[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-143372-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-143372-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","gl-how-to-write-the-perfect-personal-essay-2023","GL - How to Write the Perfect Personal Essay - 2023","","Guide to writing an effective personal essay for U.S. university applications, explaining what the Common App Personal Essay is and how it helps admissions officers understand applicants as students and people. Covers the essay’s purpose, core requirements, and the Common App prompts that explore identity, challenges, learning, accomplishments, ideas, and any chosen topic. Also outlines alternative UC “Personal Insights” structure and selection of questions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/gl-how-to-write-the-perfect-personal-essay-2023/143372/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/gl-how-to-write-the-perfect-personal-essay-2023/143372.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Hazel","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-20","2026-08-25",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the Common App Personal Essay and how is it used in applications?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The Common App Personal Essay is a 650-word essay submitted through the Common App to every university you apply to. It gives admissions officers deeper insight into who you are as a student and as a person.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What prompts can you choose from for the Common App Personal Essay?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"You can choose from 7 prompts, including questions about your background and identity, a challenge or failure and what you learned, a belief you questioned and the outcome, a problem you solved or want to solve, an accomplishment that sparked growth, an idea you think about deeply, and any topic you choose.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do UC “Personal Insights” essays differ from the Common App Personal Essay?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"For UC schools, students answer 4 of 8 Personal Insights questions. Each response has a maximum of 350 words, and applicants choose whichever questions they want to answer.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},143372,1787694751,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,115,120,123,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":125},"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":144},137441390410,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/2000252f4ab5702993?_k=1776741390130283984","Table of Contents  \n1. What is the Personal Essay?  \n2. How a Strong Personal Essay Will Boost Your Chances of Admission  \n3. Writing the Personal Essay: Key Steps Simplified  \n4. Tips From a Former Admissions Officer  \n5. Perfect Personal Essays  \n Ana—New York University   10  \n Andrea—Yale University, Duke University, Northwestern University  12  \n Anonymous—Columbia University   13  \n Anonymous—University of Chicago  15  \n Fara—Stanford University, Yale University, New York University,  \nand more   17  \n Felipe—Columbia University, University of Southern California, Boston University  19  \n Guilherme—University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, Columbia  \nUniversity, Brown University, and more   21  \n Hoyeol—UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Davis, University of Southern California  23  \n Juliano—Dartmouth College, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University   26  \n Julien—Boston University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore, Vassar College, The College of William & Mary  28  \n Kavi—UCLA, Queen’s University   30  \n Maddie—UC Berkeley, Northwestern University, and more  32  \n Marcus—New York University, University of Hawai’i   34  \n Mehdi—UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University  36  \n Raghuram—Johns Hopkins University   38  \n Saanvi—Johns Hopkins University   40  \n Sarah—University of Chicago, New York University, Duke University    42  \n Takenoshin—Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University   44  \n Yuri—Duke University, Northwestern University    46  \n Zuzanna—Harvard University    48  \nWhat is the Personal Essay?  \nThe Common App Personal Essay is 650-word essay that is sent to every university you apply to through the portal. It offers admissions officers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of who you are—both as a student and as a person.  \nYour Personal Essay should:  \n1. Contextualize your grades and extracurriculars  \n2. Differentiate you from your peers  \n3. Reflect on significant moments that helped you grow  \n4. Show admissions officers why you are a great candidate for their institution.  \nIn the Common App, you can choose from 7 prompts, each inviting you to explore different aspects of your life, including:  \n Your background, identity, interests, talents  \n A challenge, setback, or failure and what you learned  \n A time you’ve questioned or challenged a belief and your thinking / the outcome  \n A problem you’ve solved or would like to solve and why  \n An accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked personal growth  \n A concept/idea that makes you lose track of time and why  \n Any topic of your choice  \nWhen you apply for university in the United States, there are a few application portals you can go through. While the most popular is the Common Application, there are others such as the Coalition Application, the Universal College Application, and the University of California (UC) Application. Some colleges will even have their own individual portal!  \nIf you are applying to a school within the University of California system, your essay will be slightly different. Also known as the “Personal Insights,'' students must answer 4 of 8 questions. Each answer has a maximum of 350 words, and the applicant can choose whichever question they would like to answer.  \nThe questions are as follows:  \n1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts overtime.  \n2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.  \n3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?  \n4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome ","cbCaimHt924Qw2Li","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimHt924Qw2Li","pdf",12319610,53,"English","# What is the Personal Essay?\n## Common App Personal Essay overview\n## Required focus for a strong essay\n## Common App prompts (7 options)\n## Application portals beyond Common Application\n## UC Personal Insights format (4 of 8)\n## Personal Insights questions (1-8)\n# How a Strong Personal Essay Will Boost Your Chances of Admission\n## Qualities admissions officers look for\n## Standing out with a unique story\n# Writing the Personal Essay: Key Steps Simplified\n## Step 1: Brainstorm impactful ex","[{\"question\":\"What is the Common App Personal Essay and how is it used in applications?\",\"answer\":\"The Common App Personal Essay is a 650-word essay submitted through the Common App to every university you apply to. It gives admissions officers deeper insight into who you are as a student and as a person.\"},{\"question\":\"What prompts can you choose from for the Common App Personal Essay?\",\"answer\":\"You can choose from 7 prompts, including questions about your background and identity, a challenge or failure and what you learned, a belief you questioned and the outcome, a problem you solved or want to solve, an accomplishment that sparked growth, an idea you think about deeply, and any topic you choose.\"},{\"question\":\"How do UC “Personal Insights” essays differ from the Common App Personal Essay?\",\"answer\":\"For UC schools, students answer 4 of 8 Personal Insights questions. Each response has a maximum of 350 words, and applicants choose whichever questions they want to answer.\"}]","GL - How to Write the Perfect Personal Essay - 2023 | PDF",134]