US Universities
Find out how to write a strong personal essay for US university applications, including tips on tone, topic choice, and supplementary essays.
Last updated 16 June 2026
US Universities
You will need to write a personal essay when applying for US universities and Yale-NUS.
Bear the following in mind when writing the statement
You will write a 650 word essay which is read by all universities. So the essay should not refer to any particular course or university. You should focus on your personality and feelings when writing the essay.
US Personal essays are highly different from UK Personal statements. The objective of the Personal essay is to tell the admissions officer something about you that they don't already know from your academic results, CCA achievements or teacher's recommendations.
Usually students write about a significant event, person or circumstances that influenced their outlook in life. The essay should reflect your character and your personality e.g. traits like perseverance, integrity, introversion, extroversion etc.
Avoid cliched events e.g. Project Work, National Service, unless you are very sure that your experience is highly unique
Besides the Personal essay, some universities may required you to write short supplementary essays. The purpose of these essays is to assess your fit for the university. So your focus for these essays is to demonstrate why you are suitable for this college.
Below are useful links to help you write the essay: