personal statement examples

personal statement examples

Crafting Compelling Personal Statements: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Introduction to Personal Statements

Personal statements have long been an essential part of the college admissions process, but their applications aren’t just relegated to educational institutions. In recent years, the personal essays have emerged as an increasingly vital component of the job application process as well. Meant to gauge a candidate’s “fit” for a specific university or job, these essays often serve as the only opportunity for an admissions committee or hiring panel to get a sense of who a person is beyond the sum of their personal details.

This comprehensive guide outlines the components of a successful personal statement and walks readers through the process of crafting, revising, and refining them. The guide covers the definitions of personal statements, the goals and importance of the personal statement, what admissions committees and hiring panels are looking for in strong personal statements, common challenges people face when writing their personal essays, and guidance for writing, reviewing, and revising personal statements. There are included resources and a list of additional resources for further support.

Searches for “personal statement inspirational quotes” and “how to write a personal statement for law school, medical school, grad school, veterinary school, residency, or dental school” – not to mention “how to BS a personal statement” and “What’s a personal statement got to do with me?” – are all on the rise, according to Google’s keyword planner. Some people are drawn to this essay by a passion to craft their own narrative, while others reluctantly write one as a rite of passage. No matter the reason, you’ve probably found yourself staring at a blank computer screen, wondering where to start.

2. Key Components of a Strong Personal Statement

Achieving a powerful and effective personal statement can be challenging. A personal statement is essentially a unique story – one that only you can tell. The central aim of a personal statement is to communicate just what sets you apart from any other individual. This is achieved with personal reflection and self-awareness. As you look back upon the moments and experiences of your life, you must reflect on just how they have impacted who you are today. Your story, background, academic pursuits, and future goals are the building blocks to your personal statement. Although personal statements do have a prompt, students do not necessarily express interest or answer the question, but rather weave their responses into a narrative with a full introduction, body, which include one or two topics, and conclusion. Each school has a maximum word count that must adhere to with a compelling, vivid, and insightful message. To truly excel with a personal statement, be sure to tell a unique, personal story that is true to your identity.

Stories that are rich in topics and progression often stem from a memory or feeling that still lingers. With a subject selected for your story, make sure that each sentence drives personal reflection, while solidifying the main topics of your tale. By incorporating your voice and beliefs, a truly compelling personal statement is constructed. Your passion for the topic should be clear to admission officers, who, until they meet you, only view your character through your writing. Ensure your writing is well-reviewed by our writing and style experts, and keep in mind of a couple of important dates.

3. Structuring Your Personal Statement

There are particular structuring recommendations that need to be followed, regardless of the kind of statement you are drafting. Essentially, you should attain a coherent, flowing narrative that links up all parts of the structure in a way that makes a rewarding journey for the readers or listeners. The introduction should captivate the audience and raise their interest in reading or listening further. If this is not achieved, they might not continue, and then your whole application might easily be discarded. Freshness and engagement are the qualities the first section of your personal statement require.

The body paragraphs provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your suitability and, at the same time, tell a story by illustrating an episode or incident. The conclusion is as essential as the introduction, so take great care with this part. You might leave the reader with their curiosity-provoked face because you have cleverly and seamlessly interwoven the structure and the coherence of the material and said something whacky or unexpected at the end. Or you could sign off on a scintillating summary reference. The target program or award statement can have four or six sections whereas covering letters often have more of a preamble. Talk to an adviser, look closely at the question or instruction you have received, research and plan, think about and make some notes, and draft the key points.

4. Dos and Don’ts of Writing Personal Statements

Instead of telling their readers what to do, our various “5 things to do” pieces are written to provide guidelines that may not apply universally and built to act as a thought starter. If placed side-by-side, there’s not necessarily inherent overlap or agreement among these writers. Therefore, instead of calling this section “5 Dos and Don’ts…” it may be prudent to call it “5 Considerations…” or “5 Guidelines…”

Do: Automerge. Some paragraphs make excellent boundaries if the topic of discussion shifts. Your writing will be perceived as well-structured if you use a line break or a paragraph every time the conversation shifts. Be careful, though: You can use too many paragraph breaks. This can make your readers believe you are jumping topics unnecessarily. Either end the previous idea by concluding it or write a bridge sentence that links to the next idea.

In every piece you write, you must be yourself. Although this seems to be an oxymoron, you should aim to put your best self into each article. For example, for more formal papers, such as those submitted with job or graduate school applications, a more professional or academic voice may be appropriate. You may opt for a more informal tone for the personal statement or autobiography, but you should still maintain the expected language and grammar standards. To seem well-suited for residency, you must strike a good balance between sharing personal information and remaining professional.

5. Examples of Successful Personal Statements

Case Western School of Medicine:

I woke up at 6 a.m. in a tiny green tent, surrounded by anticipation and a familiar blurred, deserted playground. When I saw my tent-mate—our other teacher Emily, who was also attempting the challenge—it hit me: today, our team was attempting to traverse 50 miles of Glacier National Park. Roughly 18 hours is the normal estimated time to complete; we were either going to have the most poorly-attended program, or I was going to hold Northwestern Regional Champion status in extravascular recruitment. I was nervous, but stoked—thanks to Jory’s lectures, Ruby’s distillations, and that email exchange with Erin from Clemson, I knew I was about to wind my fingers into something gristly and profound, using not just my brain and mouth but my whole short body too. Furthermore, De Tocqueville believed that our strongest, most invincible locomotives of reform would be “one or a thousand small inequalities from State to State” which would moderate the tyranny of the majority and preserve the unique spark in us all. It is through my study at the University of Colorado, fresh experiences in a foreign country, and new perspectives I’ve encountered, that I am now able to take a leap forward like this in what is the next profound step of my life. As a medical student, my intention is to become a surgeon dedicated to humanitarian service abroad.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine: I walked into the kitchen and sat down before dawn, observing as my father lined the dining room table with what filled the cabinets. He laid out peanut butter, olive oil, nutrition drinks, dried fruit, and much else, explaining to me what I’d need on my long training runs coming up next. The night before, I had asked my dad to set up a training schedule for me to prepare for a marathon. Initially, it had felt a bit ludicrous to have my father train me for the Iowa Horse Fair marathon. After all, why would a running store need a marathoner on its staff, when it has a team of ambassadors running ultras, marathons, and halfs nearly every weekend? The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense. Running a long-distance race takes time, dedication, and patience. In order to work at the store, you need to understand how to make the customer experience applicable. If my customers tell me about their running goals, I will be able to understand the recommended shoes, gear, nutrition, and training strategies that will help get them to their goal. It also helps to hear firsthand a competitor’s fear—be it Achilles hypertrophy, tight calves, mental worry—that you’ve already seen, experienced, and walked away from. And it takes time, dedication, and patience to develop that trust in the store.