This exercise is simple, but powerful.

The best personal statements demonstrate openness and vulnerability — a willingness on behalf of the student to let their guard down and be known. In this exercise, you’ll practice your ability to cultivate authentic closeness with your reader — and generate a few personal statement ideas along the way.

Step 1.

Find a quiet place where you can work, undisturbed, for about 15 minutes. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and turn it face-down. Open a fresh Google Doc or pull out a notebook and a pen. (If you’re working on Google Docs, make sure your laptop has notifications silenced too.)

Step 2.

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Your goal is to write continuously for the entire 15 minutes — don’t edit yourself. Don’t sit and wait for the perfect line to come to you. Simply write, unfiltered.

Step 3.

Write the words, “If you really knew me…” and then finish the sentence. When that sentence is completed, write, “if you really knew me…” again, and finish that sentence in a new way. Continue writing the phrase and completing it until the 15 minutes are up. Your answers can be as long or as short as feels natural to you.

Step 4.

When the 15 minutes are up, look over what you’ve written. Hopefully, you’ve generated some thoughts and ideas that go beyond surface-level accomplishments or interests to get at more meaningful aspects of your character, personality, or values. Use the richest revelations as starting points for your personal statement.

Need more personalized guidance on brainstorming or crafting your personal statement? Contact our college admissions team.