A crucial—and time-consuming—element of the college application process is the crafting of a personal statement and other supplemental essays. This represents a remarkable opportunity because it is one of the few places where students get to present themselves to admissions committees directly, as complete individuals and not a composite of test scores and grades. While an excellent essay alone will not open doors, it can—and does—make a decisive difference in sorting otherwise qualified students.
It takes patience and dedication to write a compelling personal statement, and it requires skills that are not usually taught in high school classrooms. The best statements—the ones that grab the admission committees and don't let go—also come straight from the heart, so it's essential that students dig deep to find the story they actually want to tell.
As an experienced writer who has taught undergraduate writing courses, I am with my students at every stage in the writing process—from identifying key values and representative life moments to finding suitable narrative forms and creating vivid scenes.