Reference no: EM133390154

Question: It's a short essay, usually somewhere between 500 and 1,500 words, that gives the reader a sense of who you are and what's important to you. It's your introduction to the selection committee. It is often the only place you have to show the committee your motivation, interests, unique perspective, priorities, or character. As its name implies, it's a statement only you can write. It usually responds to some kind of prompt, though the prompts are often intentionally vague. Despite its name, it's not an invitation to share personal details of your life, rather it's more an intellectual autobiography. If there is a prompt, the personal statement addresses it directly and explicitly. Every personal statement should be tailored to the specific goals of the opportunity for which you're applying. It's a narrative account of some element of your story as it pertains to the situation you're writing for (scholarship application, graduate admissions essay, etc.)-a sort of window into your intellectual journey. You won't have time for your whole life story; you must be selective. You want to show, rather than tell, your story. Use concrete examples as evidence for your claims. Typically, it's one piece of a larger application. It doesn't have to do ALL the work of the application. It can often fill in gaps or flesh out ideas, accomplishments, or character traits that don't get adequately covered elsewhere. It's hard to write about yourself; leave yourself plenty of time for brainstorming, drafting, revising, and polishing.