Tell your story. Show them who you are. Don’t hold your peace. Speak now.

When it comes to your college application, there is no better opportunity to stand out and grab the attention of admissions officers than to write a captivating personal statement.

Think about it. What goes inside a college application? Most of it is raw data: G.P.A., SAT & ACT scores, AP results, class rank. In short, dry, boring stuff. Important? Absolutely! But these metrics merely advance students through the first rounds of consideration. Once it gets serious, admissions officers turn to the essays, which make all the world of a difference. This is your time to shine.

Of course, figuring out how exactly to shine could be as difficult as solving the riddle of the Sphinx. At once, the personal statement should reveal your personality, your interests, your intelligence, your passion, and your point of view.

 Above all, it should be surprising and entertaining. It should be smart but conversational. Imagine yourself reading the essay to the committee. You want your voice to come through. Admissions officers must pore over thousands of essays. You’ve got two lines at most to get their attention, and then you must keep it while building toward a satisfying conclusion. This is why every word counts.

 At College Mavens, we have decades of experience working with students to find authentic stories that bring out a student’s individuality and resonate with admissions officers.