<p>Personal Statement Tips: </p>
<p>1) Begin writing drafts well ahead of the due date for the application. This will serve you well. Trust me. Working on your essay all the way up to the last minute just doesn't cut it.</p>
<p>2) Explore your essay topic with freedom, but do keep in mind that writing about sex, drugs, alcohol, crimes, or abusive relationships won't help you at all. Also, try to avoid talking about world peace, community service, sporting events, deaths, and other tragedies in your own life or in the world. Try to write about something that may have held you back, but which you have also learned about yourself from. You could also try writing about your inner self during an activity. For instance, you could write about what goes through your head as you paint. Also, remember to steer clear of reminding admissions officers of your numerous extracurricular activities. Try focusing on that one experience that meant the most to you, that job that taught you the most about yourself, or even those stilettos in your closet that you use to identify yourself with. The point of an essay is to present yourself in a personal way that you can't in your extracurricular activities. </p>
<p>3) Write a few drafts if you have to. Look at essay topics on different schools' sites to see what your options are, but never feel restricted to these options. Usually, colleges have an option that allows you to use your own prompt. Sometimes, these same colleges even display essays that have worked in the past. Look at these essays, but never copy off of their style. Your best bet is to use these essays as indicators of what the school looks for, and use your own stories. </p>
<p>4) Write in your own voice. Seriously, you might think that using SAT words will get you into college, but doing so will do nothing but hurt you in the end. Writing in your own voice is ultimately what will make you stand out! </p>
<p>5) Always check grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction, structure, indentation, and miscellaneous elements! ALL colleges want to make sure that you know how to write well.</p>
<p>6) Keep your reader interested. This may seem contradictory to the fourth bullet, but every person has the ability to dig deep. Include details and do some soul-searching regarding a sliver of your life. Metaphors, similes, and descriptions are some examples of great ways to express yourself. Make sure that these are thought out well. </p>
<p>7) Don't let too many people read your essay and edit it. The best person to go to is probably your English teacher. I went to my junior year AP Language and Composition teacher, who's also the head of the English department at my alma mater, and her input helped quite a bit. Next, you should go to a college counselor and/or your guidance counselor. While your essay is being read by others, take a step back and look at it with fresh eyes later. This relates back to the first bullet. </p>
<p>8) Proofread your essay! Nothing is worse than submitting an essay full of errors.</p>