Writing the Personal Essay

Writing the Personal Essay(a.k.a. College application

essay)

Mr. Varnum, 2009

Choosing a topic

• What is important to you?• Who has had a big influence on you?• Why have you made the choices you have made?• Which event/experience has had a significant effect

on you? Choose a topic which allows the reader to see a side of

you that others rarely see.

Click here for topic ideas

Planning

Purpose? (College Application) Audience? (College Admissions Readers) Tone? (respectful, mature, intelligent) Subject? (Something personal)

Organization

Chronological Spatial/Importance Logical (general to specific) Evaluative (best to worst)

Essential Elements

Create an interesting beginning Use dialogue and vivid, realistic detail Interweave events and reactions Finish leaving the reader thinking but not

wondering

Questions for Revisions

Is the theme obvious? Does it grow out of the experience in a natural way?

Are the events, people and places vividly and realistically portrayed?

Does the organization of details and ideas make sense?

Is the tone appropriate? Does it move from the personal to the

universal? Does it leave the reader thinking?

The Blue Ping Pong Ball