Myth: No one reads personal statements.

False. For better or worse, counselors do read personal statements, and in hundreds of cases, it’s for worse. Many applicants simply recite their extracurricular activities or fall back on uninspired chestnuts such as, “I want to go to UW-Madison because I really love the Badgers.” Some don’t even bother writing one at all.

“To me, that says that they’re just not serious about coming here,” says St. Arnauld. “We really rely on that personal statement to get a better sense of where the applicant is coming from and where they are going.”

Sure, a Hemingwayesque personal statement won’t make up for major deficiencies in other parts of an application, but it’s curious that so many students squander a golden opportunity to market themselves. Especially in cases where students have holes in their applications that might leave a counselor wondering — such as a dip in grades due to an illness — a personal statement is a chance to say, “Let me explain ...”

Next myth » It pays to apply early.

• Introduction
• Myth: It’s a secretive process.
• Myth: A formula determines whether students are admitted or denied.
• Myth: UW-Madison has raised its admissions criteria in recent years.
• Myth: The UW turns away students with perfect GPAs.
• Myth: Some students get special treatment in the admissions process.
• Myth: It’s impossible for regular students to get in anymore.
• Myth: No one reads personal statements.
• Myth: It pays to apply early.
• Myth: Minority students get in with lower grades than some white students who are rejected.
• Myth: UW-Madison caps the number of students who can be admitted from one high school.
• Myth: Back in the day, UW-Madison let everybody in.
• Myth: Applicants from outside Wisconsin are taking up spots that could go to state residents.
• Myth: Connections with important people can get you in.
• Myth: Alumni can get their kids in if they pull the right strings.
• Myth: Being postponed is the same as being on a wait list.
• Myth: An A is always better than a B.
• Myth: One grumpy admissions counselor can doom an application.
• Myth: Admissions counselors like rejecting people.
• Myth: My son or daughter isn’t emotionally ready to be turned down by the university.
• Myth: It’s a perfect system.