I’m writing my personal statement soon. The promts is as follows: “State a story or person who has had a significant impact on your life, in which you would feel incomplete without mentioning it in this essay.” In other words, something that is essential to you. I’ve narrowed it down to three choices: My sock collection (like those cool design ones), Cross-Country, or my sister who has Down Syndrome. Here are some pros and cons in what I think about the topics.
Socks:
Pro- Very unique and should stand out.
Con- Some formal schools might see this as a joke.They won’t consider it as appropriate.
Cross-Country:
Pro- Been in it since 4th grade. Running has become a lifestyle.
Con- Writing about sports is the least bit creative.
Sister:
Pro- She has had a huge impact on me, and makes me who I am today.
Con- I’m not sure if your suppose to write about someone else in your PERSONAL statement. I feel I will add to much emphasis on her, instead of myself.
Any help?
Your sister, hands down. You have to make sure you keep it from being cloying/corny/self-aggrandizing, but out of the three, your sister is a clear winner–it’s personal and real. Write about the impact and why/how she’s made you who you are today.
I agree with proudterrier. I would recommend focusing on one thing that you’ve learned from your sister, and highlighting it with anecdotes and such. If your conclusion is something very general like, “I learned that you should be proud of who you are,” that’s too general. Make it unique to your sister and your life.
Also, maybe there are parallels you can draw between how your sister lives her life and how you live yours. Like maybe you’ve learned the value of persistence and hard work from your sister, and you exemplify that through your dedication to track. Or if she’s creative and expressive, you can still relate that to your sock collection.
I think the socks would work if you know how to write. you can read some unconventional essays similar to your socks idea that worked for many top schools in fiske real college essays that work. I highly recommend it
sister is personal but you may lose focus, which is the worst case scenario