As a college student you may find yourself transferring to a new school, graduating, or applying to a program that may require the oh-so-dreaded personal essay. On my journey of applying to film schools and writing essays, this is what I’ve learned:
Show them, don’t tell them
Rather than listing qualities about yourself or achievements you’ve earned, it’s better to bring them back to the basics. Tell a story about your life, and find ways to show them you’re an incredible leader or innovator with interesting examples. Remember that the school already has a list of your achievements from your application and this is your time to show off what makes you stand out from everyone else.
Have two or more people read it
I’ve quickly realized that when it comes to a personal essay, the more the merrier! It can be difficult to share vulnerable writing, but having multiple people read it only makes it better in the long run. Ask a professor, a handful of friends, or a peer in class to take a look at your essay. You’ll be glad to turn in an essay that you know other people enjoy reading.
Rewrite it.
The hardest truth for me to accept was to take feedback from my first essay and try again from scratch. Expand on your first ideas and make them better. Try and rewrite it with pieces you like from the first drafts until you get to the final draft. Once you reach a happy spot story and concept wise, it’s time to revise grammar.
Start Early
Start way earlier than you think you should. After all the revising and rewriting, it took me about two months to perfect an essay and submit something I was truly proud of. Take time to show off your best you or turn it in a little earlier than anticipated because you gave yourself plenty of time.
Writing a personal essay is hard. Fitting who you are on two sheets of paper might seem daunting, but these tips should make it easier to tackle your own personal essay.