College Essay Help
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Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
The personal statement is your child's opportunity to transform his or her application package from
a pile of stats into memorable rendering of a real person. Admissions officers read hundreds,
sometimes thousands, of applications each year. A great personal statement will convey your
child's personality, explain circumstances behind a low set of grades, or illustrate a unique
quality about him or her.
Helping your child with this essay doesn't mean writing it. However, there are many other ways
for you to bring out the best in your child's personal statement.
Select a familiar topic.
Don't write about something solely to impress the reader.
Stick to the topic.
Provide personal anecdotes that make the essay come to life.
Begin the essay early.
Make sure your child gives herself time to mull over potential topics. Allow original ideas to
spill out before tightening the writing.
Have one or two key people to review the essay.
Usually an English teacher and the college counselor offer a good balance. Don't demand to
be one of the official readers. You're too close to the process, let alone your child, and your
advice will probably not have the necessary objectivity.
Be concise.
Weigh each word, avoid redundancy, and weed out what is insignificant.
Present ideas logically.
Admissions committees want to see that your child can think clearly, as well as express herself
or himself eloquently.
Proofread the essay.
Spelling and grammar errors are serious flaws.
Know the audience for whom the essay has been written.
This is an introduction to an admissions official, not a casual note to a roommate. On the other
hand, it is not meant to be sent to a professor of philosophy who will interpret the student's
most profound ideas expressed in scholarly language.
This article was adapted from The Parent's Guide to College Admissions. Pick up your copy
at the www.kaptest.com.
Copyright 2003 by Kaplan, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Kaplan is a registered trademark of Kaplan, Inc. SAT, AP, and Advanced Placement
are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which is not
affiliated with this site. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which is not
affiliated with this site.
You may want to have a peer read over your essay or you may wish to use the services of a professional editing organization:
Your essay will be a mark of your excellence; make sure you take the time to re-read and revise your final copy.
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