The Iliad. The Odyssey. The Wizard of OZ. The Princess Bride. Harry Potter. Star Wars. Most episodes of My Little Pony.
These are some of the most popular stories in history and they all follow a simple progression referred to as The Hero’s Journey. Why is this formula so popular? It works. Many discussions and dissertations have attempted to discern why. The blueprint may satisfy the natural levers connected to human empathy, it may simply be the optimal path to convey a story, or it could be a sequence that humans naturally enjoy. But for whatever reason, it is an extremely effective way to tell a story.
Currently, many High School juniors are seriously starting to think about college and college applications. One of the main components of that campaign is the notorious and infamous Personal Statement Essay. It is, simply, a 650 – word statement of who you are and what’s important to you. How hard can that be, right? Actually, this component can often be the Achilles’ heel for many college applications and a quick toss onto the “Thank you, no.” pile. Fortunately, this does not need to be the case.
With history as a guide, I encourage students to leverage a technique that has worked for millennia. Describe a meaningful event in your life using the Hero’s Journey as a template to describe who you are and what is important to you. It does not have to be an epic adventure, the cure for world hunger or musings about winning a Pulitzer Prize. It actually shouldn’t be. I suggest students start the essay development process by describing a time they were happy, sad, scared, embarrassed or inspired. If it was an important experience for them, it can usually be used to provide evidence of maturity and examples of character. Does the essay describe your character and what is important to you? These are things that college application evaluators really want to know.
I also provide some basic tenets to guide students as they approach their essay. Start early. No, start early, as in six months early. The Ugly First Draft is the hardest. Use simple language. Allow time for great ideas to surface. Have people of different ages, cultures, religions, and perspectives read it and provide feedback. Have someone proof the last three drafts and then let it sit for three days to make sure there isn’t anything to add. Done. And one more thing, please do yourself – and every college admissions reader – a huge favor. Unless you have an incredible and unique twist, don’t write about sports. Even if you choose to write about My Little Pony, it will make a more memorable impression on evaluators as they wade through a half-filled pool of essays about sports.
For more college essay information:
A great book about successfully grappling with college application essays is by Ethan Sawyer – College Essay Essentials. His website, The College Essay Guy, specifically addresses essays and is also a great resource.