3. Formative Assessment - Google Docs
Students complete the following guided questions to develop their personal response in Google Docs.
There is no ‘correct’ answer to the Personal Statement, so just start writing.
Prompt #1: 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.
Things to consider before answering Prompt #1:
1. Do you live in a small rural area or large city?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the challenges or opportunities you found in your community?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Are you an only child or do you come from a large family? Do you identify with one or more cultures?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are you the first person in your family to attend college? How does your family interact with one another?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. How large is your high school? Are you in a magnet program or charter school?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6. How are you challenging yourself in school to prepare for college? Is attending college common for graduating seniors a your school?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The area that was easiest to answer could be a good topic for Prompt #1. Remember to add facts and examples that describe the world that has influenced you.
Prompt #2: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
Things to consider before answering Prompt #2:
1. Make a list of four things that describe you (e.g. athletic, a leader, first in my family to go to college,started a club, own my own business, etc.)
a. _____________________________________ b. ________________________________________
c. _____________________________________ d. ________________________________________
Now ask a friend or family member to do the same thing:
a. _____________________________________ b. ________________________________________
c. _____________________________________ d. ________________________________________
Did anything overlap? Can you see areas where you want to share more information? If so, consider using this topic to respond to Prompt #2.
2. What do you consider one of your strengths? What are you good at?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This can be another possible topic choice for Prompt #2.
Final Hints:
When you find your topic, remember to give examples of what you learned from your experiences or your accomplishments. Highlight your experiences and show how they contribute to the person you are today.
Avoid using the same topic (or examples) in both responses. Every piece of new information can add clarity to your application. When writing you want to explain, not philosophize; add depth, not theory to your application.
There is no ‘correct’ answer to the Personal Statement, so just start writing.
Prompt #1: 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.
Things to consider before answering Prompt #1:
1. Do you live in a small rural area or large city?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the challenges or opportunities you found in your community?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Are you an only child or do you come from a large family? Do you identify with one or more cultures?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are you the first person in your family to attend college? How does your family interact with one another?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. How large is your high school? Are you in a magnet program or charter school?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6. How are you challenging yourself in school to prepare for college? Is attending college common for graduating seniors a your school?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The area that was easiest to answer could be a good topic for Prompt #1. Remember to add facts and examples that describe the world that has influenced you.
Prompt #2: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
Things to consider before answering Prompt #2:
1. Make a list of four things that describe you (e.g. athletic, a leader, first in my family to go to college,started a club, own my own business, etc.)
a. _____________________________________ b. ________________________________________
c. _____________________________________ d. ________________________________________
Now ask a friend or family member to do the same thing:
a. _____________________________________ b. ________________________________________
c. _____________________________________ d. ________________________________________
Did anything overlap? Can you see areas where you want to share more information? If so, consider using this topic to respond to Prompt #2.
2. What do you consider one of your strengths? What are you good at?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This can be another possible topic choice for Prompt #2.
Final Hints:
When you find your topic, remember to give examples of what you learned from your experiences or your accomplishments. Highlight your experiences and show how they contribute to the person you are today.
Avoid using the same topic (or examples) in both responses. Every piece of new information can add clarity to your application. When writing you want to explain, not philosophize; add depth, not theory to your application.