The college admission essay is often called a personal statement, and for good reason. Good college essay writing demonstrates your ability to perceive life experiences with depth, and to draw meaningful observations and life-transforming conclusions. Top colleges and universities, especially Ivy League schools, not only want to get to know you – they want to understand how you see yourself in the world.

Essentially, good college essay writing is no different than essays you’ve written in high school. Begin writing your college personal statement by composing an outline. An outline is your roadmap of where your college personal statement needs to go, and how you’re going to get there through skillful, eloquent argumentation. Even if your “evidence” is your own life experience, you must argue, cite and analyze as you would with any term paper.