How To Write Your Opening Paragraph

Writing your personal statement for college applications can take weeks or even months to complete. After finally settling on a topic, you might spend days agonizing over how to start the first paragraph of your personal statement.

If you are stuck, check out Moon Prep counselor Michaela’s article on Niche! She gives actionable tips on how you can cut out the fluff and write a personal statement that will get you noticed by college admissions staff.

Make Creativity the Key

Your opening line should show creativity, but without being cheesy. Something like: “Laughter, much like time, can heal most wounds…” or, “The stage lights flooded my senses, blocking out my vision and the laughter of the crowd before me…” instantly makes the reader want to read further and see where this essay will take you. The reader immediately has questions. Is the author sick? Will the rest of the essay be funny or sad? This particular essay was written by a pre-med hopeful who enjoyed writing stand-up comedy on the side. Her essay shared information about her future career plans, while also inviting admissions professionals to catch a glimpse of her personal life outside the classroom, allowing them to feel like they know her well after reading her essay. If this same student had begun her essay with, “Life is like a box of chocolates,” to indicate her unique interests, the tone would be set with a trite, less authentic opening.  

Check out the full article here.