How to Write an OUTSTANDING Personal Statement for College: A Crash Course

Great video! I will write a few essays and hopefully share in the end, especially if they help me get accepted somewhere. Thanks for the help!

Hi Ethan. I already asked you a question yesterday, but Ive just finished watching this video and now I really need to ask something else, again, (Sorry!) As someone who took some time off after school, should I write about that in my personal statement? Or just in the specific section of the Common App? I faced challenges and I did some useful things during that time, like working with children and learning web design. However, I want to write about how drawing mandalas is meaningful for me, you know, with the Montage structure. I have read that it is better to explain why I didnt started college right after school. Can you please clarify that? I am a bit confused. Thank you!

I'm stuck 🥲😭

Hi where is that video where you read an essay where the guy was like “I’m Chinese’s. I’m Mexican. I’m gay.” I love that one and I wanted to show someone but I can’t find it in your video.

I wrote my Common App essay as a montage on how three parts of my marching band uniform represented my values and I got into my dream school (the University of Notre Dame) so thank you so much!
I have a quick question: How could I adapt your advice here into a personal statement for a scholarship? I'm applying to scholarships that just want a personal statement and have no prompt on what the personal statement should be about. How should I go about that?

So grateful for your videos, expertise and opening up yourself to us so we have real examples to help spark thought.

coming from webinar LETS GOOO

Thanks for all the wonderful advice! I'm applying this year and couldn't be more excited!

Hi! Coming from the 8/4 webinar! I just subscribed!!! My mom made me join and I’m glad I did 🤭

Very Good video! I'm from Guatemala, and as an International student, this is amazing for me!

best content!

Thank you for such an amazing session !!! Nicely put and well organized !!!

I’m trying to write an essay where I list my 5 siblings and how they represent different parts/values/characteristics of myself. Do you think that’s a good topic?

I'm applying this year, and I'm thinking of writing a montage about my love for the tech and cyber spaces. How watching anime on my laptop fueled my interest in them. Not sure if that would fit into the elasticity-common montage graph.

Ethan probably does not realize what a positive impact he has made on so many people's lives.

Have you made a video discussing how to approach each prompt in a personal statement?

I don't how much I can thank you for this video, but you really did help me out with so many questions that I had about my personal essay. I hope with this I will be able to write a fantastic one to get me into Duke.

Can you check my essay, not college one but a summer program?

Best video I’ve watched so far about the personal statement

i can actually feel confident in writing my essay now
ur literally the best

all the college application process has done is made me realize there is nothing special about me

Lol my therapist had me do this value thing and it is SO IMPORTANT. Don’t skip through it. I also think it’s good to re do the exercise every 6 months or so especially if you are going through a lot of growth or are young.

are they values that we have or values that we like??

Thanks a lot for the information given. I was just wondering what if I do not have any experience in the field or program I am choosing? Can I still say I am passionate about it and have academic achievements?

Helllo, I love your videos and I just wanted to say this this one in particular helped me write the personal statement that helped get me into my dream college!!!! Thank you so much🤗🫶🏽!

May I meet you in person, may be through email, am really stranded where to start 😢

Is it overly common for my topic to be about the books I've read and how they have shaped me?

Also, do you think it is advisable to combine different "paths" for a montage essay? For instance, I want to talk about what I love and about my career aspirations.

Thank you.

are you british or american i'm really bad at telling accents sorry 😭😭

This is the best guide i've seen so far, Thanks for that. Can you post links with examples on the montage essay? Appreciate it.

Thank you so much!

What an insightful video! Thank you so much for all the info! I took notes on everything you said :)

Planning on writing about how high school and how each of the different experiences i had making friends, joining clubs and extracurriculars and how the classes i struggled and excelled in, all ties back to me. What do you think? Can the montage method work?
Im applying this year and im excited but so scared too!!! Thanks for all you do!!!!

You are the best, I have no other word.

8/26/24-just found you and I have already sent multiple videos to my son who is a senior. What is some advice on cutting a current personal essay by 100+ words?

Hi Ethan ! I am also working on my personal statement so could you please help me out . I am literally so much confused. So here's the first draft of my personal statement :

As I sit here, reflecting on my journey, I am reminded of the day I was born - a day that was meant to be a celebration, but instead became a harbinger of rejection and hardship. My grandparents' and father's desire for a son led to my mother being threatened and stressed, resulting in her heart attack and my premature birth. The doctors' predictions of my brain's underdevelopment seemed to seal my fate. But I defied odds, and my mother's unwavering support became my foundation.

Growing up, I faced unimaginable challenges. My father's and grandparents' refusal to accept me, the daily beatings my mother endured, and the mental torture we suffered took a toll on my personality. I transformed from a lively, extroverted child to a shy, introverted girl lacking confidence. However, amidst the darkness, I found strength. I learned to handle situations calmly, distinguish between good and bad, and manage stress.

The turning point came when my mother and I decided to leave, and my parents got divorced. I realized I wanted to be a lawyer, to raise my voice against injustice and stand up for girls and women who suffered like me. I worked on rebuilding myself, focusing on academics, and exploring my passions - learning new languages, exploring cultures, and traveling.

My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of human connection. Learning sign language has allowed me to communicate with the deaf community, understanding their struggles and feeling a sense of purpose. My achievements, such as scoring 93% in class 10th boards and leading a plantation drive, have instilled confidence and a sense of accomplishment.

Through my journey, I've come to understand the power of education and the impact one person can have. I want to be that ray of hope for others, using my experiences to fuel my passion for law and jurisprudence. I am eager to embark on this new chapter, armed with the lessons of my past and the determination to create a brighter future.

I want to become a lawyer and I want the personal statement to showcase my passion for law , my strengths abd achievements but I have seriously no idea how to do it. So can you please suggest me some changes which I should do ?

I'm gonna write a challenge on a montage essay talking about different parts of my life

Outstanding content and great explanation!

Like do you think writing about how photos hold the past and the future using experiences is a great idea?

Any tips for writing about myself through a song? I am doing a montage essay and am not sure of how to incorporate my values, memories etc into the essay while still relating to the song.

❤love it thanks a bunch a for abet

Thank you!!

Thanks a ton. This provided me a broader perspective.

Great advice. Definitely will view this video again and again.