By Sharon Perlman

The essays are an important part of your applications. Your grades and your test scores are already set. The essay is your chance to "talk" to the admissions committee and to convince them to accept you. How can you write a great personal statement that will show the admissions committees what an awesome student you will be? Here are some tips:

· What schools are looking for
Admissions committees want to see (1) that you have the potential to succeed academically at their school, (2) that their school would be a good fit for you, and (3) how the school will benefit from having you as a student at their school (They look for unique background and/or experiences, special talents, involvement in extracurricular activities, leadership skills, etc.)

· Hook the reader
The admissions committee will likely spend less than ten minutes reading each essay. To make yours stand out write about something you are passionate about and make sure your introduction hooks the reader and draws him or her into the essay. The first paragraph, and especially the first few sentences, should be personal, unusual and interesting.

· Make your essay memorable
You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a published poet to get into school. However, your essay should still be interesting to read. The key to making your essay come alive is to write about an experience or event that was important to you. Describe in detail what your thoughts and feelings were at the time.

· The four basic steps
There are four basic steps to writing your personal statement: preparation before you write, writing, revising and proofreading. The first step is to take some time to brainstorm ideas and plan your essay. Then write your essay without worrying about it being perfect; you just want to get a first draft out. In the third step, revision, you can look at content, organization, clarity, etc., and improve the essay. Finally, be sure to proofread your essay, making certain you have no spelling, grammar or syntax mistakes.

· Make your essay personal
Avoid general statements like "I want to be a doctor because I enjoy science and I like helping people." Instead, use specific examples of what you are trying to say, thereby showing the reader what you did and how you felt instead of stating these feelings explicitly. For instance, if you volunteered in a hospital give an example of how you helped someone. In general, it is more interesting for the reader to read descriptive stories and they make your conclusions sound more realistic.

· Focus
Don't try to include too many topics. It's better to focus on 2-4 experiences or ideas and develop these in depth. Describe your selected experiences in detail.

· It's ok to mention your weaknesses but be careful
It's acceptable to explain a period of bad grades, a leave of absence or something else you feel you ought to explain. Try to find something positive to say about any problem, and be sure not to use an entire essay to explain a weakness.

· Get a second opinion
Show your essay to other people to get feedback. It's hard to criticize your own essay and to view it objectively.

· Remember that your essay is fair game
Interviewers will likely ask you about your essay during your interviews. Be prepared to discuss any topic that you mention in your essay.

-- Sharon Perlman, President of The Writing Web. The Writing Web offers online writing consulting to help people improve their application essays for college, graduate, law, business and medical school. The site, at http://www.writingweb.com, offers writing tips, online consultation sessions, application advice and essay evaluations.