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Hey everyone! I'm working on my college applications, and part of it requires a personal background essay. I'm a little stuck, so if you guys could share some examples or tips, that'd be great! Please help me out, thanks!

Hello! It's understandable that writing a personal background essay can be challenging. Here are some tips to get you started and an example of how you might approach this essay:

1. Reflect on what makes your background unique. Consider your family's history, culture, traditions, values, and how these have shaped your experiences.

2. Delve into the details. Discuss specific experiences, anecdotes, or events that have had a significant impact on your life and highlight the lessons you've gained from your background.

3. Be authentic. Write from the heart and let your personality shine through. This essay is your opportunity to help the admissions officers get to know you beyond your stats and accomplishments.

4. Avoid clichés. Personal background essays are quite common, so if you're writing about a widely-covered topic (moving, learning a new language, etc.), try to find a unique angle or aspect that will set your essay apart.

Growing up in a multigenerational household, I've had the rare privilege of experiencing diverse perspectives on life from my grandparents, parents, and siblings. My grandparents, who emigrated from Vietnam, taught me the importance of staying true to our cultural heritage and maintaining strong connections with family. Daily rituals like preparing and enjoying traditional Vietnamese meals, participating in Lunar New Year celebrations, and listening to stories about my grandparents' journey to the United States helped me appreciate the strength and resilience of my ancestors.

However, this cultural pride was not always something I cherished. As a child, I was bullied for my Banh Khot and Banh Mi lunches, and I'd often ask my parents to pack more generic-looking sandwiches to avoid feeling like an outsider at school. It wasn't until my grandmother shared her own story of assimilation and how she strived to maintain her cultural identity in a new country that I realized the value of embracing my heritage. Inspired by her courage, I decided to educate my peers about Vietnamese traditions and founded a cultural exchange club at school. Together, we explored our heritages, organizing potlucks, cultural presentations, and language exchange sessions.

Through this experience, I've learned that embracing who I am and the unique background I come from has made me a stronger person. My personal background has taught me to be open to learning about other cultures, which I look forward to bringing to my future college community.

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• Applying For Scholarships

About Yourself College & Scholarship Essay Examples (2024)

Jennifer Finetti Oct 20, 2024

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A popular scholarship essay prompt is “Tell us about yourself.” This question is relatively open-ended, which may make it difficult to answer at first glance. What should I tell them about myself? My struggles, my goals, my passions…? These may all be fitting topics, depending on the scholarship. We’ll show you some scholarship essay examples about yourself, along with writing tips to guide you along the way.

What they want to know about you

As you prepare to write, think of the topics the scholarship committee would be interested in. These may include:

• Your current degree, as it applies to your overall career goals. You can explain why you chose your current educational path and what you want to do with that.
• Your short-term and long-term professional goals . Frame your answer as if to say “Where will you be in 5 years? Where will you be in 10 years?” Scholarship committees like to reward people with defined aspirations.
• Past experiences that sparked your passions. You could talk about an influential person in your life, but make sure most of the essay focuses on you. After all, you are talking about yourself.
• Something about you that relates to their organization. With any scholarship essay, you should try to connect yourself with the organization providing the funding. Don’t force a connection. Find one that naturally fits. Mention hobbies, experiences and goals that match what the review committee is looking for.
• Something unique that sets you apart from other applicants. This may be volunteer experience, career specialties, situational differences (growing up in an area that didn’t encourage education), etc.

Note that you do not have to throw all this information into one essay. Choose the elements that best fit the scholarship. If you were on the review board, what would you want to learn about each applicant? What would make you choose one applicant over another? Keep this in mind as you develop your thoughts.

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What they don’t want to know about you

There is plenty of information you could include in an about yourself scholarship essay. There is just as much information to avoid though. Some topics to keep out of your essay include:

• False information. Do not make up stories or fabricate goals to fit the prompt. The scholarship committee can instantly tell when someone is lying, and they will disqualify you immediately.
• Past struggles that do not pertain to the essay topic. You can briefly mention struggles from your past, as long as you mention how you’ve learned from them. Do not make your essay a long story about the hard life you’ve led. Focus on your triumphs, not your obstacles.
• Vague goals and aspirations. Scholarships are usually given to students who have a plan. If you say, “I’m not sure what I’m doing yet,” the committee will select a more motivated candidate. If you have a plan and a backup plan, that’s fine. Just make sure you mention both options and show which one you favor.
• Cliché stories that most people tell. There is something that makes you stand out as a person. Use that to your advantage. Don’t rely on generic information they’ll find with other applicants.
• Unrelated elements of your personal life. In most cases, you should not mention your significant other in the essay. You might mention a spouse if you need to reference your children or a turning point in your life, but these personal details do not fit most essays. Any information that seems frivolous or ill-placed should be removed from the essay.

Read through your essay carefully. If you stop at one point to say, “Why did I mention that?” get rid of the corresponding information. Showcase the best elements about yourself in a fluid and cohesive manner.

Short scholarship essay example: Tell us about yourself (100 Words)

With 100 words, you can only focus on one or two elements of your life. Think about your biggest selling points – the things that show you are the ideal candidate. Start by introducing yourself and your educational status. Then jump into the main topic of the essay. You may not have room to mention how the scholarship will help your education. Instead, mention how your education can help your career. The other information will be implied.

My name is Christian Wood. I am a high school senior who will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno in the fall. I want to become an online journalist. My goal is to work for the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Huffington Post, or another news outlet that has a strong online presence. Most people already get their news on the internet, and the industry will be even bigger by the time I graduate. Getting a degree in journalism with a focus on digital media will set me up for a fulfilling, fast-paced career fit for the future.

Word Count: 96

Medium scholarship essay example: Tell us about yourself (250 Words)

With a mid-length scholarship essay, you have more space to explain how your past has influenced your present and future goals. You should have rom for an intro paragraph, a few body paragraphs, and a conclusion (maybe incorporated into the last body paragraph). Think of a few main points you want to touch on, and write those down first. If you still have room, you can add more details about yourself.

My name is Sarah, and I spent most of my childhood on the wrong medication. I experienced a problem common in clinical psychology – misdiagnosis. Professionals provide inaccurate diagnoses for many reasons – f rom antiquated testing methods to limited education. I want to open my own psychological testing facility and help change that. Therefore, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology.  I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child because I had trouble focusing in school. The medication m y doctor prescribed to me only made me numb to the world around me. I couldn’t think or process emotions, or had no emotions at all. After several years my parents finally decided to get a second opinion. I saw a specialist and she concluded that I didn’t have ADHD , but a combination of dyslexia and dysgraphia (difficulties with reading and writing). She sent us to a therapist who helped me learn how to work around my conditions, and my life improved tremendously. I went from being a lifeless student with barely passing grades to an honor roll student full of joy and excitement. Unfortunately, my story is not one of a kind. There are countless children in America who are put on mind-altering medications that do not adequately address their needs. I cannot help all of those children, but I can provide a better alternative for the ones in my area. Through proper education, funded by financial aid, I can learn about psychological evaluations and provide the most accurate diagnoses possible.

Word Count: 249

Long scholarship essay example: Tell us about yourself (500 Words)

Scholarship essays that are 500 words or longer let you tell the whole story. You can discuss your past, present and future in a comprehensive manner. Avoid rambling and make sure each topic contributes to the overall essay. If one piece feels out of place, remove it and elaborate more on the existing elements. By the end of the essay, the reader should have a full understanding of who you are and what you want to accomplish.

My name is Sierra Breault, and I am a junior at Murray State University. I am double-majoring in Criminal Justice and Forensics Science, and I will graduate in 2024 with two bachelor degrees. My career goal is in social justice, so I can contribute to criminal justice reform. I want to ensure that those who commit crimes are treated fairly.  I come from a small town where excessive force and even death by cop incidents are often committed, especially against minorities. A few years ago, one of my relatives was charged for a crime although the crime scene evidence wasn’t properly obtained, catalogued and analyzed.  This experience played a big part in my wish to study criminal justice. I started exploring the career more when I decided that a desk job just wasn’t for me. Throughout high school I struggled because of the routine nature of it all. I saw the same people and attended the same classes every single day. I knew I didn’t want a job that would be that stagnant. That’s when I got the idea to work in law enforcement, because there would always be a new challenge for me to tackle. After researching the field even more, I set my sights on crime scene investigation. I have performed much better academically in college than I ever did in high school. That’s because there is no routine to the experience. Every week, I have new projects to complete, tests to study for, and activities to try. I have been involved with the campus Crime Stoppers organization all three years of college, and I was elected president for the upcoming term. This lets me work closely with law enforcement to supplement my college education and further my career.   After graduating, I will apply for work as a dispatcher in a state organization, such as the Department of Criminal Investigation. While my ultimate goal is to work as a forensic analyst or crime scene investigator, those positions usually only go to people within the organization. Dispatch is the most direct option for career entry, giving me the best chance to pursue my dream career. I am applying for this scholarship to help me finish the last two years of my degrees. As a college junior and soon-to-be senior, my scholarship opportunities are limited. Most awards are reserved for freshmen. I took advantage of those early on, and I have one recurring scholarship that covers half of my tuition. However, I need additional financial aid to cover the remainder of my academic costs. I appreciate your consideration, and I hope that you can help me pursue a profession in criminal justice. This is my passion, and I have a clear plan to turn that passion into a lifelong career.

Word Count: 463

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• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

Jennifer brings over 20 years experience in edtech, marketing, communications, content development, academic advising, and financial aid & scholarship counseling to ScholarshipOwl. She is also a marketing consultant and content developer for Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, where she writes the college's biannual publication, DVC Magazine. Jennifer is a college financial aid and scholarship expert who has been seen on news segments across the country as well as in USA Today, CNBC, and Yahoo! Finance. She earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

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• Medical School Secondary Essays

Stanford Medical School Secondary Essay Examples

Writing an essay can be tricky business, especially when it’s personal and focused, so reading some expertly written Stanford medical school secondary essay examples will be extremely useful.

When you are looking into how to prepare for your medical school application , remember to focus on your secondary essays. Excellent essays are a prime example of how to make your medical school application stand out . They allow the real, unique you to shine.

In this article, we provide up-to-date prompts for Stanford Medicine’s secondary essays with example answers. Use them well to construct your own essays!

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Article Contents 8 min read

Stanford secondary essay examples.

“Practice Setting – What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:

• Academic Medicine (Clinical)
• Academic Medicine (Physician Scientist)
• Non-Academic Clinical Practice
• Health Policy
• Health Administration
• Primary Care
• Public Health/Community Health
• Global Health

Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills, and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path?”

Limit: 1,000 characters

“Curricular interests: How will you take advantage of the Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum and scholarly concentration requirement to achieve your personal career goals?”

Sample Answer:

My university degree is in social work, and I remain passionately committed to social work as an integral part of my life, who I am as a person, and who I hope to become in the medical community. The Stanford Medicine Discovery Curriculum features a pathway for an MD and master’s degree in any field. I would like to continue my studies in social work by obtaining my master’s in that field.

Medicine and social work are intrinsically linked. It is often the disenfranchised and underrepresented who suffer from a lack of health care.

As a social work-oriented physician, I would seek to prevent the suffering of those who are underrepresented. There are countless voiceless persons, many of whom are minors as part of the foster care system, who cannot speak for themselves. I want to be their advocate.

I believe that the MD and master’s program will facilitate this goal better than anywhere else, and I believe Stanford’s Discovery Curriculum provides me with the best opportunity to achieve that goal.

“Background: Describe in a short paragraph your educational and family background. (E.g., I grew up in New York City, as the 3rd child of a supermarket cashier and a high school principal. I attended Mann High School where my major interests were boxing and drama.)”

Limit: 600 characters

I grew up on a farm, about thirty minutes’ drive from Chicago. My parents were farmers. I attended McCann High School, and I pursued studies in mathematics, participating in mathlete challenges. I contributed to my home farm as well. I also have a strong interest in landscape painting.

“Contribution to Learning Environment: The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. You are strongly encouraged to share unique attributes of your personal identity, and/or personally important or challenging factors in your background. Such discussions may include the quality of your early education, gender identity, sexual orientation, any physical challenges, or any other life or work experiences.”

Limit: 2,000 characters

I grew up in a small town, so when I tell you that I was the only person who identified as genderqueer in my entire school, believe me when I say that this is not hyperbole in any way. I was unique in that environment. This led to a lot of scathing self-identity problems, where I was forced to have my identity questioned over and over again, on an almost daily basis. I rarely felt accepted.

The exception was with Bob Smith, my gym teacher, who always made me feel welcome. This was a much-needed respite, given the potential anxiety that can come along with change rooms and other realities of gym class. Mr. Smith made sure I had a private area in which to change.

The rest of the time, however, my very existence was called into being, and I was constantly disrespected on a personal level. I was misgendered, harassed, and bullied. Sometimes, this was overt, but at other times, it was simply through the deployment of microaggressions.

I couldn’t wait to get away, and the psychological and emotional damages that I suffered in that environment will likely ride out the rest of my life with me. I was in therapy by the time I was thirteen, and although my therapist was understanding, and Mr. Smith was protective, these small reliefs were scarcely enough to get me through the day.

I found more acceptance once I moved away to college – and it helped that I moved far away – but I still encountered regular questioning of my truths that were harmful to me. I still don’t know how I keep going some days.

Nevertheless, it’s important to me to continue on, no matter the personal cost, because I know that I can make a difference within the medical community by expanding care for people like me who identify in unusual ways that society just doesn’t seem to understand – often willfully. I want to be a Bob Smith to other people like me, and to provide affirmations to all my future patients.

“Please describe how you have uniquely contributed to a community with which you identify.”

Most people don’t think of “anime fans” as a community, but we are. I love Japanese animation for its breadth of subjects and unique artistic styles.

I speak Japanese, but there are many members of the community who do not speak or read Japanese. They often have to face the frustration of inferior or rushed translations.

So, I contributed to a fan translation site which provides more accurate translations and notes on cultural context.

Over the course of my involvement, I have helped with the translations of over three dozen works of anime, most of which have received five-star ratings on the site.

This might sound like nerd talk to somebody who is not interested in this hobby but let me point out some key benefits.

Anime is an art form, and my work has allowed me to share that art in a more meaningful way for many, many viewers.

Also, my studies connected me to new ideas, and I love being open to new ideas. I consider it a privilege to be able to engage with a different culture.

“Advocacy: Please describe an experience/situation when you advocated for someone else.”

Mike at work wasn’t a bad guy, but he had had a bad day, and messed up a lot. He looked white as a sheet when he came out of the supervisor’s office, and he told me he thought he was going to be fired.

We weren’t working anywhere glamorous – it was just an industrial bakery – but we needed these jobs to pay for college. Mike was really, really worried.

Mike was going through a lot in his personal life: stress with his parents splitting up on top of academic studies. He was losing a lot of sleep. I asked what he had said to the supervisor, and while he had tried to convey what he was going through, he hadn’t gotten it across.

So, with all this on the line, I went to our supervisor and told him that Mike leaving would mean me leaving, too; I told him everything Mike was going through and said he should give Mike another shot. Eventually, he relented, although he made me responsible for improving Mike’s performance at work. I was fine with that, and I helped Mike through.

Want to know the most common secondary essay prompts? Watch this video:

“Special Insights (OPTIONAL): Please describe any lessons, hardships, challenges or opportunities that resulted from the global COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, describe how these insights have informed your motivations and preparation for medical school in areas of academics, research, employment, volunteer service and/or clinical experiences.”

My friendship with Allison wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for COVID-19. It was the sole positive throughout the pandemic restrictions, social distancing, and lockdowns.

I had known Allison for years, but we were never very close. Part of that was due to conflicting schedules and time apart. We met at a summer camp and discovered that we lived fairly close to each other, although not so close that we could meet regularly. So, I had this years-long friendship with somebody who I never really got to know.

However, during the lockdowns, our schedules were wide open. Due to an increase in online communication, we found ourselves chatting almost daily. Now we are extremely close friends.

My friendship with Allison came out of adversity and reminds me to always find the good and the positive, and to look for opportunities amid dark times.

“Anything Else? (OPTIONAL): Please include anything else that will help us understand better how you may uniquely contribute to Stanford Medicine.”

I’m sure I’m not the smartest student you’ll read about in these pages because my academics are good, but not The Best. I’m sure I won’t have as many awards or special distinctions, either. What I do have is my sister Gillian, who has been in a wheelchair since she was four years old – paralyzed in a car accident.

I have been frustrated and angry with her, like any brother, and I love her and care for her, like any brother. I have learned how to help her with her medical needs and limitations, and to respect her and value her for who she is as a person – despite and because of her unique limitations.

I know that the medical community needs understanding and care intertwined, and I know that it isn’t all pleasant. Yes, I have conflict with my sister sometimes – we’re siblings. But doctors will have conflict with patients. We need to remember to put care and humanity first, and I know that I can do that from years and years of very personal experience.

Armed with these expertly written examples, you will fare far better while writing your own essays.

Yes, but only marginally. Very similar prompts come up in most years, and you can bet that “Why this school?” or similar ones will feature at some point in the list of prompts.

No, there is variation, although again, you will encounter similar prompts. “Why this school?” and “Why medicine?” are common.

You can reuse essays only if the prompt is very similar, or identical, to the other. However, you should not just copy-paste one essay from one secondary application to another. The reason is that you might have left school-specific artefacts in the text. Make sure you double-check any essays that you want to reuse.

No, not even by one character. Character and word limits are hard, and character limits include spaces, so make sure you measure appropriately.

We recommend that you spend between 2 and 3 weeks writing your essays, with at least a small amount of time each day set aside for writing. The sooner you start working on your essays, the better.

Most admissions essays are not formally graded, but your essays are still being read and judged according to their intrinsic merit, and in relief to other applicants’ essays. So, definitely consider them as being graded to the extent that the quality matters.

Of course they do. Even though you aren’t going to get “docked points” for having a spelling error or two, every error – no matter how small or infrequent – is going to send a message to the admissions committee. Errors mean a lack of proofreading, attention to detail, skill, or all of the above. Give the impression of being a qualified, competent communicator.

Write all the essays. You should consider all of them required, even the optional ones. Although, by definition, optional essays are not mandatory, they are another opportunity for you to impress the admissions committee and stand out.

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