What is the difference between a personal statement and essay?

<p>Do I need introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion like an essay for my college personal statement?</p>

<p>400 views and no comments. :(</p>

<p>There is no defined structure for your college essay. Also, essay = personal statement pretty much, unless you’re talking about specific supplements for individual colleges.</p>

<p>Exactly as mdross said, there’s no specific format. Some applicants are more creative with the format while others use a more generic essay format. </p>

<p>One of the most fun essays I ever read was one where the applicant answered the prompt by first wondering how her favorite authors would have answered it. She did this by writing a paragraph from their points of view. Then she wrote from hers. It was really amusing to read and I enjoyed it much more than the standard essay format.</p>