Transcript Writing a Personal Statement

Writing a Personal Statement
Applied Psychology Lab
What is a Personal Statement?
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Your opportunity to sell yourself to the
admissions committee.
Include:
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What makes you unique
Statement of personal goals
Statement of professional goals
Why you want to attend this institution
Why is it important?
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In absence of an interview, this is how
committee will distinguish between you
and other applicants.
Many people will be applying, make
yourself stand out.
More than a sample of your writing.
What to Include
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What makes you different
Why you want to pursue this field of study
Academic achievements
Personal accomplishments
Relevant experience
What are your interests
What NOT to Include
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All your application information
Don’t go back too far
Don’t include too much personal
information
Whining excuses for deficits
Your entire life history
Embellishments to make yourself look
better
Who Are You
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Explain weaknesses in your credentials
(without whining)
Emphasize your strengths
Why this field
What have you done in the last four years
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Work experience
Research experience
What can you add?
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Research experience
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Work experience
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Both in field and not
Strengths
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What have you done?
Presentations
Are you a people person, work well without
supervision, etc
Applicable knowledge
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Computer skills, writing skills, etc.
Why this?
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Relevance of first degree to this program
What do you want to do with it
Why do you want to do it
Why do you think you would excel
Why here?
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Do your research
Tailor to your audience
Do not write one blanket statement for all
programs
What are their research interests
What draws you about this program
Ten Do’s
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Have a thesis or theme
Think before you write
Use examples from your life
What interests and excites you
Grab their attention
Have a conclusion
Revise
Get input
PROOFREAD
Write clearly
Ten Don’ts
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Don’t
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include random information
start with “I was born in…” etc.
write an autobiography
try to be a clown
be afraid to start over
try to impress with your vocabulary
rely on computer to spell check
provide a collection of generic statements
give weak excuses for GPA or test scores
make things up
What Now?
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Start writing
Bring it back to the next general meeting
(2 weeks)
Be ready to constructively critique each
other’s statements