Personal Statement Workshop
Personal Statement BasicsSharon TraversWriting Coach &
College Advisor
1WelcomeIntroduction Personal Statement BasicsPurposeComparing
PromptsWriting with InsightEngaging the ReaderDos and Donts
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising
2Purpose of the Personal StatementAdd dimension and context to
the applicationReveal personality and make connectionExplain unique
circumstancesShow how you will add to universityDemonstrate writing
and thinking skillsLimitations and reality
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising3The Common
Application vs. U.C.U.C. The Common ApplicationTwo mandatory
prompts Must address both mandatory prompts1,000 word maximum total
One optional prompt (550 word max.)Applications due November 30
Six prompt choicesAddress one prompt250-500 wordsOne work/
extracurricular prompt (1,000 character max.)Additional essays by
college Supplemental Due dates vary
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising4The Common
ApplicationEvaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you
have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on
you
Discuss some issue of personal, national, or international
concern and its importance to you
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you,
and describe that influence
Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a
creative work that has had an influence on you, and explain that
influence
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 of your choice
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising 5U.C. Mandatory
PromptsU.C. Prompt #1Describe the world you come from for example,
your family, community or school and tell us how your world has
shaped your dreams and aspirations.
U.C. Prompt #2Tell us about a personal quality, talent,
accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to
you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and
how does it relate to the person you are?
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising6Optional U.C.
PromptIf necessary, you may use this space to tell us anything else
you want us to know that you have not had the opportunity to
describe elsewhere in the application
Purpose is to allow you to provide additional information that
you have not been able to provide elsewhere in your application
Leave the third prompt blank if you do not have any additional
information to add
Separate 550 word limit
(c) Sharon Travers, True North College Advising7U.C.
PromptsPrompt 1: About Your World and How Its Shaped YouFamily,
Community or School choose one only
Prompt 2: About YouQuality, Talent, Accomplishment,
Contribution, or Experience
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising8U.C. PromptsAnswer
both components of each promptDescribe and Make Meaning: Insight is
KeySmall, specific story can reveal something greater about you
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising9Ways to Approach the
Writing TaskOutside, InWhat attributes do you want the reader to
know about you? Write an essay that shows those attributes
Inside, OutThink deeply about your life and what has influenced
youReflect that understanding and insight in your essays
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising
10
Experience + Reflection = InsightChallenge: Student felt she had
not really done anything significant
Strategy: Think about recent experiences and interestsInterest
in early childhood developmentWorked at pre-school during
summer
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising11Experience +
Reflection = InsightIdentify Specific ExperienceHelped a boy who
was behind learn to write his name
Reflect on ExperienceFelt good to help himWhy?Helped him catch
up to peersGo deeperEvery kid needs to be able to write his/her
name
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising12
Experience + Reflection = InsightWhat does writing enable us to
do or become?IdentityIndependence, freedomHow we learn who we
are
Insight = Student
Realized significance of the act of writing
Discovered importance of her role as an educator and clarified
her passion for teaching
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising13Hints for a Strong
EssayIntriguing introductionSensory detailsConnect specific
incident to larger themeReveal personalityReflectiveConnect to
values or attributes
Sharon Travers, True North College AdvisingIntroduction:
Engaging the ReaderVersion 1Version 2I have always had an interest
in early childhood development. Last summer, I worked at my mothers
preschool, and the highlight of this experience was helping a
four-year-old learn to write his name. Nicholas was the same age as
the others but was behind in many ways. After weeks of working
together, he was so excited when he finally was able to write his
name correctly.Four-year-old Nicholas hollered in triumph. The
entire class of preschoolers looked up from the stories they were
writing about butterflies to see Nicholas waving his paper
excitedly. On it, for the first time, was his name. The N was a
little wobbly and the s was backwards, but it was all there. You
did it! I said proudly. Weeks of working together had yielded his
victory. Sharon Travers, True North College Advising15DosWrite it
yourself Write about yourselfProvide additional informationWrite
about recent experiences or accomplishmentsExamples of leadership,
involvement, passion, responsibility
Provide specific examplesKeep statement focusedHave teacher,
counselor, or adviser read itRead instructions carefullyGo to:
University of California How to Apply Personal Statement
University of California, Davis
o Sharon Travers, True North College Advising16DontsDont just
list accomplishmentsDont use gimmicky writing techniquesDont write
more about an inspirational person than about yourself
Dont exceed total maximum lengthDont include work samples,
letters of recommendation, etc.
University of California, Davis
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising17Other Non-Official
Dos/DontsBegin writing process now:Reflect before writingWrite from
the heartThink before writing about sensitive subjectsBrainstorm,
pre-write, draft, and edit
Parents: provide support, but give student the lead
Use your resources CVHS Essay Workshop, teachers, Career Center,
counselors
Dont think of the essay as an assignment its a giftEverything
else on application is past this is one place you can actively
control now
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising18Good luck!Contact
me at [email protected]
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising19(c) Sharon Travers,
True North College Advising20
