We have already emphasized the importance of a personal statement essay in the application process.  By now, you know that admissions officers can overlook the result of your grades and SAT scores if they find that you have an interesting personality and a bright future based on your college essay.  You are now ready to embark on writing your personal statement essay.

But wait.  There are still information that you need to know in writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.

Below are some of the do’s and don’ts in writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.

Have a positive attitude

If there is one thing that makes writing Personal Statement Essay very difficult it is the fact that it is being written towards the end of the college application process.  In many cases, the student is so stressed out after completing all the requirements that they have nothing but negativities and angst to mention in their essay. This is a mistake for those who are writing their personal statement essay.  Admissions officers do not want to see your anger in your essay.  Neither do they want you to make excuses on the essay on why you had low grades in high school. We are not saying that you should avoid mentioning your negative experiences in your essay.  In fact, college essay coaches agree that you should mention something about the negative experiences you had but do not dwell on it.  It is a lot more beneficial on your part if you will focus on the positive experiences that you have gained.

Tell a good story

Admissions officers are suckers for good stories.  They want to read interesting information about the students. Try to go think about your life and find out if there are interesting events in your life that you want to share to your admissions officers.  Tell them when and where it happened.  When you write stories give a vivid narration of the setting or the place where the story takes place.  Mention about the other characters in your story.  Narrate it clearly.

Find a Coach to help you with your Personal Statement Essay

Before you start writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay, try to identify the teachers whom you can ask for help.  Michael James Mason, a famous college application essay coach, suggests that you look for an English teacher, Journalism instructor or speech coach to help you with your college.  Try to talk to them and ask them if they can help you with your essay.  As professionals, their comments can go a long way in helping you finalize your essay. As you listen to their comments, make sure to put the pointers in writing to avoid missing anything.  Try not to be sensitive about their comments and listen to them. Be reminded that you were the one who asked for their comments in the first place.

Be discerning and show sophistication

Always remember that you are trying to get into college.  Admissions officers expect to see a certain level of maturity on your part.  As such, avoid saying anything on your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay that may gross out the admissions officers. Though you think a story about your sexual escapades is funny, think again. Talking about your flirtations with a girl or the events that happened in a fraternity party may not be a brilliant idea.

Keep it simple

Students make the mistake of trying to use high sounding words on their essay to impress the admissions officers.  This is a mistake especially if you do not know how to use these words in a sentence.  Try to keep it simple.  Use simple words and sentences.  The key here is to make sure that you deliver your message to the admissions officers.

Write an essay about yourself

Many students think that their life is not interesting.  They think that their friends have a more interesting life.  They think that they have better chances of getting accepted if they bloat facts or conjure situations.   Students tend to forget that the admissions officers will see through these lies.  They will know because it will simply sound unnatural as they are reading your essay.

Add an advice from an important person in your life

College essay coaches like Michael James Mason suggests that an advice from an important character in your life can help add to the quality of your essay. Think about when it was said and why it was said. Reflect on it and say how it changed your life.

Be cautious in using quotations

Though using quotations from famous people may appear to be a good idea at first, you should think again.  Many students are already using quotations to start their statement of purpose essay or personal statement essay.  It is no longer original.  If you really want to start your essay with a quotation Michael James Mason suggests that you choose something that is out of the ordinary.  It should be something that is a bit humorous and funny to capture the attention of the admissions officers.

Now you are ready to write your own masterpiece! Go ahead start writing your personal statement essay now!