Writing the Personal Statement

I feel like many of my students may be intimidated to write because they think that their words “sound dumb”. This problem becomes especially paralyzing in the Fall, when college applications are due and many of our seniors are stuck, unable to write their personal statement. They get caught up trying to pick words that make their essays flow best and that also make them “sound smart”. But at the end of the day, by trying to be fancy, their essays end up confusing and nonsensical. I get lost in their narratives, misunderstanding the points they are trying to make. What they really need to do, is keep it simple.



Many of the readings this summer, especially this one, reminded me that it is the meaning behind the words that matter most, not the words themselves. Of course grammar and syntax are important, but the message of the personal statements are more valuable. When my seniors come asking for help on their personal statements this year, I think I might have them read the highlighted sections on pages 268 and 269 before they get started. Hopefully, it will help them at least begin to see that their essay doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.