Take Personal Statement Seriously!
- imran ali
- Sep 10, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 11, 2022
Did you know that 89% of universities use personal statement in initial decision-making? It is the most important piece of writing which decides your fate, in terms of acceptance and merit-based scholarships. For you, it is an opportunity to express yourself and influence the committee. However, in my opinion, the personal statement is an activity that helps students to make better decision for their future. In the following post, we will explore what makes a good personal statement and some tips that helped me in the entire journey.
Overview
The length of the essay varies from university to university but roughly 800 to 1000 words are allowed. There is no specific format and it is up to you how to structure your essay. Check out the university website where you intend to apply; most universities have extensive documentation about what to include in your essay. In the following blog, we will explore the nuts and bolts of a killer personal statement.
Roadmap
In my opinion, before writing the statement you must do the following:
Read sample personal statements This helps you to understand the writing process. Try to read the samples that are not directly relevant to your field of study otherwise you might copy them.
Plan your essay In this step, you have to think of all the relevant experiences that will support your essay. The next heading discusses it in detail.
Write the first draft Once you are fully equipped with the content. Try to shape it in form of an essay.
Make edits until ready to upload Now make edits, play with the words, and restructure the sentences until it does not become the best version from your side.
Ask someone to read your essay Send the final essay to your friends, family members or mentors for review. Try to accommodate their edits if applicable.
Upload the final draft after 2 days. You must keep a gap of a day or two before uploading the final essay. This helps because revisiting the essay with a fresh mind will help you to watch it from an entirely different perspective and this might help in some cases.
Plan your Essay
The first question that you need to ask yourself is what to include in the SOP. Although the structure is completely up to us, however, every essay must answer the following questions:
1. What inspires you to pursue the chosen program?
Why do you want to study at this university?
Why do you want to study this subject?
How did you become interested in this subject?
2. Reflection on skills (through education or experience) that will help you to succeed in the program.
How have your current studies affected your choice?
What do you enjoy about your current studies?
What skills have you gained from your current studies?
How can you demonstrate you have the skills and qualities needed for the course?
3. Identification of future career and how the program will equip you to achieve future success.
Specify any employer you dream to work with.
Identify the roles you want to work for.
Identification of courses that will help you achieve your dream career.
Therefore, plan before writing. Think about how your chosen program is relevant to your previous experiences which includes your education, achievements, volunteering work, and transferrable skills from indirect experiences.
Avoid these mistakes
Use of cliché statements Don’t use these statements because they don’t work and are very general. Here is the list of a few:
From a young age I have (always) been [interested in/fascinated by]…
For as long as I can remember, I have…
I am applying for this course because…
I have always been interested in…
Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed…
Reflecting on my educational experiences…
[Subject] is a very challenging and demanding [career/profession/course]…
Academically, I have always been…
I have always wanted to pursue a career in…
I have always been passionate about…
Listing experiences rather than explaining them It is very common to spit out every experience we have had till now however, it has two major disadvantages. Firstly, it will take up a lot of space and will not create a good impression on the reader. Secondly, it will mask those important experiences which are important and related to the chosen program. Therefore, it is very important to write about the important experiences in the planning phase. Just take two to three experiences and add details about how these experiences are relevant to the course you want to study or if not related directly then highlight the transferrable skills that you gained from those experiences.
Grammatical mistakes Try to use Grammarly. This helps to fix most of the grammatical problems in your text.
Writing about the program rather than yourself Remember, the decision committee is fully aware of the program they offer. They don’t want an essay about what they offer. They want to judge you, your motivation, experiences and your career goals. They want to see what value you bring to the program and university. Therefore, your personal statement must revolve around you.
Writing at the last moment Don’t leave your personal statement for the last day. Till now you might have realized the importance of this activity so please manage your application timeline accordingly. In my opinion, an impactful personal statement needs at least 10 days of hard work.
Typical Structure
Because I am also planning my master's program (check out the other post to see how I shortlisted universities). I have applied to different universities like Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, UWE Bristol, University of Portsmouth and many more. In majority of the cases, the following structure of personal statement worked.
Begin with a powerful story that represents your motivation and connects the motivation with your early career decisions.
Describe the relevant problems that prevail in society (do your research and cite from a relevant source).
Highlight how the course will help in solving the problems you mentioned. Think about how you shortlisted this course. For e.g. engineering management is offered by different universities but what is special about this particular university that made you apply here? (I know that in most cases there is no special answer to this question so my recommendation would be to not compare the program with other universities)
Highlight the skills you got from your work experience and education and how these skills will help you in your graduate studies.
Identify your future aims, and what you expect to do after graduating from university.
Highlight how the courses will help in achieving your career goals.
Summarize the entire essay with a focus on what makes you stand out.
NOTE: Do remember to check out for specific guidelines published by the prospective university.
My Thoughts
In last, I would simply say that you must enjoy the process of writing a personal statement. This activity requires a lot of mental effort but eventually will help you to make an informed decision regarding the course you want to apply to. Secondly, the quality of your writing is as important as your achievements. So if you are not good at writing then outsource this task. (keep in mind that outsourcing should be done after you have written the first draft by yourself).
Useful Resources
I found two resources on the internet where you can get your personal statement checked. I am listing these resources, do check it out and leave a comment if you find them helpful!
Personal Statement Review Service | Get FREE Review | essay-editor.net. (Send your personal statement to this email “support@editing-services.org”)
University of Portsmouth Personal Statement Advice (google.com)
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