Personal+Essay

__Prompts from the Common Application__
toc 1. Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it.f this sounds like you, then please share your story 2. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? 3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? 4. Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there? And why is it meaningful to you.? 5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community or family.

__Examples of Personal Essays__
[|Examples of personal essays from John Hopkins University with comments]

[|Sample Essays from Spark Notes]

[|Four winning college essays about money, class and working (from the NY Times)]

You Be the Judge! Read and critique the following essays [|sample with critique # 1] [|sample with critique # 2]

__**Tips for Writing your College Essay** __
[|Choosing a College Essay Topic]

[|Writing your personal essay]

[|Top ten rules and pitfalls]

[|Outline you can use for writing a college essay]

[|Essays tips from College Board]

[|sample with critique # 1]

[|sample with critique # 2]

Brainstorming Ideas for your personal essay
How to prepare for your college essay: take time to brainstorm and remember. Below are some jumping off points: Determine the characteristics and facts which are important in describing yourself
 * Are you a first generation college student?
 * Are you a first generation American?
 * Have you experienced something “life changing” (ie. Overcome an illness, handicap or natural disaster etc
 * Have you come to America as a child or adolescent?
 * Have you pushed yourself in some event/ occasion beyond what you thought you were capable?
 * Do you see the world differently than your friends/ family? Why? How?
 * Are you passionate about some issues, which causes to take action? Why?
 * Is there someone or an event in your family who/ which has had a major impact on your life?


 * Finally… **
 * Do not write an essay that is like everyone else’s ** //(I’ve experienced discrimination since 9/11; I’ve overcome a spell of bad grades and poor attitude but now I’ve turned myself around; I’ve realized how fortunate I am to be living in the US//) These topics will make the admissions committee fall asleep or worse (think you’re not very creative). BE UNIQUE!

Take time! Take notes of what matters to you, think about your life – passions, where you live, what you believe in.

Figure out how to tell a short story – make the facts and characteristics come alive

A story usually has a beginning, middle and an end.

Brainstorming Worksheet
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">One of the best methods of brainstorming is to begin with a grand list of potential topics and slowly let the best rise to the top. In order to generate a laundry list of important people, events, accomplishments and activities in your life, fill in the worksheet below. As you go through this lesson, you will begin to separate the good ideas from the bad.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">1. If you were writing your autobiography right now, what would be __five to ten__ events or things that would have to be included? It will be easiest to think over your life chronologically. **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">2. Ask a few friends or family members to pick five adjectives or personality traits that characterize you. List them here: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">2. Ask a few friends or family members to pick five adjectives or personality traits that characterize you. List them here: **

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Friend or Family Member #1

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Friend or Family Member #2

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Friend or Family Member #3


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">3. List __five accomplishments__ you have made over the last five years. (Do not limit yourself to accomplishments for which you have been formally recognized since the most interesting essays are often based on accomplishments that may have seemed insignificant at the time but become crucial when placed in the context of your life. **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">4. List __three to five things__ on which you consider yourself very knowledgeable **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">5. What are your most important extracurricular or community activities? **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">6. List 5 people whom you respect and admire. They can be real or fictional, dead or alive. **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">7. ****<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">What are your Values? **<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Choice also reflects values. The person who drives a beat-up, rusty, 1971 Volkswagen is making a statement about how she wants to spend her money and what she cares about. We say, "That dress isn't me" or "I'm not a cat person." In choosing, you indicate what matters to you and how you perceive yourself <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">8. Identify a mistake that you have made in the past. What did you learn about yourself? **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">9. Ask your parents for five events in your life that they will always remember **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">9. List four of your favorite things and four of your least favorite. These can include activities, places, objects, virtues, etc. **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Favorites **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Least Favorites **