The Personal Essay (Part 2). How to Select a Prompt from the Common App. 17 Questions that Will Help You Create Content for Your Essay. The Writing Requirements for Admission into Brown University.

#097 – On this episode, we continue talking about the personal essay or the personal statement.

We begin by reminding you of a few very important facts to keep in mind about the essay, and analyze precisely what it is that you will be asked to do as you tackle this very important component of your college application.

Jankel and I continue our conversation by going over the steps to follow when choosing the prompt from the Common App that you will use to write your own personal statement.

We provide a vivid example by analyzing the writing requirements for Brown University as they are presented on the Common App. Brown University is an institution that requires both a personal statement and a writing supplement.

We end the episode by presenting 17 questions you can answer to help you develop the material you will need to as you answer the prompts from the Common App.

Links and resources mentioned on this episode:

The Common App

Brown University: Application Checklist for First-Year Applicants

The 17 Questions to Ask Yourself to Create Content to Use on Your  Common App Personal Statement Prompt:

1. What is the most important to you? If you had to choose 3 things that are truly and absolutely important to you, what are they?

   • When you think about the answer to that question, does a specific event, or specific day in your life, or specific experience come to mind?

   • Outline those events that were important to you, and turn those outline into stories

2. What are 3 things you have achieved that you feel the most proud about?

3. What do you do in your free time?

4. What are you really good at? I call this “Your Superpower” – What is your superpower?

5. What do you find absolutely motivating? What makes you feel like you could achieve anything in life?

6. What do you absolutely hate?

7. What do you enjoy doing for yourself? Not because you are obligated to do it.

8. What is something you used to think and believe that you no longer do? Where and how have you evolved?

9. Is there something you like to think about, or something you have noticed you regularly think about?

10. What type of posters do you have on your walls? What mementos have you kept from past experiences that mean a lot to you?

11. What do you find absolutely funny?

12. What do you find yourself worrying about?

13. What do like the most about your high school? What is your favorite class? Who is your favorite teacher?

14. Who have you found to be incredibly inspiring?

15. What is your family life like? What are things you enjoy to do as a family the most?

16. What are the 3 things you wish the colleges or universities you are applying to knew about you?

17. What cool things would your parents, or other people who love you, say about you if they had to describe you?

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