STRUCTURING THE

PERSONAL
STATEMENT
English 12
Miss Waferling
Information adapted from www.collegeessayguy.com
I Recommend Responding to One
of the Following Prompts:
UC Freshmen Prompt:
Describe the world you come from for example,
your family, community or school and tell us how
your world has shaped your dreams and
aspirations.
OR
Common App Prompt:
Some students have a background or story that is
so central to their identity that they believe their
application would be incomplete without it. If this
sounds like you, then please share your story.
Four Types of Essays
Narrative Structure
Heres the structure that most literature and American
films use. The basic elements are:
Status Quo
How things were
Inciting Incident/Status Quo Change
Something happens
Raise the Stakes
Important events take place
Moment of Truth
Moment of highest tension
Outcome/New Status Quo
The result. How you have been changed
Montage Structure
Montage is a technique that involves creating a
new whole from separate fragments (pictures,
words, music, etc.). In filmmaking, the montage
effect is used to condense space and time so
that information can be delivered in a more
efficient way.

A few images tell the whole story.
Essay A: Student who has faced
challenges and knows what they want
to study.
Connect the challenge you have been through to the
career you want to pursue through your values.
Heres how to write the Type A essay:
1. Find your Values list
2. Identify the values you developed as a result of the
challenge you have faced in life.
3. What are the values of an excellent [your career
here]? Identify those values.
4. Circle those that are in common.
5. Ask yourself: what experience in my life led me to
develop that value? Thats what youll write about.

Example Structure for Essay A
Essay B: Student has not faced
challenges but does know what they
want to study.
Reverse engineer your essay!
Qualities of a Great (Insert Career):
-Desire to help others
-Detail focused
-Interested in how human body works
-Curiosity
How Ive Demonstrated These Qualities:
-After-school math tutoring
-Designing my own shoes
-Taking apart machines?
-Always asked questions as a kid

Example Structure for Essay B
Essay C: Student has faced challenges
but does not know what they want to
study.
Some students have been through some serious challenges.
These may include:
-The death of someone close you
-Having to learn English while adapting to a new culture
-Taking on huge responsibilities at home due to either absent, ill
or overworked parents

If any of these things apply to you, heres a way you might be
able to apply the narrative structure to your story. Answer the
following three questions:
Whats the challenge I faced? (25% of essay)
What did I do about it? (50% of essay)
How did this make me a better person? (25% of essay)
Example Structure for Essay C
Essay D: Student has not faced
challenges and does not know what
they want to study.
How to get started on this essay:
1. Identify a few things that are important to you
-values activity
-object activity
2. Find a focusing lens
-Use a metaphor, in other words, that will allow
you to discuss several different aspects of
who you are.
3. Include a thesis of sorts at the end of the first
paragraph
Example Structure for Essay D