Guide Your Students in Writing a Personal Statement Essay for College Admission and Self-Reflection

By: Alyx Matchett

The college essay or personal statement, akin to a semi-formal rite of passage, has become a valuable tool in self-discovery for my students, even for those who choose not to apply to college during 12th grade. No matter their post-secondary pathway, we must empower students with the skills they need to navigate uncertainty, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. It’s not just about crafting a compelling essay or choosing a major; it’s about the transformative impact of providing students the time and space to reflect on what they care about and why it matters.

Just as classroom teachers strive to understand and connect with each student in their classroom, colleges aim to uncover the essence of their applicants through this critical piece of writing. While transcripts, test scores, recommendations, and activity lists present a snapshot of academic merit and focus, this essay serves as a beacon for colleges and universities, especially the highly selective ones. With an approximate length of 650 words, the personal statement is more than just a piece of writing; it's an introduction to the experiences, moments, and insights that have shaped the students into the individuals they are today.

Before we delve into guiding your students through the essential elements of their personal statements, let's clarify a few things the essay is not, courtesy of College Essay Guy:

It's not a typical five-paragraph English class essay with an introduction, argumentative thesis, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
It's not a mere recitation of their resumes.
It's more than a journal entry, although some structural elements might share similarities.
And most importantly, it's not an academic essay where students shy away from the personal pronoun "I."

Now that we've established the significance of the personal statement, let's dive into the intricacies of what to include. In guiding your students, it is important for them to understand how this essay showcases the skills, qualities, values, and interests that they will bring to a college campus (and the world at large!). This can be achieved through recounting moments, sharing stories, and reflecting on experiences that have shaped their values, with the exercises linked below.

Step 1: Brainstorming through Identifying Values and Relatable Experiences

Despite students having the benefit of writing about themselves, students will struggle without guidance. Since the goal is to reflect on one’s personal values, I suggest students begin with the Values Exercise.

Once values are identified, students need some self-discovery to determine how those values were formed. Here is a list of activities that help students find key moments in their lives that students can then connect to their identified values:

Essence Objects Exercise: Encourage students to brainstorm around objects that hold significance in their lives. These objects can serve as tangible representations of their values, providing material for a compelling story.
21 Details Exercise: Guide students to list 21 specific details about themselves. This exercise prompts them to delve into both significant and seemingly trivial aspects of their lives, fostering a rich pool of potential content for their essays.
7 Short Brainstorming Exercises: If my students are struggling to find a topic, I will often direct them to this video with 7 more exercises to do on their own. These exercises cover everything from identity to careers to interests to extracurricular activities.

The goal of this step is to encourage reflection on personal experiences, values, and aspirations, ensuring that their essays are not only compelling but also authentic expressions of who they are. Students may want to include career or academic goals, or conversely, be worried about their uncertainty in this regard. When addressing academic and career goals with my students, I clarify that including these goals are optional and colleges recognize students may still be exploring their paths.

Step 2: Choose a Text Structure and Start Drafting

In structuring the personal statement essay, I will suggest two main types: montage and narrative structure.

Montage Structure is a series of experiences and insights connected by a thematic thread. Through this model, you might encourage students to consider exploring different facets of their identity through this approach, such as recounting experiences from various "homes" that reveal different sides of who they are.

Montage Draft Outline Checklist

Does my montage outline include:

A topic or theme that is clear? Or is it kind of vague?
Specific examples in each paragraph? Do they clearly connect to the topic?
Values?
Insights (aka “so what” moments)?

Narrative Structure, similar to classic Western story structure, with a focus on Challenges Faced, Actions Taken, and Lessons Learned. If a student is considering discussing challenges that they have faced, this shows a chronological retelling of how they resolved a problem in their lives.

Narrative Draft Outline Checklist

Does my narrative outline include:

The challenges you faced?
The effects of the challenges were on you?
What you did to overcome your challenges?
What you learned through these experiences?

These are the most common text structures used in college admissions essays. Students could certainly get creative in their structure by combining montage & narrative, or by using a different approach entirely.

Step 3: Offer Feedback like a College Admissions Advisor

Focus on the importance of college-level writing skills such as clear articulation of ideas, strong text organization, adherence to the 650-word limit, and proofreading once the drafting is done.

Ask questions that help students showcase their core values. The finished piece should show the reader what kind of person they are. Encourage students to seek feedback from peers, other teachers, and/or counselors.

The college admissions essay process is a journey of self-discovery and expression, offering students the opportunity to reflect on their past, present, and future aspirations. By guiding them through each step with patience, encouragement, and strategic support, English teachers play a pivotal role in empowering students to articulate their stories authentically and compellingly. As they embark on this transformative endeavor, remind them that their voices matter, and their narratives have the power to resonate profoundly with admissions committees. With diligence, reflection, and resilience, students can craft personal statements that not only stand out amidst the sea of applications but also illuminate their unique identities and potential for academic and personal growth.

Here are a few more resources that may help you along the way:

College Application Resource Hub

WPCTE Blog

Monday, April 1, 2024