An application statement is an essay used by students when they are applying to college, university, MBA programs, law school, graduate programs, or private high schools/competitive public high school programs. Just like any essay, an application statement is composed of an introduction, a body, and the conclusion. This post gives you some basic tips on how to write a winning application statement.
An application statement is not a resume
Don’t treat your application essay as an expanded version of your resume. Don’t merely this style your academic credentials, your extracurricular activities, your own warrants, and other achievements. The application essay must primarily be an essay. An essay, by definition, seeks to convince the reader to believe an argument or to do something. Let’s compare a resume entry with an application essay paragraph. A resume entry uses active words, to summarize a particular activity or achievement or accomplishment. A persuasive essay paragraph starts with the conclusion, proceeds to our argue that conclusion by referencing facts, and concludes with a reiteration of the conclusion.
Stay focused on your thesis
In essence, a strong essay paragraph uses the facts of the resume and reorganizes them based on themes. These re-organized themes support, a central argument or thesis. The thesis of your application essay is that you are qualified for admission to the school that you are applying to and that school should admit you. There are very few variations to this thesis, because it is the ultimate goal of any application essay, personal statement, statement of purpose, admissions essay, or personal statement essay.
Accordingly, your whole essay must proceed from and give support to your thesis. Any other sentence, paragraph, or even idea that deviates from your thesis must be edited out. There must be no distractions from your central theme. Each and every word of your essay must support and need to your thesis.
Differentiating between a statement and an essay
While the application statement may be called a “statement” is actually an essay. A statement relates mules, facts, or other objective (normally) information. And essay, on the other hand, seeks to convince the reader. Node a difference. Your application statement is not a place for you to be shy. It is not a place for you to hide behind subtleties. It is, however, an occasion for you to engage in self promotion. It is your opportunity to blow your own horn. Far from bragging, a well-written statement makes assertions, but backs them up with facts. Bravado and confidence are not enough, you must be a bowl to produce factual support for your assertions. These factual support can take the form of extracurricular activities, grades, awards, life experiences, beliefs which would have acted on, and other solid facts.
Outline, outline, and write
Not all people think alike. Not all people organize their thoughts the same way. Accordingly, different people have differing outlining styles. Some people outlined using the classic method of short headers followed by short sentences or fragment sentences. Other people outlined using one-word themes or ideas. While others use full sentences. There are no right or wrong ways to lock nine. The only right way is the way that works best for you.
Remember to add your assay on a strong point. Either summarize the major headings of your body or reiterate the the introduction. Regardless, never forget to write a concluding paragraph. Use the application statement to your advantage today.
