Crafting a personal narrative

The Common App essay stands in sharp contrast to most forms of writing demanded of students towards the end of their education. While most soon-to-be-undergraduates preparing for their first year in college are used to writing analytically and try to remove themselves from the narrative regardless of the subject studied, the Common App requires applicants to examine their own experiences and craft a compelling narrative around it.

This is a very different skill set that must be acquired. That’s why BartyED’s team of U.S. college admissions consultants work with candidates individually to develop these skills. Indeed, it can take time for a candidate to develop a personal narrative that will be compelling to a U.S. college admissions officer, and BartyED’s U.S. college admissions consultants are experts in helping students identify those key narratives in their writing.

Sample Common App opening

Below is an anonymised opening paragragh to a Common App essay:

Why is he biting his thumb?

I had no idea. My face flushed as I sat and stared at my copy of Romeo and Juliet, completely dumbfounded. I had only moved to Hong Kong recently, and had little exposure to English as a language of instruction, let alone reading Shakespeare in a class of twenty other learners. What’s more, it was already January, so even though there were other new students in the class, they had had five months to get comfortable and make friends. I couldn’t help but feel out of place.

Effective expository writing

As you can see from this opening, the candidate has identified a clear anecdote from their experience. In this case, the U.S. college candidate has opened in the middle of the anecdote, leaving the reader curious as to what they mean by ‘Why is he biting his thumb?’ In turn, this puts the reader in the same position as the writer in that moment.

Effective expository writing is all about putting the reader in the shoes of the person writing. U.S. college admissions officers should be able to feel what the candidate felt, and understand how these experiences have shaped them into the person they are. It does not have to be a big dramatic moment, either. In this case, it’s a very common situation for any learner to be confused by Shakespeare’s use of language, but it’s also a situation that will help the U.S. college admissions officer understand this candidate’s life experiences.

How BartyED’s college admissions tutors can help

BartyED’s team of college admissions consultants have worked with countless students over the years on all aspects of the U.S. college admissions process. From selecting colleges, to developing a candidate’s profile, and the Common App itself, we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive support to all our college admissions students.

We encourage students to take the college admissions process seriously, and that includes developing a candidate’s skills at crafting a personal narrative for their Common App essay. This process centres on practice exercises, regular feedback, and self-examination. Our U.S. college admissions consultants are adept at identifying and developing skills in candidates that are desirable to U.S. college admissions officers, and we are proud of our record in placing candidates at their dream U.S. colleges and other universities around the world.

If you would like to learn more about how BartyED’s expert team of college admissions consultants can help you or your child ace the Common App essay, get in touch today via email at enquiries@bartyed.com or phone at (+852) 2882 1017.