How To Compose A Personal Statement for College Applications

In college admissions, the personal statement (sometimes called the main essay) is the crowning jewel of your application. All the other requirements are, of course, important, but they all present you in a very “matter-of-fact” kind of way. Hard numbers and lists of achievements. But the personal statement? The personal statement gives admissions officers your story, and that story is your voice. Unfortunately, not many people actually know how to “use” their voice. So, we’ve curated the best tips and practices for you to craft a winning personal statement!

What’s the Purpose of a Personal Statement in College Applications?

Before we discuss how to make your story stand out, it’s important to clarify what the personal statement is for and what admissions officers want to see. 

What Makes You Unique

Without the personal statement, all applicants will end up sounding the same. If you and your friend took the same classes, joined the same clubs, and participated in the same community service opportunities, you would be indistinguishable. This is where the personal statement comes into play. Even if you write about the same exact activity, your personal statements will be unique from each other because you’ve experienced that activity differently. Without the personal statement, all applicants would start sounding the same, making it impossible for admissions to actually choose!

Chance to Show Your Authentic Self

In most cases, the personal statement is the only way for an admissions officer to see—forgive me for this cliche—the real you. Ideally, the statement would be written by you, conveying the intricacies of your personality. Not a lot of students realize this, but the way you write and your tone are sometimes all that is needed to indicate what kind of person you are. It, therefore, is important to be as authentic and as passionate as you can be when writing your personal statement. 

What Makes a Personal Statement Stand Out?

In a sea of quite literally thousands of applicants, the first thing that you may be thinking about is, “How can I possibly stand out?” Well, unless you have a story worth adapting into an award-winning film, you’re going to need a few pointers from us. 

How To Write Compellingly 

Most students are often discouraged before they even start writing their personal statements because they believe that what they have may not be as interesting as other students’ stories. Yes, it’s true that having a story that’s about saving the rainforest or helping a village get access to water is compelling and inspiring. We know the average student does not have those same kinds of opportunities; however, that does not mean you can’t make them compelling or inspiring. 

It’s important to remember that what makes the best novels or films isn’t the setting or events; it’s the characters reacting to those settings or events. In this case, don’t compare your stories with others, focus on developing the character—developing you. To help you, here are a few guide questions you can ask yourself when writing your personal statement. 

1. What challenges have you faced?
2. How did you overcome these challenges?
3. How did these challenges change you?
4. Having faced these challenges, what will you do now?

Notice how all these questions are directed at you. That’s because you’re the best part of the story! These “challenges” can be anything. You don’t have to save the world to be compelling; you just need to be true to yourself. 

Believability in your Personal Statement

Perhaps one of the most important and overlooked aspects a personal statement can have. Believability goes a long way, if you don’t tell your story authentically, admissions officers will see right through it. One of the ways to make it believable is to make it relatable.

Relatability: How Not To “Other” Yourself

Students, especially high-achieving ones, often make the mistake of “othering” themselves from the reader and take the personal statement as a chance to brag about how great they are. If the only thing you highlight is your success, nobody will think it’s real. So, how do you make yourself relatable? The hardships. If there’s one thing that every human being shares, it is that we are all going through it. Thus, it’s important to emphasize your journey through those hardships and authentically communicate your feelings. Express in your personal statement the struggle you endured, the tears you’ve cried, and the relief of having gone through it. This is what makes you relatable; this is what makes you human. 

Personal Anecdotes: Show Don’t Tell

Another way to simultaneously stand out and be authentic is using personal anecdotes. You’ve probably heard of the age-old writing tip: show, don’t tell, a great way to do that is through anecdotes. Instead of saying, “I’m a hardworking student!” show your reader by writing about an anecdote that embodies your quality as a hardworking student. Maybe it was that time when you were staying late for a project, or maybe that time you covered for your friend for a group activity. The point is that personal anecdotes help create a memorable impression on the admissions office. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Personal Statement

Novice writers, let alone young students, often fall into some common trappings when writing the personal statement. Knowing these pitfalls can help you avoid these mistakes and compose a winning personal statement!

Being Too Generic or Cliché

Again, remember that admissions officers will read thousands of essays, and more than a few will be bound to sound the same. Your biggest flaw in this case would be playing it safe! Be creative! Don’t use the format laid out by dozens of websites, try to create your own. Be a breath of fresh air for the admissions committee. If not, you run the risk of weakening the impact of your otherwise amazing personal statement. Here are a few tips to avoid being too generic or cliché:

• Avoid overused expressions or metaphors, and make up new ones!

• Be specific; do not generalize your anecdotes

• Don’t impress, be authentic. 

• Always reflect and express your unique thoughts

Using AI to Write For You

Let’s get one thing clear: we are not technophobic! But it’s important to remember that the personal statement, as the name would suggest, is personal. If you use any AI writing tool, no matter how specific your prompt is, it’s not going to be personal enough, and that directly violates one of the purposes of the personal statement that we mentioned earlier.  Using AI removes your voice. Also, many schools already frown upon using AI for essays, and it’s pretty easy to check. Admissions officers have multiple AI-checking tools, and if caught, it may result in instant rejection. 

Ignoring the Value of Feedback From Others

It bears repeating, but the personal statement is personal. We understand that you might be a bit too shy to share your statement with other people. However, feedback is always helpful in any writing task. It’s important not to indulge in yourself and have people critique your work. You may think that the paragraph you wrote was amazing, but other people may think it just needs a little bit more work—and that’s okay!

Need Help? Cardinal Education Can Lend a Hand!

The independent admissions consultants at Cardinal Education can offer expert guidance on college admissions, prepare for interviews and tests, and, of course, refine your personal statement. With academic coaching, test prep, and private school admissions support, we ensure students present themselves as top candidates.

For expert insights on maximizing your child’s chances of admission, contact us today and let our experts guide you through the process.

Like what you see here? We are happy to permit you to use our material as long as you link back! Please refer to us as the Cardinal Education Blog.

Related Articles

How to Write a Standout Personal Statement for Private School Applications

The Pitfalls of the Personal Statement Essay — The Shouldn’ts in Writing It