This document provides guidance on writing a successful personal statement for college applications. It emphasizes showing how the applicant's experiences have helped them grow, focusing on specific examples, and addressing how they will contribute to the college community. The reader should get a sense of the applicant's personality and motivation. Editors are looking for well-organized, concise writing that demonstrates the applicant's fit for the college. Students should seek feedback, take time to revise, and focus on conveying their individual strengths and experiences in their personal statement.

1. Personal Statement
 Strategies for writing your college
essay…
 Get ready, get set….GO!!!!

2. Yes College Application
Season is here!
 If getting a scholarship or college degree
means something to you…it is time to write.

3. Purpose of the Personal
Statement
 Comprehensive review process
 Opportunity to provide information that supports
and augments the review process
 Enables applicant to make the best case
possible for admission

4. Purpose of the Personal
Statement
 Adds clarity, depth and meaning to information
collected in other parts of the application
 Completes the application for admission
 An admission decision will never be based on
the content of a personal statement alone

5. Instructions
 Two rational
statements and
questions
 Word limits
 All two topics can be
converted into one
essay for private
colleges

6. Preparing to write the personal
statement
 Think critically – need
to step back and look at
your experiences from
the outside
 Write analytically:
writing analytically
means answering
“why?”
 Follow a writing
process:
brainstorming, drafting,
feedback, revising,
proofreading

7. Important Strategies
 Think like an admission
reader
 Choose the extended
prompt strategically
 Before writing, prepare
a writing timeline…
 Complete your college
applications
 Find friends and adults
for feedback

8. The Reader-Writer
Relationship
 When readers read critically, they are asking
questions, making observations and
constructing interpretations of the information
they are reading
 A writer fulfills the pact with the reader by
addressing these questions, observations and
interpretations in the personal statement. YOU
can anticipate many of these questions,
observations and interpretation by becoming
critical readers of YOUR COMPLETED
APPLICATIONS!

9. Levels of Questions Strategy
 Level one: What does it say?
 Details in paragraphs
 Taking care of my siblings, etc…
 Level two: What does it mean?
 Topic sentences of paragraphs
 I have a lot of responsibilities
 Level three: Why/how does it matter?
 Thesis statements of essays
 I am able to juggle a strong case load despite my many
responsibilities

10. Determine Response Topics
 What topic will each
response focus on?
 Is this topic the most
persuasive? Does it
answer the most
pressing questions
related to this prompt?
 The prompt with the
most questions should
add clarity not more
questions so refocus
the theme of your
essay.

11. Answer Strategies
 Readers want…
 Responses that get right to the point
 Specific, concrete examples and language
 Adherence to word restrictions
 Responses that complete the application
 BAD EXAMPLE: Nothing to fear as fear itself is a
motto I have lived my entire life
 GOOD EXAMPLE: One January morning my
father divorced me as he was divorcing my mother.

12. Tips for Responses
 Avoid irrelevant background information
 DO NOT LIST
 Understand meaning of key words
 Ensure that your response addresses what the
prompt ask for
 Make sure each sentence advances the
argument
 Avoid a collection of facts or examples
 Use concrete details and make them clear, rich
and MEANINGFUL

13. Extended Response Strategies or
all other college essays
 Organization and
clarity, provided by
persuasive thesis,
analytical topic
sentences, well chosen
examples is required
 A response that
support and completes-
by clarifying and
contextualizing – the
information in the
application
 LEAVE AN
IMPRESSION….

14. EXAMPLES…
Although my school does not offer AP Spanish, I wanted to master Spanish
so that I could enrich my understanding of the literature of Latin America
and prepare for my eventual career goal of becoming a diplomat. I prepared
on my own for the AP Spanish exam, an as a result have become a more
disciplined and engaged student in all of my classes.
Although I do not plan to major in veterinary science, my experiences raising
and caring for animals have helped me understand how important animals
are to human well-being. Because I have seen the result of human
disregard for other forms of life, I am better able to appreciate the
importance of ethical treatment for all. As a result, I will be able to
contribute my knowledge of animal pervasion and my sill as a n organizer to
the campus environment.

15. More examples…
Although my parents are now both employed, my family has had to
struggle in order to survive. I am the oldest of six and, because of our
family income does not support us adequately, I work part-time to
provide food and shelter for us. Working has taught me to stay
disciplined and to use my time appropriately. As a result, I have been
able to maintain high academic achievement while support my family.
All examples demonstrate:
*Motivation
*Dedication
*Responsibility

16. Thesis Statements
 Assertion (the
argument is….)
 Reasons (the
synthesis of
supporting points --
because….)
 Significance (the “so
what” of the
argument;
implications – As a
result…)

17. Resources…
 Teachers
 Find trusted classmates
at your school who can
give you OBJECTIVE
FEEDBACK!
 Find adult readers at
school who resemble
their target audience
 Guidance Center
 Start early and revise,
revise, revise.

18. Once your done – you will feel
like FLYING!!!!!!!