When applying to a U.S. college, you must complete an application package. Your TOEFL score will be part of that package. You must also submit credits from previous schools, SAT scores, letters of recommendation, etc., and a personal essay. Many of my students ask me for advice before writing this essay. They say, "Professor Stirling, help! I want to go to M.I.T. How do I structure my personal essay? What should I say? What should I do?"
I say, "Write a TOEFL independent essay." Why? Because a personal essay is really just another name for the TOEFL independent essay. If you can write a TOEFL independent essay, you can write a personal essay for a college application package. Simple, right? Right.
There is a plethora of books and web sites on how to write a personal essay for a college application. Many of these books and links say your personal essay should be original. Original means your voice sets you apart from the other candidates. This is good advice for native English speakers, but if your first language is not English, don't try and be original. Why not? First, the school simply wants to know if you, the foreign student, can write a personal, American-style essay in English. Second, the school wants to know if you have a clear purpose for wanting to attend. That's all. You do not have to reinvent the wheel.
Remember: When writing your personal essay, use the KISS rule: Keep it simple stupid.
The Pro
