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Personal Statement The How to Guide on Conquering the Personal Statement Slide 2 Importance of the Personal Statement 0 Your Personal statement is an interview and first introduction of yourself 0 The Personal Statement will not determine your admissions into the University it will be one part of the many factors in your application review process 0 Admission Officers look for college level thinking 0 This is a reflective process to write about yourself your future aspirations Slide 3 This is a personal statement . There is no right way to write the statement. Make sure it is your Personal story. Slide 4 UC Personal Statement Directions 0 Applicants must respond to two essay prompts 0 You will have a 1,000 word maximum to use for both essays 0 Essays can be no shorter than 250 words Slide 5 UC Personal Statement Essay Question 1 0 Describe the world you come from for example, your family, community or school and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Slide 6 UC Personal Statement Essay Question 2 0 Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are ? Slide 7 Private School Personal Statement 0 Questions and prompts will vary from school to school 0 Most schools will use the Common App. 0 Common App. is the undergraduate admissions applications used for 517 college and Universities across the United States 0 Common App has 5 prompts to chose from 0 Research each school and orient the essay to fit the prompt 0 Be concise and follow the directions 0 Reflect on your accomplishments and write more than just about your GPA and test scores Slide 8 Sample Common App Prompts 0 Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? 0 Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? Slide 9 Prompt Selection 0 Activity 1: Select a Prompt that best fits your experiences on your Personal Statement Handout Slide 10 Steps to an Effective Personal Statement 0 1. Brainstorm and gather information 0 2. Develop topic and thesis 0 3. Draft 0 4. Read critically and write analytically 0 5. Get feedback 0 6. Revise for organization, clarity, and meaning 0 7. Proofread Slide 11 Brainstorm 0 Activity # 2 0 Take the time and reflect on the prompt you chose. 0 Write down any ideas, stories, or topics that come to mind. Slide 12 Question/Topic/Thesis Example 0 Our Question: Describe the world you live in. Tell how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. 0 Brainstorm : Gather ideas, topics, and stories that best fit the question 0 Your topic: The role of AVID in making you aware of college options. 0 Your thesis: Asserts why and how AVID was a significant experience and how it shaped your goals for the future. Slide 13 Select your Topic 0 Activity 3: 0 Reflect back on your brainstorm notes and your prompt 0 Narrow a single topic that you can one, answer the entire question and two, fits what you will convey throughout the entire statement Slide 14 Sample Thesis 0 Although my school does not offer Advanced Placement Spanish, I wanted to master Spanish so that I could enrich my understanding of the literature of Latin America and prepare for my eventual career goal of becoming a diplomat. I prepared on my own for the Advanced Placement Spanish exam, and as a result have become a more disciplined and engaged student in all of my classes. Slide 15 Lets Break it Down ! 0 Our Question: Describe the world you live in. Tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. 0 Brainstorm : Gather ideas, topics, and stories that best fit the questions 0 Your topic: Despite limited opportunities for Advanced Placement courses, I took Spanish as steps towards my eventual career goal of becoming a diplomat. 0 Your thesis: Asserts why and how taking Spanish was a significant experience towards shaping their career. Slide 16 Write your Thesis 0 Activity 4: 0 Take this time and develop a thesis of your own using your prompt, brainstorm ideas, and topic. Slide 17 Common Mistakes 0 This is NOT an essay about your parents : This is the time to reflect on your ambitions, hopes, and accomplishments 0 Your essay should not include a narrative and no story telling *** unless specifically asked to do so in your prompt. 0 Forgetting to include a thesis 0 Not answering the entire question 0 Failing to include thoughtful answers 0 Listing your activities, accomplishments, and awards 0 Remember admissions officers read this in your general application Slide 18 0 Start Early 0 Only use experiences or stories that take place during or after 9 th grade. 0 Use your own words: Do not use clichs or quotes 0 Be concise and specific 0 Dig deep: Analysis and reflection in your response are key. Slide 19 0 Proofread !! Proofread !! 0 Have (2- 3) teachers, counselors, or THINK Together staff give you feedback 0 Create a first draft as early as early as possible 0 Plagiarism or coping word for word the work of another person is illegal and can cost you your admissions and hurt your integrity and reputation as a scholar. Slide 20 A Strong Personal Statement Has: 0 Well thought out answers written in a cohesive manner 0 Successfully sets themselves apart from everyone else 0 Has checked for punctuation, grammar, and spelling mistakes 0 Will have multiple people looking over their drafts 0 Talk to a mentor or an adult that knows you best. Sometimes an outside perspective might help guide you! Slide 21 Questions ???