Webinar overview
In this free webinar, Prepory’s Program Director Taylor Piva breaks down what it actually takes to write a personal statement that works, from choosing a topic to holding an admissions reader’s attention through the final paragraph.
You’ll learn:
- What admissions officers are looking for when they read a personal statement
- How to choose a topic that shows who you are
- What the strongest personal statements have in common, and what weaker ones consistently get wrong
- How to write a draft that tells a story instead of listing accomplishments
- Answers to your specific questions during a live Q&A
Meet your webinar host: Taylor Piva
With 12 years in higher education, including time at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Chicago, Taylor Piva knows what admissions teams look for in an application. As Prepory’s Program Director, she oversees the coaching and writing teams, and has guided students to acceptances at UPenn, the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, UT Austin, NYU, and beyond.
Meet your webinar host:
With 12 years in higher education, including time at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Chicago, Taylor Piva knows what admissions teams look for in an application. As Prepory’s Program Director, she oversees the coaching and writing teams, and has guided students to acceptances at UPenn, the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley, UT Austin, NYU, and beyond.
Frequently asked questions about Personal Statement writing:
A college personal statement is a 500–650 word essay where you share who you are beyond your grades and test scores: your voice, your values, and what has shaped how you think. It's your opportunity to tell a story that only you could tell and give admissions officers a reason to remember your application.
Colleges look for authenticity, self-awareness, and a specific voice, not a summary of your resume. The strongest essays show rather than tell, using a concrete moment or experience to reveal how you think and what you care about.
A personal statement should be 500–650 words for Common App schools, 350 words per question for UC schools, and 100–250 words for most supplemental essays.
Start with a specific scene, moment, or detail that pulls the reader in before you begin reflecting. Your opening doesn't need to be perfect; it needs to be concrete enough that a reader wants to keep going, and your topic selection will shape everything that follows.
