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Your Personal Statement: Making It Stand Out From the Crowd
You've got your list of what to include in your personal statement. Now it's time to start putting pencil to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Your goal is to create a statement that stands out from the crowd and gets you noticed.
Find an angle
Now that you have an idea of what information you need to include in your statement, think about how you want to present it. Your goal is to tell a story with yourself as the main character. Try to think of a way to present your story that is a little different and that will grab your readers' attention from the very beginning.
Be specific
As you write, give specific, concrete examples to back up your statements. Don't just say you are a good leader - give an example from your life that demonstrates your leadership skills.
Also, be specific about why you want to be part of this particular graduate program. Is there a particular class or professor you want? Are you attracted to the program's size, reputation, or geographic location?
Speak the language
Use the jargon and terms common in your chosen field to demonstrate your familiarity with it.
Write well
Follow accepted standards for written English. If you aren't comfortable with writing, hire a writing coach, editor, or proofreader to go over your statement before you submit it. At the very least, have a trusted friend proofread your statement for you. It is very easy to miss errors in a document you have written yourself.
Follow the rules
Once you are done writing, go back to the statement topic one more time. Have you addressed all the information that the statement topic requested? Have you complied with the stated word limits and any format requirements?
Let it lie
If you have time, put your statement aside for a few days. When your brain is fresh again, pick up the statement and read it through again. Is it compelling (or at least interesting)? Do you need to change anything? When you are satisfied, add the statement to your application packet and move on to the next step!
