The College Personal Statement- Achievement and Character

Summer has officially arrived and, for my rising seniors, it is time to work on the "college essay" or "personal statement".   

The college essay is an opportunity for students to set themselves apart, a chance to present a side of them that may not be reflected on the application.   There is no question that grades, test scores and awards play a major role in the admissions process.  Applications offer ample space for these achievements to be outlined and highlighted.  But achievements alone do not tell the whole story.  Colleges are looking for a more comprehensive profile of the applicant, one that speaks to character and personality traits.  They want to look into their souls and discover aspects of them that cannot be quantified. Alan Grove, Professor of English at Alfred University, writes in an article for About.com that “most colleges rate character and personal qualities as extremely important in their admissions decisions.” He also goes on to say that, simply listing achievements to get their points across, may make students seem arrogant.  Often times, the story lies in how the student struggled and persevered to accomplish what they are being recognized for.  

Along with awards, recognitions and leadership roles, students may have overcome a challenge, been faced with a dilemma or had an experience that has made an impression on them.  These can also be considered achievements and are extremely effective in showing a student’s character.       

For my students, I ask them to come up with four adjectives they would use to describe themselves. Then, I tell them to think of an achievement they have had as a result of those adjectives.

Writing a college essay can be an adventure.  Often, students embark on journeys of self exploration.  Their intended themes may take on different faces as they reflect on themselves, their points of view or past experiences. Often, they learn something new about themselves. 

The following are some examples of essay topics that may help students show their true character.

Take a walk in my shoes-

I move around a lot.  Since the sixth grade, I have lived in four cities and have attended as many schools.  I average about one school every one and a half years.   Being the new kid on the block is challenging …

A brief descriptive snippet of a moment in my life-

The voice on the speaker announced my name as I was told to excuse myself from homeroom and go to the Principal’s office.  This was a very awkward moment for me as I got up in front of twenty other students whom I had only met just days ago.  As I left the room, all eye gazing on me, my emotions were filled with deep embarrassment and fear of the unknown….

A humbling or embarrassing situation-

There was this girl in my English class last year that I could not get my mind off of.  Everyday, I would come to class in the hopes that the seat next to her was not occupied.  I don’t know what it was about her, the way she dressed, her mannerisms and facial expressions or simply the way she looked.  Whatever it was, I liked her and she drove me to do the most awkward, clumsy and stupid things.  It all came crashing down on me one day in class.  I …