Term Essay
Brainstorming
Writing an effective personal statement requires a bit of soul searching and reflection. The schools want to gain from your essay some insight into your character and personality. It's difficult for most people to write about themselves, especially something personal or introspective. If thoughtfully observed and answered, the following suggestions and questions will yield material from which you can draw upon in writing your essay. Although the questions are presented in categories, your responses will inevitably straddle the various groupings. This is as it should be, since brainstorming is a very lateral process. Most important while completing these questions is that you be sincere and enjoy yourself.
1. Perform a Self-Inventory of Your Unique Experiences, Major Influences, and Abilities
Long- and Short-Term Goals i. What attracts you to this particular school? ii. Are there any specific faculty members at this academic institution whose work interests you? With whom would you most like to study? iii. What specifically do you hope to gain from the academic program to which you are applying? iv. What are your career aspirations, and how can this academic program help you to reach them? v. What is your dream job? What would you ideally like to be doing in 5 years? 10? 20?
Skills and Characteristics vi. What personal characteristics (integrity, compassion, persistence, for example) do you possess that would enhance your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? This is an area where it is far better to "show" the reader how you embody these qualities, rather than simply "tell" him or her that you possess them. You need to make strong connections between your experiences and the qualities you wish to convey. The ideal is to recount personal experiences in such a way that your "compassion" or "persistence" or whatever
Writing an effective personal statement requires a bit of soul searching and reflection. The schools want to gain from your essay some insight into your character and personality. It's difficult for most people to write about themselves, especially something personal or introspective. If thoughtfully observed and answered, the following suggestions and questions will yield material from which you can draw upon in writing your essay. Although the questions are presented in categories, your responses will inevitably straddle the various groupings. This is as it should be, since brainstorming is a very lateral process. Most important while completing these questions is that you be sincere and enjoy yourself.
1. Perform a Self-Inventory of Your Unique Experiences, Major Influences, and Abilities
Long- and Short-Term Goals i. What attracts you to this particular school? ii. Are there any specific faculty members at this academic institution whose work interests you? With whom would you most like to study? iii. What specifically do you hope to gain from the academic program to which you are applying? iv. What are your career aspirations, and how can this academic program help you to reach them? v. What is your dream job? What would you ideally like to be doing in 5 years? 10? 20?
Skills and Characteristics vi. What personal characteristics (integrity, compassion, persistence, for example) do you possess that would enhance your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? This is an area where it is far better to "show" the reader how you embody these qualities, rather than simply "tell" him or her that you possess them. You need to make strong connections between your experiences and the qualities you wish to convey. The ideal is to recount personal experiences in such a way that your "compassion" or "persistence" or whatever