The personal statement is included in the package of documents provided when applying to a university or college. The personal statement determines whether the applicant will convince the admission committee that he or she is a worthy candidate.
Let’s figure out how to develop a personal statement and what to pay special attention to.
A personal statement ties your accomplishments into a single story
A personal statement is a type of essay in which the applicant describes his or her experience and justifies the choice of a program or course. It should answer two main questions: why you are the right candidate and why you chose this particular university or college.
If you have never written this type of paper, we recommend you get personal statement help on services like https://essayshark.com/. As a rule, you can order a paper sample, which will give you a clear understanding of how to deal with your personal statement writing. You will see how to describe your strengths and how to explain why the course is interesting to you.
Your knowledge of English must be at the appropriate level
A personal statement is a sample of your language skills. It is necessary to show that you write competently, have a large vocabulary and terminology, can use a variety of grammatical constructions, and understand the logic of the language.
Don’t send a personal statement from a friend of yours or a professional writer. Try to adequately assess your language skills. As a rule, the required level of English is prescribed in the requirements. If you do not meet it, you will need to improve your knowledge.
Most often, to confirm their level, they are asked to provide an international TOEFL, IELTS, CAE, or other certificate. In the process of preparing for the exam, you will be able to improve your English and learn how to write a personal statement.
The volume of a personal statement depends on the goal
For admission to an educational program, the size is indicated in the requirements – on average, it is 4,000 characters. To count characters, you can use autocount, which is available in many text programs.
The structure is the same for all personal statements
The personal statement’s style and content may vary depending on the purpose. As for the structure, we recommend sticking to a single one – one that consists of an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
Introduction
- Appeal. To start your personal statement, you can write “Dear Admissions Counselor/Admissions Committee” in your introduction.
- Purpose and thesis statement. In two or three sentences, state why you are writing the personal statement, and list the reasons for your candidacy. Indicate the most important achievements in your opinion and the criteria that you will rely on in the body.
Main body
Here, present the arguments indicated in the introduction. Typically, the main body consists of two-three paragraphs, each of which provides proof that you are a suitable candidate. The arguments chosen should be consistent with the requirements of the educational institution.
To do this, you must first study the available information about the program or course. You must confirm that your experience and goals are relevant to the desired training program. There is no need to describe the entire life path and education received – use only relevant information.
Conclusion
At the end of a personal statement, it is customary to summarize the points set out in the body of the text. Then, in one or two sentences, you need to convincingly express interest in future studies and hope for further communication or a positive decision on your candidacy. Give thanks for the opportunity to participate in the selection.
We hope you understand now how to write an excellent personal statement. Follow our advice to write a paper that will impress the admission committee. Good luck!