Personal Credo Due:
Draft Due:
Final Due:
Sebring High School
Department of English Language Arts
Springboard for Junior American Literature
Writing a Personal Essay
Overview/Goal: Students will write a multi-paragraph reflective essay about a significant personal experience
that shaped their view of happiness and/or a transcendentalist idea.
Basic Requirements:
● Typed, 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced, last name and page number at top-right
● MLA formatted heading (your name, teacher name, class and period #, due date)
● Titled: Personal Essay
● Must contain multiple paragraphs
● Minimum of 500 words, Maximum of 650 words
● Minimum of 2 Drafts
● All drafts shared and submitted via Turnitin.com
Extended Requirements:
➢ Personal Epitaph must appear before the start of the essay (one sentence summary below the title).
➢ Must be organized to include an event, your response, and reflection on how it affected you
➢ Must show: consistent tone throughout, purposefully-chosen words and phrases, vivid detail, varied
syntax
➢ Describe a personal experience and convey its significance to the reader.
➢ Revision must produce clear ideas and coherent writing, as well as evidence that the writing process
has been used (drafts and final).
Student Notes
Personal Essay: Writing Rubric
Criteria
Ideas
Exemplary (4)
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Structure
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Use of
Language
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Proficient (3)
details a significant
personal experience
about the pursuit of
happiness and/or
transcendental ideals
presents an explicit
description of how the
author felt at the time,
using carefully chosen
words to convey those
emotions
shows a mature and
insightful understanding
of the significance of the
experience to the author.
●
flows in a logical
fashion; the reader can
easily identify the
experience, the author’s
reaction, and the
reflection
is unified effectively and
provides a feeling of
satisfaction in the end.
●
uses diction, syntax, and
other stylistic devices
that are notable and
appropriate for the
subject, purpose, and
audience
contains few errors in
standard writing
conventions.
●
●
●
●
●
Emerging (2)
includes an experience ●
that involves the pursuit
of happiness and/or
transcendental ideals
describes clearly how
the author felt at the
●
time of the experience
reveals the significance
of the experience to the
author.
●
is organized in such a
way that the reader can
identify the description
of the experience, the
author’s reaction, and
the reflection
connects all elements
into a cohesive whole
and a clear ending.
●
●
uses diction, syntax, and ●
other stylistic devices
that are appropriate for
the subject, purpose,
and audience
contains errors in
●
standard writing
conventions that are
minor and do not
interfere with meaning.
Well Below (1)
includes an experience, ●
but the connection to
the pursuit of happiness
and/or transcendental
ideals may be unclear
may describe how the
author felt at the time of ●
the experience, but the
description may be on
the surface level
●
attempts to convey the
significance of the
experience to the
author.
includes an experience,
but there is no
connection to the
pursuit of happiness
and/or transcendental
ideals
does not describe how
the author felt at the
time of the experience
struggles to convey the
significance of the
experience to the
author.
●
lacks organization,
description of a
significant experience,
the author’s reaction, or
the reflection
does not tie all the
pieces together or
provide an ending.
is confusing so that the
reader may not be able
to identify the
significant experience,
the author’s reaction,
and the reflection
struggles to tie all the
pieces together, and
may end abruptly.
●
uses diction, syntax,
●
and other stylistic
devices less effectively
for the subject, purpose,
and audience
contains errors in
●
standard writing
conventions that
interfere with meaning.
uses diction, syntax,
and other stylistic
devices simplistically
for the subject, purpose,
and audience
contains errors in
standard writing
conventions that
seriously interfere with
meaning.
Your Score:
Scoring Guide
A= 12-11
/12
B=10-9
C=8-7
D=6-5
F=4 or fewer
Questions and Prompts from the Common Application to Help Guide Your Essay Writing
Note: Your essay may address parts of some or all questions/prompts. It’s up to you. Remember that your Personal Credo represents the outlook
you’ve developed now based on the experiences and feelings described in the essay.
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Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without
it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture,
community, or family.