The personal essay is an essential component of your application. How compelling it is — or isn't — can make or break your acceptance.

Journalists chase, find and cover stories, and sometimes, they become one. From intriguing exposés to provocative thinkpieces and raw memoirs, the personal essay has long been a media staple, enjoying ...

Your essay should reveal the real you, not read like a resume, expert says. Sept. 2, 2010— -- When it comes to applying to college, many students fear the personal essay above all. Bari Norman, a ...

For reasons I will never entirely understand, one of the requirements to get into selective American colleges is a personal essay. A personal statement — something that declares “Here’s what I’m ...

Writing a personal essay can be a full-body activity, replete with tremors and tears and physical aches. Recollection is strenuous. Recreating a scene can be downright exhausting. In those instances, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. As the CEO of Command Education, I write about emotionally intelligent leadership and education. This week, the Common Application ...