what is a personal statement prompt

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying. To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application, don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to ...

Your personal statement should ideally have at least 3-5 “so what” moments, points at which you draw insights or reflections from your experiences that speak to your values or sense of purpose. Sometimes, “so what” moments are subtle.

Personal statement—an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well.

What is a personal statement? A personal statement is a special type of essay that’s required when you’re applying to colleges and scholarship programs. In this essay, you’re expected to share something about who you are and what you bring to the table.

To begin your personal statement, read the prompt—and the entire application—carefully. Because terms are often used interchangeably (e.g. personal statement , statement of purpose , letter of intent , statement of interest ), it is essential to first determine what is expected from you.

Learn how to come up with a unique topic and choose the right Common App Essay prompt to write a strong personal statement and get into your dream college. Plus, a full-length Common App Essay example.

The Common App personal statement prompts 2022-2023. Let’s start with the basics. You only have to write about one of the prompts provided by the Common App. The word limit is 650 words, which is a scant number to narrate a powerful story without leaving out too many important details.

Below is the full set of Common App Personal Statement prompts for 2023-2024. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.

If your next question is, “ What is a personal statement? ”, you’re in the right place! In this article, we will introduce you to the personal statement by exploring the Common App essay prompts and college essays that worked. In addition to sharing the Common App essay prompts, we will break down each of the Common App essay prompts.