As you prepare your college applications, don’t underestimate your personal statement! It’s easily one of the most important parts of the application, and is far from a formality, it’s actually a medium to convey your unique personality, experiences, and aspirations to the admissions committee. It’s how they get to know you outside of your transcripts, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation, and colleges want to hear from the real you!
A well-written personal statement can set you apart from thousands of applicants by showcasing your ability to think critically and express yourself creatively. But remember, there isn’t one way to write the perfect essay! In this blog, we’re giving you personal statements released from 10 schools, each of them different and aligned to the core values of the university.
However, we want to caution against trying to mimic these essays. What makes these essays so great is that they are authentic to the student and don’t spend their 650 words saying what they think admissions officers want to hear. There isn’t some secret code to the perfect essay, and repeating what they said won’t open the same vault! Use these essays for inspiration, familiarize yourself with the common structures, or use them as a springboard for your own creativity! NEVER as something you copy.
St. Mary’s University’s admissions example essays are great because they show front and center the qualities that St. Mary’s holds in high esteem: community involvement, personal integrity, and a commitment to personal and academic growth. Prospective students interested in writing essays that touch on these topics can and should look at these essays for advice on how to best blend their personal experiences with their core values.
Johns Hopkins University is renowned for its intensive research and academic rigor, and the successful personal statement examples provided by the school and written by admitted students deeply reflect these themes. John Hopkins wants their students to demonstrate a sense of deep curiosity and unwavering dedication to their field of interest, (and your personal statement is not the only place you can show this!) For students looking for advice on how to best write an essay that reflects their academic interests, this is the perfect place to draw on inspiration.
Connecticut College provides a set of standout college personal statement examples that we think would be helpful if you’re the kind of student looking to emphasize a commitment to social justice and/or community involvement in your essays. These sample college essays show students engaging with the important values that rule their lives and show them in action within their community! For advice on how to best write an essay like that, check out these sample essays!
New York University (NYU) prides itself on its diverse and global perspective, and the essays shown here emphasize cultural awareness, professional aspiration, and a clear sense of personal identity. In these essays, students demonstrated their readiness to thrive in a complex environment– essential if you’re going to study at NYU– by discussing their experiences in a variety of cultural contexts, their future career goals, and the personal experiences that have shaped their outlooks. Definitely worth checking out if this sounds like the kind of essay you hope to write!
Hamilton College offers examples of personal statements students should check out if they’re hoping to write an essay that demonstrates intellectual autonomy and communication skills. What these essays do especially well is demonstrate the students’ abilities to engage critically with their thoughts and experiences. Does this sound like you or the kind of essay you hope to write? Check out these examples for more inspiration on writing an essay that shows your self-motivated intellectual curiosity and connective skills.
At Wesleyan, their successful student essays were reflective of their interest in enrolling students who are innovative thinkers with a passion for learning– understandable considering the university’s emphasis on liberal arts education in a diverse environment. These personal statement examples show how students can integrate their varied interests and experiences into a cohesive narrative. These students are thinking critically across a variety of disciplines, demonstrating intellectual flexibility, and embracing a broad spectrum of ideas, values, and cultures, which they’ll be bringing to campus with them in the fall!
For context, St. John’s unique curriculum is based on what is known as the Great Books program, which is understandably mirrored in the personal statements presented. St. John’s is committed to admitting deep thinkers and passionate learners, and therefore their examples of successful college essays are about how applicants connect with classic texts, or connect with complex ideas and philosophical debates. You’ll also notice the attention paid to the concept of being a “life-long learner” in these essays, something many colleges prioritize! If this sounds like the kind of essay you hope to write, we recommend you check these examples out!
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Personal Statement Examples
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s student essay examples are great source of inspiration for how students can connect their academic and career growth with the opportunities available to them in this new era of their lives. These personal statement examples are so great because they showcase students’ strategic thinking abilities and link their specific academic interests and professional aspirations to the unique resources and programs at the school. These are great to check out if this sounds like the kind of essay you’re thinking about writing.
Harvard’s successful personal statement examples unsurprisingly find ways to demonstrate academic excellence, but also leadership qualities and a commitment to community service. These essays give us a look into how applicants have not only excelled in their studies but also taken active leadership roles in everything from school clubs to community organizations. This is a commonly sought after trait in top university admissions essays and therefore worth checking out no matter where you hope to apply.
Purdue’s student essays showcase clarity, organization, and a strong alignment with the applicants’ desired field of study, particularly in STEM disciplines. The statements go into detail about previous research experiences, innovative aspirations, and how the student plans to contribute to their field– but most importantly, they give great examples of themselves in action! Colleges want to see you in action! Doing so reflects a proactive engagement with education and positively underlines the kind of student you hope to be in college. For more ideas on how to write an essay like this, check out Purdue’s examples!
Conclusion
Remember, the best personal statement is one that is authentically yours. Hopefully, it goes without saying: DON’T try to pass any of these winning essays off as your own. Not only will colleges recognize the inauthenticity in your writing, but most plagiarism scanners will pick up the essay as it already exists online. Don’t ruin your chances at your dream school by taking a shortcut.
We understand that writing your personal statement can be a challenging experience. If you find yourself struggling to translate your thoughts and experiences into a compelling essay, consider seeking professional advice. Marks Education offers college application advising services that can help you make the most of your essay. Our expert advisors are prepared to guide you through the process, helping refine your ideas and improve your writing to create a standout personal statement.
Contact us today to learn more!
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