personal statement videos

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are. 

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.  

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.  

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing. 

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world. 

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.  

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.  

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.  

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap: 

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader 

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

Learn about our editorial policies

Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The personal statement. It’s one of the most important parts of the entire college application process. This essay is the perfect opportunity to show admissions officers who you are and what makes you stand out from the crowd. But writing a good personal statement isn’t exactly easy. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to nail your personal statement, complete with example essays . Each essay was reviewed and commented upon by admissions expert Bill Jack. Let’s dive in!

Related: How to write an essay about yourself  

What is a personal statement? 

A personal statement is a special type of essay that’s required when you’re applying to colleges and scholarship programs. In this essay, you’re expected to share something about who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of it as a chance to reveal a side of yourself not found in the rest of your application. Personal statements are typically around 400 – 600 words in length. 

What can I write about? 

Pretty much anything, as long as it’s about you . While this is liberating in the sense that your writing options are nearly unlimited, it’s also overwhelming for the same reason. The good news is that you’ll probably be responding to a specific prompt. Chances are you’re applying to a school that uses the Common App , which means you’ll have seven prompts to choose from . Reviewing these prompts can help generate some ideas, but so can asking yourself meaningful questions. 

Below you’ll find a list of questions to ask yourself during the brainstorming process. For each of the following questions, spend a few minutes jotting down whatever comes to mind. 

• What experiences have shaped who you are? 
• What’s special or unique about you or your life story? 
• Who or what has inspired you the most? 
• What accomplishments are you most proud of? 
• What are your goals for the future? How have you arrived at those goals? 
• If your life was a movie, what would be the most interesting scene? 
• What have been some of the biggest challenges in your life? How did you respond and what did you learn? 

The purpose of these questions is to prompt you to think about your life at a deeper level. Hopefully by reflecting on them, you’ll find an essay topic that is impactful and meaningful. In the next section, we’ll offer some advice on actually writing your essay. 

Also see:  How to write a 500 word essay

How do I write my personal statement? 

Once you’ve found a topic, it’s time to start writing! Every personal statement is different, so there’s not really one formula that works for every student. That being said, the following tips should get you started in the right direction:  

1. Freewrite, then rewrite 

The blank page tends to get more intimidating the longer you stare at it, so it’s best to go ahead and jump right in! Don’t worry about making the first draft absolutely perfect. Instead, just get your ideas on the page and don’t spend too much time thinking about the finer details. Think of this initial writing session as a “brain dump”. Take 15-30 minutes to quickly empty all your thoughts onto the page without worrying about things like grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. You can even use bullet points if that helps. Once you have your ideas on the page, then you can go back and shape them exactly how you want. 

2. Establish your theme 

Now that you’ve got some basic ideas down on the page, it’s time to lock in on a theme. Your theme is a specific angle that reflects the central message of your essay. It can be summarized in a sentence or even a word. For example, let’s say you’re writing about how you had to establish a whole new group of friends when you moved to a new city. The theme for this type of essay would probably be something like “adaptation”. Having a theme will help you stay focused throughout your essay. Since you only have a limited number of words, you can’t afford to go off on tangents that don’t relate to your theme. 

3. Tell a story

A lot of great essays rely on a specific scene or story. Find the personal anecdote relevant to your theme and transfer it to the page. The best way to do this is by using descriptive language. Consult the five senses as you’re setting the scene. What did you see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? How were you feeling emotionally? Using descriptive language can really help your essay come to life. According to UPchieve , a nonprofit that supports low income students, focusing on a particular moment as a “ revised version of a memoir ” is one way to keep readers engaged. 

Related: College essay primer: show, don’t tell  

4. Focus on your opening paragraph

Your opening paragraph should grab your reader’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your essay. In most cases, this is the best place to include your anecdote (if you have one). By leading with your personal story, you can hook your audience from the get-go. After telling your story, you can explain why it’s important to who you are. 

Related:  How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)

5. Use an authentic voice 

Your personal statement reflects who you are, so you should use a tone that represents you. That means you shouldn’t try to sound like someone else, and you shouldn’t use fancy words just to show off. This isn’t an academic paper, so you don’t have to adopt a super formal tone. Instead, write in a way that allows room for your personality to breathe. 

6. Edit, edit, edit…

Once you’re done writing, give yourself some time away from the essay. Try to allow a few days to pass before looking at the essay again with fresh eyes. This way, you’re more likely to pick up on spelling and grammatical errors. You may even get some new ideas and rethink the way you wrote some things. Once you’re satisfied, let someone else edit your essay. We recommend asking a teacher, parent, or sibling for their thoughts before submitting. 

Examples of personal statements 

Sometimes viewing someone else’s work is the best way to generate inspiration and get the creative juices flowing. The following essays are written in response to four different Common App prompts: 

Prompt 1: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

When I was eight years old, I wanted a GameCube very badly. For weeks I hounded my dad to buy me one and finally he agreed. But there was a catch. He’d only get me a GameCube if I promised to start reading. Every day I played video games, I would have to pick up a book and read for at least one hour. At that point in my life, reading was just something I had to suffer through for school assignments. To read for pleasure seemed ludicrous. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this proposed agreement. But I figured anything was worth it to get my hands on that shiny new video game console, so I bit the bullet and shook my dad’s hand. Little did I know that I had just made a life-changing deal. 

At first, the required hour of reading was a chore — something I had to do so I could play Mario Kart. But it quickly turned into something more than that. To my complete and utter surprise, I discovered that I actually enjoyed reading. One hour turned into two, two turned into three, and after a while I was spending more time reading than I was playing video games. I found myself captivated by the written word, and I read everything I could get my hands on. Lord of the Rings , Percy Jackson , Goosebumps — you name it. I was falling in love with literature, while my GameCube was accumulating dust in the TV stand. 

Soon enough, reading led to writing. I was beginning to come up with my own stories, so I put pen to paper and let my imagination run wild. It started out small. My first effort was a rudimentary picture book about a friendly raccoon who went to the moon. But things progressed. My stories became more intricate, my characters more complex. I wrote a series of science fiction novellas. I tried my hand at poetry. I was amazed at the worlds I could create with the tip of my pen. I had dreams of becoming an author. 

Then somewhere along the way my family got a subscription to Netflix, and that completely changed the way I thought about storytelling. My nose had been buried in books up until then, so I hadn’t really seen a lot of movies. That quickly changed. It seemed like every other day a pair of new DVDs would arrive in the mail (this was the early days of Netflix). Dark Knight, The Truman Show, Inception, Memento — all these great films were coming in and out of the house. And I couldn’t get enough of them. Movies brought stories to life in a way that books could not. I was head over heels for visual storytelling. 

Suddenly I wasn’t writing novels and short stories anymore. I was writing scripts for movies. Now I wanted to transfer my ideas to the big screen, rather than the pages of a book. But I was still doing the same thing I had always done. I was writing, just in a different format. To help with this process, I read the screenplays of my favorite films and paid attention to the way they were crafted. I kept watching more and more movies. And I hadn’t forgotten about my first love, either. I still cherished books and looked to them for inspiration. By the end of my junior year of high school, I had completed two scripts for short films. 

So why am I telling you all this? Because I want to turn my love of storytelling into a career. I’m not totally sure how to do that yet, but I know I have options. Whether it’s film production, creative writing, or even journalism, I want to find a major that suits my ambitions. Writing has taken me a long way, and I know it can take me even further. As I step into this next chapter of my life, I couldn’t be more excited to see how my craft develops. In the meantime, I should probably get rid of that dusty old GameCube. 

Feedback from admissions professional Bill Jack

Essays don’t always have to reveal details about the student’s intended career path, but one thing I like about this essay is that it gives the reader a sense of the why. Why do they want to pursue storytelling. It also shows the reader that they are open to how they pursue their interest. Being open to exploration is such a vital part of college, so it’s also showing the reader that they likely will be open to new things in college. And, it’s always fun to learn a little bit more about the student’s family, especially if the reader can learn about how the students interacts with their family. 

Prompt 2: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

I remember my first impression of Irvine: weird. It was foggy, stock-full of greenery and eucalyptus trees, and reminded me of my 5th grade trip to a “science camp” which was located in the San Bernardino mountains. Besides Irvine, that was one of the few places in Southern California where you’d find so many non-palm trees. 

Of course, perhaps my initial impression of Irvine was biased, motivated by a desire to stay in my hometown and a fear of the unknown. While that was true to an extent, Irvine was certainly still a little peculiar. The city itself was based on a “master plan” of sorts, with the location of each of its schools, parks, shops, and arguably its trees having been logically “picked” before the foundation was poured. Even the homes all looked roughly the same, with their beige, stucco walls almost serving as a hallmark of the city itself.

Thus, this perfectly structured, perfectly safe city seemed like a paradise of sorts to many outsiders, my parents included. I was a little more hesitant to welcome this. As I saw it, this was a phony city – believing that its uniformity stood for a lack of personality. My hometown, although not as flawlessly safe nor clean as Irvine, was where most of my dearest memories had occurred. From the many sleepovers at Cindie’s house, to trying to avoid my school’s own version of the “infamous” cheese touch, to the many laughs shared with friends and family, I shed a tear at the prospect of leaving my home.

Moving into the foreign city, remnants of the hostility I held towards Irvine remained. Still dwelling in my memories of the past, I was initially unable to see Irvine as a “home.” So, as I walked into my first-ever Irvine class, being greeted by many kind, yet unfamiliar faces around me, I was unable to recognize that some of those new faces would later become some of my dearest friends. Such negative feelings about the city were further reinforced by newer, harder classes, and more complicated homework. Sitting in the discomfort of this unfamiliar environment, it started to seem that “change” was something not only inevitable, but insurmountable.

As the years went on, however, this idea seemed to fade. I got used to my classes and bike racing through Irvine neighborhoods with my friends, watching the trees that once seemed just a “weird” green blob soon transform into one of my favorite parts of the city. While I kept my old, beloved memories stored, I made space for new ones. From carefully making our way over the narrow creek path next to our school, to the laughs we shared during chemistry class, my new memories made with friends seemed to transform a city I once disliked into one I would miss. 

Through this transformation, I have come to recognize that change, although sometimes intimidating at first, can open the door to great times and meaningful connections. Although Irvine may have once seemed like a strange, “phony” place that I couldn’t wait to be rid of, the memories and laughs I had grown to share there were very real. As I move onto this next part of my life, I hope I can use this knowledge that I have gained from my time in Irvine to make the most of what’s to come. Even if the change may be frightening at first, I have learned to embrace what’s on the other side, whether green or not.

One huge plus to writing an essay that focuses on a place is that you might have it read by someone who has been there. Yet, what’s really helpful about this essay is that even if someone hasn’t been there, a picture is painted about what the place is like.  Admission officers have the hard task of really understanding what the student sees, so the use of adjectives and imagery can really help.  It’s also really clever to see that the green that’s mentioned at the beginning is mentioned at the end.  It’s a nice way to bookend the essay and tie it all together.

Prompt 6: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

I like getting lost. Not literally, of course, but figuratively. Whether it be in the story of a love song by Taylor Swift, or in the memories brought back by listening to my favorite childhood video game’s background music, I’ve always appreciated music’s ability to transport me to another place, another time, another feeling. 

Alas, I cannot sing, nor have I practiced an instrument since my middle school piano class days. So, perhaps Kurt Vonnegut was right. As he puts it, “Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.” While I cannot speak for others, I have certainly not debunked his theory. Writing allows many, including myself, to attempt to mimic the transformative power of music – even if our singing voices aren’t exactly “pleasant.” Just as you can get lost in music, you can do so in a story. Whether it is in George Orwell’s totalitarian Oceania, or Little Women’s Orchard House, the stories outlined in novels can provide an amazing look into the lives and worlds of others, and an escape from the worries and problems of those in your own.

While I am certainly not claiming to have the storytelling abilities of the Orwells or Alcotts before me, I’ve had fun trying to recreate such transformative feelings for others. When I was nine, I attempted to write a story about a little girl who had gotten lost in the woods, only managing to get a couple pages through. As I got older, whenever I was assigned a creative writing assignment in school, I wrote about the same pig, Phil. He was always angry: in my 8th grade science class, Phil was mad at some humans who had harbored his friend captive, and in my 9th grade English class, at a couple who robbed him. 

Thus, when I heard about a writing club being opened at my school in 11th grade, I knew I had to join. I wanted to discern whether writing was just a hobby I picked up now and then, or a true passion. If it was a passion, I wanted to learn as much as possible about how I could improve. Although my high school’s writing club certainly wasn’t going to transform me into Shakespeare, I knew I could learn a lot from it – and I did. The club challenged me to do many things, from writing on the spot, to writing poetry, to even writing about myself, something that’s hopefully coming in handy right now. 

From then on, I started to expand into different types of writing, storing short ideas, skits, and more in appropriately-labeled Google Drive folders. At around the same time, I became interested in classic literature, which largely stemmed from a project in English class. We had been required to choose and read a classic on our own, then present it to the class in an interesting way. While my book was certainly interesting and unique in its own right, nearly everyone else’s novels seemed more captivating to me. So, I took it upon myself to read as many classics as I could the following summer.

One of the books I read during the summer, funnily enough, was Animal Farm, which starred angry pigs, reminiscent of Phil. I had also started going over different ideas in my head, thinking about how I could translate them into words using the new skills I learned. While the writing club helped reaffirm my interest in writing and allowed me to develop new skills, my newfound affinity for classics gave me inspiration to write. Now, I am actually considering writing as part of my future. In this endeavor, I hope that Phil, and the music I inevitably listen to as I write, will accompany me every step of the way.

Admission officers might read 70 (or more!) essays in one day. It’s not uncommon for them to start to blend together and sound similar. This essay might not make you laugh out loud. But, it might make the reader chuckle while reading it thanks to the subtle humor and levity. Being able to incorporate a little humor into your essay (if it is natural for you to do… do not force it), can really be a great way to shed additional light into who you are. Remember, the essay isn’t merely about proving that you can write, but it should also reveal a little bit about your personality.

Prompt 5: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

I learned a lot of things during the summer I worked at Tropical Smoothie. I discovered the value of hard work. I figured out how to save money. I even mastered the art of the Mango Magic smoothie (the secret is lots of sugar). But most importantly, I learned the power of perspective. And I have Deja to thank for that. 

Deja was my shift supervisor, and one of Tropical Smoothie’s best employees. She was punctual, friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand. She knew the store from top to bottom, and could handle pretty much any situation thrown her way. She made everyone around her better. On top of all that, she was four months pregnant! I was always impressed by Deja’s work ethic, but I gained an entirely new level of respect for her one day.

It was a Friday night, and Deja and I were working the closing shift together. It was very busy, and Deja and I were the only ones on shift. We managed to get by, but we were exhausted by the end of the evening. After wiping down the counters and mopping the floors, we closed up shop and went our separate ways. I was eager to get home. 

I walked a couple blocks to where I had parked my car. Well, it wasn’t my car actually. It was my dad’s ‘98 Chevy pickup truck, and it was in rough shape. It had no heat or A/C, the leather seats were cracked beyond repair, and the driver’s side door was jammed shut. I sighed as I got in through the passenger side and scooted over to the driver’s seat. The whole reason I was working at Tropical Smoothie was to save up enough money to buy my own car. I was hoping to have something more respectable to drive during my senior year of high school. 

I cranked the old thing up and started on my way home. But soon enough, I spotted Deja walking on the side of the road. There was no sidewalk here, the light was low, and she was dangerously close to the passing cars. I pulled over and offered her a ride. She got in and explained that she was on her way home. Apparently she didn’t have a car and had been walking to work every day. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was complaining about my set of wheels, while Deja didn’t have any to begin with.

We got to talking, and she confessed that she had been having a tough time. You would never know from the way she was so cheerful at work, but Deja had a lot on her plate. She was taking care of her mother, her boyfriend had just lost his job, and she was worried about making ends meet. And of course, she was expecting a baby in five months. On top of all that, she had been walking nearly a mile to and from work every day. The whole thing was a real eye opener, and made me reconsider some things in my own life. 

For one, I didn’t mind driving my dad’s truck anymore. It was banged up, sure, but it was a lot better than nothing. My mindset had changed. I appreciated the truck now. I began to think about other things differently, too. I started making mental notes of all the things in my life I was thankful for — my family, my friends, my health. I became grateful for what I had, instead of obsessing over the things I didn’t. 

I also gained more awareness of the world outside my own little bubble. My encounter with Deja had shown me first-hand that everyone is dealing with their own problems, some worse than others. So I started paying more attention to my friends, family members, and coworkers. I started listening more and asking how I could help. I also gave Deja a ride home for the rest of the summer. 

These are all small things, of course, but I think they make a difference. I realized I’m at my best when I’m not fixated on my own life, but when I’m considerate of the lives around me. I want to keep this in mind as I continue to grow and develop as a person. I want to continue to search for ways to support the people around me. And most importantly, I want to keep things in perspective.

Too often we can be focused on our own problems that we fail to realize that everyone has their own things going on in their lives, too.  This essay showcases how it’s important to put things in perspective, a skill that certainly will prove invaluable in college… and not just in the classroom.  Another reason I like this essay is because it provides deeper insight into the student’s life.  Sure, you might have mentioned in your activities list that you have a job.  But as this essay does, you can show why you have the job in the first place, what your responsibilities are, and more.

A few last tips

We hope these essay examples gave you a bit of inspiration of what to include in your own. However, before you go, we’d like to send you off with a few (personal statement) writing tips to help you make your essays as lovely as the memories and anecdotes they’re based off of. Without further ado, here are some of our best tips for writing your personal statements:

1. Open strong

College admissions officers read many, many essays (think 50+) a day, which can sometimes cause them to start blending together and sounding alike. One way to avoid your essay from simply fading into the background is to start strong. This means opening your essay with something memorable, whether an interesting personal anecdote, a descriptive setting, or anything else that you think would catch a reader’s attention (so long as it’s not inappropriate). Not only might this help college admissions officers better remember your essay, but it will also make them curious about what the rest of your essay will entail.

2. Be authentic

Perhaps most important when it comes to writing personal statement essays is to maintain your authenticity. Ultimately, your essays should reflect your unique stories and quirks that make you who you are, and should help college admissions officers determine whether you’d truly be a good fit for their school or not. So, don’t stress trying to figure out what colleges are looking for. Be yourself, and let the colleges come to you!

3. Strong writing

This one may seem a little obvious, but strong writing will certainly appeal to colleges. Not only will it make your essay more compelling, but it may show colleges that you’re ready for college-level essay writing (that you’ll likely have to do a lot of). Just remember that good writing is not limited to grammar. Using captivating detail and descriptions are a huge part of making your essay seem more like a story than a lecture.

4. Proofread

Last but not least, remember to proofread! Make sure your essay contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. When you’re done proofreading your essay yourself, we would also recommend that you ask a teacher, parent, or other grammatically savvy person to proofread your essay as well.

Final thoughts 

With those in hand, we hope you now have a better sense of how to write your personal statement. While your grades and test scores are important when it comes to college admissions, it’s really your essays that can “make” or “break” your application. 

Although this may make it seem like a daunting task, writing an amazing personal statement essay is all about effort. Thus, so long as you start early, follow the advice listed above, and dedicate your time and effort to it, it’s entirely possible to write an essay that perfectly encapsulates you. Good luck, and happy writing!

Also see:  Scholarships360’s free scholarships search tool

Key Takeaways

• It may take some people longer than others to know what they want to write about, but remember that everyone, including you, has something unique to write about!
• Personal statements should be personal, which means you should avoid being too general and really strive to show off what makes you “you”
• Time and effort are two of the most important things you can put into your personal statement to ensure that it is the best representation of yourself
• Don’t forget to ask people who know you to read your work before you submit; they should be able to tell you better than anyone if you are truly shining through!

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Frequently asked questions about writing personal statements 

How do you write a powerful personal statement, what makes an amazing personal statement, how do you start an amazing personal statement, scholarships360 recommended.

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

• How To Write Your Undergraduate Personal Statement

Applying to university

• Getting started
• UCAS Tariff points
• Calculate your UCAS Tariff points
• Amendments to the Tariff consultation
• Offer rate calculator
• How to use the offer rate calculator
• Understanding historical entry grades data
• Admissions tests
• Deferred entry
• Personal statement advice and example: computer science
• Personal statement advice: English
• Personal statement advice: Midwifery
• Personal statement advice: animal science
• Personal statement advice: biology
• Personal statement advice: business and management
• Personal statement advice: chemistry
• Personal statement advice: dance
• Personal statement advice: dentistry
• Personal statement advice: drama
• Personal statement advice: economics
• Personal statement advice: engineering
• Personal statement advice: geography
• Personal statement advice: history
• Personal statement advice: law
• Personal statement advice: maths
• Personal statement advice: media studies and journalism
• Personal statement advice: medicine
• Personal statement advice: modern languages
• Personal statement advice: music
• Personal statement advice: nursing
• Personal statement advice: pharmacy
• Personal statement advice: physiotherapy
• Personal statement advice: politics
• Personal statement advice: psychology
• Personal statement advice: social work
• Personal statement advice: sociology
• Personal statement advice: sports science
• Personal statement advice: statistics
• Personal statement advice: teacher training and education
• Personal statement advice: veterinary medicine
• Personal statement: finance and accounting
• Filling in your application
• Staying safe online
• How to write a personal statement that works for multiple courses
• Fraud and similarity
• How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber

How to end your personal statement

• Introducing the personal statement tool
• Personal statement dos and don'ts

What to include in a personal statement

• Using AI and ChatGPT to help you with your personal statement
• Using your personal statement beyond a university application
• Carers, estranged students, refugees, asylum seekers, and those with limited leave to remain
• Personal statement guides
• References for mature students

What's on this page?

What’s a personal statement, preparing to write your personal statement, how to open your personal statement, your personal skills and achievements, work experience and future plans.

An undergraduate personal statement is a chance to get noticed for the unique talents and experiences you have. It’s an important part of the application process as it’s an opportunity to talk about yourself and your passions, outside of your grades.  

In this article, we’re going to talk you through how to write an undergraduate personal statement that stands out, without leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

Chloe Ng, HE Career Coach, Manchester Metropolitan University

You’ll have heard the saying preparation is key, and that’s no different when you’re tackling your personal statement. There are two things to think about when you’re planning. The practical and factual information you need to get across, and the more emotional, human parts of you that make you different to everyone else.  

Before you start writing, take some time to think about the key things you’d want an admissions tutor to know about you, and get them down on paper. Don’t worry too much about making your notes perfect – this is more about making sure you know why you should be offered a place.

You can also look at the course description as this’ll help you with what to include and give you a good idea of what each uni is looking for. 

contact-events-sales-hero

Here are a few questions you can answer to help you get started:.

• Why have you chosen this course?
• What excites you about the subject? 
• Is my previous or current study relevant to the course?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• What life experiences have you had that you could talk about?
• What achievements are you proud of?
• What skills do you have that make you perfect for the course?
• What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Admissions Tutors will be reading a lot of personal statements so it’s important to grab their attention right from the start. 

Remember, it can only be 4,000 characters, which is about two sides of A4. So, you’ll need to use your words wisely to fit everything in.

You can find a full guide on How to start a personal statement: the attention grabber , but here are the main things to think about . 

• Don’t overthink the opening. Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve.
• Avoid cliches! Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you. 
• Keep it relevant and simple. You’re limited on how much you can include so avoid long-winded explanations. Why use 20 words when 10 can make your point? 

Annabell Price, L’Oréal degree apprentice (Professional Products Division)

Next, you’ll need to write about your personal skills and achievements. Universities like to know the abilities you have that’ll help you on the course, or generally with life at university.

Don’t forget to include evidence to back up why you’re so excited about the course(s) you’ve chosen.

• Be bold and talk about the achievements you’re proud of.
• Include positions of responsibility you hold, or have held, both in and out of school.
• What are the things that make you interesting, special, or unique? 

Your work experience and future plans are important to include. You should share details of jobs, placements, work experience, or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to your course. 

• Try to link any experience to skills or qualities that’ll make you successful.
• If you know what you’d like to do after as a career, explain how you plan to use the knowledge and experience that you’ll gain to launch your career.

It’s always good to connect the beginning of your statement to the end and a great way to reinforce what you said at the start.

You want to see the ending as your chance to finish in a way that’ll make the admissions tutor remember you. 

This final part of your personal statement should emphasise the great points you’ve already made and answer the question of why you should be offered a place on the course. 

Read our full guide on How to finish your statement the right way.  

The personal statement tool image

Don’t be tempted to copy or share your statement.

UCAS scans all personal statements through a similarity detection system to compare them with previous statements.

Any similarity greater than 30% will be flagged and we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you have applied. 

Find out more

Want to read more.

Check out our full list of Personal Statement Dos and Don’ts

See how you can use a personal statement beyond a university application

Now you’ve written your undergraduate personal statement, you’ll need to do a couple of final things before you submit it. 

• Have you proofread it?

Don’t just rely on spellcheckers. We’d recommend reading it out loud as that’s a great way to spot any errors as well as checking it sounds like you. 

• Have you asked for feedback?

Ask friends, family or a careers advisor to have a read through your personal statement and take their feedback on board.

Want more advice on your personal statement? Use the links below.

More advice

Use the UCAS’ personal statement tool alongside this guide to help you structure your ideas. Are you interested in how you can turn you Personal Statement into your CV?  Read our advice here

Start your search now

Get your UCAS Hub

Your place to discover your options and research your future.

Sponsored articles UCAS Media Service

Five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter, top ten student money tips, how to find a job.

How to Write an Excellent Personal Statement (Video)

Aim to craft an excellent personal statement, because this is your chance to show an admissions committee that you are the ideal candidate for them to teach on their course..

In this video, Jane Marshall, currently a Widening Participation Manager at  Imperial College London , talks about the do's and don’ts of an excellent personal statement.

Ms Marshall is certainly an inspiring and enjoyable speaker and an experienced professional with background from the London Schools of Economics and the  Institute of Education at UCL.

Treat the personal statement as you would an important piece of academic work. Don’t jump in with both feet first — take time to brainstorm ideas (try Googling "mind-mapping" and "spider diagram" techniques) and think carefully about the content and structure.

Remember that, first and foremost, this is an application for a course of study. So aim to focus at least two-thirds of your 47-line (4,000-character) statement on your academic motivations and interests. Show that you have an understanding of the subject and a genuine interest in it.

You will be expected to show that you have gained sufficient work experience or career knowledge through, for example, work shadowing, observations, taster days or networking with professionals.

Your personal statement should focus not just on what you did but on a reflection of what you learned about the career and the skills that it requires.

First impression

The first impression counts the most. Creating an original and engaging start to your statement will help to hold the reader’s interest throughout. Be positive. Even if selling yourself is a skill that you are not comfortable with, now is the time to embrace it.

Keep your language clear, concise and honest. Your personal statement should sound as though it’s coming from you, not a thesaurus.

Make it personal. Your statement should not sound generic. It should pull together all the motivations, interests and experiences that make you unique as a person.

Be prepared to write several drafts before you have a final version that you are happy with.

And remember to always proofread for errors (and get others to proofread it too) – an excellent personal statement, but one full of mistakes reveals a sloppy attitude and a lack of attention to detail.

Enjoy watching the video and don’t forget to comment!

Video: 9 Mistakes Most Applicants Make in Their MBA Resume

Video: Work Experience Before an MBA (Quick Reads)

Video: Application Advice for an MBA in Entrepreneurship

Get started now —>

Free UCAS & Personal Statement Reviews

From university lecturers 🤓 + oxbridge graduates 🎓.

Currently in redevelopment. Join the waitlist!

100% free! Forever! (Yes, seriously!)

Featured in.

120,000+ students have now visited Afinity for university help, with offers from elite universities including…

Students LOVE what we're building…

“After receiving an offer solely from the University of Westminster, my confidence was significantly shaken.After working with Afinity for more than months I finally got offers from UCL, Kings & Queen Mary. University has just changed my life and till today I still can’t believe that the entire 1-1 help and the team support that was made available to me for free. My heartfelt thanks go to Andrew and the dedicated team for their unwavering support and guidance.”

Rakibul Islam

& Business

"The course was so useful in showing me how to structure the statement. I loved my reviews as well - brutal but necessary and rather that than be told that my personal statement was better than it was."

Philosophy, Politics

& Economics

"My advisor tore apart my personal statement, helped me understand what admissions officers are actually looking for, and I really don’t think I could have done it without Afinity."

Human, Social

& Political Sciences

Get started in 1 minute!

And the results speak for themselves …

Increase in oxbridge offers, increase in russell group offers, based on destination data from greig city academy, avanti schools trust, and chalk hills academy - between 2020 and 2022., how it works.

Course Explorer

Explore 1000s of subjects with day-in-the-life videos, interviews with successful students, example lectures, campus tours & more. feel what it's like to study at university..

Start exploring! —>

Perfect Statement

Write the perfect personal statement with our intelligent statement builder and then get expert feedback from a professional reviewer..

Get feedback on your statement —>

24/7 Advisors

Questions speak to our expert university advisors from oxford, cambridge, lse, imperial & more. we're online almost 24/7 so you can apply to university with full confidence..

Speak to an Advisor —>

Andrew Mitson

Co-founder award-winning lse teacher, guest lecturer and forbes 30u30 social entrepreneur.

Arsen Shkrumelyak

Co-founder & cto ai expert, built 5x technology products before 18.

International Student Expert Top 1% in the Chinese Gaokao, winner of Best Dissertation, UCL Msc

Oliver Rutherford

Afinity advisor guest lecturer at ucl, and board member at the world education connection.

Meena Sadeghi

Motivational speaker born to afghan refugees, meena went from poverty to earning £200k/year, students are in extremely safe hands with guidance direct from universities, and career advice from impartial advisors., hopefully these answer any other questions you might have..

But my school is already helping me with my application!

Who will be reviewing my statements & advising me?

Is it really 100% free?

Otherwise you can get in touch at [email protected] We'd love to help!

Get feedback —>

"Imagine what the world could look like if everyone was studying what they're most passionate about and capable in…we might finally get a glimpse of humanity at its fullest potential."

Co-Founder at Afinity

Top Left Menu

• Make a payment

Top Right Menu

• In italiano

• Mission & Priorities
• Rome is our classroom
• An AUR video gallery
• Virtual Campus Tour
• Our Location
• Map and Directions
• The AUR Shop - Branded Items
• AUR Fast Facts
• Reviews from alumni and families
• Latest News
• Upcoming Events
• Event Archive
• AUR #Unplugged
• AUR's President
• Board of Trustees
• AUR Staff Directory
• Honorary Degree recipients
• AUR's Accreditation & recognition in the United States & Italy
• Assessment at AUR
• Student Consumer Information
• Employment opportunities
• AUR Memberships & Partnerships
• Archaeology & Classics
• Art History
• Business Administration
• Communication & Digital Media
• English Writing, Literature and Publishing
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• International Relations and Global Politics
• Travel and Tourism Management
• Associate of Applied Arts in International Business
• Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies
• Undergraduate Minors
• Undergraduate Prospectus
• Guida ai programmi per gli studenti universitari
• The Graduate School at AUR
• Cultural Heritage (MA)
• Food Studies (MA)
• Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution (MA)
• Pre-Law at AUR
• General Education at AUR
• The First-Year program
• AUR Abroad - The AURA Program
• The Center for Food Studies
• Transfer Pathway to American University, Washington
• AUR offers a Direct Transfer agreement with Verto Education
• Study Abroad In Rome, Italy
• Summer sessions in Rome. Summer I.
• AUR Summer Sessions. Summer II.
• Provenance Research: An Introduction to Ethical Collecting
• Advanced Certificate in Cultural & Heritage Venue Protection
• Health & Risk Communication in an Interpandemic World
• Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives in Italian Language Teaching
• AUR's Study Abroad Partnerships
• Academic Calendar
• Full Catalogs & Course Offering
• The Dean's Office
• The Registrar's Office
• AUR Library
• Academic Help Desks
• IT Services & Facilities
• Comparability & Verification of your degree in Italy
• The Admissions Process
• Book a one-to-one meeting with our admission counselors
• Upcoming Admissions Events
• Book a Campus Tour
• Be a Student for a Day
• Chat with our students online
• Undergraduate Admissions Information
• Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines
• Transfer Student Admissions & Credit Transfer
• Free transfer credit evaluation
• Study Abroad/Visiting Student Requirements
• Undergraduate Visa & Residency requirements
• Graduate Program Admission Requirements
• Graduate Program Visa & Residency Requirements
• Graduate Admissions Deadlines
• Tuition and Fees: US Dollars
• Tuition and Fees: Euros
• Tuition and Fees for Study Abroad and Visiting Students
• Tuition & Fees F.A.Q.
• Tuition and Fees Payments and Policies
• Make a Payment
• Graduate Program Tuition & Fees - US Dollars
• Graduate Program Tuition & Fees - Euros
• Graduate Program, estimated cost of attendance
• Graduate Tuition & Fees Payments & Policies
• Graduate Make a Payment
• AUR Scholarships
• Astudy International Education scholarships
• Student Loans F.A.Q.
• Student Training Program
• US Federal Student Loans
• Veterans Aid
• Schedule a one-to-one meeting with our Financial Aid team
• Real Projects: Professional Experience for Students
• Internships Opportunities
• Internship Experiences
• Where can a degree from AUR take you?
• Alumni Career Success
• The Student Life Team
• Res Grads Program
• Chat with one of our current students
• Social Activities
• Field Trips
• Student Handbook
• Discrimination and Harassment
• Chat with our students
• Student Housing
• Living in the Eternal City
• Tips to Survive and Thrive in Rome
• Safety & Security
• Health Insurance
• What to Bring With You
• New Student Orientation
• Men's and Women's Futsal (soccer)
• Co-Ed Volleyball
• Running Club
• Yoga & Mat Pilates
• Fitness Center
• Student Clubs & Activities

Video your personal statement

Our goal is to build a highly qualified and diverse student population. We still accept the Common Application, as well as, the traditional AUR online application; however, we have now created the American University of Rome video application to provide another platform for students to show us why they want to attend AUR, and how they will fit into our close-knit international community of learners.

Application Components:

• Short video (2-3 minutes) that responds to the prompt below
• Written response to ONE admissions essay prompt
• Online application or Common Application
• $50 application fee

Be creative! But remember, your video submission is only a part of a holistic admissions approach. Applicants will not be accepted based on their video alone.

Video Prompt:

The American University of Rome prepares students to live and work across cultures as skilled and knowledgeable citizens of an interconnected and ever-changing world. AUR is home to a highly diverse student body of roughly 500 students representing over forty countries. In reflection of this eclectic student body, students bring to the table a diversity in perspective that contributes and enriches our classrooms and campus. Tell us about how your personality and experience will contribute to our rich student body. We want to know: Why are you AUR?

Video Guidelines:

• Your video should begin with a short clip of you in front of the camera saying, “Hi, my name is [insert name] from [insert hometown and state].
• After that, what you choose to say and how you choose to say it is up to you. However, all videos must adhere to the basic YouTube guidelines .
• Videos will not be evaluated for production quality; simple is fine (you can even use your phone), but you video must be a minimum of 2 minutes and a maximum of 3 minutes long.

How to Submit your Video:

Once you have created your video application you may submit it by uploading it as an “unlisted” video to YouTube, and then sharing the link with our Admissions team by emailing it to [email protected] . Please click on the following link for help with uploading your video to YouTube: Video Upload Guidelines .

If you have any questions simply click here to make an inquiry

Dr Disrespect Issues Lengthy Statement on Twitch Ban: 'I'm Not Perfect,' but 'I'm No Predator'

"i should have never entertained these conversations to begin with.".

Guy Beahm, the popular streamer best known as Dr Disrespect, has issued a lengthy statement on the recent allegations that have emerged over his ban from Twitch in 2020.

It's the most substantial response Beahm has ever issued on the situation, which was reignited last week after a former Twitch employee said on X/Twitter that he was banned from the streaming platform for inappropriate messages with a minor on the Twitch Whispers feature, a claim corrobated by reporting in The Verge and Bloomberg . Beahm's response addresses that claim, as well as his recent ousting from the game studio he co-founded, Midnight Society.

THE TWITCH BAN Hello, I'd like to make a quick statement.. Lets cut the fucking bullshit, as you know there's no filter with me. I've always been up front and real with you guys on anything that I can be up front about, and I'm always willing to accept responsibility... which… — Dr Disrespect (@DrDisrespect) June 25, 2024

In the statement, Beahm admits that there were indeed "twitch whisper messages with an individual minor back in 2017." (The word "minor" was edited out from the original version of the post, but then added back in).

"Were there real intentions behind these messages, the answer is absolutely not," he adds. "These were casual, mutual conversations that sometimes leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate, but nothing more."

He goes on to say that no charges were brought forward, and re-iterates that "nothing illegal happened."

"Now, from a moral standpoint I'll absolutely take responsibility," he says. "I should have never entertained these conversations to begin with. That's on me. That's on me as an adult, a husband and a father. It should have never happened. I get it. I’m not perfect and I’ll fucking own my shit. This was stupid."

Beahm insists, however, that he's "no fucking predator or pedophile," and that despite a previously announced "extended vacation," he seemingly plans to continue streaming.

"They want me to disappear... yeah fucking right," he concludes.

IGN has asked Twitch, which has not commented on the situation in recent days, for comment.

As for his ousting from Midnight Society, Beahm says the decision for him to part ways with the studio was something he and the team came to "collectively." Shortly after Beahm posted his statement, studio co-founder Robert Bowling issued his own personal statement on X/Twitter, caveating that it had not been run through a PR or legal department.

"If you inappropriately message a minor. I can not work with you," Bowling wrote. "Period. I promised to only act on facts, and I did."

This is a statement from me personally. It does not reflect any of my companies and has not gone through any legal or PR approvals. If you inappropriately message a minor. I can not work with you. Period. I promised to only act on facts, and I did. — Robert Bowling (@fourzerotwo) June 25, 2024

Gaming headset and accessory company Turtle Beach also announced earlier on Tuesday, before Beahm posted his statement, that it would be ending its partnership with the streamer.

The situation surrounding Beahm's four-year-old ban from Twitch caught fire last Friday, June 21, thanks to a X/Twitter post by former Twitch account director of strategic partnerships Cody Conners ( Disclosure: Conners briefly worked at IGN in 2011). Conners didn't mention Beahm by name, but it was both widely assumed and later confirmed in The Verge's and Bloomberg's reports that he was referring to the popular streamer when he wrote, "He got banned because got caught sexting a minor in the then existing Twitch whispers product. He was trying to meet up with her at TwitchCon."

Conners' post became massive news, shedding light on Beahm's mysterious ban that came down almost exactly four years ago . Twitch offered no specifics on the reason for the ban, and Beahm himself claimed not to have been informed why initially. He would go on to sue Twitch over the ban in 2021 , and the legal dispute was resolved in 2022 .

In the days following Conners' post, Beahm had issued a number of statements, but none as substantial as the one posted on Tuesday (he claims that he's able to offer more information "now that two former twitch employees have publicly disclosed the accusations"). In previous statements , he continued to stress that "no wrongdoing was found" in regards to his dealings with Twitch.

You can read Beahm's most recent statement in full below:

Thumbnail credit: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

IGN Recommends

PERSONAL STATEMENT

An Emmy nominated feature-length documentary film

Three high school seniors struggle to get themselves and their peers to college. 

Click here to check out 

#WeBelongInCollege is a social media campaign that grew out of the PERSONAL STATEMENT impact campaign and encourages students to share their stories of struggle & triumph so that all students know that  #WeBelongInCollege.

Watch the #WeBelongInCollege sizzle reel:

Click here to bring PERSONAL STATEMENT

to your campus or community. 

PERSONAL STATEMENT Trailer

Click here to donate:

You can make a tax deductible donation by clicking the button above. You can indicate how you would like us to use the funds. More information on the film's engagement and impact campaign can be found here .

Poster designed by Midnight Marauder

To bring this film to your classroom, campus or community, go to GOOD DOCS .

• SI SWIMSUIT

Cameron Brink Posts Statement After Suffering Season-Ending Knee Injury

Tom dierberger | jun 19, 2024.

• Los Angeles Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks will be without standout rookie Cameron Brink for the rest of the 2024 WNBA season.

Brink, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, suffered a knee injury during the Sparks' 79–70 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the team announced that Brink sustained a torn ACL in her left knee and will miss the rest of the year.

Shortly after the news was announced, Brink addressed the situation on social media.

"You never think it will happen to you," she wrote. "And despite all the hard work sometimes it does. This is hard to fathom but I know it will only make me stronger. I will not be derailed and I will continue to love this life—I'm not defined by basketball, but it's something that I love deeply and I will work everyday to get back to it.

"It's not goodbye basketball, it's see you later. I'm always so thankful for your thoughts and prayers."

Cameron Brink shared a message after the news of her left torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/F8nPEgmCsd — espnW (@espnW) June 19, 2024

In 15 games this season, Brink averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 22 minutes per contest. She scored a career-high 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting against the Dallas Wings on May 26, and stuffed a career-best five shots in two different games.

The Sparks (4–11) will return to the court without Brink on Thursday for a matchup against the New York Liberty.

TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a writer and editor for the Breaking & Trending News Team at Sports Illustrated. Tom joined SI in 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports, and NBC Sports. In his spare time, Tom can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

Follow tomdierberger

Presidential debate replay: Democrats sweat after Joe Biden freezes during pivotal debate

Former President Donald Trump  and  President Joe Biden brawled in the  first presidential debate  of the 2024 race for the White House – sparring over issues ranging from reproductive rights to the southern border and inflation – even with a few confusing moments.

In a response that immediately prompted questions, Biden froze as he talked about Medicare services in America. After the debate, Democrats were sweating over the president's performance and his stumbles over talking points, data and more.

The president and the former president for 90 minutes attacked each other's records on the issues facing the nation: childcare costs, the spread of opioids and other challenges. They also waged into America's role on the world stage, with moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper pressing the candidate on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.

In one of the most heated moments of the night, Biden and Trump also fought over reports that the former president called veterans who lost their lives in war 'suckers.'

Catch up with live updates from the USA TODAY Network.

Donald Trump Veepstakes enter home stretch after Atlanta debate

Now that the first debate is over,  the Donald Trump running mate race  heads into overdrive.

A bevy of  potential Republican vice presidential candidates  flocked to Atlanta to carry the flag  for Trump  before and after his clash with Joe Biden - and amid news reports and informed speculation that the presumptive GOP 2024 nominee could announce his decision any day now.

"He's told some people, yeah," said Lara Trump, the former president's daughter-in-law and a co-chair of the Republican National Committee, speaking to NBC News.

The Trump debate surrogate list included  the most often mentioned possibilities : North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and Sens. J.D. Vance of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Marco Rubio of Florida.

– David Jackson

'Sense of shock': Democrats melt down over Joe Biden's debate disaster

Democrats and other opponents of Donald Trump melted down as Joe Biden  struggled during Thursday's debate, with some suggesting he should bow out to allow another Democrat to run instead.

Biden's voice was hoarse and raspy from the start. He stumbled over words and had to correct himself with numbers. He was sometimes hard to follow. On one occasion, the president appeared to lose his train of thought, concluding − confusingly − with the line, "we finally beat Medicare."

"That's a good man. He loves his country. He's doing the best that he can," said Van Jones, a Democratic political analyst on CNN. "But he had a test to meet tonight to restore confidence in the country and of the base, and he failed to do that."

– Joey Garrison

Trump concludes: ‘We’re in a failing nation ... but we’re gonna make it great again’

Trump in his closing statement called Biden a “complainer” and said Biden “doesn’t do anything.” 

“This man is just a complainer,” Trump said, mocking Biden. “He said ‘We wanna do this, we wanna do that, we wanna get rid of this tax , that tax.’ But he doesn’t do anything.’”

He also took aim at the Biden administration’s foreign policy, claiming that none of the crises across the world would be happening if Trump was still in office. 

“We looked like fools in Afghanistan,” Trump said. Hamas’ attack against Israel on Oct. 7, Trump claimed without evidence, was such a “horrible thing that would have never happened,” if he were still president. “Ukraine should have never happened,” Trump added.

“We’re in a failing nation but it’s not gonna be failing anymore. We’re gonna make it great again,” Trump concluded.

Biden zeroes in on bringing down inflation, fixing tax system in closing statement

Biden closed his debate performance by insisting that he would implement “a fair tax system” if he’s reelected, including guaranteeing that people who make less than $400,000 won’t see a tax increase. 

He contrasted that by saying Trump increased taxes, caused inflation by fumbling the pandemic response, and will make it worse by implementing a 10% tariff on all imports to the U.S.

Biden also touted policies passed since he became president, including lowering the cost of prescriptions. And he said if he is reelected, he would advance policies to support childcare and fix “bad pipes and other things causing health problems.”

“We’re going to continue to fight inflation and give people a break,” he concluded.

– Riley Beggin

A "childish" argument about golf

It took an argument about golf scores - one of their few direct exchanges - to get the two candidates to accuse each other of childishness.

"Let's not act like children," Trump told Biden.

Replied Biden: "You are a child."

Trump blames Biden border policies for spread of opioids

Asked what they would do to support people in the throes of opioid addiction , both candidates focused on the situation at the southern border. 

Trump said the flow of drugs across the border was under control until the COVID-19 pandemic. “Then we had to get tough,” he said, adding that drugs were “pouring across the border.”

He argued that since Biden has come into office, the flow of drugs is back up. Biden rebutted that he fought to get equipment that could detect fentanyl coming across the border, but that Trump killed the bipartisan deal in Congress that would have funded it. 

“He never argued it’s not a good bill. It’s a good bill,” he said. 

Your money and the presidential debate: Trump and Biden spar over the economy, inflation

At the top of the high-stakes faceoff, Joe Biden and former Donald Trump sparred over their  economic records  in a bid to persuade undecided voters theirs is the winning plan to  slow rising prices .

Exasperated Americans are  paying more  for the basics from check-out lanes to the gas pump, souring the national mood and making the  inflation surge  one of Biden’s greatest challenges going into the November rematch with Trump.

Your money and the presidential debate: : Trump and Biden spar over the economy, inflation

– Jessica Guynn and Bailey Schulz

Joe Biden claim: No American troops died anywhere in the world during his presidency

“The truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any - this decade - that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world, like (former President Donald Trump) did.”

Biden’s comment came following a reference to hostilities in Afghanistan during Trump’s term in office. But the notion that no troops have died in the world during Biden’s time in office is wrong.

Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in a suicide bombing attack near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul in August 2021, when Biden was president, as thousands tried to flee the Taliban’s takeover of the country, USA TODAY previously reported.

Among the deaths were 11 Marines, one Navy hospital corpsman and one Army soldier. Biden remarked on the deaths at the time, calling them “tragic.”

More recently, three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers were killed in January at a base in Jordan in what was described as a drone attack by Iran-backed militants.

–Andre Byik

For more fact checks about what Trump and Biden said, follow USA TODAY's live debate fact check here ( Biden-Trump debate fact check: Separating lies from truth (usatoday.com)

Trump's claim: The US southern border is the most dangerous place in the world

“We have a border that's the most dangerous place anywhere in the world”

This is false. While deaths, disappearances and violence do occur at the U.S. southern border, there is no evidence to suggest it is the most dangerous place in the world.

Statistics on border deaths vary. Customs and Border Protection data shows 171 people died at the border in fiscal year 2022, some in CBP custody and others while attempting to cross the border. The International Organization for Migration , a U.N.-related organization , documented 686 deaths and disappearances of migrants on the US-Mexico border in 2022.

Places all over the world and even in the U.S. have more frequent deaths. For example, there were more than 700 murders in Chicago in 2022 , according to the Chicago Police Department. Chicago is 228 square miles , while the U.S.-Mexico border is 1,951 miles long.

– Brad Sylvester

Biden: Trump ‘didn’t do a damn thing about’ climate change

Trump claimed he “had the best environmental numbers ever” and said his administration took significant action to address climate change: “My environmental people gave me that statistic just before I walked on the stage actually.”

“I have no idea where he’s been,” Biden responded, touting legislation he led that made significant investments in combating climate change, including the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden went after Trump for pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords, arguing the former president did nothing to fight climate change. 

“The only existential threat to humanity is climate change and he didn’t do a damn thing about it,” Biden said.

Trump and Biden battle over serving Black communities

Asked what he says to Black voters who are disappointed he hasn’t done more to help their communities during his time in office, Biden said: “I don’t blame you” and noted inflation is hurting them. But he said he has proposed tax credits for first-time homebuyers who are Black and made it easier for Black students to take out loans for college.

He added that he supports other policies that would help Black families, such as cutting childcare costs.

Trump leaned into that response, arguing that Biden’s economic policies have hurt the pocketbooks of families of color and said undocumented immigrants are taking the jobs of workers of color. 

“He caused inflation and it’s killing Black families and Hispanic families,” he said. Trump added that he funded historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and supported criminal justice reform and economic opportunity zones.

What happened when Biden froze?

Joe Biden was in the middle of answering a question about the economy during the debate on Thursday night when he began to stutter, froze on stage, and then began talking about the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We'd be able to help make sure that all those things we need to do, child care, elder care, making sure that we continue to spend our health care system, making sure that we're in every single solitary person eligible," Biden said, before taking a long pause.

He then began talking about the COVID-19 pandemic and Medicare.

"For what I've been able to do with the COVID, excuse me, with dealing with everything we have to do," he said, before taking another pause. "If we finally beat Medicare."

– Karissa Waddick

Biden hits Trump over white supremacists in Charlottesville

In going after Trump, Biden cited the incident he says inspired him to run for president in 2020: The violent 2017 rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia .

Biden noted that Trump said supportive things about the Charlottesville rioters. Trump accused Biden of making his criticism up, though Trump did say there were "very fine people on both sides" of the deadly demonstration.

Biden freeze sparks backlash on Twitter

Biden freezing on stage when discussing healthcare quickly drew fire on X, formerly Twitter.

“Sorry, I’m voting for President Biden but a disaster so far,” wrote Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist and NBC News analyst, on the platform.

Stephen Hayes, editor and CEO of The Dispatch, tweeted, “Let the Dem panic begin.”

“Holy shit. Joe Biden isn’t running. He just froze. Trump is murdering him,” tweeted American writer and lawyer Clay Travis.

– Sudiksha Kochi

Biden hits Trump over his felony conviction

Donald Trump responded to the fact that he is a " convicted felon " by claiming – without evidence – that Biden is a future felon.

"This man is a criminal," Trump said of his opponent, also noting that Biden's son Hunter Biden has already been convicted on a gun charge.

Biden called the accusation "outrageous," and added: "It's simply a lie." For good measure, Biden noted that Trump's criminal case involved hush money to a "porn star."

"You have the morals of an alley cat," Biden told Trump.

This all began with a question about Trump's claims that he may seek retribution against political opponents if he gets back into the White House.

Trump doesn’t take responsibility when asked about Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Trump didn’t take blame for the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol attack when he was asked about a mob of his supporters breaching the building in a bid to overturn the 2020 election results. Instead, he repeated his false claims that the attack was former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s fault. 

Trump claimed he offered Pelosi “10,000 soldiers” to stop the attack, but Pelosi’s office has said she was never presented the offer by the former president. Pelosi also would not have had the power to refuse such an offer regardless. 

In response, Biden went after Trump for his inaction during the attack, instead watching the riots unfold from the White House. He also slammed Trump for calling Jan. 6 defendants “patriots” and promising to pardon them.

“The idea that those people are patriots? Come on,” Biden said. 

Biden touts support for Israel, slams Trump on NATO

Asked what additional leverage he would use to end the Israel-Hamas War, Biden said international leaders and experts have endorsed his plan for a ceasefire , which would include trading hostages held by Hamas for a ceasefire.

He added that “the only thing I denied Israel” was 2,000-lb bombs that can do significant civilian damage, and said Israel is getting “all the weapons they need” from the U.S.

Trump said Israel wants to continue its war against Hamas. “You should let them go and let them finish the job,” he said to Biden. 

Biden – in one of his more forceful responses of the debate so far – said Trump wants to pull out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and said U.S. strength relies on alliances. “He has no idea what the hell he’s talking about.”

Trump asked about Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Putin would have never invaded Ukraine if he was president, Trump claimed without evidence. But he added Putin's terms in its brutal invasion of Ukraine should not be accepted.

Biden retorted by saying he'd never heard more malarkey.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Biden to Trump: 'You're the sucker, you're the loser'

The angriest exchange of the night came when Biden cited reports that Trump has described veterans as " suckers" and "losers. "

"You're the sucker, you're the loser," Biden told Trump.

Trump denied making such comments, and demanded an apology from Biden. Not a chance, Biden replied.

Pressed about his deportation plan, Trump goes after Biden over border

Trump was asked about his plans to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” and whether he intended to deport all undocumented immigrants in the U.S., including those currently working critical jobs, whose spouses are citizens and have resided here for decades. 

Trump declined to answer and instead criticized Biden over his handling of the southern border and repeated his past anti-immigrant rhetoric at the podium.

“We are living right now in a rat’s nest,” Trump said. “Every state is now a border state and it’s because of his ridiculous, insane and very stupid policies. People are coming in and they’re killing our citizens at a level that we’ve never seen.”

“We’re literally an uncivilized country,” Trump added.

Trump: I won’t block abortion pill

Trump said he won’t block abortion medication if he is reelected. 

He noted that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a challenge to mifepristone , the pill commonly used in medication abortions, said he agrees with that decision, “and I will not block it.”

He took credit for appointing the justices that were crucial votes in overturning Roe v. Wade and said the states are “all making their own decisions,” later adding that “the country is now coming together on this issue. It’s been a great thing.”

Biden rebutted that it has been “terrible” since Roe was overturned. He said he would reinstate the protections under Roe if he is reelected.

– Riley Beggin 

Trump appears to call Biden 'Brandon'

Trump at one point appeared to call Trump "Brandon," a reference to "Let's go, Brandon," which has become a joke and a rallying cry for Republicans.

The phrase  originated at an Oct. 2  NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Brandon Brown, a 28-year-old driver, had won his first Xfinity Series and was being interviewed by an NBC Sports reporter. The crowd behind him was chanting something at first difficult to make out. The reporter suggested they were chanting “Let’s go, Brandon” to cheer the driver. But it was clear they were saying, “(Expletive) Joe Biden."

– USA TODAY staff

On top earners paying less in taxes

With US facing trillion dollar deficits and record debt, why should top earners and corporations pay even less in taxes than they do now? Trump said the tax cuts spurred the “greatest economy that we've ever seen. “ Just prior to Covid and even after Covid, it was so strong that we're able to get through Covid much better than just about any other country, but we spurred that tax spurred.”

Biden's voice draws attention

One story so far, at least on social media: Biden's hoarse-sounding voice.

Pollster Frank Luntz, who is conducting a focus group on the showdown, said on X: "My focus group of undecided voters is surprised and concerned about Biden’s voice. This doesn’t bode well for questions about his health."

–David Jackson

Joe Biden: The economy is coming back

The first question is to Biden about inflation.

Biden, sounding somewhat hoarse, said the economy fell apart on Trump's watch thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is coming back under current leadership - slowly, but surely.

"Working class people" are still struggling, Biden said.

Trump replied that Biden's handling of the COVID crisis sparked inflation, and the two argued about who has the best economic approach.   

Donald Trump and Joe Biden skip a handshake

Donald Trump and Joe Biden took the stage on Thursday night without a traditional handshake, walking directly to their podiums.

– Marina Pitofsky

Joe Biden jokes about taking ‘performance enhancers’ ahead of debate

Joe Biden joked about being on “performance enhancers” in a social media post shortly before the start of the debate – mocking the conspiracies pushed by Trump and some Republicans that Biden would have to take drugs to keep up.

“I don't know what they've got in these performance enhancers, but I'm feeling pretty jacked up. Try it yourselves, folks,” Biden said in the post, holding a can that reads “Biden” and his slogan “No Malarkey.”

Trump has repeatedly challenged Biden to a drug test, arguing taking artificial enhancements is the only way the 81-year-old Biden can display energy during the debate. Republicans have suggested, without evidence, that Biden was on drugs during his State of the Union address in March.

What time is the debate? 9 p.m. eastern to central, pacific

The CNN Presidential Debate will begin at 9 p.m. ET, which is 8 p.m. CT and 6 p.m. PT.

– Rachel Barber  

Can I livestream the debate? How do I watch the debate without cable?

Yes. A livestream and recording of the first presidential debate will be available on  USA TODAY’s YouTube channel .

–   Rachel Barber  

How popular is Joe Biden?

How popular is President Joe Biden? People are certainly curious. Searches for "Joe Biden approval rating" in the past one hour shot up by more than 150%, according to Google Trends data.

According to a recent Gallup poll, Biden’s latest 38% job approval rating remains largely unchanged from recent months and continues to put him well below the  48%+ threshold all reelected incumbents in the modern era have had at the time of the election.

His  ratings among the three major party groups are also steady, with 83% of Democrats, 33% of independents and 5% of Republicans expressing approval.

Longshot Trump VP pick Sen. Katie Britt is not at the first presidential debate

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., one of about 20 Republicans seen as a  potential Donald Trump option  for vice president, will be watching Thursday's  first presidential debate  from her home in Montgomery, Alabama, a staffer for the senator confirmed.

"I'm looking forward to watching President Trump win tonight's debate as he outlines his vision to restore secure borders, safe streets, stable prices, and strong families," Britt said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Britt's physical absence from the event in Atlanta could be a signal that the  State of the Union star  will not be  Trump's  pick.

– Rachel Barber

RFK Jr. to hold his own livestream debate tonight

During Thursday’s presidential debate, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is hosting a program over livestream after he failed to qualify for tonight’s event.

To make it to the debate stage, candidates had to get on a sufficient number of state ballots as well as earn at least 15% in four separate national polls. Shortly after the CNN Presidential Debate was announced last month, Kennedy filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that CNN violated federal election laws by scheduling the June debate. 

Kennedy will respond to the same questions that Biden and Trump are asked in a livestreamed event moderated by John Stossel that his campaign is calling “The Real Debate.” It will start at the same time as the presidential debate and will be held in front of a live audience in a Los Angeles studio.                                                                               

– Maya Marchel Hoff

Melania Trump? Eric Trump? Who's with Trump in Atlanta?

As Donald Trump arrived in Atlanta Thursday evening for the pivotal debate, some political observers were watching who's in Trump's entourage for the event.

Footage from  Trump landing in Atlanta  shows he deplaned alone, and it is unclear if his wife Melania or other members of his family are there with him.

But several Trump surrogates

who have also been floated for the vice presidential candidacy, are part of the entourage in Trump's spin room, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum; Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and others.

– Kinsey Crowley

Debate spin room buzzing hours before Trump and Biden take the stage

Hours before the big matchup between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the floor at Georgia Tech University’s McCamish Pavilion – a basketball arena converted to debate spin room – was buzzing with reporters, campaign officials and politicians.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy all were swarmed by reporters.

Trump campaign aide Corey Lewandowski and Republican National Convention co-chair David Bossie also circulated in the crowd, along with religious leader Ralph Reed. FOX News host Sean Hannity walked through the crowd and stopped to chat with Reed.

Asked about the questions Trump continues to face surrounding his c haracter and temperament, Lewandowski said “it’s up for the American people to decide.”

“They get to decide if an 82-year-old who is practicing standing for 90 minutes should be the next leader of this country,” Lewandowski said, adding a year to Biden’s age. “Or if Donald Trump should be the leader of this country because they don’t like they way he… made some remarks.”

– Zac Anderson

Biden campaign to launch ads during debate

The Biden campaign will air a set of three ads in battleground states criticizing Trump on issues such as reproductive rights and threats to democracy, CNN reported. 

The first ad, which will run before the debate, will seek to tie Trump to abortion restrictions passed by states after Roe v. Wade’s fall in 2022. 

The second ad will feature a Michigan sheriff who will slam Trump for refusing to denounce the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, according to the outlet. The third ad, which will air after the debate, will focus on criminal charges across four indictments.

Where do Donald Trump and Joe Biden stand on student loan forgiveness?

One of Joe Biden’s signature priorities while in the White House has been addressing student loan debt. With his effort challenged or blocked in court, the president said alternative actions by his Education Department have resulted in $160 billion in debt relief for nearly 4.6 million borrowers as of May 2024. 

Donald Trump has criticized Biden’s efforts to cancel student loan debt for millions of borrowers. In 2023 he also praised the Supreme Court justices for striking down a chunk of Biden’s plan, which Trump called unfair for people who have paid back their educational loans.

– Joey Garrison, David Jackson and Marina Pitofsky

Is Biden or Trump leading in the polls ahead of the debate?

Trump and Biden are in a near dead-heat, according to a Real Clear Politics average of national polling. Trump is slightly ahead at 46.6% compared to Biden’s 45.1%, but those results are well within the margin of error.  

USA TODAY is fact checking the first 2024 debate

The USA TODAY Fact Check Team will be investigating claims from the presumptive nominees on debate night.

We'll be watching for statements that exaggerate, mislead, misrepresent or otherwise stray from reality. Our team uses primary documents, trustworthy nonpartisan sources, data and other research tools to assess the accuracy of claims. And you won't have to take our word for it, since we'll always link our sources as we go. 

Presidential debate live fact check: What Trump, Biden got right (and wrong)

– Bradley Sylvester

Jake Tapper and Dana Bash: Who is moderating the debate?

CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the debate. Both have experience moderating political debates, including CNN’s Republican Presidential Primary Debate this cycle.

On Monday, Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt accused the longtime political journalists of being biased during an interview with CNN's Kasie Hunt before the host abruptly ended the interview,  The Hill  reported.

CNN defended Tapper and Bash, saying in a statement shared with USA TODAY Tuesday, "there are no two people better equipped to co-moderate a substantial and fact-based discussion."

– Rachel Barber and Kinsey Crowley

Jill Biden rallies supporters before debate

Hours before the two presumptive nominees were slated to hit the debate stage for the first time in the 2024 presidential race, first lady Jill Biden stopped in Virginia Beach on her way to Atlanta to support her husband, President Joe Biden.

“You all know that there’s two visions for America and you’ll see them tonight when you watch the debate,” she told the crowd that had gathered inside of the Biden-Harris campaign office in Virginia Beach for a sign-making event.

“You’ve already chosen your vision, or you wouldn’t be here,” she said to the crowd of Biden supporters. “The vision you’ve chosen is for strong, steady leadership versus the other vision, which is chaos and corruption.”

– Elizabeth Beyer

What are the rules for the debate?

The candidates will be provided with a pen, pad of paper and a water bottle, but are prohibited from bringing props or prewritten notes. Following a history of presidential frontrunners talking over one another, CNN announced candidates' microphones will be muted throughout the debate when it is not their turn to speak.

The candidates will also not be able to consult with their campaign teams during the event’s two commercial breaks, a departure from past formats overseen by the Commission on Presidential Debates. 

Biden’s campaign won a coin flip against Trump’s, giving his aides the choice between selecting the president’s podium or the order of the debate’s closing statements. The president’s campaign opted for the podium on the right side of the stage, meaning Trump's campaign got to choose the order of closing statements. His team opted to give Trump the final word.

– Rachel Barber, Sudiksha Kochi and Marina Pitofsky

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp did not vote for Trump in the primary

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, revealed that he did not vote for his party’s frontrunner, Donald Trump, in the state’s primary election in March.

The governor revealed his decision – counter to that of many GOP voters and lawmakers – in an interview with CNN on the eve of the historic debate between Trump and President Joe Biden.

“I didn’t vote for anybody,” Kemp told CNN Wednesday when asked if he voted for Trump.

– Savannah Kuchar

Who is in the debate?

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will face off in the first presidential debate. Third party candidates including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not participate in the debate.

In order to secure a spot on stage, CNN required candidates to have received at least 15% support in four approved national polls and qualify for the ballot in enough states to have the opportunity to earn the 270 electoral votes in November needed to win the White House.

What channel is the debate?

The debate will air on CNN and its related channels including CNN International and CNN en Español. Several other networks will carry the debate including Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, and NewsMax.

GOP lawmakers want to see a more measured Donald Trump

House Republicans tuning into tonight’s debate hope to see a more mellow version of Donald Trump compared to his previous debates with Joe Biden, telling USA TODAY that policy debates should be the priority for the former president.

But those GOP lawmakers acknowledged that Trump’s previous performance in debates means they can’t exactly have high hopes. 

“I think he’s his own man and he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do,” Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, said. Ellzey thinks Trump is going to come off more “gentlemanly” tonight.

“You’re never gonna change Donald Trump. He is who he is, he talks the way he does,” Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said. But he hopes to at least see a “little more measured approach” and “a little more hopeful.”

“You been to Baskin Robbins? There’s 31 flavors,” Alford said. “I think there’s 31 flavors of Donald Trump. You’re going to see the rocky road, you’re going to see the daiquiri ice, you’re going to see a little vanilla. But in the end, it’s gonna be something you want to take home.”

Joe Biden says it's 'good to be back' in Atlanta

Joe Biden shared photos of voters cheering in Atlanta a few hours before the first 2024 presidential debate.

"I met some incredible supporters who are fired up ahead of tonight’s debate. Let’s finish the job," he shared on X, formerly Twitter.

Will tonight's presidential debate be a 2020 replay? Here's what Chris Wallace said

CNN personality Chris Wallace suggested on "The Source with Kaitlin Collins" that Donald Trump may change tactics in the  first debate of the 2024 presidential election . Wallace moderated the first debate in 2020 between Trump and Joe Biden when he was an anchor at Fox News. That debate provided multiple  campaign changing moments .

"I’ve talked to a lot of people in the top echelons of his staff. They say he finally understands how badly he did in the 2020 debate," Wallace said. "The two words that are coming out ― you don’t usually hear from the Trump camp ― are ‘nice’ and ‘respectful.'"

– James Powel and Kinsey Crowley

White House reporters urge CNN to widen access during debate

The White House Correspondents’ Association said they're concerned about CNN’s decision to deny their request for a specific White House pool reporter inside the studio during the network’s presidential debate in Atlanta between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Currently, CNN rules state that a pool of still photographers will be allowed in the studio, but a reporter specifically representing print reporters will be given access during commercial breaks. But a broader group of White House reporters say they need more access to cover the historic event.

“That is not sufficient in our view and diminishes a core principle of presidential coverage,” the statement says. “The White House pool has a duty to document, report and witness the president’s events and his movements on behalf of the American people."

Will Biden and Trump shake hands?    

It's not clear. The president's campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told Fox News that he probably wouldn't shake Trump's hand, but he added that he believes "President Biden consistently rises above pettiness." Prior to the 2016 election between Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a handshake was a central part of decorum of presidential debates. 

– Karissa Waddick 

Where do Trump and Biden stand on Ukraine?

Trump has called for pulling back on U.S. defense commitments, throwing into doubt additional U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia. He has also privately said he could end Russia’s war in Ukraine by pressuring its embattled government to give up territory, the  Washington Post  reported, despite the repeated and vehement refusal of Ukraine's leaders to cede any land in the conflict.

Biden has been a vocal supporter of additional U.S. aid to Ukraine. He struggled, but ultimately prevailed, in 2024 to get Congress to provide additional support for Israel in its fight against Hamas and for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s invasion.

– John Bacon and David Jackson

Who is Donald Trump's VP pick? Everything to know about the many possibilities

Joe Biden  and Donald Trump  have not yet been formally nominated by their party, and Trump has yet to announce his pick for a  vice presidential running mate .

Trump told NBC News he has  decided on a running mate , and they could be in Atlanta for the debate. Here is what to know about Trump's vice presidential candidate search so far:

Trump's potential running mates trek to Atlanta

Trump and Biden won't be the only national candidates speaking tonight in Atlanta – there are also all those Trump vice presidential candidates.

Trump surrogates who will be speaking to the media include the three most often mentioned vice presidential prospects:  North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

There are also long-shot Republican veep candidates surrogating for Trump, including businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida.

Play along with presidential debate bingo

Ready to win presidential debate bingo ? USA TODAY has everything you need to play along as  President Joe Biden  and former  President Donald Trump  face off in the first of two debates as they compete to win the White House this November.

Pick a card and cross off a square every time Biden or Trump brings up one of the statements or terms. Five squares in a row, either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, wins bingo.

Where do Trump and Biden stand on health care?

Expanding health care coverage provided by the Affordable Care Act and lowering prescription drug costs remain two of Biden’s signature campaign promises in his second presidential race.

He has called health care a right, not a privilege, for all. He succeeded in winning the right for Medicare to negotiate prices for a slate of drugs for seniors and to cap their annual costs at $2,000. He has said he wants to extend both policies to all Americans.

Trump tried and failed to repeal the health care law signed by his predecessor, former President Barack Obama. Now, Trump says he does not want to repeal it but to improve it and make it cheaper. He has not released a specific plan.

As president, he did sign legislation to increase funding for substance use disorder treatment in the wake of the opioid epidemic, and in 2017 he declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency.

Trump arrives in Atlanta

Donald Trump's Trump motorcade is now leaving the airport in Atlanta ahead of the debate.

How old is Donald Trump?

Age has taken center stage in the 2024 race for the White House. If either candidate on stage on Thursday wins in November, they will become the oldest person to take the oath of office.

Donald Trump is 78 years old . He was born on June 14, 1946.

– James Powel

Where do Trump and Biden stand on the economy?

Donald Trump receives some of his highest marks from voters on his handling of the economy . A Wall Street Journal poll in March found a majority of voters said they trust him to do a better job than Biden in bringing down inflation, a top economic concern.

In 2017, Trump and his fellow Republicans passed a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, which would expire during the next president’s term in 2025.

Biden says he believes the best way to boost the U.S. economy is from the middle out and the bottom up . His economic plan has included the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan - a post-pandemic stimulus package - and funding for major infrastructure projects and climate initiatives.

 Biden has called for an increase in the minimum corporate tax to 21% from 15%. He also wants to restore a previous version of the Child Tax Credit, make the healthcare tax credit permanent and give new home buyers a $400 a month tax credit for two years to bring down mortgage costs. 

Looking for a debate drinking game?

The first presidential debate of the 2024 general election is set for Thursday night, with presumptive Democratic nominee President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, set to meet face to face for the first time since the White House changed hands in 2021.

Here are three games that can help you get through the  presidential debate Thursday night .

From Bingo to shots Presidential debate drinking games, an American tradition

Mary Trump, Donald Trump's niece, to make pitch for Biden at presidential debate

Mary Trump , a psychologist, writer, and niece and critic of former President Donald Trump, will make an appearance in the spin room following Thursday's CNN  presidential debate , the Biden campaign said.

She will be supporting her uncle’s opponent, current President Joe Biden, and will be joined by several key Democratic leaders, including Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, California Rep. Robert Garcia and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

– Joey Garrison and Maya Homan

How old is Joe Biden?

Biden was born on November 20, 1942. He is 81 years old .

Where do Biden and Trump stand on climate change?

Trump opposes most climate change legislation, a position that hasn’t changed since his term in the White House. During his presidency, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, a global climate initiative that Biden rejoined once he took office. 

Biden has warned that denying the impacts of climate change in the U.S. and around the world is “condemning the American people to a very dangerous future.” He has also set a national goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and has pledged to make the American power sector 100% carbon-pollution-free by 2035. 

Are Trump and Biden in Atlanta?

Biden arrived in Atlanta this afternoon and greeted groups of supporters chanting “four more years” and “let’s go Joe,” according to White House press pool reports.

Trump is expected to arrive in the Peach State at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Yes, Donald Trump is still waiting for Supreme Court to rule on immunity

The former president debates while he and the rest of the political world are on the cusp of an important legal ruling: A Supreme Court decision on his claim of immunity from prosecution for actions he took while in office.

Court rulings announced Thursday did not include the immunity case, which could determine when - and if - Trump is tried on criminal charges he tried to steal the 2020 election from Biden.

The high court is scheduled to issue more rulings on Friday, but that is not expected to be the final day of the current term. So the Trump immunity decision could slip until next week.

Democratic governors talk Biden, debate expectations  

Several Democratic governors from across the country gathered in Minneapolis Monday on the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. While there, they looked ahead to tonight’s debate. 

“This will be the first opportunity in a long time for people to see the contrast of these two people side by side,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly told USA TODAY. “And I think if people are watching with open minds, open eyes, the contrast will be startling.” 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he wouldn’t give the president and leader of his party any advice ahead of the 2024 showdown.

“This isn't theoretical. There's two people who are going to be president, one or the other,” Walz said. “There's going to be a vision that's hopeful, compassionate, optimistic, addressing climate change, addressing inequities. And then there's going to be grievance filled, you know, anger coming from former President Trump.” 

– Savannah Kuchar 

How long is the debate?

The debate is scheduled to last 90 minutes and will include two commercial breaks .

Must-watch cringe TV: Few swing state voters want to see Trump-Biden debate

CNN says debate will not have an extended delay

CNN corrected rumors that the first presidential debate will air with a 1–2-minute delay, instead of the standard 7-second delay, allowing the network to potentially edit parts of the broadcast. CNN Communications  responded in a post  on X, formerly Twitter, stating “This is false. The debate will begin live at 9pm ET.”

Where is the presidential debate?

The first presidential debate will take place at  CNN’s studio in Atlanta, Georgia, without a live studio audience. 

–  Rachel Barber