Your grades and standardized test scores are set by now, so the personal statement is your last chance to add something new to your college applications.
An effective personal statement is well-written, avoids cliches, tells a story about you that shows the admissions committee who you are, and brags a little—but doesn’t show off.
I’ve compiled a list of personal statement ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ to help you as you work your way through your first few drafts.
For even more help with the college admissions process, including boosting that standardized test score, consider taking an SAT prep course or ACT prep course with Prep Expert.
Your personal statement is a critical part of the college or graduate school application process. It’s your chance to showcase what makes you unique as an applicant. A compelling personal statement can be the difference between an acceptance or rejection letter.
In this article, we’ll explore best practices for writing a memorable personal statement to help your candidacy stand out.
What is a Personal Statement?
A personal statement, sometimes called a statement of purpose, is a short essay that introduces who you are and what drives you. It highlights your background, future goals, and why you’re an excellent fit for the program.
Admissions officers look to the personal statement for deeper insight into your personality values and motivation beyond just grades and test scores. It allows them to discover the person behind the applicant.
An effective personal statement should:
- Provide context for your passion and interest in the field
- Showcase personal qualities and achievements not apparent in other parts of the application
- Explain why you are a great match for that specific school or program
- Demonstrate your communication skills and writing ability
Brainstorming about pivotal life moments that shaped your ambitions can yield profound material for an engaging narrative
Dos and Don’ts for an Outstanding Personal Statement
Here are some key dos and don’ts to optimize your personal statement:
Do:
Showcase uniqueness – Use vivid examples to highlight your personality, values, and distinguishing experiences. Admissions needs to remember you.
Establish goals – Articulate your career aspirations, interests in the field, and desired takeaways from the program.
Connect experiences – Draw an engaging narrative that links together important milestones, influences, and formative moments.
Write with style – Adopt a conversational, engaging tone using vivid language. Avoid technical jargon. A little creativity goes a long way.
Stay focused – Keep narrative centralized around essential themes vs jumping randomly between ideas.
Run spellcheck – Typos or grammatical errors detract from writing quality. Review carefully.
Check word limits – Adhere to specified word counts or page limits. Follow instructions.
Tailor each one – Customize statements individually for every school application. Avoid a generic catch-all statement.
Don’t:
Repeat your resume – Provide fresh perspectives beyond academic and professional background.
Make excuses – Skip explanations for any academic issues or gaps. Stay positive.
Use cliches – Stand out with unique stories versus stale platitudes and generalities.
Exaggerate – Honesty and humility are appreciated. Don’t overstate achievements.
Get political/preachy – Unless specifically relevant, avoid controversial topics or grandiose manifestos.
Submit a rough draft – Invest time to refine and polish. This represents you.
Go overboard with humor – A warm, personable tone is great but avoid overdoing jokes or quirkiness.
Leave it to the last minute – Rushed, sloppy statements communicate lack of interest. Give it your best effort over multiple drafts.
Crafting a Memorable Narrative
Your personal statement should draw readers into your world. Strategic storytelling techniques can make your narrative more compelling. Consider these tips:
Open strong – Hook readers with a captivating starting line or interesting anecdote showcasing your personality.
Build chronology – Use strategic sequencing and transition phrases to link life experiences into a cohesive story.
Show vs tell – Instead of stating general qualities like “I’m innovative,” demonstrate with a story illustrating creative problem solving.
Spotlight strengths – Choose experiences that showcase top capabilities you would bring to the program like leadership, communication skills or persistence.
Be specific – Vivid, detailed examples are memorable. Avoid vagueness.
Reveal challenges – If you’ve overcome major obstacles, share your grit and resilience.
Express passion – Convey genuine excitement for the field. Use vivid language.
Close with vision – Conclude by looking forward to how the program enables your goals.
Conclusion
A thoughtful, well-written personal statement is one of the most effective ways to make your candidacy stand out. By taking the time to craft an authentic, engaging narrative that connects your experiences to your goals, you can greatly strengthen your application.
While technical excellence is crucial, admissions officers look closely for the spark of individuality that signals your potential for success. Leverage the personal statement to show you’re not just a sterling resume, but a human being with passion, purpose and a unique story to tell. That’s what grabs attention. By applying the dos and don’ts above, you can produce a personal statement that helps open doors to your desired program for the next stage of your educational journey.
Don’t Restate Your Resume
Don’t use your personal statement to repeat information admissions officers can find in other parts of your application.
You want your personal statement to stand out in a sea of applicants, and you also want to show a side of you that isn’t shown in the other parts of your application. So, don’t make the most common mistake that many applicants make.
That mistake is simply writing a laundry list of your extracurricular activities and academic accomplishments. Admissions officials can already get this information by looking at your application and high school transcript.
Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute To Write It
If you write your personal statement the same day as its due, it’s not going to be good enough to make a difference in your college admissions chances.
Don’t deprive yourself of the opportunity to write something that’ll catch an admissions officer’s eye, and help you stand out among thousands of other applicants, by procrastinating on your personal statement.
An effective, well-written personal statement takes requires some serious time and thought to do. You should try and get started on it in the summer before your senior year, so when school begins all you have left to do is dot those I’s and cross those t’s.
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seriously, don’t do these to your personal statement
What are the 5 don’ts of writing a personal statement?
Here are five don’ts of the writing process to keep in mind: 1. Don’t write about sensitive topics When outlining your personal statement, try to avoid writing about sensitive, controversial topics that may cause a reader to feel uncomfortable or overly emotional.
How to write a good personal statement?
2. DON’T address your weaknesses in the personal statement. Use an addendum.The personal statement should highlight the positives about you. 3. DON’T focus on your high school activities or accomplishments. Focusing on achievements in high school can draw attention to a lack of similar achievements in college.
What should I not include in my personal statement?
Use these easy-to-digest bullet points to help you decide what you should and shouldn’t include in your personal statement. ‘Do talk about you, why you’re a good candidate, your motivations, and what brings you to this course. Don’t start with a quote from someone else.’
Did someone else write my personal statement?
Admissions officers will be able to tell if someone else wrote your personal statement, so make sure the writing is all yours. This might seem like another no-brainer, but each year, plenty of applicants have someone else write their personal statements for them.
