What ‘matters’ in the college essay? 
Summer is college essay season! We encourage every rising senior to get their personal statement essay written before starting the school year, but sometimes knowing what to say or how to start can be so daunting.
Read on for our take on what really matters in the college essay and how to go about making sure you craft an essay that gets to the heart of what matters most – 
The college essay is an opportunity to build a connection between you and your reader and to shine a light on your core personal qualities or values by telling a story that shows these qualities to be true. These are qualities that an admissions reader would not necessarily understand simply by reviewing your transcript, test scores, or potentially even your activities list. In a sense, the personal essay is where you get the chance to show your reader:
This is what matters to me,
this is how I add value to the lives of others,
or this is what the people who know and appreciate me value most about me.
You’ll note that I didn’t say this is a chance to tell your reader about your biggest achievement or your most challenging moment. Instead, start from your values, and think about who or what has shaped the importance of these qualities for you. Consider what moments or experiences in your life show these values in action. If we were watching the movie of your life, what scene would allow us to come to our own conclusion about your values? That’s a great jumping off point for the essay you will write.
So how do you do that? Here’s a few tips:
This is a personal essay: 
Write using the first person “I” perspective. Seems obvious, but check your work. A surprising number of students write about what ‘you’ should know or do or think. Or how ‘one’ might consider something. Scratch all that, and make sure you are writing from your own perspective: I, me, and my. 
Be vulnerable: 
The best essays do not necessarily tell your most difficult moments or deepest challenges, but they do reveal some reflection, realization, growth or understanding that you have come to through your experience. 
The essay is not your activities list or transcript: 
Your reader will carefully parse those pieces of your application. Here, they want to hear a story, hear your voice, and see your learning and insight take shape. This is usually not the place to recount your main activities or academic accomplishments - think about a story that gives insight into who you are, how you see the world, and how you show up for people. 
This essay is about you, in the present: 
While almost any topic that reveals your personal qualities is a good one, we encourage you to remember that this essay is about you as you are now. That means a story about your grandmother, or about something that happened many years ago in your childhood, is usually not the best choice, no matter how well written. However, these topics do work if you can spend a good portion of the essay connecting that past experience or relationship to who you are today, and how it impacts the way you see the world and your place in it in the present.
And one bonus tip…save the best for last: 
Different from an academic essay in school that begins with a thesis, this is personal narrative writing. Save your revelation, insight, or realization until the 2nd half of your essay; don’t give it away at the start! It’s better to pull the reader right into the story in the beginning, and then reveal what you now understand as you reach the end of the essay so that the reader experiences a journey and travels with you to that new perspective.
This is the third in a multipart series on mattering in the college process. Read part one Think Grades Get You In? Think Again here and part two, Want to do something that matters? Just begin here. Check back in the coming weeks for more on how mattering can shape a student’s high school experience, prepare them to thrive in college, and create the foundation for the kind of college application that sets a student apart in the college process.
TBU Advisors are experienced in supporting students to navigate their college choices and personal best fit. If you’d like to explore working with a TBU Advisor, get in touch here. We look forward to connecting with you. 
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