College Prep: Personal Statement Drafting

Today's practice is personal statement drafting. Coach for argument before style. Ask, 'Could a reasonable person disagree with this claim?' If no — it's not yet a claim. Revise for clarity first, then voice. Voice without clarity is noise.

• pencil
• paper

Write a one-sentence claim about anything. Then write one sentence that argues against it. That's the start of argument.

1. 1

   Rewrite this fact as an arguable claim: 'Most students use phones at school.'

   Parent tip: Push for a defensible position.
2. 2

   Identify the strongest evidence type for the claim above: (a) personal anecdote, (b) peer-reviewed study, (c) social media post.

   Parent tip: Source quality matters as much as content.

1. 1

   Write a college-application-style sentence about a small personal moment.
2. 2

   Outline an introduction in three sentences: hook, context, thesis.
3. 3

   Revise a sentence by removing every unnecessary word.
4. 4

   Compose a 50-word memoir about a single object that matters to you.
5. 5

   Write a thesis statement for an essay on a book you've read.
6. 6

   Write a one-sentence claim about a current issue.
7. 7

   Draft a 150-word paragraph using your claim, evidence, and rebuttal.
8. 8

   Write a counter-claim someone could make against your argument.
9. 9

   Rebut the counter-claim in one sentence.
10. 10

    Write a paragraph using one rhetorical device (anaphora, antithesis, asyndeton).

What is one sentence you wrote today that you're proud of? Why?