Thoughts on the So-Called “Cliché" Personal Statement

            “Jesse, I came across a YouTube video that said you should never write about sports in your Personal Statement.”

            “Jesse, I saw a TikTok that said you should never write about the death of a loved one.”

            “Jesse, my friend told me that she heard you should never write about a significant trip you took with your family.”

            Over the years, I’ve heard it all when it comes to what students think is and is not OK to address in a Personal Statement. To be sure, students are fortunate to have access to so much information (via the internet, social media, etc.), especially regarding information connected to writing their Personal Statement essays. However, this blessing can also be a curse. If you research long enough, you will ultimately hear, in one form or another, that just about every essay topic is off-limits because it is too “cliché.” Yes. The dreaded cliché Personal Statement – the essay we are all desperately trying to avoid writing, right?

            Well, here’s the problem: if a cliché essay is defined as an essay written on a topic that others have already written, we’ll likely find ourselves out of topics to write about. I say that because we are all human, which means we all share similar experiences that unfolded in similar contexts. We all experience joys and challenges. We all have had influential moments in life and known people who shaped who we are today. So, unless you have traveled to Mars and spent the summer working on terraforming the planet, the topics you are considering writing your Personal Statement on will probably be topics other students in your applicant pool will be writing on, too. And that’s perfectly fine! Try to let go of the idea that your Personal Statement topic must be somehow exotic. I find that the simplest, well-told stories are often the most meaningful and profound, regardless of the topic.

            It was author Jack Kerouac who once brilliantly remarked, “It ain’t whatcha write, it’s the way ‘atcha write it!” I cannot think of a better quote to keep in mind as you jump into the Personal Statement writing process – and college application essay writing in general. Remember, it’s not the actual topic that should concern us most, but rather how we write about it. So, don’t get mired in the debate about which topic is or isn’t “cliché.” From my perspective, almost no topic is off-limits!

            Instead, think about how you can discuss your topic of choice in your own unique way, providing insight into who you are to those who read it. Remember, it’s not so much the topic that is meaningful, but rather:

• Why is the topic meaningful to you personally?
• How did it shape who you are today?
• How does it connect to your passions and motivations in life?

            And above all, be sure to write in your authentic voice. This essay is not an academic essay, so it does not need to be written in an overly formal way with thesaurus-inspired, fancy words littered throughout. Try writing this essay in the same way you speak, as if you were telling the story to you reader over a cup of coffee or tea. This is the good stuff. The stuff that takes a seemingly “cliché” topic and makes it completely personal to you.

            If you need assistance in navigating your way past the dreaded cliché Personal Statement, be sure to reach out to Gramma’s Jam (www.grammasjam.com). We offer expert consulting services to help you develop simple yet profound essays that best exemplify you and will move admissions officers to root for you in the admissions process.

            Happy writing!