Writing a personal statement can be an overwhelming step in applying to college. Although a strong academic and extracurricular profile is crucial for a student’s application to be considered—especially at top universities with competitive applicant pools—the personal statement is a distinguishing factor in selecting which students are ultimately accepted.
This essay allows students to share their unique stories and show who they are beyond their academic and extracurricular profiles. It can be challenging for students to authentically convey themselves, especially in a high-stakes environment where they need to stand out.
This guide breaks the process down step-by-step to help students craft genuine narratives in an engaging and memorable way.
What Is a Personal Statement?
Before viewing the personal statement from a student’s perspective, zoom out and evaluate the reason universities ask students to write it in the first place.
Simply put, judging a book by its cover isn’t possible—a student’s resume and transcript tell only part of the story. The personal statement allows college admission offices to delve deeper and gain a holistic perspective on:
- Who the student is—what they care about and their values
- How they will impact the campus community and beyond—how their qualities and skills demonstrate future potential
From the student’s point of view, the personal statement is a chance to get personal. This essay cuts through the minutiae of titles and accolades. It allows students to add an emotional and human element to their applications by writing about the moments and experiences that have shaped them as people. It is also an opportunity for students to engage in self-reflection by highlighting their achievements, experiences, and challenges they have overcome. Most importantly, the personal statement allows the student to paint a picture of who they want to become and how that institution would help them achieve that.
Personal Statements vs. College Essays
Most schools require a personal statement as the primary application essay. It gives the reader a fundamental understanding of an applicant’s character, background, and personality. Depending on the school, the personal statement may be the only essay an applicant is required to submit.
It is common for universities, particularly those that are more selective, to have supplemental essay prompts for students to answer in addition to submitting their personal statements. These prompts vary from school to school, but they are generally more targeted in assessing institutional fit by asking students why they want to attend that particular college and also asking questions like “Tell us more about an extracurricular activity that is important to you.” Colleges will read all of these essays together, and–ideally–the themes and ideas in the personal statement will echo through the supplemental essays.
How to Write a Personal Statement
It is important to remember that this type of writing and task is very new for most students. Normal high school classes usually don’t ask students to write in a reflective personal essay that gets to the same depth and insight that a good personal statement does.
Writing a personal statement is a process. It requires brainstorming, reflection, careful planning, and numerous revisions to produce a compelling and authentic piece.
1. Start With Reflection
The ability to self-reflect is a critical skill colleges want to see in students. It’s also the first step to writing a thoughtful personal statement. Some questions to help generate the reflection process include:
- What am I passionate about?
- What moments and experiences have shaped who I am?
- Why am I applying to college, and what do I hope to achieve?
- What challenges have I overcome, and what did I learn?
While working through these questions, start brainstorming a few answers. It’s important to avoid overthinking at this stage. This freewriting is not what will be submitted, so writing can—and honestly should be—unpolished, raw, and disorganized. Instead, focus on writing that is honest and real. It’s also important to do that brainstorming yourself and not fall back on asking ChatGPT to pump out ideas. The specific texture of your life that comes out at this stage of the process is what will ultimately give your personal statement a feeling that is truly personal.
2. Craft a Strong Opening
First impressions are everything. Admissions officers read countless essays on a given day, and a subpar introduction can make them glaze over the rest of the essay. The introduction should make yur reader want more.
Here’s an example of a weak introduction:
“Since I was a child, I have wanted to help others and make a difference in the lives around me by becoming a doctor.”
- Cliché: Statements like “Since I was a child…” sound like every other applicant. This type of impersonal writing does not help make the reader feel connected to the student.
- Too general: Specificity is key to writing a good essay. Wanting to help others and make a difference could apply to just about any student.
Here’s a strong introduction:
“The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I struggled to make out my trembling hands covered in ketchup.”
- Mysterious: People don’t like spoiled endings for a reason. The more unexpected or unusual something is, the more people are naturally interested. This sentence raises many questions—why is there ketchup on the student’s hands? Where could they be with buzzing fluorescent lights? What’s making the hands tremble? This makes the reader want to keep reading.
- Vulnerable: The way the writing starts in the middle of this chaotic moment almost makes it feel like the reader shouldn’t be there. The writer heightens the stakes by infusing emotions and energy into the details, like trembling hands and intense lighting.
Whether a student uses a personal anecdote, shares a fun fact, or reveals a confession—the introduction needs to be personal, engaging, and captivating.
3. Show, Don’t Tell
Sharing stories, moments, and experiences to convey something is far more impactful than just stating it. Students should show, not tell, the reader about their experience.
Telling:
“I’m passionate about science.”
Showing:
“In ninth grade, I spent late nights testing blade designs to ensure the mini wind turbine I built for my science fair project generated the most power possible.”
The second example is far more personal, thoughtful, and engaging. It helps the reader connect to the human behind the writing and see the world for a moment through their eyes. It also helps the student be memorable—an admissions officer is far more likely to remember the kid staying up late at night building his mini wind turbine than someone who is vaguely “passionate” about science.
4. Focus on Growth
It’s easy to get caught up in the plot of the personal statement, but students need to consider the bigger picture: What does all of this say about them as a person?
One way to incorporate growth in the personal statement is to have every “what” be followed by a “why.” Students should always ask themselves why they include this information and what they try to show about themselves.
- What: Student writes about overcoming a challenge… Why: Shows how they developed resilience, adaptability, and the ability to advocate for themself
- What: A student writes about discovering their passion… Why: Shows how they found a sense of purpose, gained self-confidence, and fostered a deeper sense of self-awareness
- What: A student writes about their involvement in a club… Why: Shows how they learned to collaborate, gained leadership skills, and found a sense of belonging
The student needs to connect the dots and reflect on how the moments and experiences they write about molded the person they are.
5. End With Impact
The conclusion is often the hardest part of the personal statement to write. This is the conclusion to a 5-paragraph essay that ends with a restatement of the evidence previously discussed… what could be more boring?
Ideally, the conclusion finds some creative way to twist the ideas from the previous paragraphs in a new way or open up on a new experience. For example, an essay about the challenges a student faced while trying to make a horror film as a fun side project might end with a scene that describes the moment the monster actually emerges on set for the first time. Or an essay about learning how to make the perfect pasta for their grandmother who is sick might end with the student talking about how they apply those same skills of patience on the lacrosse court. Rather than “concluding” the essay, a good conclusion should leave the admissions officer thinking that they want to hear more about the applicant.
6. Revise and Refine
It takes many rounds of writing, rewriting, proofreading, and edits before reaching the final draft.
Students should read their personal statements out loud. Hearing it through spoken word often reveals sentences that don’t make sense or flow.
Take breaks after finishing a draft. Eat a snack, take a walk, or even better—get a good night of sleep—before revisiting it with a clear mind and fresh eyes.
Speaking of eyes, students should get other eyes on it, too. They should share it with parents, teachers, or mentors to get various perspectives and opinions.
Some aspects to consider during revisions include:
- Substance—Are there examples and anecdotes to support the topics written about? Does the student’s voice shine through the writing? Does the essay accurately represent the student?
- Structure—Are there clear transitions between sentences and paragraphs? Does it sound like a cohesive narrative that flows together, or are there sections that seem disjointed, scattered, or random?
- Compelling—Is the content unique and interesting? Can anything be cut that is repetitive or unnecessary?
- Grammar/Syntax—Is the writing clear and readable? Are there grammatical/spelling errors?
8 Tips for Writing a Personal Statement
Consider these tips that will help a personal statement stand out:
- Stay focused: Quality is better than quantity. While sharing as much information as possible can be tempting, the student should focus on depth over breadth.
- Be authentic: Avoid trying too hard or coming across as forced—admissions officers value honesty over complex language. The students’ personalities should shine through their writing. If they naturally have a sense of humor, this is the place to show it! (and if they don’t, this isn’t the place to try out a new jokey personality that doesn’t fit).
- Show passion: Students should express their passion through detailed examples. The reader should be able to feel it through the writing!
- Be humble and reflective: Research has shown a positive correlation between intelligence and humility. Students should acknowledge those who supported their journey and demonstrate their ability to view mistakes as opportunities to grow and learn.
- Use personal stories: This is the best way to “show” rather than “tell” what a student is like. It helps the reader to connect with the student on an emotional level because it makes the applicant feel like a living, breathing human being.
- Avoid superlatives: Achievements should speak for themselves. Students should avoid overusing words like “best” or “greatest” at the risk of sounding pretentious and insincere. This goes back to prioritizing authenticity and exercising humility.
- Start early: Writing the personal statement is a process. Students should start early and give themselves time to brainstorm, draft, and refine their statements.
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