One of the essential parts of the college application process is writing a personal statement. A good personal statement is an opportunity to show your uniqueness and convince your chosen university that you are the best candidate and deserve their offer.
Not only ‘hard factors’ like your grades and test scores are important for getting into college, but also some ‘soft factors’ like recommendations, extracurricular activities, and essays.
According to NACAC’s most recent College Admission Report, a personal statement is the key soft factor considered by colleges. Since this is your only chance to make a first impression on admission officers, your statement should be truly outstanding.
Your personal statement is a source of information about your personality, the way you communicate with others, your level of motivation, and your ability to follow instructions.
An impressive personal statement can have a huge positive impact on your application, while a poorly written essay can lower your chances of being admitted.
That is the reason why you should not take your personal statement lightly and you need to put a lot of effort into creating an amazing cover letter.
How do you write a strong personal statement?
The following methodology ensures that you still have all the necessary aspects when writing a personal statement and also makes each sentence as accurate as possible;
- Write a personal introduction.
- Broaden your relevant skills, interests, and experience.
- Write a very strong conclusion.
- Review and editing.
- Personal statement of employment.
What is a good personal statement?
For example, describe how your career or graduation decisions were influenced by a family member or personal moment. Keep it short: Essays are usually limited to 250-500 words or one typed page. Statements should be concise, clear, and detailed. Focus on a single idea in each paragraph.
How should your personal statement end?
How to finish your personal statement: what to write
- Relate it to what you have written above.
- Talk about the future.
- Your college experience.
- Take a break and get back to it.
- Reread what you wrote.
- No waffles.
- Take notes as you type.
- What do your UCAS options have in common?
What should a 500-word personal statement include?
For example, describe how a family member or personal moment influenced your career or title decisions. Keep it short: Essays are usually limited to 250-500 words or one typed page. Statements should be concise, clear, and detailed. Focus each paragraph on a single idea.
What should you not say in a personal statement?
Students are supposed to avoid big mistakes;
- For a topic that isn’t quite right, write a personal statement.
- Spelling and grammatical errors.
- Avoid exuberant vocabulary and nonsensical clichés.
- Listing extracurricular activities endlessly.
- Excessive use of quotes or misquotes in general.
Steps to writing a powerful personal statement
If writing essays isn’t your strong suit, you may need professional help. But still, if you’re going to write a good personal statement yourself, break this challenging task into smaller, more manageable steps. Don’t forget to include all the essential components in your essay and complete them step by step as described below.
# 1. Powerful introduction
Your presentation should perfectly reflect your personality. You must clearly explain why you are interested in a certain degree and, if applicable, your relevant experience with the course topics. To encourage the recipient of your personal statement to read on, start with words that show who you are and describe the most relevant aspects of your personality and interests. The introduction should be a full paragraph.
# 2. Description of skills and interests
The body of your personal statement should contain detailed information about your relevant knowledge, skills, and interests. Mention as many details as possible that relate to the course you are applying for, such as your awards, certificates, or even work experience if you have any. Describe your talents and values that are relevant to the program. Write about your academic achievements and explain how a chosen course can help you achieve your life goals.
#3. Come to a solid conclusion
Create a conclusion that leaves a strong positive impression on the admissions officer. Reinforce how the course can help you in your future career and briefly summarize the main points in the body of the statement. Don’t forget to describe the connection between your skills or achievements and your future college contributions. The conclusion should clearly reiterate the reason you applied and what you want to achieve. Show all your enthusiasm for studying at a chosen university so that your candidacy is taken seriously.
#4. Proofreading
Once your personal statement is finished, proofread it properly. Read it out loud to hear how it sounds overall, and edit if necessary. Typically, there may be the following areas for improvement: clear writing, easy-to-understand language, relevance, and specificity. Pay close attention to these aspects as you review your essay, as they are the most important. Also, you can ask your friend or teacher to read your personal statement and give you feedback. This way, you will have an objective understanding of what should be changed in a better way.
To get the most out of your personal statement, follow the tips below:
- To make your essay feel more personal, write in your own voice. It means that you must use your own words to describe your talents. Still, use a professional tone and provide only relevant information.
- Make your personal statement clear and effective by keeping it simple. Use short sentences and simple language.
- Make your writing sound positive. Try to show your enthusiasm for future study and show your gratitude for being considered.
- Stay unique by describing what sets you apart from other applicants. Include specific details about yourself and give plenty of examples to support them.
What you should know
The best universities always ask applicants for a personal statement detailing their suitability for a degree program. Presenting a compelling personal statement is a great opportunity to highlight your talents at a university. A strong personal statement gives you a huge advantage over your competitors and increases your chances of being enrolled, especially if you’re looking for scholarship opportunities.
To make the writing process easier, create a draft and include in it all the ideas you need to mention. It will help you perfectly structure your personal statement. Don’t rush and take your time to complete the final version, as sometimes it pays to take a break to create a great piece. Try to make your essay sound professional and fancy by using fancy words and expressions. And of course, focus on your strengths!
The most important thing when writing a personal statement is to be yourself and honestly describe your personality. Use this essay to show who you really are and why the university might be interested in you. Although tackling a personal statement can be the most confusing part of a college application, it’s a great opportunity to persuade an admissions officer that your institution is worth studying at.
