University:
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Course:
ENGL 101 | College Writing, Reading, and Research
Academic year:

2024
Views:

121

Pages:

7
Author:

Tamara Walton

Getting Started Questions for Personal Statements What's special, unique, distinctive, or impressive about you or your life story? When did you originally become interested in this field, and what have you since learned that has further stimulated your interest? How have you learned about this field? If work experiences have consumed significant periods of time during your college years, how has the work contributed to your personal growth? What are your career goals? Are there any gaps of discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain? Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships in your life? What personal characteristics do you possess that would enhance your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? What skills do you possess? Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school and more successful and effective in the profession or field-than other applicants? What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you? Page adapted from: Richard Stelzer's How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School. New Jersey: Peterson's, 1997. The Dos and Don'ts of Personal Statements Do: Don't: Concentrate on one theme • Appear too scattered Be unique Start with "I was born" Start by grabbing attention Make it a sob story Read and follow directions; answer all questions Make it a resume Consult outside sources Repeat what you've already mentioned in your application Explain inconsistencies in your history Use the same statement for every school Show Tell • Focus; be relevant to your field of study Be general Show your personality Use clichés, lists, or chronological histories • Be straightforward and confident; show your strengths • Use humor unless confident of response Back things up; be specific • Focus too much others people unless they were a big influence on your career path Have someone else look it over • Forget to proofread Priorities for Personal Statements Ideas: Does the statement document a variety of experiences? Has the writer chosen the most relevant experience? Unity/Coherence = Theme: Does the essay present the individual consistently and fully? Development: Does the statement explain why events are important, what was learned from them, and how they are relevant? Organization: Is it logical for the chosen theme? Style: Does the writer's voice shine through? Is sentence structure strong? Mechanics: Are there any grammatical or consistency errors? Has the writer proofread and had other readers proofread

Personal Statement Guide

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