Episode 26 – Quick Tip on Personal Statements
Howdy, Ags, and welcome to “Write Right,” the student podcast of the Texas A&M University Writing Center. I’m your host, Megan Dortch, and today’s “Quick Tip” will focus on an important part of your professional application package- the personal statement. But don’t be intimidated – even if you haven’t written an essay since your freshman English class, you can rest assured knowing that a personal statement is not like a dissertation, rhetorical analysis, or history report. It’s simply your opportunity to tell your story. Whether you’re applying for a job, internship, or higher educational program, you should go beyond the outlined resume to your own personality.
Here’s some questions you may want to ask yourself:
• What experiences have shaped who I am as a student and person? It may be a big life change or something small that affected you in a profound way.
• What do I enjoy about my field of study? How did I choose it?
• What are my goals, both professionally and personally? What motivates to me to pursue graduate or professional school?
• Is there an individual, such as a mentor, who has greatly impacted who I am?
• What can I offer to my field? What sets me apart?
As you can tell by these questions, personal statements are reflective. While they don’t have a specific format, they still contain an introduction, body, and conclusion. A good introduction will hook your audience and make you memorable. For example, you could tell an anecdotal story about yourself or your family. In your body, make sure you answer any specific question you’re asked. If an application wants to hear what you could contribute to a certain position, don’t spend the whole time talking about your motivation to apply. Be careful not to get side-tracked, and also avoid repeating information found in your resume, or other parts of your application package. Personal statements are only 1-2 pages in length, so choose your focus carefully.
Above all, make your statement distinctive. You want to separate yourself from all the other applications. Here’s your chance to represent your goals, experiences, and qualifications, and to show your readers who you are as a person.
For more resources on personal statements, you can visit our website, at writingcenter.tamu.edu. Thanks for listening to this “Quick Tip,” and we’ll see you next time, on “Write Right.”
The personal statement is an important part of your application package. Depending on the topic you choose, the essay you write provides additional evidence of your intellectual and creative achievement. The essay is also the only opportunity for the readers of your application to get a feel for you as a person as well as for you as a student. The essay is also the place where you can put your academic record into the context of your opportunities and obstacles.
There is no one correct way to write a personal statement, but in general those who will read your essay are looking for two important things:
• HOW the essay provides evidence of your achievements that isn’t reflected in other parts of your application
• HOW and WHY the events that you describe have shaped your attitude, focus, and, most of all, your intellectual vitality.
A strong personal statement is reflective; that is, it demonstrates that you have thought about and gained a clear perspective on your experiences and what you want in your future. It does not simply tell a reader what you think he/she wants to know. Instead, it gives the reader a vivid and compelling picture of you–in essence, telling the reader what he or she should know about you. Remember that the focus of the essay is YOU–your achievements, your obstacles, your goals, your values
The process of applying for jobs, internships, and graduate/professional programs often requires a personal statement or application letter. This type of writing asks writers to outline their strengths confidently and concisely, which can be challenging.
Though the requirements differ from application to application, the purpose of this type of writing is to represent your goals, experiences and qualifications in the best possible light, and to demonstrate your writing ability. Your personal statement or application letter introduces you to your potential employer or program director, so it is essential that you allow yourself enough time to craft a polished piece of writing.
Answer the Question: A major problem for all writers can be the issue of actually answering the question being asked. For example, an application might want you to discuss the reason you are applying to a particular program or company. If you spend your entire essay or letter detailing your qualifications with no mention of what attracted you to the company or department, your statement will probably not be successful. To avoid this problem, read the question or assignment carefully both as you prepare and again just prior to writing. Keep the question in front of you as you write, and refer to it often.Consider The “I” Problem: This is a personal statement; using the first person pronoun “I” is acceptable.Avoid Unnecessary Duplication: Sometimes a writer has a tendency to repeat information in his or her personal statement that is already included in other parts of the application packet (resume, transcript, application form, etc.). For example, it is not necessary to mention your exact GPA or specific grades and course titles in your personal statement or application letter. It is more efficient and more effective to simply mention academic progress briefly (“I was on the Dean’s List“ or “I have taken numerous courses in the field of nutrition”) and then move on to discuss appropriate work or volunteer experiences in more detail.Make Your Statement Distinctive: Many writers want to make their personal statements unique or distinctive in some way as a means of distinguishing their application from the many others received by the company or program.Keep It Brief:IntroductionDetailed Supporting ParagraphsConclusionBecause this piece of writing is designed to either get you an interview or a place in a graduate school program, it is vital that you allow yourself enough time to revise your piece of writing thoroughly.
