Deadlines, decisions, and details! Between forms, fees, and figuring out your future, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re applying for college.
One part that especially stresses people out is the personal essay section of the application. Most colleges require a personal essay, and sometimes it can be even more important to admissions than your test scores.
The good news is that the essay is one of the few parts of your college application where you get to speak in your own voice. It’s your chance to stand out by being yourself!
Ready to get started?
What is the personal essay?
The personal essay is a short piece of writing (250–650 words) to help college admissions officers understand you better. The rest of the application asks about classes, grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities, while the personal essay allows you to write about whatever is important to you.
Who are you outside of your achievements? Achievements are great, but that’s what the rest of the application is for! For the personal essay, you can tell a story, share a meaningful experience, or explore something important to you — whatever you need to say to give the reader insight into who you are, what you believe, and how you think.
These are big, broad questions that can be difficult to answer. Don’t know where to start? We’re here to help!
Here are 5 tips for writing an awesome personal essay for your college application:
Think about the prompts
The Common App, which allows you to apply to a wide range of colleges with a single application, provides 7 essay prompts, including the option to choose your own topic. The prompts are open-ended to give you the opportunity to dig deep and write something personal to you. However, having so many possibilities can be overwhelming.
Don’t try to choose a prompt before you’ve decided what to write about. Instead, read through the prompts and think about what each one is asking. Many of them are about obstacles you’ve faced, times you’ve been challenged, and ways you’ve grown as a person.
The point of the prompts is to get you to reflect on your life and share what you’ve learned from your experiences.
If one of the prompts inspires you or reminds you of something specific you want to write about, that’s great! But if not, that’s okay, too. For now, simply reflect on what the prompts are asking.
Brainstorm your ideas
Don’t pressure yourself to just start writing, hoping you’ll end up with a perfect essay on the first try. Instead, take some time to think about what makes you who you are. Ask yourself some big questions: What do you care about? What makes you curious? What frustrates or worries you? What do you value most?
Imagine you’re introducing yourself to someone who’s never met you. What would you want them to know? What’s your deal? Even if you don’t think you have a dramatic story or standout background, you have something worth saying.
Once you’ve done some thinking, just start writing! Don’t worry about whether it’s good or bad, or even if it makes sense. Let the ideas flow, explore a few directions, and pay attention to what feels good to write about. That’s usually where your best material lives.
If you’re still having trouble coming up with something to write about, you can try looking up examples of other personal essays to see if that sparks any ideas. However, be careful with this, since you don’t want to be too influenced by other people’s experiences and ideas.
Find your focus
Once you’ve brainstormed a few ideas, it’s time to choose one to dive deeper into. A personal essay shouldn’t be about summarizing your entire life or listing all of your accomplishments like a highlight reel. Instead, a great essay will pick one meaningful topic or story and stick with it.
Choose one interest, experience, or idea that encapsulates who you are and reveals something real about you. Look through what you’ve brainstormed and think about which topic you keep coming back to, feels the most like you, makes you feel something when you write about it, or helps people understand who you are.
Your topic doesn’t even need to be dramatic or life-changing. You can write about a random moment, a quiet realization, or anything else you want, as long as it’s authentic to who you are.
Do some reflection
Whether you’re writing about something that interests you, an experience you’ve had, or a challenge you’ve overcome, don’t just recount the facts. Add some personal reflection to your essay.
Facts are only part of the story. The other part is how your topic or experience shaped who you are, challenged your thinking, or taught you something about yourself. Why does your topic matter to you? What does it say about you?
Think about what you’d like the reader to walk away knowing about you.
Write and revise your essay
Write your thoughts down and focus on telling your story in a way that feels true to you! After you’ve written a full draft, take a break and come back to your essay with fresh eyes. Rewrite and revise until you’re satisfied and your essay fits the criteria (including the 250–650 word count!). Proofread and make sure there are no typos or other mistakes.
Before you officially submit your personal essay, give it to someone else to read, such as a parent, teacher, or friend. They can tell you whether everything makes sense and if it really sounds like you. Having another person give feedback is helpful, but don’t let anyone rewrite it for you — this essay should showcase your voice!
Writing your personal essay can be stressful, but remember that it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being you! Just be honest and thoughtful, and trust that your story matters. You’ve got this!
