College application essay brainstorming

Finally, you should conclude your brainstorming session by searching for a vehicle: an anecdote that you can use to frame your personal statement. You can use anecdotes in your personal statement in a number of ways.

The Common App prompts provide you with a forum to write about yourself, using whatever anecdote or vehicle you wish in order to communicate something profound and genuine about yourself to adcoms. If this feat seems daunting or spellbindingly vague to you, you are not alone.

As with any writing assignment, the best way to approach the personal essay is to brainstorm what it is you want the entire essay to communicate about you to the adcom that will be considering you for admission. Read on for 4 surprising brainstorming exercises that will lead you to an effective personal statement strategy. 1.

For virtually every student applying to college, the moment when you sit down to draft your personal statement is likely the first—and may end up being the only—time in your life when you are pushed to describe your entire identity succinctly and eloquently. So, where to begin?