The College Application Essay
The
Basics
Of
Writing
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Personal Statement on the
Common Application
This personal statement helps us become
acquainted with you as an individual in ways
different from courses, grades, test scores, and
other objective data. It will demonstrate your
ability to organize thoughts to express yourself
better. We are looking for an essay that will help
us know you better as a person and as a student.
Please write an essay (250-500 words) on a topic
of your choice or on one of the options listed
below. You may attach your essay on separate
sheets (same size, please).
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How is my essay evaluated?
By a multiple-scoring system: scored separately for content,
style, and mechanics.
OR
Holistically…based on comments by evaluators and the
conversation of the admission committee.
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Portraying the “REAL” You
1. Interview family and friends:
How would you describe me to people who have not met
me?
What is my best trait?
What is my worst trait?
What do you think is most unusual or unique about me?
How have I surprised you?
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Portraying the “REAL” You
2. Record your goals/dreams for your life.
3. Record your thoughts and feelings about one/two of the
topics below or one of your own choosing: self-esteem,
identity, independence from parents, academic and extracurricular success, popularity and acceptance by a peer
group, physical appearance and attractiveness, loyalty, trust
and honesty.
4. Share an excerpt from your diary or journal.
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Portraying the “REAL” You
5. Record interesting
observations about human
behavior. (People are
amazing. They do and say
some strange things!)
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Preparing for the College Essay
Read the works of essayists
2. Read the editorial section of your local newspaper, articles from
The NewYorker.
3. College admission websites…mission statement, philosophy,
history, values, image, policies, attitudes, accomplishments.
4. Read issues of the newspaper from the college to which you are
applying.
5. CAREFULLY READ THE DIRECTIONS AND GUIDELINES
FOR WRITING THE ESSAY ON THE COLLEGE
APPLICATION.
8. Admissions officers will detect high school essays disguised as
college application essays.
1.
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Essays about a personal relationship
 Teacher, coach, distant relative, your arch-rival at school,
neighbor, cyber friend, member of friend’s family
 NOT YOUR PET.
 Sample Essay #14
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Commonly discussed Issues
 Environment, world peace,
prejudice, drugs,
crime…blah, blah, blah…
 YOU WANT TO BE
UNIQUE! REMEMBER?
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Under-explored issues
 Individual rights
 Right to die
 AIDS
 Abortion
 Gun control
 Materialism
 Equity and justice
 Free trade
 Internet issues like privacy
 Alienation, education, commerce
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The Issues Essay
• ONE issue you feel strongly about. Use specific details.
 Make it clear why this issue is important to you.
 Will this issue help your reader understand you better? What will
they know about you once they’ve finished your essay?
 Can you make this issue interesting to your reader? Will they care
about it?
 Employ creativity, humor, and personal stories in “issues” essays so
they don’t become a deadly bore.
 It’s okay to be controversial, but don’t cross the line and become
offensive or argumentative!
http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html
 Sample essay #24
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The personal growth, formative experience,
life-changing adventure essay
NO
College admission process, your vacation, your wilderness
experience, winning/losing a competition, the benefits of
discipline, summer camp, a part-time job, an unforgettable
experience, UNLESS you take a UNIQUE perspective.
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The personal growth, formative experience,
life-changing adventure essay
YES
An ordinary field trip that became extraordinary, a piece of
literature/song that influenced how you perceive life/
yourself/others, an unexpected gift, a white lie/insult that
helped you to grow, an informal social situation that
impacted you, a time when an authority figure let his/her
guard down.
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The personal growth, formative experience, lifechanging adventure essay
 ONE growth experience ONLY
 Be specific: give details, be personal, use descriptive language.
 Choose an experience that reflects something about yourself and
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shows how a crisis was resolved. What will your reader know
about you after they finish this essay?
 Be clear about what you’ve learned from this experience, but
don’t write “I have learned blah blah blah” or “This taught me blah
blah." Instead, try to weave your observations and evidence of
growth throughout the essay’s story. Reflection is a key element
in this kind of essay.
http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.h
tml
 Sample Essay #33
The Famous Person Essay
 Choose a person you know about, someone of sincere importance
to you.
 Don’t choose a person because you think she or he is the “correct
answer." Imagine reading 50 essays about Helen Keller, Michael
Jordan, or Grandma. Ugh.
 Be very specific about why this person is important to you. Why
are you drawn to him or her? What is special about him or her? You
can choose anyone -- even Helen Keller, Michael Jordan, or
Grandma -- if you can be specific and interesting.
 The person you choose to write about will reflect something
about you. What will your reader learn about you from this essay?

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http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.html
Personal Qualities Essay
DON’T
1. Lists of your
favorite/least favorite
things
2. Your determination
and tenacity
3. Your diversity of
interests
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Personal Qualities Essay
YES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Quirks that annoy others.
A time you put your foot
in your mouth.
A personal possession to
which you have become
unreasonably attached.
Your unusual
awkwardness in some
social situations.
Sample Essay #3
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DO…
 BE YOURSELF- PERSONAL AND ANECDOTAL. Let your
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personality shine through. Avoid language that seems stiff or stuffy.
Your essay is the place for your true, unique voice to speak to the
readers. They will appreciate your authenticity.
DELIVER A POSITIVE MESSAGE.
ENSURE DEPTH…ONE IDEA/EVENT/ONE FOCUS.
BE INTERESTING.
WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW AS A TEEN/YOUR OWN
EXPERIENCE.
WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU FEEL PASSIONATE
ABOUT.
EXPRESS YOUR OPINION WITHOUT BEING OFFENSIVE.
DO
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DO keep a clear and singular focus. Ask yourself how every
paragraph -- even every sentence -- relates to your intended focus.
DO choose examples to clarify your focus. One or two carefully
chosen incidents can be much more effective than several which
do not clearly relate to your topic.
DO write with energetic verbs and specific details. Help
your readers feel your experience -- draw them in with your
choice of words. Effective use of verbs and details engages your
readers and makes your essay more memorable.
DO write your essay with attention to structure. Does your
essay have an introduction? A conclusion? Do your paragraphs and
sentences conform to basic grammatical conventions? Essay
readers expect well-written, polished essays without disruptive
grammatical or convention errors
DON’T
 SELL YOURSELF or EXPLAIN DEFICITS ON YOUR
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APPLICATION .
WRITE A SCHOLARLY RESEARCH PAPER or HIGH SCHOOL
ESSAY.
WRITE SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR OFFENSIVE.
WRITE A NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL/SOAP BOX ESSAY.
BE CYNICAL.
REFERENCE POPULAR MUSICIANS, MOVIES, T.V. SHOWS,
DR. SEUSS BOOKS…
WHINE, FEIGN HUMILITY, BOAST…
OPENINGS
 ENIGMATIC STATEMENT
 OBSCURE QUOTATION
 INSIGHTFUL QUESTION
 TRIVIAL OBSERVATION
 PARADOX
 GROSS GENERALIZATION
 SOMEONE ELSE’S
OPINION/THEORY
 A CONFESSION
SAMPLE OPENINGS
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CLOSING
DO
 BRING CLOSURE.
 RESOLVE SUSPENSE CREATED IN THE ESSAY.
 COMPOSE SHORT, FORCEFUL SENTENCES.
DON’T
 Ask the committee to admit you.
 Use “finally”, “in conclusion”.
 Repeat yourself.
SAMPLE CLOSINGS
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Style (See Guidelines for writing a college application essay Handout)
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DO
Use IMAGERY but not to excess.
Incorporate dialogue, but don’t write a screenplay.
Read your essay aloud to ensure it has a natural flow.
Use energetic verbs and specific details.
Avoid overused words like responsibility, interact, develop,
leadership, interpersonal, goal, role, integrity, excellence.
Avoid SLANG and BUZZ phrases.
Avoid superfluous words like first, second, (etc.), thus, moreover,
the next point.
PROOFREAD AND REVISE.
STYLE
DON’T
Tell. Instead show.
Start too many sentences
with “I”.
Use the phrases “a lot of ” or
“tons of ”. Try “many”,
“numerous”, “significant”.
Have spelling errors.
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PRESENTATION
Attach your essay separately if the college allows.
2) Use ONLY plain, white, quality 81/2 * 11 paper with no
personalized embellishments.
1)
3) Do not use staples unless the school asks.
4) Do not exceed the word limit by more than 10%.
5) Type in Arial or Times New Roman, font size 12. Double space.
6)
7)
8)
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1-11/2 inch margins unless school requests otherwise.
Number each page. Record your name and ss# on each page.
Collate your essays in the order requested.
SOURCES
As brilliant and creative as I am, I did rely heavily on the sources
below!
Stewart, Mark Alan and Cynthia C. Muchnick. Best College
Admission Essays. Canada: Thomson, 2002.
http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/mmhs/wyatt/pathway/cllad.htm
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