When you hear about writing a statement of purpose, the first thing that probably comes to yor mind is “big” and “great” ideas. However, there are seemingly great ideas that can be the cause of your essay’s downfall. CEO shares some of them.
Revealing too personal information
We all know how desperate you can feel. But addressing the admissions officer like he’s your bro can give you more headaches than easy ins. Try not to tell the awesome party story, try not to mention the police, try not to begin paragraphs with the single-word sentence, “Look.” I know you dress to impress, but let’s maintain some semblance of formality here. The person reading your essay is likely wearing a tie.
Although you have to reveal yourself through your essay, you have to be careful not to reveal too much. The admissions committee doesn’t want to pry on personal details that are not related to your application. Another thing that you have to do is to limit the level of informality of your essay. You always have to remember that your readers hold high positions in the academe.
Writing all about your accomplishments
An essay about how awesome you are. My including this may seem like a trick. Even, perchance, a snarky bit of round-a-bout. All essays are implicitly about how awesome you are. Of course. But if you say things like “I don’t want to sound arrogant,” you are. You really, really are. Find a way to slip in how incredibly awesome you are by describing what you do rather than how you are.
Your personal statement should focus on you, your qualifications and strengths. But please, don’t patronize yourself too much. You will sound boastful and arrogant. If you want to include your accomplishments and talents, there are creative ways to prevent you from sounding like a braggart.
Here are some helpful tips on how to deliver your message.
don’t be subtle or cute. Write in a clear and logical manner. If you have to be creative, that is fine, but do so in a straightforward way. These people are really interested in your vocation. They don’t want to read something that is in the form of one act plays nor do they want to read three adjectives per noun. They want you to be direct and straightforward.
Your statement of purpose should be balanced. It is alright if you incorporate great ideas, but make sure that you do it in a way that would not affect the quality of your essay.
There are a lot of important decisions to make during the planning stage and when writing your personal statement. San Jose State University shares some factors that you need to decide upon when you write your statement of purpose.
Purpose of writing the application essay
Usually the purpose is to persuade the admissions committee that you are an applicant they should choose. You may want to show that you have the ability and motivation to succeed in your field, or you may want to show the committee that, on the basis of your experience, you are the kind of candidate who will do well in the field.
You have to keep this purpose in mind while you are writing your essay. This will guide you with the flow and content of your essay. You also have to think about your readers. Know the things that the admissions panel would want to know about you.
Content of your statement of purpose
Here are examples of the usual subjects included in the statement of purpose:
“What are the strengths and weaknesses in setting and achieving goals and working through people?” In this question there are actually six parts to be answered 1) strengths in setting goals, 2) strengths in achieving goals, 3) strengths in working through people, 4) weaknesses in setting goals, 5) weaknesses in achieving goals and 6) weaknesses in working through people. Pay attention to small words. Notice: This example question says through people not with people, if it says with people, answer that way.
You don’t have to include everything that’s mentioned above, but focus on those that will reveal your good character. Opt for topics that you are most comfortable to write about and share to your readers.
Style
There is no such thing as “the perfect way to write a statement.” There is only the one that is best for you and fits your circumstances.
You can use creativity and humor on your personal statement. Just make sure that you know how to handle these elements for they’re not easy to manage. Try your best not to make your essay appear amateurish or sleazy.
Here’s another tip from another article:
Remember what you learned in first-year composition? You need a “hook.”
The so-called hook is an element in essay writing that could draw the attention of the admissions committee right from the start. You can use human interest stories, introduce fresh ideas, or appeal to the emotions of your readers by citing experiences they can relate to.
Writing a statement of purpose involves a lot of decision-making. If you want to create a remarkable essay, you have to choose your topics well and create an outline to weed out irrelevant ideas. Focus on purpose, content, and style.
