If you’re applying to college, you’ve likely already figured out that many essays stand between you and a submitted application. Between supplemental and personal statement essays, some students struggle to keep them straight! Not only that, but a significant amount of strategy is involved in what students choose to write about and where, and starting out without knowing this puts you at a disadvantage for wasted time.
The two main types of essays – the personal statement and the supplemental essays – each serve distinct purposes. While they all work together to present a compelling and holistic picture of an applicant, you want to make sure you’re thinking about what personal stories work best where and in response to what prompts.
That’s why we’ve written this blog– to help you understand what these essays are asking and the important considerations you should keep in mind as you decide what goes where. If you’re still struggling to map out your essays, by the end of this blog, check out our team bios, learn what to expect in a counseling session, or schedule a free consultation to discuss how college essay advising might be right for you!
The Purpose of the Personal Statement
The personal statement is the centerpiece of any college application. Not only is it usually (not always) the longest essay you’ll be asked to write, but it is also sent out to nearly all colleges you apply to. This is your chance to answer the question for admissions officers: who are you outside of your test scores, transcripts, and extracurriculars? And what matters to you?
You can write about anything you want in the personal statement (with some limits!). Some students choose to write about challenges they’ve encountered and overcome, or experiences they’ve had that are particularly meaningful to who they are and who they want to be. There is no one right answer!
However, one common mistake students make is attempting to make their personal statement just a list of their accomplishments or a narrative resume. It’s important to stay away from this genre of essay writing because not only do you already submit a resume in the form of an activities list, but you’re missing the unique chance colleges are giving you to show them who you are.
For more on what we have to say about writing a great college essay, check out these blogs:
8 Tips for Your Personal Statement
10 Successful Personal Statement Examples
What Makes a College Essay Stand Out
College Essay Writing Tips: Finding Your Opening Hook
The Purpose of Supplemental Essays
Supplemental essays, on the other hand, are much more specific to each school you’re applying to. In supplemental essays, you’re often given somewhere around 250 words to get your point across in response to a variety of questions. Some schools might ask you to describe a community you’re a part of; others might encourage you to tell them about an academic experience that impacted you; many will ask you both!
It’s not uncommon to be required to fill out multiple supplemental essays for one school, and while this may feel like a drag, it’s important to take this seriously. Colleges often use supplemental essays– especially with the “Why Us?” essay– as indicators of interest.
Why? Colleges can often tell when you copy and paste the same supplemental essay from one school to another. That’s not to say you can’t have a template, but if the only change you’re making is switching out the name of the school– you’re not doing it right. When tailoring your essays, you should consider factors like what the school offers that you’re interested in studying, how you can contribute to their campus, and what the prompt is actually asking you. You’ll find that there are actually slight differences in what one school wants to know in their supplemental essay over another, and failing to address this can suggest a lack of interest or a lack of attention to detail.
Spend time writing thoughtful, concise responses that help show different areas than what you have on display in your personal statement. Your supplemental essays are a chance to show range. So, if you spend your entire personal statement talking about the time you led your tennis team to victory, your community supplemental essay probably isn’t the best time to bring it up again.
Check out more of our blogs on supplemental essays:
Deciding What Goes Where
The part that many students struggle with when it comes to drafting their essay plans is knowing what to put where. Some students might start writing their personal statement thinking they have enough to say about X topic, only to find that they don’t have as much to say as they thought, or that only after completing the essay, they find that this topic might’ve worked better for a supplemental essay.
To combat this, we recommend that students take stock of which stories they think are most foundational and influential in who they are before breaking ground on their essays. This might mean making a simple list of experiences that are important to you– maybe the time you won the big game, completed a particularly meaningful assignment, enjoyed an out-of-school activity or summer program, the time you saved the day at your summer job or time spent with friends– there are no wrong answers.
You should look at your college list once you’ve brainstormed your list of important stories. From there, you can see what questions they ask students in their supplemental essays, then decide what stories might work best, and where. This is how you’ll prevent wasted time, frustration, and re-writing: going into essay writing with a plan.
Conclusion
Struggling to write your college essays? Check out our personal statement packages or general essay packages. Both are great for full-service essay support. Other students benefit from an hourly essay package where a college counselor or essay specialist can provide a professional eye on their essays. Contact us now!