Writing your personal statement
You are required to complete a writing section as part of your freshman application that includes a personal statement and a short response. This is a critical part of your application, both for admission and scholarship consideration.
Personal statement (500-650 words)
The personal statement is our means of getting to know you and your means of creating a context for your academic performance. When you write your personal statement, tell us about those aspects of your life that may not be apparent from your academic record.
Choose one of the two topics below:
- Discuss how your family's experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.
— OR — - Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
Short response (250 words)
Describe an experience of cultural difference, positive or negative, you have had or observed. What did you learn from it?
Tip: You may define culture broadly; for example, it may include ethnicity, customs, values and ideas, all of which contribute to experiences which students can share with others in college. As you reply to this question, reflect on what you have learned — about yourself and society — from an experience of cultural difference.
