STORY #19: A high school student described how he used surfing as a way to handle his Tourette’s Syndrome. (In case you don’t know, Tourette’s is a neurological disorder in which a person displays multiple physical, vocal and other tics.)

How story was used:
A high school teacher used this story to not only identify that the student suffers from Tourette’s, but how creative he has been to use surfing every morning as a way to relax and calm himself down before he goes to school.

Messages of story:
The student is resourceful, doesn’t let his Tourette’s get in the way of academic and/or social involvements, and is likely to do the same in college.

STORY #20: A boy describes his fascination with bugs since he could barely walk or talk, and how this interest has developed into a concern about endangered species in the animal world.

How story was used:
To answer an application question about what led the student to choose the area of academic interest that he listed on his application.

Messages of story:
The writer has had a myriad of experiences (reading, researching, working, volunteering) in school, at museums, and with organizations learning about and working with animals. This has led him to his choice of biology as a major, a natural progression of his long-held passion for learning.

ENDNOTE
There is nothing more powerful in a college essay than to use a personal story or anecdote to illustrate a point or to let the reader get a peek into your soul. Personal stories make essays come alive in a way that nothing else can.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Websites
Here are some useful websites to use if you need some help with brainstorming:

Wikipedia Definition of Brainstorming
An excellent description of the brainstorming concept, as well as step-by-step directions for doing it.
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming

jpb.com Website
Another excellent step-by-step description of brainstorming.
www.jpb.com/creative/brainstorming.php

Books
Here is a book that will help you to brainstorm:

Michalko, Michael. Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques (2nd Edition). Berkeley, CA, Ten Speed Press, 2006. This may be more than you need or want, but Michalko offers some wonderful ideas about thinking creatively.

Collecting Personal Stories And Anecdotes - A Secret Weapon In Writing Application Essays
First edition
Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz

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