Fitting Yourself in 650: The Personal Statement

Photo Creds: Common App  

Anna Norris, Editor in Chief of The Powderhorn

Staring at a blank page at midnight, anxious senior students struggle to make their college essays unique. Despite years of varsity sports, AP classes, extracurriculars, early club meetings, and leadership opportunities, some students fear they still haven't accomplished enough. Even in the highest English courses, students are not routinely asked to write personal narrative essays, making the personal statement especially challenging. Students may choose to focus on a childhood memory, an incredible accomplishment, a passion project, a challenging experience, or a personality quirk. College admissions urge students to focus on their authentic selves instead of attempting to be the perfect applicant. 

“I like that my essay is very personal,” said senior Brecken Sauthoff. “It talks about like things about me when I was younger and experiences that I've had with that in a struggle, how it's still not perfect, but how I'm willing to grow and how I'm looking forward. I also emphasize how I'm going to benefit the college because of these goals that I have for myself and what I've learned.”

Sauthoff started her personal statement planning with a compiled list of everything unique to her, childhood obsessions, and memorable moments. After narrowing down the four that represented her the best, she began writing four rough drafts. 

“I definitely do feel like I had to emphasize all the things that I've learned,” said Sauthoff. “And why that made me a better person and kind of put it in a way that makes me marketable to colleges.”

The personal statement provides students with the opportunity to showcase their passions, perseverance, and drive for academic success. On the most popular college admissions platform, Common App, students may choose from seven prompts to write their personal statement. The Common Application essay prompts students to share their individual identity conversationally. 

“As more schools go test-optional, the personal statement is becoming more important in the overall application review, especially at schools that focus on a holistic admissions process,” said Courtney Gragg, Watauga’s Next Step Advisor. “However, for some colleges, it might not make a big difference because they already placed a strong value on essays before test-optional policies became common. Either way, the personal statement continues to be an important way for students to show who they are beyond their academic records.”

Gragg continues to inform students that the personal statement complements other application materials like test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. She reminds students not to exclude the lesson they have learned from their essay topic and explain how it connects to their growth and goals.

“Many students feel like they need to include trauma or hardship in order for their essay to be considered meaningful,” said Gragg. “But it’s important to remember that real people are reading these essays. You should never feel pressured to share something deeply personal if you’re not ready. A strong essay doesn’t have to come from a dramatic experience. Admissions officers simply want to get to know you and understand what matters to you. Often, the most powerful essays are the ones that come from everyday experiences told with honesty and thoughtfulness.”

For some students, the most challenging part of writing the essay is the length.  Essays must not exceed 650 words.

“I just wish that we had more words that we could use,” said Sauthoff. “I think that the personal statement is a fair way to evaluate applicants because, without that, you would just see the grades. You would just see the GPA. You would just see, oh, they've gotten these scores and these classes on these AP exams and done these certain activities, but without the personal essay, you don't really get to know the person's personality. And I think that's what makes it a really cool thing.”