I recently heard the college application likened not to a single event, but to a decathlon, and I think that metaphor is helpful. While there are a handful of institutions that make decisions based solely on standardized test scores and GPA, the vast majority of colleges and universities give strong consideration to non-cognitive skills as well. In most cases, student needs to stand out across a number of measures, at least 10, to win the gold medal of admission.
Of these non-cognitive assessments, the personal statement is the most powerful 650 words a student shares with admissions readers. While much of the rest of the application tells what the student is; class president, varsity soccer team midfielder, barista at Starbucks, of 4th of 5 children, the essay gives the applicant the chance to talk about who they are. More than just “telling their story,” this narrative must move well beyond plot and explore character, motivation, and even conflict because, after all, without conflict there is no story, is there?
There can be a temptation to think eye-catching moments like a service trip to Costa Rica or scoring the winning goal in a championship game will impress admissions readers. However, far more important than the event or the accomplishment itself is the meaning that the student derives from the experience. Even, and perhaps especially, seemingly inconsequential moments can paint the most intimate and compelling portrait. For example, Joanna wrote an essay for Johns Hopkins about her inability to tie the red and white string around pastry boxes in a way that cleverly alluded to her understanding of the applications of string theory. Sophia’s essay for Tufts was about the lessons picking cherry tomatoes taught her. Jerry Seinfeld created a successful comedy series that he proudly proclaimed was “a show about nothing” but, in fact, in each episode we learned about the characters as they wrestled with mundane dilemmas familiar to all of us. In this way so too can a powerfully introspective essay connect insights gleaned from a moment to larger themes in the writer’s life.
Beyond being an engaged and dutiful student, colleges look for qualities such as integrity, grit, and initiative. In his college essay, Breaking Into Cars, Stephen learned how growing up in a large and chaotic household taught him how to “to face a serendipitous world with confidence.” A student who can recall family mantras like “Smiths don’t quit” or “If you want to get anywhere, measure yourself against those who are better than you” or even, “Sit up straight!” can turn into wonderful essays about how people and events in a student’s life have taught them to hold the values they do.
A person’s motivation also speaks of their character. While other parts of the application show what the student does, the personal statement gives the context to why they do these things. The personal statement is the application’s opportunity to share what gets them out of bed in the morning, what makes their mind spin, or what inspires them. A student who volunteers for a political campaign because they are interested in learning more about politics has different motives and priorities than the volunteer who is committed to the victory of the candidate who supports his specific issues.
And finally, conflict, the sine qua non of story-telling. How a student identifies, addresses, and resolves the conflicts they face reveals their sense of agency. Even stories about botched attempts at resolution can provide rich material for a personal essay. We learn more about people when we watch them struggle than when we watch them succeed. Students shouldn’t worry about being vulnerable in their essays. In fact, it can be that very quality that makes an essay particularly endearing.
While most stories wrap up neatly, in the personal statement there is no expectation that the applicant has it all figured out and is a fully actualized person. In fact, what college would want to admit such a student? Instead, the essay should end with some momentum, suggest the direction in which the student is heading and allude to how they might respond to situations in the future. No need for our hero to ride off into the sunset –they just need to give hints about where the road they are on might take them.