Writing an attention-grabbing personal statement (admission essay) for a college or university is not an easy task. But it is a necessity for everyone who wants to continue their education after high school. A personal statement is an essential part of your application, which can’t be omitted in any case. This is the only opportunity for a commission to know something about you from your own words. For most competitive courses, the quality of a personal statement influences the decision whether to accept a student or not.
Today we’re going to share some practical tips on how to write a personal statement in order to increase your chances to get accepted to the desired institution. So, if you don’t want your statement to be written by customwriting.com or any other professional service, which works with talented writers and real experts, keep reading. We’re going to teach how to compose that winning essay by yourself.
5 Tips for a Powerful Admission Essay
Have you ever analyzed the main reasons why a personal statement can be rejected, even if it seems to be a good one? The main problem is that many students write statements, which don’t relate to the courses they are applying to. This happens when students apply for more than one course. So, they haven’t quite decided what to highlight in their personal statements and what specifically to write about. As a result, such applications don’t really fit any of the courses. They simply don’t have a focus to pay attention to.
Another popular reason why a personal statement may turn off the commission is the irrelevant information. A lot of students try to explain the decision to come up with a certain course by telling a long story of a professional path in their family. They write more about the work experience, their family members have rather than telling about themselves.
Analyzing all of these, we can suggest that there are a lot of gaps in students’ personal statements. But the question is not about those mistakes, but about the solutions they have. So, how to write a proper personal statement to increase your chances to get accepted to a dream institution?
5 Steps to a Strong Personal Statement
- Research the course. The first step to do is to research the course, which you’re applying to. And we don’t mean reading a few words about the subjects you’re going to study. Open the official website of a college/university and gather all possible information about your course presented online. Compare the same courses in different universities. Then, list all pros and cons why you’ve chosen this particular university and the course you’re applying to. This will be a great first draft of your personal statement;
- Develop the story. The whole personal statement should be a developed story about the reasons you’ve come up with, your future profession, and the courses you want to attend;
- Always mention some other activities in addition to education in your admission essay. A university commission wants to know you as a person too. So, mention the hobbies you have and the activities you like to do when you have some spare time. But don’t dedicate too much to this part of your statement. Be accurate, clear, and logical. A couple of sentences will be enough. Let those activities reflect the knowledge that you’ve gained through them;
- Mention the skills. Don’t forget to mention the skills you’ve gained in your daily life. Talk about your writing, communication, and leadership skills. If you don’t have any ideas, talk to your family and friends. They might know better what are the most prominent characteristics and skills you have. But avoid a situation when students try too hard and sound like bragging about themselves. Be humble;
- Proofread. Proofreading and revision is a must. Read your personal statement a couple of times. Make sure it is relevant enough and consists only of the most important things related to the course you’re applying to. Make sure you don’t sound arrogant. Forget about slang or too complicated syntax. Keep it simple, but formal. And avoid cliches, which are one of the most popular mistakes made by so many people. Focus on normal plain vocabulary.
Generally speaking, before writing your first admission essay, think about what makes you stand out in a good way. What features, skills, knowledge, and personal qualities do you have, which can be interesting and useful for the college/university, which you’re applying to? Be excited and positive. And don’t be negative while trying to explain why you’ve chosen this university over others. Focus on the positive aspects, expressing your excitement about this specific course without comparing it to other courses. So, back up your interest in it and be inspired enough.