Julia Cappio

Statements Making Statements

By July of my high school senior summer, I had only started a few personal statement drafts. Nothing was sticking. I got support from my high school and my teacher offered an example statement. As soon as I read it, I knew what I needed to do.

Most of the college process focuses on the institutions themselves. You have to tell colleges why they want you and what makes their programs special. You have to look on the admissions website at blog posts (like these) and find compelling stories to tell about campuses you've never visited. However, the personal statement can (and should!) be all about you. It exists to help colleges get a feel for your authentic personality, not the AP classes you have taken. I realized that my personal statement could serve as a relic of my 18-year-old self to look back on for the rest of my life. I could document quirks, dreams, and perspectives that I otherwise would forget down the line.

This perspective transformed the way I went about my writing. I found a story that encapsulated my personality, and I wrote the essay in my voice. As someone who has never felt particularly proud of their writing, it was incredibly rewarding to feel accomplished by the time I finished my piece. Regardless of which colleges wanted me, I had written something that would last forever.

I know what it is like to be an anxious college applicant. I remember keeping myself up at night thinking about my test scores and grade reports. Had I done enough? I felt like my fate was out of my hands. Writing my personal statement with a separate intention helped me take back control of my college process and find happiness in an otherwise overwhelming time. If you're feeling like I did, find some time to dive deep into your personal statement. You'll be surprised by how transformative it can be.