every test we’ve aced, equation we’ve solved, and FRQ we’ve written has led up to this. With the myriad of aspects included in each application, the personal statement is very easy to overlook. 

However, this essay in particular is one of the only places to prove to admissions officers that you are more than a number. No matter how stellar they are, your statistics, like GPA, class rank, and test scores, tell admission officers limited information about you. This is the place to show who you are.

But that is easier said than done. So, I’ve asked Mrs. Hamilton (Counseling) and Mrs. Henderson (English) for tips and tricks on how to knock this essay out of the park. 

The overarching piece of advice from each person I asked was to start the essay early. According to Mrs. Hamilton, specifically, “do not procrastinate.” If you have your essay done early, you’re going to be able to edit it more, and have your peers, teachers, etc, revise it as well. She also stressed the importance of submitting your application at least two weeks before the deadline. So, if you’re applying anywhere early, and the deadline is November 1st, make sure you’re submitting your application by October 15th. 

In light of trying to show admissions officers who you are, Mrs. Henderson believes that the most successful personal statements are “ones that sound sincere.” While it may seem arbitrary, those who are reading your essay know when you’re being honest. She also said that “essays that don’t try too hard” are very successful as well. “You don’t have to live a life of drama to have a solid essay.”

But what should you write about? At 17 or 18 years old, it feels overwhelming to narrow down one point in your life when “everything” changed, or to highlight one aspect of your life that admissions officers must know to understand who you are. If you’re someone who has not started your personal statement, either due to procrastination or lack of ideas, don’t fret! Mrs. Henderson suggests, “thinking of a moment where you had to reorient your beliefs, values, or behavior. What was this event? What made this realization happen?”

If that is still a lot, Mrs. Hamilton mentioned “breaking it into smaller steps at a time.” The personal statement is a marathon, not a sprint. If you find it tricky to write the entire 650 words or fewer at once, then start by writing your opening sentence or outlining your essay. You can write a paragraph each day and leave yourself ample time to edit and have trusted peers read it. 

Both Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Henderson recommended having a minimum of 2 peers to read over your essay and offer their suggestions. Please make sure you are not the only one who has read your essay before the admissions officers do! If you constantly reread your essay, you are going to convince yourself that it is completely flawless and miss opportunities to improve. 

While yes, the personal statement is a very demanding and hard task to complete, you’ve got this! As Mrs. Henderson said, “realize how authentically awesome you already are, and convey that!”