How to Write a Personal Essay on Any Topic
Personal essays are used as an admission requirement by many colleges but they are also once off assignments given to college and university students. This type of essay has a conversational tone and should be intimate in the way it is written. There is a lot of self-expression that is used to present information on a personal level. Your qualities, abilities and skills allow the readers or members of a college committee to know you on a confidential basis. Colleges make selections based upon what you write in your personal essay, which is why this type of writing can be intimidating; so here are some pointers to consider
Questions to address in your personal essay
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What factors can make members of the college committee understand you?
- What separates you from hundreds of other applicants?
- Why did you choose your field?
- What interests you about your selected field?
- What are your aspirations?
- What career are you looking forward to?
- What are additional skills and abilities you possess that can enhance success in your field of choice?
Incorporating these answers in your essay will make for a good paper. Write whatever comes to mind. Even those ideas that may seem boring can be refined later.
The foundation of your essay
Outlines are foundations or groundwork for your personal essay. Your key ideas are the building blocks, but you must have a foundation to lay those building blocks and supporting statements upon. The outline is a framework which is built up by personal information to shape your paper and can be intricate, detailed or simple, depending on the topic you’ve been given.
The beginning of the main body
Aim for a captivating opening sentence or paragraph. This should attract the attention of the reader and constrain them to complete the reading. The opening sentence or paragraph also gives the reader a clue as to what the personal essay will be about.
Add drama and energy to your essay. Speak about an incident or an event that caused you to choose your selected field, but remember to keep to the topic.
The rest of the main content
Avoid poor grammar, spelling errors and untidiness. Don’t make up a personality but remain true to yourself in light of the topic you are writing on. Your professor and college committee members don’t want to read faked material—they are skilled at picking up insincerity. In your closing paragraph, summarize what was said in your essay and make it memorable, as it will be the last thing your reader reads.