Held at Mission High School, the Great San Francisco Personal Statement Weekend helped local students write the personal essay that is a large component of the college application process.
The event was hosted by 826 Valencia, a Mission District nonprofit that supports students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills for future success.
From 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, November 7th and 8th, there was food, computers and tutors available to provide students with one-on-one editing sessions. Over 50 students showed up Saturday and even more were expected the following day.
Drop-in at Mission High, 3750 18th Street, or call 415-642-590 ext. 206 for more information. If you missed the event, help’s always available at the 826 Valencia office between 19th and 20th streets on Sundays, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Or email essayhelp@826valencia.com.
Quick Essay-Writing Tips from 826 Valencia
- Relax. It can be intimidating, but remember that every high school senior is in the same boat.
- Be honest. Writing that is personal and honest draws the reader in.
- Be personal. You want to be able to read your essay and say, “This sounds like ME.”
- Be consistent. Your application and essay shouldn’t be the same but they should reflect each other.
- Think of it as an opportunity to reveal something the admissions office won’t learn from your application.
- Keep an open mind when picking a topic. Even an activity you hated might make a good topic because you learned something from it.
- Focus on your strong points. Tell the admissions officers what you have to offer the freshman class.
- PROOFREAD. Use the dictionary, spell check and read your essay out loud.
- Write about WHY not WHAT. Your application states what you did; the essay should explain why you did it.