“You don’t have to shoot for perfection…just tell us your story.”
~Jacob Browne
Dean of Admission, Eckerd College
I am shifting gears and turning my focus to my cohort of juniors as my seniors finalize their decisions. Naturally, writing always comes up in our meetings and they wonder about how to write the college essay. Here are five things to keep in mind when you think about the Common App personal statement:
- Tell your story-use this space to share something about yourself that is not already in your application.
- If you write about things that are authentic and interesting to you, you are more likely to have an interesting and authentic essay.
- These essays are short! They have a 650 word cap. Read several sample essays to get a sense of how quickly you need to say your piece and bring it in for a landing.
- This writing should sound like a teenager wrote it. Do not let multiple people edit and make changes. Let your voice come through.
- This goal should guide you: imagine your essay fell out of your notebook at school and there was no name on it. This piece should have so much detail about you that the person that finds the paper knows that it is yours and can return it to you.
Stay tuned for Parts 2 & 3!