Telling the admissions officer “WHY YOU?” is the sole purpose of your personal statement. Why you deserve to be enrolled at that university and in that program. And not just tell them, but also persuade them. How will you carry that out? There is no obvious correct or incorrect method to approach it. However, being honest and identifying what makes you special is the best course of action.
What is a Personal Statement
When applying to a university, you are required to write a brief essay about yourself. It must include your reasons for enrolling in that program, your key accomplishments and skills, as well as any prior coursework or employment. It resembles a cover letter for a job application in some ways, but it is considerably more significant than that.
Why does the School want your Personal Statement?
Admissions officers will read your personal statement to get to know you. You might describe it as an X-ray of your identity. Thus, you should leave a lasting impression with your personal statement, but it shouldn’t come across as forced. These suggestions can help you get there.
The key Ingredients to make your Personal Statement Standout
Writing a personal statement is not something to be left to the last moment. You should give yourself plenty of time to draft and rewrite it.
Research
First, you should carefully study the course description and note the skills and abilities they are looking out for.
Concept flow
Consider why you are a good fit for that course. You can do this by simply listing all the thoughts that comes to mind when you think about yourself on a sheet of paper. What you think people should be aware of. This is only for your eyes to view; don’t filter.
Initial Draft
Grab a blank piece of paper, and divide it into three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Write down what you believe will fit in each section. Don’t worry about what you write just now; it’s only for your eyes, remember it’s still a draft.
Choose carefully
Read your previous writing and mark the parts that stand out as the strongest, most pertinent, and most effective.
The Foundational Pieces
It is now finally time to construct the personal statement. Don’t worry too much about word count just yet.
Before you put pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard), take notice of these three essential things to consider:
- Use simple, clear language.
- Be positive, don’t be negative.
- Be enthusiastic.
Start your Personal Statement with a Strong Introduction
Your introduction should provide the reader with information about you, your goals, and your motivations. Additionally, it ought to pique their curiosity and draw them in to learn more about you. But avoid making the mistake of writing down a first sentence that is a literary masterpiece, or one that is excessively bold or out of the ordinary.
Finding that delicate balance between modesty and confidence is the key here.
Too much self-promotion won’t be helpful. It won’t help to underestimate your abilities, either.
The Body
You must address the following three topics in your middles section:
- What you have accomplished thus far (your past and current studies, work experience, volunteering, and other similar activities, pointing out how this is relevant to your course)
- What your goals are and how they relate to the selected course
- What other interests, and hobbies you have, along with how they aid in the development of skills that are relevant to your program
Try to incorporate a tale or accomplishment that demonstrates your sincerity as a person and your passion for the topic. Allow your enthusiasm to come through without going overboard. Be specific rather than general.
Conclusion
First impressions are crucial, but so are last impressions too. After reading the conclusion, the admissions officer ought to still have a favorable impression of you. Technically, you must reiterate the key points of your personal statement: list your qualifications for the program and your unique selling points.
Review and make Corrections
Writing well always involves revision. Now that your first draft is complete, you can begin modifying it. Additionally, pay attention to word count (you may check this on the university’s website or the application platform).
Never forget that every word counts.
Cut out everything you think is irrelevant or not that important.
Following this guide judiciously would make your statement unique. If you need an Academician to help you with the review or any other aid in the writing process, do well to speak with our Consultant, and visit academichive.com for more articles of interests.
