Hi guys, so I’m new to CC as a member and I am currently a high school senior. i was wondering what topics I should write about in my personal statements for college applications. Also what writing style should I embody in order to show college that I am interesting??
Anything you feel passionate about would make a good topic. If you write from the heart, the reader will sense it. If you write on a subject you don’t really care about, the reader is likely to be as bored as you. Write in a style that feels natural to you. Don’t put on a “fancy” style to impress, because you won’t. Sincerity is key, as are good grammar and spelling. Have several people give you feedback on it and really listen to what they say. If no one “gets” what you’re trying to communicate, chances are the admissions committees won’t either.
The idea is to give the admissions committee a chance to learn something about you can can’t be found just by reading the application. Go from there.
@sheepskin00 Do you personally think it would be ok if I wrote about a topic I truly am passionate about even though I am not really impacting anyone other than myself? I feel like people start charities, publish their artwork, and do cutting edge high level research, but my personal passion is more of a hobby just for me to learn and experiment on my own.
@happy1 Could you maybe give me an example? I am interested but confused that there is more to me than my application. Do you mean like to show my personality or my interest?
The admissions officers use the essay to get a sense of who you are as a person, beyond your transcripts, scores, and activities. They can see from the application what you’ve done. What they can’t see is whether you’re thoughtful, insightful, wise, kind, passionate (better to do one thing passionately than a dozen without heart), funny, etc. Don’t waste precious essay space just rehashing things they can read in other parts of your application. One of the best college essays I’ve ever seen was about how the kid wasn’t really all that special. What actually made the essay special in spite of itself was its wit and humor. You don’t want to come across as one of those manufactured high-school successes who did everything “right” but is boring as hell. You want them to want to hang out with you for 4 years. If you don’t come across as someone who’d be an asset to the college as a PERSON, you’re not likely to get in. Especially at your reaches. There will be so many applicants with better records than yours that you’ve got to win on personality. Does that make sense?
@sheepskin00 Thank you so much for your insight! Another question, although this is a personal issue, I am a math and science inclined person, so my writing skills are weak and my writing style is somehow simultaneously boring and confusing. Do you think I should use a more casual, informal writing style instead of the more traditional, formal tone that used in essays in school?
Remember that the admissions committee isn’t just passing judgment on whether you’d make a good student; it’s also trying to decide whether anyone is going to want to spend 4 years with you. So keep in mind that you’re not writing an article for an academic journal. You want to come across as smart but also personable and funny. If humor isn’t your strong suit, don’t force it. Nothing unfunnier than trying too hard to be funny. That said, try not to sound too uptight.