What is the difference between a personal statement and a college essay?
I keep seeing that some schools want a personal statement and others want a college essay, but I'm not sure if they're basically the same thing or if there's an important difference.
I'm working on my Common App Essay and I want to make sure I'm not missing out on something important if a college asks for a 'personal statement' instead. Are the expectations different for each, or do most schools use both terms to mean the exact same kind of essay? Would it matter for supplemental essays too?
I'd appreciate advice from people who have already applied or who are working on their applications now!
I'm working on my Common App Essay and I want to make sure I'm not missing out on something important if a college asks for a 'personal statement' instead. Are the expectations different for each, or do most schools use both terms to mean the exact same kind of essay? Would it matter for supplemental essays too?
I'd appreciate advice from people who have already applied or who are working on their applications now!
4 months ago
•
22 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
You're definitely not alone in being confused by these terms—they're often used interchangeably, but there are a few subtle differences worth understanding.
In most college admissions contexts, especially in the U.S., 'college essay' and 'personal statement' usually refer to the main essay on your application, like the 650-word Common App Essay. Both ask you to introduce yourself through a story or theme that tells colleges who you are beyond your grades and test scores. So if a college says they require a 'personal statement' on the Common App, they're almost always referring to this same main essay.
Where it can get a bit different is for schools outside the Common App (like the UC system, certain state schools, or international universities). Sometimes, their 'personal statement' prompts might be more focused, such as asking specifically about your interest in a major or your goals. For example, the UC Personal Insight Questions ask more targeted, experience-based questions rather than a single broad personal statement.
Supplemental essays, on the other hand, are additional short essays most colleges require, and these tend to have very specific prompts (like 'Why our college?', 'Describe your community,' or 'Share a meaningful extracurricular'). These are not usually called personal statements, but rather 'supplemental essays' or sometimes just 'essays.'
To sum up: for almost all colleges in the U.S., 'personal statement' and 'main college essay' mean the same thing—a narrative essay about you. Supplemental essays are something different. Still, always double-check the prompt wording for each school. If a school specifically calls for a 'personal statement' apart from the Common App essay, look for details about what they want (structure, topic, word count).
For example, when I applied to Princeton, the Common App personal statement was my main essay, but Princeton also required a supplemental essay about how I would contribute to campus life, which was much shorter and more focused.
If you're using the Common App, focusing on your main essay as both your personal statement and 'college essay' will work for almost every situation—just be ready to write some supplemental essays tailored to each school's prompts.
In most college admissions contexts, especially in the U.S., 'college essay' and 'personal statement' usually refer to the main essay on your application, like the 650-word Common App Essay. Both ask you to introduce yourself through a story or theme that tells colleges who you are beyond your grades and test scores. So if a college says they require a 'personal statement' on the Common App, they're almost always referring to this same main essay.
Where it can get a bit different is for schools outside the Common App (like the UC system, certain state schools, or international universities). Sometimes, their 'personal statement' prompts might be more focused, such as asking specifically about your interest in a major or your goals. For example, the UC Personal Insight Questions ask more targeted, experience-based questions rather than a single broad personal statement.
Supplemental essays, on the other hand, are additional short essays most colleges require, and these tend to have very specific prompts (like 'Why our college?', 'Describe your community,' or 'Share a meaningful extracurricular'). These are not usually called personal statements, but rather 'supplemental essays' or sometimes just 'essays.'
To sum up: for almost all colleges in the U.S., 'personal statement' and 'main college essay' mean the same thing—a narrative essay about you. Supplemental essays are something different. Still, always double-check the prompt wording for each school. If a school specifically calls for a 'personal statement' apart from the Common App essay, look for details about what they want (structure, topic, word count).
For example, when I applied to Princeton, the Common App personal statement was my main essay, but Princeton also required a supplemental essay about how I would contribute to campus life, which was much shorter and more focused.
If you're using the Common App, focusing on your main essay as both your personal statement and 'college essay' will work for almost every situation—just be ready to write some supplemental essays tailored to each school's prompts.
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Camille Luong
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Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
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