Several Hints for You: How to Write a Personal Essay for College Admission

Colleges do not want research papers, debates, a science project, book reports, a persuasive essay, or a scientific analysis for the college admission process. Instead college admission officers want a personal essay from you. They have several reasons for requiring a personal essay:

• To find out who you are
• To see if you know who you are
• To see if you have assets the college may need
• To see if you have learned important lessons in life
• To find out what hobbies and talents you have

Tips

You want to sell yourself to the admissions department, but you do not want to give the school a listing of your accomplishments. You should never appear to be bragging in the admissions essay. This is not the place to list everything you have done since preschool.

Make sure you adhere to the length required and the date due. If you do not follow all the rules, your essay could be rejected. Be aware of what is expected to you and stick to the guidelines. You do not want the essay to be the reason you are not accepted for your school.

Be Unique

The acceptance decision may depend upon the college admission’s essay. You want to stand out from the crowd, and be unique. However, you want to stand out for all the right reasons. It is okay to reveal a flaw or two, but do not list and discuss every single flaw that you might have. You want to look appealing. If you write about a time you made a mistake, be sure to include what you learned from the lesson. It is important for the admissions personnel to see that you learned from your error.

Be funny. It is fine to laugh at yourself. If you can laugh at yourself, then you are comfortable with who you are. A college wants to accept students who are comfortable with whom you are.

Colleges want to accept students into their population who will both take and give to the school. The school’s reputation is based on the students’’ accomplishments, personalities, and behavior.

Find the school that best suits you and then approach the essay with all of these guidelines in mind. Sell yourself to the college and before you know it, you will be packing for college.