No matter how good your general writing skills are, crafting a flawless personal statement that will convince colleges to accept you is always going to be a challenge. Most people find selling themselves awkward, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Plus, if you get started early, you’ll have enough time to hone a personal essay that comes across as genuine and compelling. Here are some top tips to help you get started.

Understand the Requirements

Before you do anything, make sure you know exactly what’s required from your personal statement. Check the specific questions the college is asking, how long your essay needs to be, and any other parameters given to make sure that your statement meets them.

As part of this process, it’s also worth looking at CampusReel’s advice on Michigan admission rates and entry requirements for the colleges you’re interested in to ensure you meet all of those, too. Otherwise, you might find yourself wasting time on a college you definitelycan’t get into with your grades.

Brainstorm Ideas

In order to ensure that you fully answer the question and your personal statement flows nicely, it can be helpful to brainstorm ideas before you begin writing. This will be useful in getting your thoughts organized, choosing the best examples, and making sure you have the space to include everything that you want to.

Once you’ve finished brainstorming, you can look at the best way to arrange your ideas in a logical manner. This will help you craft a statement that makes the admissions team want to keep reading.

Demonstrate Your Strengths

Your personal statement needs to show colleges that you will both succeed in the program and be an asset to the institution. As such, you should highlight any relevant experience you have, as well as skills you’ve gained that will be useful academically.

You want to show that you have a solid understanding of the course you’re applying to but also that you’re a well-rounded student with other interests. Whether it’s sports, science, languages, or the arts, let the reader see your full personality both inside and outside of the classroom.

Let Your Passion Shine Through

Colleges want to admit students who are genuinely enthusiastic about their chosen subject, so be sure to let your passion for the program shine through. You can talk about why you’re interested in the topic and also how it fits in with your future career aspirations. This will demonstrate that you’re motivated and committed to your studies.

Overall, admissions tutors want to see that you’ll be an engaged and enthusiastic student who will add value to the department. Just don’t be tempted to lie or exaggerate, as they’ll almost certainly see through this!

Get Someone Else to Check it

One tactic that can be extremely helpful when writing a personal statement is to get someone else to look over it before you submit it. Whether they’re a teacher, school counselor, family member, or friend, they can give you some honest feedback and offer a fresh perspective.

Once you’re happy with what you’ve written, it’s also wise to get someone to proofread it for you. Even if you’ve checked it a dozen times, it’s surprisingly easy to miss mistakes in your own writing!