Personal statements can be one of the hardest things to write for two main reasons; they are about you, and there is a lot on the line for you to make it count with the essay.
One of the biggest reasons why students find it so difficult to write a personal essay is because they feel like they have nothing awe inspiring to write about. People think of personal statements as this profound piece that is supposed to evoke some type of feeling in the reader.
This is not true. Your main purpose with a personal statement is to convince the reader why you’re good for the school you are applying to.
If you have been sitting thinking, “how should I write my personal statement?” You have come to the right place! This article contains a lot of useful information that will help you write an amazing personal statement.
Talk About Who You Are
You don’t need to talk about your entire life-story in this part. Talk about what makes you, you! Why your teachers appreciate you as their student, and what are the things that you appreciate most about yourself.
If this part is difficult for you to tackle, start with coming up with 3-4 words that describe you best.
Once you have done this, the next step is to come up with examples when you found these words to be true to yourself in your actual life.
Talk About Your Goals
This part should be a good chunk of your essay because this is what will show to the reader how eligible you are for their school.
You want to make sure that you write your goals in such a way that it aligns with the school’s mission as well.
You have to really phrase this part carefully so it sounds that the school will be gaining a lot by having you as part of the student body.
For example, don’t just say that your goal in life is to become a doctor. Talk about how you will make a difference once you do become a doctor.
Talk About Your Past Experience
This is basically leverage that you will use to convince the reader that you are not just all talk but you actually have done things that are in line with your goals and values.
Make sure this part is relevant to the part about who you are and what your goals are. This is where you should include any extracurriculars or any other type of things that have been a learning experience for you.
Ask Someone Else to Read It
Having a different perspective is especially important when it comes to a personal statement. Asking a friend, family member or professor to read your statement will give you a fresh opinion and perspective on your personal statement which can be similar to the admissions officer.
You might get some better ideas on how you can improve your statement this way.