Ask Yourself, “What Can I Omit?” Cutting the narrative is a tricky beast in a personal essay, because you want to be thorough and tell your whole story.

As I revised my personal statement college essay for the ninth time, I grumbled in frustration. I had spent the past month editing, rewriting, and brainstorming topics that would hopefully let ...

Leslie Jamison's incredible new essay collection, The Empathy Exams, covers topics ranging from random violence to HBO's Girls to abortion to bad romance to stereotypes, proving she can write ...

I tell this to students not to depress them about their own chances of writing a memorable essay, but instead to give them relief against having to write The Great American College Essay.

A strong personal history statement begins with an authentic voice and personal narrative. This can reflect your journey to graduate school, any obstacles you’ve encountered, and how you've overcome ...

When I first taught personal narrative in my freshmen Literature and Writing course last year I planned a traditional unit. I practiced descriptive writing techniques by having them listen to the ...

The power of these personal essays has motivated me to expand the project into Transformations Books. We now have the chance to demonstrate that there is an extraordinary reservoir of compelling ...

College essays loom large for high school juniors and seniors. Students are asked to write a personal narrative in which they discuss and demonstrate their growth as humans and learners.