Tips for College application – Personal statement.

Most of the college applications process is fairly cut and dry. You’ll submit information about your classes and grades, standardized test scores, and various other accomplishments and honors. On much of the application, your accomplishments must speak for themselves. 

What is the Personal Statement?

Personal statements are used in both undergraduate and graduate admissions. For undergrad admissions, personal statements are any essays students must write to submit their main application. 

The personal statement is generally your opportunity to speak to your unique experiences, qualities, or beliefs that aren’t elsewhere represented on the application. It is a chance to break away from the data that defines you on paper, and provide a glimpse into who you really are. In short, it’s the admissions committee’s chance to get to know the real you.

Structuring and preparing your personal statement

There’s no one ‘correct’ way to structure your personal statement. But it’s a good idea to include the following:

• A clear introduction, explaining why you want to study the course
• Around 75% can focus on your academic achievements, to prove how you’re qualified to study it
• Around 25% can be about any extracurricular activity, to show what else makes you suitable
• A clear conclusion

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for College

1. Approach this as a creative writing assignment.

The point of creative writing is to have fun with it, and to share a meaningful story. Choose a topic that inspires you so that you’ll enjoy writing your essay. It doesn’t have to be intellectual or impressive at all. You have your transcript and test scores to prove your academic skills, so the point of the personal statement is to give you free rein to showcase your personality. 

2. Take your time.

Do not rush it. A superb personal statement will not be ready in a couple of hours. Or even a couple of days. Sometimes it’s worth taking a break for a few days, then coming back to it afresh.

3. Concentrate on your strengths.

In these 4,000 characters you are trying to sell yourself to the university. A perfect product proposer is all about how great that thing is, and it’s the same with your personal statement. You should write about your experiences, your knowledge and your future plans. 

4. Why should they choose you?

Even if the topic you’re given, or question you’re asked to answer, is a bit abstract, make sure you’re presenting yourself in a positive light. Let the reader(s) know why they should choose you.

If you need to do a bit of research, by all means, go for it. You want to know your stuff if you’re going to be writing about it. Don’t make things up–the reader(s) will know. For essays or scholarships that ask you questions like “why do you want to go to our college” or “why do you deserve this scholarship,” stick to what you know and be yourself.

5. Address gaps/discrepancies that may appear

When you write a personal statement for a scholarship or college admissions, explain things that may not match up or make sense when paired together. For example, if you really struggled freshman and sophomore year and failed a few classes, you probably don’t have a 4.0 GPA. But, you might have a high ACT/SAT score. So, when someone is looking through your materials (e.g., transcript, test scores, etc.) they might be confused by the discrepancies. Use your personal statement to explain what was going on in your life, your mistakes, or how your attitude towards school has changed over the years.

Examples to avoid

 

Tips for College application – Personal statement. 

Most of the college applications process is fairly cut and dry. You’ll submit information about your classes and grades, standardized test scores, and various other accomplishments and honors. On much of the application, your accomplishments must speak for themselves. 

What is the Personal Statement?

Personal statements are used in both undergraduate and graduate admissions. For undergrad admissions, personal statements are any essays students must write to submit their main application. 

The personal statement is generally your opportunity to speak to your unique experiences, qualities, or beliefs that aren’t elsewhere represented on the application. It is a chance to break away from the data that defines you on paper, and provide a glimpse into who you really are. In short, it’s the admissions committee’s chance to get to know the real you.

Structuring and preparing your personal statement

There’s no one ‘correct’ way to structure your personal statement. But it’s a good idea to include the following:

• A clear introduction, explaining why you want to study the course
• Around 75% can focus on your academic achievements, to prove how you’re qualified to study it
• Around 25% can be about any extracurricular activity, to show what else makes you suitable
• A clear conclusion

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for College

1. Approach this as a creative writing assignment.

The point of creative writing is to have fun with it, and to share a meaningful story. Choose a topic that inspires you so that you’ll enjoy writing your essay. It doesn’t have to be intellectual or impressive at all. You have your transcript and test scores to prove your academic skills, so the point of the personal statement is to give you free rein to showcase your personality. 

2. Take your time.

Do not rush it. A superb personal statement will not be ready in a couple of hours. Or even a couple of days. Sometimes it’s worth taking a break for a few days, then coming back to it afresh.

3. Concentrate on your strengths.

In these 4,000 characters you are trying to sell yourself to the university. A perfect product proposer is all about how great that thing is, and it’s the same with your personal statement. You should write about your experiences, your knowledge and your future plans. 

4. Why should they choose you?

Even if the topic you’re given, or question you’re asked to answer, is a bit abstract, make sure you’re presenting yourself in a positive light. Let the reader(s) know why they should choose you.

If you need to do a bit of research, by all means, go for it. You want to know your stuff if you’re going to be writing about it. Don’t make things up–the reader(s) will know. For essays or scholarships that ask you questions like “why do you want to go to our college” or “why do you deserve this scholarship,” stick to what you know and be yourself.

5. Address gaps/discrepancies that may appear

When you write a personal statement for a scholarship or college admissions, explain things that may not match up or make sense when paired together. For example, if you really struggled freshman and sophomore year and failed a few classes, you probably don’t have a 4.0 GPA. But, you might have a high ACT/SAT score. So, when someone is looking through your materials (e.g., transcript, test scores, etc.) they might be confused by the discrepancies. Use your personal statement to explain what was going on in your life, your mistakes, or how your attitude towards school has changed over the years.

Examples to avoid