When applying to any post-secondary educational institution, one of the significant admission requirements is the personal statement. It can either work for or against you, depending on how well written your essay is. Perhaps your most important aim when composing your personal statement is to write an essay that will grab and hold the attention of the reader–the admissions committee. So here are three sure-fire ways to get admission officers to read your essay:
Tip 1: Don’t waste time, go directly to the point
If you take some time to read a few personal statement examples, you’ll find that it should be direct to the point. When you write your essay, try not to go around in circles or explain things too much. Instead, try to be concise, straightforward, and honest.(1) By keeping it simple but engaging, admission officers are more likely to keep reading.
Tip 2: ‘Show’ instead of ‘tell’
A common mistake that you will find in poorly-written examples of personal statement is that the writer simply ‘tells’ or reiterates their achievements or experiences. However, your goal is not to enumerate your achievements, because all of that information is already in your application form and CV. Instead, capture the reader’s attention by telling an engaging story of how the challenges in your life have helped you grow as an individual.(2)
Tip 3: Make your essays sound sincere but still interesting
It can be hard to be sincere, straightforward, and direct to the point, because doing so can sometimes result in an essay that is less interesting or downright boring, as seen in some bad personal statement examples. Still, you can keep your reader interested by letting your personality shine through your writing.(3) Be patient, and take time to learn from examples of personal statements that you can check out online. This way, you can find interesting ways to write what you want to say.
(1) http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/apply/essay_tips/
(2) http://www.bates.edu/essay.xml
(3) http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/application.html
