Brainstorming Tips

Avoid researching example essays before you decide on your topic 

• Better yet, do not look at other essays until you have completed your essay.
• Tips are great, but other people’s stories may influence your brainstorming.

Be honest about who you are

• Nobody knows exactly what colleges look for in applicants, so just be yourself.
• Admissions readers are very experienced and will recognize lies and inconsistencies.
• Everyone has a dream school, but enrolling into a school through a fake persona may translate to you not fitting in well at the school.

Trauma can be ok to talk about

• However, be careful to not turn your essay into a sob story.
• Make sure to focus on how the experience has impacted your life and helped you grow.
• How did you overcome the challenge or what lessons did you learn?

Having a role model or inspiration is ok, but

• Remember to keep the essay about you, not how great those who inspire you are.

Questions to ask yourself for the Common App Personal Essay

• What do you feel like is integral to your character that the reader must know about?
• Do you have any life experiences that you feel really influenced who you are?
• What sets you apart from other students with similar experiences and backgrounds?
• What are you passionate about? What makes you lose track of time?
• What is the biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it and grow?