College Essay / Personal Statement Outline Activity

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College Essay / Personal Statement
Outline Activity
What is a Personal Statement?
The Personal Statement is an essay, which allows you to share information about yourself while
reflecting your interests and values. It is a chance to show you can think about things and that you can
write clearly about your thoughts. If written correctly, it will allow you to stand out.
This essay can be used OVER and OVER again to apply for college admissions and/or scholarships. It
is typically 300 words (one page) for larger, more competitive colleges and 500 words (two pages) for
smaller, private colleges.
The following highlights key ideas to remember when writing your personal statement:
Essay DO’s
Be focused, specific and get to the point. (Be direct and clear.)
Be interesting.
Be creative.
Be confident, but not arrogant.
Be personal and write about yourself.
Write an essay that only you can write.
Convey a positive message overall.
Describe things that you have experienced – sights, sounds, etc.
Use basic English.
Check carefully for grammatical errors and misspelled words.
Have it proofread by someone else.
Essay DON’Ts
Don’t wait to the last minute.
Don’t talk about classes you’ve taken or activities you’ve participated in.
That is what transcripts, activity logs and resumes are for!
Don’t sound like a thesaurus in an effort to impress.
Don’t tell them what you think they want to hear.
Don’t assume that your statement won’t be read.
Don’t spend a lot of time writing about just someone else (i.e.: parent, teacher)
Don’t forget the essay is about YOU!
College Essay / Personal Statement Outline Activity
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