hitting the jackpot with a persuasive personal statement dr. ruth bingham – director, advising...
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HITTING THE JACKPOT WITH A PERSUASIVE PERSONAL STATEMENT
Dr. Ruth Bingham – Director, Advising Center for the Colleges of AH – LLLUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa -
[email protected] – NAAHP, Inc.
Beverley Childress – Director of Pre-Health ProgramsAuburn University – [email protected]
Krysta Diehl – Pre-Health Counseling SpecialistAuburn University – [email protected]
NACADA - 2015
Agenda
Introduction: Uses, Types, and Prompts - Ruth
How to Write a Personal Statement - Krysta
Resources - Beverley Workshop
Sample Personal Statements
Evaluating
Giving Feedback
Q & A
Uses
Academic programs or professions
Competitive programs
Funding
Purpose
Introduces self, voice, style
Reveals personal, subjective information
Explains, but presents evidence
Advocates for oneself
Evaluative
Know your audience!
Who are they & what do THEY want to know?
What do YOU want them to know?
What do they NEED to know?
Types
General/Comprehensive
Specific/Targeted
Sample Prompts
It’s easy to go astray…
As you begin to write…
Speak directly to your reader. Don’t worry about word limits. As you write you may feel the urge to
write about a specific event…follow that urge.
List your strengths, beliefs and values. Must be personal. Introduce yourself - to a stranger.
Most influential people? IMPACT?
Pivotal moments? What has changed you?
What have you learned?
Reflect your uniqueness as an individual!
It’s hard to begin and end
As you consider what to include - it may be hard to write the beginning.
Set the beginning aside.
Put it away for a few days and re-read.
Introduction, a body and a conclusion.
Check list:What impression did you
create?
Creates the idea that you would be an interesting applicant to interview!
Identify desirable qualities.
Highlight your assets and qualities by “evidence and example”. Show, don’t tell!
Check list:Did you include?
Your motivation? Why do you want this? Does it reflect an adult decision?
What have you done to convince yourself that this is the best plan for your life?
Extracurricular activities and work/volunteer experience
Learned Contributed Matured
Check list:Did you include?
Irregularities in your academic record. provide reasons - not excuses
Distance Travelled. “ turn lemons into lemonade?” Postbaccalaureate or Graduate
Program? what you learned or how you
matured?
Check list:Did you include?
Future Plans/Long-term goals (only include if it’s sincere)
Personal Philosophy (if in doubt…leave it out!)
Reapplicants – update your personal statement to reflect how you have changed since last application.
Get Feedback
Let others read your personal statement.
Read your statement out loud Decide what to keep and what to
change.Law Schools want to know that
you have excellent writing skills.
Spell Check is Your Friend!
“Be yourself, but in proper
English!”
Sources of Information
AAMCAS – Allopathic Medical School AACOMAS – Osteopathic Medical School OptomCAS – Optometry AADSAS – Dental School PharmCAS – Pharmacy CASPA – Physician Assistant PTCAS – Physical Therapy OTCAS – Occupational Therapy AACPMAS – Podiatry Law & Graduate Schools – look at individual
school guidelines
Group Discussion
1. Please divide into small groups to discuss the sample personal statements. Each group choose discussion leader & secretary. Be prepared to report if time allows.
2. Let us know if you need sample personal statements.
Here are some questions/topics to consider
a. What is the most important thing you would tell this student/applicant?
b. How much assistance in writing the personal statement should an academic advisor provide?
c. Should you limit your assistance to the early stages of the application process?
d. What evaluative techniques do you use to give feedback?
e. What tips do you have for helping the student or the evaluator to get started?