Illinois State Academic Personal Statement

I dont really understand the prompt...am I allowed to write about ANYTHING? But they refer to it as "Academic Personal Statement" so does it have to be about school? here is the prompt

Academic Personal Statement
Illinois State believes that student motivation and academic preparation are not fully revealed by a student's high school transcript(s) or standardized test scores. The ability to succeed at Illinois State may be indicated by factors which can only be explained in a written personal statement.

Illinois State's admissions process requires the submission of an academic personal statement, which will be reviewed along with other documentation submitted.
Your personal statement should indicate your interest in Illinois State and explain circumstances that may affect our admission decision and that are not readily apparent from academic records.

Your personal statement should be no more than 500 words and if submitted separately, typed and double-spaced.

I think you could write about anything that motivates you to want to apply to the school, but it also seems like a good opportunity to explain the major you're interested in, how that affected the classes you took, and how you will continue that certain interest when you attend college. That is what it sounded like to me.

This is your chance to explain any hardships that you have encountered. Think about things that are not mentioned in your application. Do not waste this opportunity by being redundant. Include your motivation for wanting to attend Illinois State and some of your history. Good luck!

Right, if -- as they say -- there's something about you they should know that will not be evident from your other admissions materials (such as the reason for a bad semester that lowered your GPA or, conversely, some interests or extra-curricular activities you were not able to list elsewhere), this is your chance to share that information. Other than that, you can use the chance to say anything you like that might increase your chances of admission. Show off your creative writing, if that's your strength. Talk about your acute interest in botany if that's where you plan to go in your studies.

Like the others have said, it is a chance to tell the admissions people things that might not have come up elsewhere or a chance to explain a gray area in your application. Here are some examples of things that might be included:

Any kind of medical condition, especially if you have overcome it. You wouldn't want to talk about anorexia if you still struggle with it, but if an eating disorder affected your academic life and contributed to low grades, you could use the statement to explain that.

It could even be something like being the first person in your family to apply for college. Many schools like to give first-generation college students a break.

I agree with the advice about the "hardship" essay. I was having difficulty with that. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to mention health problems I encountered earlier- although it did help me become more strong after I overcame it, I would focus on how you overcame it versus the actual problem itself. Some people refer it to a "sob-story" so you never know who your audience will be- so it's good to not take the risky route.

But definitely mention how you still carry on such attributes to this day from your "hardship" or challenge and how it will make you a good candidate for their school.