Five tips for personal statements

Here are five tips for personal statements to use in your academic and professional journey.

1) Start early!

It’s crucial for a personal statement to start the writing process as soon as possible. The more time you have to work on, edit, and revise your statement, the better. Don’t procrastinate!

2) Make it personal, but keep it professional.

You don’t want to sound like a robot when writing a personal statement. It’s important to show who you are and how you shine in your paper, not just list all your accomplishments and experiences. This being said, you still want to keep in mind that you are applying to higher education, and that requires strong writing skills. Your personal statement is a great opportunity to demonstrate this ability and stand apart from other candidates.

3. Make sure to answer the prompt thoroughly.

Depending on what school you’re applying to, different programs may have different prompts required to answer. Before starting the writing process, try discussing the question with a peer and asking for their interpretation of the prompt. Ensuring you have a full understanding of what the school is asking you will allow for the strongest essay possible.

4. Integrate a meaningful story.

The admissions team already has your CV or résumé. To make your statement more personal, try integrating a story from your life experience. Make sure that the story is genuine, relevant to your area of interest, and concise. It’s important that you’re not oversharing just for the sake of tugging on your readers' heartstrings.

5. Get your statement looked at by a WSU Writing Center tutor!

Although you may have revised your personal statement a thousand times, it’s always good to get a second pair of eyes to look at your work. Book an appointment with a Writing Center tutor for free today @ wayne.mywconline.com!

By Victoria Dupuis