The College Admission Essay Personal Statement This personal statement helps university officials...

The College Admission EssayPersonal Statement

This personal statement helps university officials become acquainted with you in ways different from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will demonstrate your ability to organize thoughts and express yourself. They are looking for an essay that will help them know you better as a person and as a student.

Requirements

Essay must be 250–500 words in length. Essay must be typed in Microsoft Word. Use a 12-point, professional-looking font and

double-spacing. Place your full name, date of birth, and name of

secondary school on each sheet. Use header. Choose one of the options listed and make this

choice clear.

Topic choices

1) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

Topic Choices

2) Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

Topic Choices

3) Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

Topic Choices

4) Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

Topic Choices

5) A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

Topic Choices

6) Topic of your choice.

Must tell about your character.

Must be approved by instructor.

Structure of Essay

FIVE PARAGRAPH FORMAT Introduction & Thesis Statement Supporting details/examples Supporting details/examples Supporting details/examples Conclusion

Introduction

Begin your essay with interesting descriptions and a tone that captures the reader’s interest.

Let the reader know what your essay will include.

Write a clear thesis statement.

Thesis Statement

A statement of opinion or subject. The entire essay should support this one

sentence. It is part of the introduction.

Body of Essay

Three supporting paragraphs. Each paragraph contains a topic sentence that

supports your thesis statement. Each paragraph contains examples or supporting

details Each paragraph contains an anchor sentence. The introduction is general, the supporting

paragraphs are specific.

Anchor Sentence

Just as an anchor keeps a ship in place and keeps it from drifting aimlessly across the sea, an anchor sentence holds the paragraph in place and connects it to your thesis.

It tells the reader how examples and details in your supporting paragraph are linked to your thesis statement.

Conclusion

Recap what you have presented to the reader.

Leave the reader with a clinching statement that impresses the reader and makes your essay memorable.

It is not merely a summary or restatement of what you have written; it is more analytical and thoughtful.

Outline

I. Introduction - Description -Thesis StatementII, III, IV. Body Paragraphs (x3)

- Topic Sentence - Supporting details/examples - Anchor: show how details relate to thesis

V. Conclusion - Restate how you have supported thesis - Give clinching statement, or final thought

Due Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Email assignments as a Microsoft Word attachment to:

pesaineghi@cps.edu