Step 1: Think about yourself:
What are
your strengths and weaknesses? What are your best qualities? Are you a
“plugger?” An intellectual? A creative type? Curious? Passionate?
Determined? Think about life experiences that stand out in your mind.
Also consider the highlights of school and non-school involvements.
Think about what defines your life and who you
are, as well as what
your goals and interests are for the future. What would you like the
admission committee to know about you? Are there any areas of your
application that you feel require an explanation (e.g. grades, personal
crisis, circumstances that affect test scores). Remember to keep
discussions of potentially “negative” areas brief.
Step 2: Choose a positive quality you'd like to convey to the admissions committee:
Don't
pick an event or something you've done. President of the Science Club
is not a personal quality. Focus on a quality of your mind or of your
character. Complete this sentence: "I am a very _________ person."
Step 3: Tell a story:
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Pretend you're taking an exam at high
school and responding to, "Tell a story about an experience or time when
you showed you were a very _________ person." Use the characteristic
you identified in Step 2. Write or type non-stop for 20 minutes; force
yourself to keep telling the story and what it reveals until the timer
goes off.
Step 4: Create a second draft: Make your
personal statement a page in length. Rewrite so that the statement
reflects exactly what you want the college or university to know and/or
understand about you.
Step 5: Proof/edit your personal statement:
Have one (or more) people you like and trust (but who are likely to
tell you the truth) read your personal statement. Ask them to tell you
what they think you’re trying to convey. Discuss their ideas and
suggestions. Review your personal statement adding, deleting and/or
changing any materials necessary after the review process.
Step 6: You're ready:
You've got a rough draft for your college application essay. Look at
the college application forms and see what question(s) they ask. No
matter what the question(s) are, you've already identified the important
characteristics you want to convey to each college.
CONSIDER:
• Stay within the set length and content set forth in the application.
• Be certain that you carefully check grammar and spelling. Have
someone else proofread and critique your
statement.
• Focus on one or two topics and keep ideas clear and concise.
• Use your first paragraph to capture the reader’s attention. Use your
final paragraph to create a succinct
conclusion, which pulls together and emphasizes the major points of
your statement.
• If you have decided on a specific career goal, tie a discussion of that
goal to your experiences.
• If appropriate, tailor the contents of your personal statement to each
school to which you are applying.
• Don’t be preachy, repetitive, untruthful or unclear. Avoid
controversial subjects.
STATEMENT EVALUATION QUESTIONS:
1. Did my opening paragraph capture the reader’s attention?
2. Is the statement as a whole interesting?
3. Is it well written?
4. Is the statement positive and upbeat?
5. Does it reflect well on my qualifications and me?
6. Is it an honest and forthright presentation of me?
7. Was relevant material omitted?
8. Is there inappropriate or irrelevant material in the statement?
9. Does the reader gain insight from reading the statement?
10. Is it free of typos, grammatical errors and factual mistakes?
11. Does the statement distinguish me from other applicants?
Adapted from College Board-http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/essay-skills/111.html
& Marissa Brattole, Career Center, career.fsu.edu
Sample Personal Statement 1
Hello,
my name is Sarah and I am a senior at Illinois High School. I was
diagnosed at the age of five with a learning disability. I realized
during my elementary years that my ADD and memory deficit were also
affecting my performance in the classroom. I found that additional
assistance from available resources on a regular basis improved my
ability to succeed. I was able to learn through my experiences in school
that the only way to get what I needed was to step up and truly make a
plan for myself. I learned to use my confidence to get the help I
needed. As I moved into high school, I used resource assistance, time
management, and organization to keep myself on track and in focus. I
took a chemistry class, as documented on my transcript, and I found it
difficult due to the high volume of memorization that the course
required. I was successful in this course because I got the help I
needed through teachers, and used resources to find ways to remember the
required concepts. I searched for easier ways, such as making similes,
so I could register and store the information as needed. I know that
seeking help and being organized are extremely important skills to bring
to college and have proven to serve me well to this point. My
disability has in many ways helped me to become an excellent student. I
am hard working and persistent. I know that these traits will serve me
well in my future as a student and on into my chosen profession. My
goals are to become a nurse or an educator. I have always had a gift and
desire to help and care for others. In caring for my nephew who
struggles with muscular dystrophy I have first-hand experience with the
precious value of life. I know that I will be successful in one of these
fields because making a difference in the lives of others is the
greatest accomplishment that I could ever achieve.
Sample Personal Statement 2
“Try
harder.”…”Pay closer attention.”…”You are not trying hard
enough.”…”Study longer.” Even though I give my best to assignments and
tests, I have experienced numerous let downs in school, too many to
count. No matter how hard I try, how closely I pay attention, or how
much time I spend studying, my grades never seem to reflect my time and
effort. Frequently frustrated, embarrassed, and often feeling low, the
prescription for my low academic achievement was to “practice more” at
what I could not do! Although this pattern has had a negative impact on
my confidence as a student, it never crushed my motivation to become a
better learner.
Being tagged learning disabled in elementary
school caused me considerable confusion and anxiety, but in the end I
did learn to compensate for what could be perceived as my shortcomings
as a student. Simply put, I had a tough time trying to understand why I
could not get the right answer down on paper, or express myself during
an essay exam. How was I different from other students in my class? Not
only did this question prove perplexing, but also one that would take
years to answer. Diagnostic testing during my junior year revealed a
language based learning disability that explained my struggles in
school.
Language based learning disabilities cause difficulties
in remembering names and recalling words that are needed for oral and
written language. For example, it may appear as if I do not know an
answer, but the reality is that I am often unable to express knowledge
such as recalling a character’s name, a location, a date, etc. As I
learn more about how my disability affects learning, my frustration has
lessened. Although my comprehension is good, this explains why I do not
always have the ability to express myself or speak spontaneously,
especially in the classroom.
Now understanding myself better, I
consider myself as someone with a learning difference, not a learning
disability. Although learning does not always come easy for me, it does
happen. First and foremost, I am a hard worker and put forth my best
effort. My time management is good, and I have taught myself to set
realistic schedules for myself. Specific strategies do help me find
academic success: making flashcards, writing things down over and over
for memorization, color coding notes and folders, meeting with my
resource teacher, and finding time to work with my tutor. These
strategies are beneficial, but maintaining a positive outlook has been
my most successful strategy of all.
My positive attitude
developed as a direct result of my athleticism, a place where I have
found success without a struggle. As an underclassman, the soccer
coaches noticed my skills and agility and quickly moved me up to the
varsity team. Today my coaches continue to push me to challenge myself
on the field, and I seldom disappoint them. Although meeting the
expectations of others is certainly fulfilling, there is no way it could
compare to the feeling I will have if accepted and graduate from a
university. Now ready for a new challenge, I set out knowing that the
achievements I have to fight for feel far more satisfying than any gains
that come with little or
no effort.