Writing the personal statement I

If a student asks us:

How can I write a personal statement in English to apply for further studies, a fellowship, employment, or an internship?

We may reply:

Think before you write, to discuss something that you offer that other applicants might not be able to offer. For example, your personal educational and life experience, if you have faced any specific individual challenges, or other related subjects.

The student may wonder:

Should I mention all my professional and learning experience?

We might say:

That’s fine, but try not to repeat any information that may be found in other parts of your application. So don’t just list where you studied or worked before, unless you have something to say that describes your experience in a constructive way.

If the student inquires:

Should I discuss where I had academic failures or problems?

Our answer:

It is all right to acknowledge difficulties if they occurred, but the main purpose of the personal statement is to state what you have achieved, so it is better to focus on the good things that you have done. So emphasize achievements rather than weaknesses.

If the student needs to know:

Can I use the same statement for all applications to save time?

We can tell them:

It is better to change the statement for each specific use, because otherwise it might give the impression that the applicant cannot be bothered to address a specific university or employer and does not really care that much about the application.

Students should try to make sure to spell the name of universities or potential employers correctly. This can easily be checked by Googling the names of all potential institutions of higher learning or employers being applied to. Even if the student feels confident about the way to write the name of a university or corporation, it is safer to Google it to make absolutely sure, and copy the name directly from an authoritative source. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but spelling wrong the name of an institution or employer, like spelling wrong the name of a person, may be taken as a sign of disrespect by an applicant who cannot be bothered to get it right. To avoid making this unfortunate impression and possibly offending others, it is a good idea to take a few seconds to be absolutely sure about this detail.

If the student asks:

What should I be sure to include in the personal statement?

We can say:

Spend some time looking at the university or corporation website to see details about specific coursework or professional projects that appeal to you. If you are strongly interested in any field of studies, area of research, or job category that is described online, be sure to mention it in your personal statement. This will give the impression to whoever reads your statement that you plan to do a good job wherever you are accepted, and you will be especially productive if you are admitted to their school or corporation instead of somewhere else.

Students who just write general statements may give the impression of not really caring where they work or study. To avoid this, it is best to be as specific as possible about why the applicant wishes to be accepted.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)