In Conclusion: How to Wrap Up an Essay
by Kathleen M.
If you have to tell people that they have reached the end of your personal statement, you may have a problem with your personal statement.
So my first piece of advice when writing your conclusion is to not open with “in conclusion.”
My second piece of advice is to re-read your introduction and see what connections you may make to show you how to write your conclusion to wrap up your essay.
If you opened with a vivid image or example, try to go back to that in the conclusion and show us how that story/image is resolved.
If you start with a question, make sure readers understand the answer.
The personal statement is too short to allow you much in the way of space for summary – word counts matter! So be sure to use that energy instead to really explain the value that you are highlighting and to be sure to leave a strong impression in the reader’s mind.
Example:
In conclusion, I am a patient person as seen in the examples at the food bank, the computer lab at the senior center, and the football team. I strive to continue to show this same patience and compassion in college in my studies and volunteer activities.
Revision:
So the saying, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ applies to me as much as to my family and our apple orchard. I know what it takes to be successful because my family has instilled patience and a strong work ethic to watch a sapling grow into a sturdy trunk, and a ton of apple puns. So I’ll continue to eat an apple a day and develop my own talents as a scholar and my personal identity in the next few years.
When you write an introduction, you know you are creating a first impression. The same basic rule applies to the conclusion, leave the readers with a clear sense of you and what is important to you.
Have fun. Be serious. Offer insight. Wrap things up.
There are so many possibilities for how to end your essay; but make sure you are creating a sense of an ending.
Resources:
“Conclusions”
