Three Tips for a Great College Application

Don’t Stress Out

Whether it’s writing the essay or completing the application process as a whole, time spent reflecting on and communicating your experience can be valuable and positive. Bring that positive attitude to the process, and believe that admission officers will enjoy getting to know you.

You have control.

Cailene Gunn '16 of Granby, CT (Summer Research with Prof. Beverly Johnson) does some sunset-inspired Yoga on Hermit Island in Phippsburg, ME.In the case of applying to Bates, or any university, you will be one of many applicants, so the process is beyond your control in some ways. But in other ways, you have control. You control your writing, who you choose to write your recommendations and, by spring, which colleges you choose among the ones that accept your application.

Remember that 7.5 billion people live on this planet.

Your courses and grades are not the only traits that define you. Colleges and universities value authenticity, genuineness, and honesty throughout one’s application. Just be yourself in this process. That is the best way to stand out as an applicant.

Reflect on Your Experiences and Aspirations 

How have you grown?

Tell us how and why your most important activities (perhaps a team captaincy, paid work at a local restaurant, or a community book club facilitated over Zoom) have helped you grow as a person. Tell us what you’ve learned from your experiences, not just what you’ve done.

111003_1045What’s your background?

View the admission forms as the place to chronicle your family background, schooling, activities, work experiences, and other autobiographical information. Be clear, concise, and detailed.

What inspires you?

Use the subjective questions and the personal statement to share aspects of your character and lived experience that may not be apparent from your courses and grades. In addition to your successes, tell us what you truly love to do, what inspires you, and what is meaningful for you. The quality of your writing matters.


Write a strong personal statement

What’s the purpose of this writing sample?

We place a premium on strong writing. We look for mastery of the mechanics of writing as well as fluency and originality. Your personal statement reveals the caliber of your thinking and your readiness for a competitive liberal arts program.

Tips for writing the college personal statement 
  • Be yourself.
    Give us a window into your values and experiences. You know yourself best, so be honest.
  • Proofread!
    Misspelled words and grammatical errors don’t give a good first impression of your writing ability.
  • Stay focused.
    Don’t write a research paper. Write a personal statement with meaning, and tell us something about yourself that will help admission deans imagine how you might fit into the Bates community.
  • Grab our attention.
    Start with a great opener that catches the reader’s attention immediately. Make the admission deans want to read more about you.
  • Show us. Don’t tell us.
    Use details to illustrate ideas and action words that bring your personal statement to life. Paint a picture that holds the reader’s attention.
  • Present your own work.
    We’ve seen plagiarized personal statements before, as well as the work of a parent, teacher or essay-writing professional. Don’t make that mistake.
  • Keep it simple.
    Don’t use words that sound overly sophisticated. Admission deans aren’t impressed by highfalutin language and vocabulary from the thesaurus. Tell us your story in your voice.
  • Get feedback.
    Have other people give you some feedback. Don’t allow someone else to rewrite your personal statement, but do take advantage of others’ edits and opinions when they seem helpful.
  • Enjoy the process!
    Enjoy the process of reflecting on and writing about one aspect of your life that is meaningful to you. Know that most admission deans will enjoy reading your story.

And remember. Bates is test optional.