Having not-so-good high school records is out of your control. You can’t do anything about it. Although this requirement for admissions is very influential in the result of your college application, it is not the only thing that could make or break your admissions. Another factor that plays a very important role in the admission process is the personal statement for college. This adds depth and meaning to the information found in other parts of your application.(1) This also allows you to state your case about some problems with your other application requirements, such as your grades for example. Because of the importance of your personal essay, it is necessary that you choose a topic that would grab the attention of those who will read it. Below are some of the topics that might catch the interest of the readers.
Topic #1: your sexual orientation
An interesting topic would be your sexual orientation. You can explore your essay using your sexual orientation as a thread that would bind your sentences and ideas together. If you are planning to pursue courses such as sociology or social work, talking about your sexual orientation and how it influenced your career goals sounds appealing.(2) You can read various personal statement samples before you write your own and use them as guides.
Topic #2: a unique hobby
One of the things that could set you apart from other applicants is your unique hobby or interest.(3) So if you have one, you should write about it. Just make sure that this interest of yours is still related to why you want to pursue a study in a certain field. You can also use a sample personal statement to help you in writing your own.
Topic #3: a very tragic event
Telling about a tragic event that happened in your life can also call the readers’ attention to your essay. You can read other personal statement samples and take note on how to tell a tragic event without appearing to be soliciting the sympathy of the admissions committee.
(1) http://www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/university-of-california-uc/personal-statement.asp
(2) http://www.aurora.edu/academics/programs-majors/graduate/social-work/personal-statement.html
(3) http://www.lsa.umich.edu/advising/advisor/prelaw/statement
