In a few weeks my sons will face one of the biggest challenges of their high school career: Writing the personal statements for their college applications. Most colleges require this short essay that admissions directors say is one of the most important parts of the student’s application. The essay puts a human face on the test scores and grade point averages that schools receive, and it is the one chance students have to truly differentiate themselves in a crowded field. …
… So what is it that wins people to you and makes them want to choose you over all their other options? As a trainer for young women interested in politics, I’ve watched thousands of students over the years try to master this skill in a 30-second elevator pitch. But even after coaching, their inclination is to stick to the facts, share no personal details and be totally unemotional. They want to appear knowledgeable and in control, but instead they leave the listener with no impression of who they are or why we should remember them. There is no magic.
And so this summer I tried something new. I asked Adam Lisagor of Sandwich Video to help Running Start students look at personal branding in a fresh way." …
Opinion.