Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Georgia College Guidance Spotlight: Who Are You in 650 Words?
Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Rome, GA
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College Guidance Spotlight: Who Are You in 650 Words?

Jordan West | October 10, 2025 | 62 views

As a second-year college adviser, I had the enriching opportunity to attend the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference this fall. My blog topic of choice is one I spend a significant amount of time on with our seniors — the often-overwhelming college essay. 

Who Are You in 650 Words?
650 words. That’s all students get for their personal statement, which is, depending on the school, possibly the only opportunity a student has to explain who they are in their own words. Understandably, this task can feel daunting. How can a student fit everything they are into one-and-a-half pages, double-spaced? And how can parents offer the right kind of support?

Start Simple
No one can capture the depth of who they are in 650 words, so students should start simple. They can begin by listing a few of the qualities that best describe them. They might try looking at the list from College Essay Guy for inspiration. Talking to friends, parents, coaches or teachers can also help. What do others see in them that they may not have thought to see in themselves? From there, they can narrow it down to three words. Let's say that after some reflection, the student settles on the words fighter, investigator and visionary.

Expand by Telling Your Story
If a student talked about how they demonstrate each of these roles in their life, which one could they talk about the most? Here’s an example:

Investigator — I like to spend time outside because I’m interested in learning more about the world around me. I run on the cross country team and enjoy going on new trails to see different environments in nature.

Fighter — When I tore my ACL in summer training for cross country after my sophomore year, I thought I would have to quit, and I was devastated. It was hard, but I still wanted to feel like I was part of the team. I still went to practice, showed up to team meetings and never gave up. I was out for the season, but I stayed engaged the whole year with the team. After my surgery and recovery, I was back with my team, and I will never forget that feeling.

Visionary — My friends and I were talking about how few places there were to refill our water bottles on campus. If the dining hall wasn't open, we had to find a working fountain and hope for lukewarm water. One day, instead of just complaining, I started wondering, what if we could actually fix this? It started with a conversation with our friend who was on the student council, but that was just the beginning.

Take a Second Look
Students can then ask themselves which of these examples inspires them to write more. Which one makes someone want to "double-click" to learn more about them? When in doubt, they can step away and ask a friend or parent for perspective. Once they've chosen the story that resonates most, they can expand on it. With that, they have just created the base of their personal statement.

For Parents: Encourage Reflective Conversations
So how can a parent support a student overwhelmed by this process?  

Start by having conversations with them about the roles, qualities and experiences that make them who they are. Encourage them to keep everything for college in one place. They can create a Google document that lists each school they’re interested in, the application deadlines, the essay prompts and any word count requirements. It's surprising just how much more manageable it seems when all of the deadlines and prompts swirling around in their heads are laid out in front of them. 

Most importantly, remind students that they need to be themselves in their essay. They don’t need to try to be overly impressive or pretend to be someone they're not. Sometimes they just need help recognizing their own strengths. Who better than their greatest supporter to help them see that? 

Please reach out to the College Guidance Office if we can be of any assistance — we are here every step of the way.

Oh, and FYI…this blog post is just under 650 words.

Thank you to the College Essay Guy activity referenced above for this blog's inspiration!

Click here to learn more about college guidance at Darlington.