<p>-Are there any tips on how to start the personal statements? I have my ideas, i just dont know where to start…thanks!</p>
<p>I think we might need a little more info here. From the begining? You can’t go wrong with mirroring the question ( well, maybe you can) but I wrote about a person who influenced me. My first line was something like, “when I think of a person who has influenced the course of my life, so and so immedieatly comes to mind”. ANother techniuque is to start in the middle of the story, thus drawing the reader in, and then flashing back to the start to explain context, before wrapping it all up at the end. Not sure if this was helpful. . . sorry :/</p>
<p>I’d advise that if you take GenericName’s advice and “mirror the question” (I like that phrase- never heard it before) that you do so in a way that doesn’t use the same language and structure as the question. In other words if you mirror the question do so in a creative way. </p>
<p>Like think of the song “For Good” from Wicked, which deals with the subject of saying goodbye to an influential person. It starts (from Glinda’s lines) with a statement of what many people think (“I’ve heard it said…”). It then rejects that statement (“Well I don’t know if I believe that’s true…”). This is all instead of the basic “Elphaba has influenced me.” </p>
<p>And instead of saying later “you’ve influenced me” you have lines like “because I knew you, I have been changed for good” and “you’ll be with me, like a handprint on my heart” and “I know you have rewritten [my story] by being my friend.” </p>
<p>So according to the basic structure of the song, you might say something in your essay like:
Responding to this prompt, many will write about a person who served as a model to guide his or her development. Well I’m not going to do that. I’m going to discuss the opposite: someone who displayed many traits I found disagreeable. Someone who served as a reminder of the person I didn’t want to become… </p>
<p>It’s not starting in the middle of the story (which can be cliche and over-the-top if done excessively), but it’s still on it’s way to being a creative intro that cuts straight to the chase. </p>
<p>Anyways this is just my opinion. I personally favor creative essays that don’t waste words, and I’m sure some admissions officers share similar perspectives.</p>
<p>^haha, ouch. Senior is right that creative ways of approaching the essay are good. His advice is all good, probably better than mine. Not wasting words is of course a good idea. sometimes it also helps to ignore the first line or two and come back to them later. It’s always harder for me to come up with a snappy start than it is to get into the meat of what I’m trying to say.</p>
<p>^don’t take it personally haha; things seemed to work out for you, based on my quick stalking. I’ll admit my openers were pretty weak. I wasn’t as open-minded back then about how I could approach the college essay. Stanford really transformed me in this regard.</p>
<p>Thanks for your suggestions!!!</p>