Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your college application as a jigsaw puzzle. Your academic transcript, activities, personal statement, supplemental essays, test scores, and teacher recommendation letters are all important pieces of the puzzle; each unique piece illustrates an aspect of who you are as an individual.

Why do colleges request a personal statement? What purpose does it serve in the admissions process? 

Your personal statement is one of the most distinctive aspects of your college application. This is your opportunity to create a personal story that highlights elements of your life and individuality that aren’t reflected in the other parts of your application. The personal statement goes beyond the data points of grades and test scores, allowing you to share a meaningful glimpse into your life that might otherwise go untold. What do you want a team of college admissions officers at your dream school to know about you

Usually, students create one thoughtfully crafted personal statement, which is designed to be submitted to multiple schools. While this essay should be personal to you, it should not contain any college-specific information (for example: “My dream is to earn a nursing degree at Cornell.”) Many universities require school-specific supplemental essays, where you’ll have the opportunity to share more specific information about your interest in that college. The personal statement, however, should stay focused on you! 

What makes a great personal statement? What are colleges looking for?

Who are you? What makes you come alive? If asked, how would your loved ones describe your personality? What events have shaped your life?

Let’s consider Keith and Maria, two high school seniors in California who are applying for admission at the same top-ranked university in the northeast. Both have an unweighted 3.85 GPA, multiple AP classes, and a lengthy list of extracurricular activities, including several with a STEM focus. Both have expressed interest in pursuing a degree in computer science. Keith and Maria are both applying as test-optional applicants. They pretty much look the same on paper. 

Maria’s essay statement focuses on her experiences with self-directed learning. She describes how she worked to acquire the English language at age ten, after immigrating to Los Angeles from Guatemala, and then she taught herself to code at age fifteen. The tone is reflective and serious, and the essay reveals a great deal about Maria’s perseverance. Keith’s essay recounts a day at the carnival, and how momentarily getting stuck in a rollercoaster taught him the meaning of friendship. The tone is light-hearted and humorous. 

Both essays are well-written, but suddenly, Maria and Keith no longer seem so similar.

Colleges are looking for a personal statement that reflects your voice and gives their admissions team a glimpse into who you really are—your personality, your unique accomplishments, and the experiences that have impacted you. There is not one single road map writing to a great college essay; excellent personal statements are just as unique as the students they represent. 

When I submit my college application, who reads my personal statement? 

It only takes a few quick clicks to send your college application into the abyss, but it can feel a bit overwhelming to known that a mysterious stranger will be reading your personal story. When I was teaching writing as a high school English teacher, I would often tell my students, “Know your audience.” This is true for many forms of written expression, and the personal statement is no exception. 

Your college essay will be read by an admissions officer (or, in some cases, an admissions team.) Exactly how your essay is evaluated and how it impacts your overall application can vary from one institution to another. However, regardless of which colleges you apply to, admissions officers read your essay to learn more about you and to evaluate whether you’d make a good addition to their campus community. 

Admissions officers have been highly trained in reading college essays and eliminating personal bias in their scoring. While you may not know who that person is, you can be sure of this: they are reading your college essay to get a full picture of who you are and what you’ll bring to the table.

Your essay should share something impactful about who you are that cannot be found in other parts of your application. 

Now, let’s start writing!