Writing a personal narrative for college scholarships can be difficult. You may start to feel like your life hasn’t been interesting enough. You may also feel like there are too many points you wish to cover but you can’t exceed a certain number of words. Not all college scholarships require this type of essay, but it is a good idea to be prepared just in case. For the most part you can create one great personal narrative and then add or delete parts to meet any word requirements for different applications.
As you think about your personal narrative, try to cover aspects that you don’t already in your application or with your other documents. You want to use this opportunity to share what is great and what is unique about you. The panel of judges don’t want a recap of what they have already read. Now is your time to share with them who you are and what you are passionate about. It is in this personal narrative that you can help them understand what has brought you to this point in your life.
Try to include plenty of personal stories in this narrative. For example if your passion is for nursing then share stories about it. Talk about having a fake hospital as a child with your stuffed animals. Explain how you took care of kids that fell down on the playground at school a you walked them to the real nurse for a band aid. Perhaps you had a parent or other family member suffer through a lengthy illness. Share how such an experience only further fueled your desire to be able to help others.
At the same time you share with them your plans for the future. Make it obvious that you plan to succeed no matter what it takes. Explain that earning such a college scholarship can help you to achieve so much for yourself. Try to share some goals you have for the future as well. What do you hope to accomplish in five years? Where do you see yourself in ten years? The answers to these questions should be a true reflection of who you are now and who you hope to be then.
In addition to what your say in your personal narrative, be cautious of how you say it. You do want it to flow like you are having a conversation with someone. Work so that it doesn’t sound too mechanical. Stay away from big words as they aren’t going to be impressive at this stage of the game. Make sure you have a powerful introduction, a gripping body, and a compassionate conclusion that leaves them feeling good about what they know about you.
The quality of your personal narrative can be a huge part of the final decision making process for college scholarships that require them. Take your time to really show yourself in it. Don’t be shy about exploring your accomplishments or what you would like to do in the future. You also need to make sure you don’t overlook your spelling or your grammar. It is always a good idea to have others go over it before you submit the final draft. You should be extremely proud when you read your own personal narrative. If you don’t, continue to revise it until you do.