How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement

By Mark Alan Stewart

The admissions process for law, business, medical, or graduate school is more competitive today than ever before. Peterson's How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement provides essential tips on how to create and write personal statements that respond to the questions that appear on the applications of many popular graduate schools. The guide also offers great insight on whom to approach for letters of recommendation and how to make the best impression at the interview. How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement features 30 actual samples of successful application essays as well as recommendations from admissions officers on winning strategies that have guaranteed students admission into business, law, medical, and graduate school. How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement offers step-by-step instructions on style, format, concept, and theme; preparation strategies for the personal interview; tactics on whom to ask to write letters of recommendation; top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for writing the essay; tips from admission officials from Columbia, Michigan, and other high-profile schools; and much more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peterson's
• Release date: Mar 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9780768936735

Book preview

Mark Alan Stewart

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eISBN-978-0-7689-3673-5

Contents

UNDERGRADUATE GRADES AND ENTRANCE-EXAM SCORES DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY

PART 1

CREATING PERFECT PERSONAL STATEMENTS

THE QUESTIONS

PREPARING TO WRITE YOUR ESSAYS

WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT: CONTENT AND THEME

THE ULTIMATE TEST FOR CONTENT

WHAT THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR

ALMOST EVERYONE MAKES THIS MISTAKE

GETTING CREATIVE—ESPECIALLY IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS

TAKING RISKS IN EXPRESSING YOURSELF

DISCUSSING YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

DISCUSSING WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT OR UNIQUE

DISCUSSING YOUR MINORITY STATUS OR DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUND

DISCUSSING YOUR MOTIVES AND ASPIRATIONS

DISCUSSING WHY YOU WANT TO ATTEND THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL

EXPLAINING DEFICIENCIES, INCONSISTENCIES, AND BLEMISHES

DISCLOSING SKELETONS IN YOUR CLOSET

DISCUSSING YOUR RECOMMENDERS AND OTHERINFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT: STYLE AND FORMAT

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS AND CONCLUSIONS/SUMMARIES

UNCONVENTIONAL AND GIMMICKY WRITING STYLES

UNCONVENTIONAL AND GIMMICKY FORMATS AND PACKAGES

TYPEFACE, TYPE SIZE, AND HANDWRITTEN ESSAYS (PAPER-BASED APPLICATIONS ONLY)

PAGE LIMITS AND WORD LIMITS

OBTAINING ASSISTANCE IN WRITING AND EDITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

SUBMITTING OR REFERENCING SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

THE TOP 10 DO’S AND DON’TS FOR WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS

TOP 10 RULES TO WRITE BY

TOP 10 PERSONAL STATEMENT PITFALLS

PERSONAL STATEMENTS AND MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

THE AMCAS APPLICATION FORM

THE AMCAS PERSONAL COMMENTS ESSAY

SUPPLEMENTAL OR SECONDARY APPLICATION ESSAYS

APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOLS VIA THE LSAC WEB SITE

PART 2

RECOMMENDATION LETTERS AND IN-PERSONS INTERVIEWS

RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

WHAT THE SCHOOLS WANT TO KNOW FROM YOUR RECOMMENDERS

SELECTING YOUR RECOMMENDERS

APPROACHING AND ASSISTING POTENTIAL RECOMMENDERS

UNDERGRADUATE PLACEMENT FILES AND CREDENTIAL SERVICES

IF THE SCHOOL DOES NOT REQUIRE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

SUBMITTING FEWER OR MORE LETTERS THAN REQUIRED

SEALED RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

WAIVING YOUR RIGHT OF ACCESS TO RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

SUBMITTING A DEAN’S CERTIFICATION

THE LSAC LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SERVICE (FOR LAW SCHOOL APPLICANTS)

COMMITTEE LETTERS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS

THE AMCAS LETTERS SERVICE FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSION

THE GRE PERSONAL POTENTIAL INDEX (FOR MASTER’S AND PH.D. APPLICANTS)

IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS

ARRANGING FOR AN INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW FORMAT AND DRESS CODE

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE INTERVIEW

PART 3

THIRTY GREAT PERSONAL STATEMENTS BY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

ESSAYS THAT RELATE A PERSONAL ANECDOTE

ESSAYS THAT ADMIT SHORTCOMINGS

ESSAYS THAT CONNECT THE APPLICANT’S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

ESSAYS BY RISK-TAKERS WITH DISTINCTIVE POINTS OF VIEW

ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS CLEARLY FOCUSED ON GOALSs

ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS WITH UNIQUE LIFE EXPERIENCES

ESSAYS THAT EXPLAIN WHY THE APPLICANT CHOSE THIS SCHOOL

ESSAYS THAT EXPLAIN DEFICIENCIES OR BLEMISHES

ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO A CAUSE

ESSAYS BY MULTIFACETED APPLICANTS

PART 4

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

ADVICE FROM LAW SCHOOLS

BERKELEY LAW (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, SCHOOL OF LAW)

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF LAW

UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW

ADVICE FROM BUSINESS SCHOOLS

COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

THE FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, DUKE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS M.B.A. PROGRAM

LEONARD N. STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

AMOS TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (DARTMOUTH COLLEGE)

ADVICE FROM MEDICAL SCHOOLS

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL

PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Acknowledgments

The author gratefully acknowledges the following successful graduate and professional school applicants who contributed their personal statements to this publication:

Arman Afagh,

Roger Barone,

Craig Black,

Andrew Boer,

Eric Brock,

David T. Burrell,

Arun Chandra,

Dave Hitch,

Eric Henry,

Brady Ho,

Ian Kasper,

Paul Lacourciere,

Susan Lasley,

Ruth Lufkin,

Piroz Mohseni,

Adam Muchnick,

Nathaniel Olsson,

Tara Prigge,

Dave Ray,

David Schoenthal,

Mark Siegel,

Kenneth Simon,

Julie Wiskirchen,

Undergraduate Grades and Entrance-Exam Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

The admission process today for graduate and professional schools is more competitive than ever. The increase in applications to these schools has been especially dramatic in recent years, due to a shrinking entry-level job market for recent college graduates. Schools are flooded with applications from many well-qualified candidates whose entrance-exam scores and undergraduate grades are almost identical. Admissions officials recognize that the numbers—GPA and entrance-exam scores—don’t tell the whole story about any candidate. The schools are looking for more than proficient test takers; they are also looking for people who are interesting, articulate, and distinctive, with different points of view, ambitions, backgrounds, and interests. A diverse and interesting student body enriches the academic experience for everyone—students, faculty, and administration. And it is interesting and distinctive people, not necessarily those who perform well on exams, who are likely to succeed in the long run in their chosen professions. (The admissions and alumni offices are symbiotically connected, and they know it.)

How do the decision makers look at the human being behind the application? The answer: through essay questions on the admissions application—commonly referred to as personal statements—as well as through letters of recommendation and in-person interviews. This book will demystify these critical aspects of the admissions process. Here you will learn:

How to create and write personal statements that respond to the questions that appear on the applications of many popular graduate schools

Whom to approach for letters of recommendation

How to make the best impression at your interview

In addition, you’ll review thirty actual personal statements from successful graduate- and professional-school applicants. And you’ll get inside advice about the entire admissions process from admissions officials at top schools from coast to coast.

You’ve made the decision to apply to a graduate or professional school. How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement will help you craft the best responses to questions on graduate-school applications and prepare you to do your best in interviews. Good luck!

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK

Peterson’s publishes a full line of resources to help guide you through the graduate school admission process. Peterson’s publications can be found at your local bookstore, library, and college guidance office, and you can access us online at www.petersonspublishing.com

PART 1

Creating Perfect Personal Statements

The personal statement portion of a school’s admissions application presents a great opportunity for you to sell yourself to the school. However, this critical part of the application can be a source of great anxiety and worry for the applicant, who may wonder:

Who will read my essay? 

How will my essay be evaluated? 

Should I just play it safe and say what they want to hear? If so, what exactly do they want to hear? 

Should I take a risk and submit something that is sure to make the admissions committee notice me? If so, how can I ensure that I don’t offend committee members or turn them off?

 Should I discuss that glaring blemish in my past, or should I ignore it?

Turning such questions over in your mind can be paralyzing. Moreover, because the questions posed in the applications are generally open-ended, you may still wonder after writing your personal statement whether it is appropriate and effective—that is, whether it will help you to gain admission. To solve these problems, you simply need more information about the admissions process. Let’s begin by looking at personal-statement questions that are typically posed on admissions applications.

THE QUESTIONS

The particular essay questions appearing on the applications vary widely among the schools. Some applications provide very little guidance as to what you should write. Others include specific questions. Although some schools impose a word or page limit on your response, others do not. Some schools require only one personal statement; others might require several essay responses. Some schools require a mandatory statement and one or more optional essays. The following list is a representative sampling of the sort of questions appearing on graduate and professional school applications.

Topics That Are Extremely Open-ended

Provide any additional information you wish to bring to the attention of the Admission Committee. You may wish to discuss particular accomplishments, activities, employment, hobbies, or professional goals.

We require all applicants to submit a personal statement. The statement should describe any unusual aspects of your background that might contribute to the diversity of our student body as well as describe any extraordinary skills or traits that you might possess, which would be relevant to us.

Please submit a personal statement not exceeding 500 words in length on a matter that interests you.

Topics That Call for You to Discuss Your Past Experiences

Please discuss any significant activities or work experience that might enrich your study at our school.

Describe an experience (either personal or professional) in which you failed. What did you learn from that experience?

Topics That Inquire About Your Motives, Goals, and Ambitions

Tell us your reasons for seeking a professional education.

At this point in your life, what motivates you to consider further education at our school?

Discuss the aspects of your background and experience that have led you to choose a career in . . .

This statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and to discuss your personal and professional goals.

How would you want your professional achievements and contributions to be remembered after your death?

Discuss how a degree from our school/program will assist you in reaching your short- and long-term goals.

Topics That Require Self-Assessment or Insight About Your Personality

Please comment on your strengths and weaknesses in certain courses or activities.

Discuss an ethical dilemma you have faced and how you dealt with it.

If you could have dinner with any three people (alive now or from another era), who would they be and what would you hope to learn from them?

Topics That Invite You to Explain Blemishes, Deficiencies, or Gaps in Your Past

If you are unable to submit the minimum number of recommendation forms that we request, please give your reasons.

Please explain anything in your application that does not accurately reflect your abilities or potential for successful graduate study.

Discuss any unique aspect of your personal or professional background that may not be adequately presented elsewhere in this application.

The questions also vary somewhat according to the type of program (law, business, medicine, or graduate study).

Law Schools

Because law is a highly verbal pursuit, academically and professionally, law schools even more than other schools read personal statements for evidence of the applicant’s ability to reason well and to communicate effectively in writing. So for law schools, what is distinctive is not so much their questions as what they look for in a response.

Business Schools

Applications to graduate business schools tend to include questions designed to assess the applicant’s potential as a manager, leader, and team member. Here are some common examples:

Describe a situation in which you were compelled to take a stand against the majority. How did this experience strengthen your understanding of leadership?

Discuss a significant accomplishment that demonstrates your potential as a leader and a manager.

Describe a situation in which you were part of a group working to solve a problem and your contribution to that goal.

Medical Schools

The standard American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application requires a very open-ended Personal Comments essay. Supplemental applications from the schools tend to ask very pointed questions about past activities.

Non-Professional Graduate Programs

Applications typically require a Statement of Purpose in which the applicant is asked to