Tips to Write A Great Common App Essay
Application season has officially begun and whether seniors in high school like it or not, application deadlines will be here before they know it. One of the most dreaded and most time-consuming parts of the entire application process is the personal essay. The personal essay, also called the “Common Application Essay,” is the piece of writing that is required by most Common App schools. Students can choose from seven different prompts, including “share an essay on any topic of your choice.” The essay must be between 250 and 650 words long. All of your prospective Common App schools that require a personal statement will read this same essay to better understand your voice, character, background, and the value you can bring to their university.
For the students who know the story they want to tell, getting started on this essay can be a breeze. However, for others, the broad topic choices can seem overwhelming, and the freedom can be stressful. No matter what kind of student you are, here are a few tips to help you craft an incredible personal statement.
Some Do’s
Make sure your essay sounds like you and not your parent, sibling, friend, teacher, or thesaurus. Admission representatives can easily tell when a student does not sound like themselves. The quickest way for a student to be denied admission is to allow someone else to re-write or completely edit with their own words.
Choose a topic that interests you. You will find it easier to write about something that you actually enjoy or something personal to you. Something personal can be the information you usually keep to yourself or your closest friends and family. Maybe this topic will be challenging and painful, or maybe it will bring you ease and joy. Regardless, when you open up your feelings, you are more likely to connect with your reader. Including something personal or meaningful to you can help you come across as humble, mature, and relatable.
Use the essay as a way to show off something about yourself that the reader of your application can not find anywhere else on your application. However, don’t feel like you have to have had a huge, life-changing experience in order to have a successful essay. Sometimes seemingly small moments can lead to something greater.
Try to highlight a small moment or memory that has the potential to reveal something bigger about yourself. Focusing on a small moment may help you find meaning so instead of talking generally about an event that happened to you, focus on the climax of that event. Focusing on the most impactful event of your story will help you with self-reflection and also help direct the reader’s attention at the same time.
Try to avoid overused topics such as camp, travel abroad, and mission trips. While these topics are great, they are very common and not entirely unique. You want to choose a topic that speaks to you but also one that not everyone is going to write about in their essay.
Some Don’ts
Try to avoid making your essay sound too formal. The personal statement is very different from a paper you have to write for English class. This is not a report, this is your story!
Don’t choose a topic just because you think it “sounds good” or you think an admissions officer will like it. Admissions officers use the essay to learn more about the student. Use this essay to show the admissions committee who you are. Try not to think too much about what they might be expecting from you. Focus your thoughts on yourself and what you want to share. Show them your depth and be honest about what matters to you through your writing. Admissions officers want to hear what you have to say!
Avoid listing out your activities from your application or your activity resume. The essay should be used to show something that can not be said anywhere else on the application. This should be used to show your character and personality, not just a list of your accomplishments. You want to make sure your voice shines through so the reader of your application has a better understanding of how you might be a good fit for the university.
Try not to get advice and feedback from too many people. “Too many cooks in the kitchen” can make an essay feel chaotic and unfocused. Everyone is going to have an opinion, but in the end, yours is the only opinion that matters.
Avoid being too generic. You want the reader to remember you and your story. Admissions officers read thousands of essays so it is important to try to tell them something that they may not have seen before while also staying true to your voice.
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