Oddly enough it was actually the film that made me decide for sure that I wanted to study English. All my friends kept saying how much I remind them of Julia Stiles in that film with her passion for poetry.Its true, I do adore poetry and I have won quite a few awards for my own poems and everyone says how good they are. Poets I especially admire include John Keats, Sylvia Plath, William Wordsworth, Philip Larkin, Seamus Heany, John Milton and William Blake.I love novels too, my favourites being , and I’m not a one-trick pony though. I also enjoy history, especially the Edwardians, as I’m a big fan of . has given me an interest in the First World War, as we see its impact on the Crawley family. It seems especially pertinent to be thinking about the First World War in this centenary year.
I am best in my class for all my subjects, so I think I’d fit right in at Oxford. When I’m writing an essay I have a steely determination to get the best grade, not unlike a hunter whose only thought is to catch the biggest, most impressive stag he can set his sights on.
My AS grade in history wasn’t as good as I’d have liked, but my teachers say that was only because I got sidetracked by spending too much time reading and writing poetry!! I’d love to study it at university and it’s my joint favourite subject with English.
When I’m not winning poetry competitions or reading sophisticated books in my local cafe, I enjoy socialising with my mates and going to the cinema.
I’m applying for deferred entry as I’m having a gap year. 🙂
Let us count the ways!
The personal statement opens with a pretentious-sounding quote, which, let’s face it, the student probably found from Googling “quotes about English literature”. It doesn’t even come from a great work of literature – it’s from a novel for young adults, which is unlikely to command the respect of the admissions tutors. The student then proceeds to say that this quote reflects their own “thirst for knowledge” (though they mistyped it as “thrist”) – but this doesn’t really relate to the quote at all. What’s more, starting with a quote is a bad idea anyway; it’s pompous, and the admissions tutors want to know what you have to say, not what someone else says.
“Thirst for knowledge”. “From an early age”. The opening of this personal statement is littered with clichés that far too many students use and that admissions tutors have seen countless times before. This student goes a step further down the “loved reading from an early age” route by citing The Very Hungry Caterpillar as an early literary enjoyment. They probably think it sounds cute, but when said children’s book is a picture book with virtually no words, it’s hardly worth taking up valuable characters on a personal statement with. Later in the statement we hear clichés such as “one-trick pony”, “steely determination”, and even a rather embarrassing comparison between their determination to achieve the best grades in an essay and the determination of a hunter to slay an impressive beast. This singularly fails to impress in the way the student clearly wants it to. What’s more, you never know what the beliefs are of the person reading your statement, and it might turn out that they’re passionately against hunting – in which case this comparison with a hunter is going to go down especially badly.
The student’s mention of James Joyce’s Ulysses reveals a rather questionable motive for wanting to read it: to “show off one’s superior intelligence” in front of other people. This sounds major alarm bells. It’s hardly going to tell the admissions tutor that the student wants to study the subject because they have a deep interest in it; they’ll pick up from this that they want to study English for the wrong reasons.
The student has name-dropped a few novels and poets, but offers no insight into why they are interested in them or what they’ve got out of reading them. The mention of Ulysses seems calculated to make them appear clever for reading such an advanced text, but the fact that they offer no commentary on it has the opposite effect. The same goes for later in the personal statement with the list of poets – a random jumble of poets, modern and older, with no explanation as to why they appeal (and they misspelt Seamus Heaney’s name!). It comes across as a list of poets whose names the student happened to be able to rattle off, without any thought put into it. As for the novels mentioned, these are three incredibly famous novels that virtually everyone has read and loved. Leaving aside the fact that they haven’t said why they like these novels, it doesn’t show much depth or academic pursuit of knowledge to name-drop three very famous novels rather than demonstrating interest in or knowledge of less well-known literature.
The student has committed a huge faux pas in naming the course and university for which they are applying. This reveals that the only university they’re interested in is Oxford. They’re unlikely to be applying for just this university, but they’ve immediately alienated admissions tutors from all the other universities they’ve almost certainly put on their UCAS form.
The student jokes that they are partly applying for Oxford because of G&D’s ice cream, a famous ice cream parlour in Oxford. Quite apart from the fact that they shouldn’t have mentioned Oxford in the first place, the use of humour in this way does the student no favours. To make matters worse, they then add “Jokes” in brackets. Slang is a big no-no in a personal statement, and when combined with an attempt at humour, it’s frankly disastrous.
The admissions tutors are not going to be impressed that the reason you decided to study English at university because your friends commented on your similarity to a character in a film.
The student attempts to indicate their talent for poetry, stating that they have “won quite a few awards” for their own poems. However, this claim is too vague to be impressive. Which awards were they? “Everyone says how good” the student’s poems are, but how many people have actually read them, and was it just the student’s parents and grandparents who were impressed by them? These statements would have more weight if the student named the exact awards they’ve won and who has deemed their poetry to be good.
The student goes on to talk about their other academic interest: history. The only problem is, it seems a bit out of place in a personal statement for English, making one wonder whether they might also be applying for an English and History course elsewhere. To make matters worse, they talk about Downton Abbey as the inspiration for their love of history, and in particular their interest in the First World War, commenting on the fact that it’s the centenary of the start of the First World War. The latter is hardly an insightful comment, while the mere mention of Downton Abbey is enough to discredit the student’s supposed interest in history. What’s more, they go on to say how much they love history, that it’s their joint favourite subject with English, and that they’d love to study it at university. This is inevitably going to make English Literature admissions tutors question the student’s commitment to their subject. What if the student changes their mind and wants to switch to history? It’s a big warning sign against this student.
Nobody likes people who brag. The student claims to be “best in their class” and someone who’d “fit right in at Oxford” (that name again!) – though, judging by the poor quality of their personal statement, one wonders whether this could possibly be true. Later, they casually drop in “when I’m not winning poetry competitions”, a flippant remark that smacks of arrogance.
The student attempts to explain a less-than-perfect grade by laughing it off with a comment about reading and writing too much poetry. One can see what they were aiming for here: they wanted to show that they’re so enthusiastic about English Literature that they get carried away and can’t stop reading and writing. However, it’s not going to look good to an admissions tutor, who’ll see someone who is unable to juggle their workload or apply themselves to succeed in all their subjects. What’s more, the student doesn’t attempt to explain what they’re doing about the bad grade – for instance, they could be taking on extra history lessons to bring the grade up, but there’s no such reassurance in their statement.
The student gives their interests as “socialising with their mates and going to the cinema”, interests that are so universal and boring that they are not worth mentioning at all. The point of mentioning interests in a personal statement is to demonstrate that there’s more to you than your academic interests. Proper hobbies and so on show you to be a well-rounded person with a range of interests, and those interests help develop skills that you can’t learn in the classroom, and that make you a good person to have around.
The student ends on a rather dull note by stating that they are taking a gap year. However, there’s no explanation of what activities they have planned for this. This would have been a good place to highlight course-related activities planned for the year out, which would have made them more suitable for the course (such as embarking on a writing workshop). This was also a lacklustre way to end the statement; a couple of sentences summarising why they want to study the course and why they’re so suitable for it would have been a good closing remark.
They’ve tried to look friendly by putting a smiley face at the end. There’s only one word for this: don’t!
In addition to the specific faults outlined above, there were a few general shortfallings worth highlighting.
Overall, it felt that very little effort had gone into writing this personal statement, leaving one questioning the student’s commitment to the course. Now that you’ve seen a disastrous personal statement first-hand, you’ll have a better idea of how not to write yours. Good luck!
Image credits: banner ; caterpillar ; Clockwork Angel ; Ulysses ; Cambridge ; WWI ; reading ; boat ; love .
Dazzle admissions with your legally awesome personal story, introduction.
Let's face it: you've spent countless hours studying and acing the LSAT, and now it's time for the pièce de résistance – the law school personal statement. This is your golden opportunity to showcase your personality, and put your best legal foot forward. But don't worry, this guide has got you covered. In no time, you'll be writing a personal statement that could put John Grisham's early drafts to shame.
If you're ready to convince law school admissions committees that you're the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Thurgood Marshall, then buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the world of crafting the ultimate law school personal statement.
First and foremost, remember that you're writing for the admissions committee. These are the gatekeepers of your future legal career, and they've read more personal statements than there are citations in a Supreme Court decision. To avoid becoming a legal footnote in their memory, keep the following in mind:
When it comes to choosing a topic for your personal statement, think of it as an episode of Law & Order: Your Life Edition. It's your moment to shine, so pick a story that showcases your passion, resilience, or commitment to justice. Consider these tips:
Now that you've chosen your topic, it's time to draft your personal statement. Like a well-organized legal brief, your statement should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Consider the following tips for structuring your masterpiece:
When it comes to your personal statement, you want to strike the perfect balance between professional and engaging. After all, no one wants to read a 500-word legal treatise on why you should be admitted to law school. To achieve this delicate balance, follow these style and tone guidelines:
It's been said that writing is rewriting, and this is particularly true for your personal statement. Once you've drafted your masterpiece, it's time to don your editor's hat and polish it to perfection. Follow these tips for a meticulous revision:
Before submitting your personal statement, it's crucial to proofread it thoroughly. Even the most compelling story can be marred by typos, grammatical errors, or other mistakes. Follow these proofreading tips to ensure your statement is error-free:
Crafting an outstanding law school personal statement may seem daunting, but with the right approach and a healthy dose of perseverance, you can create a compelling and memorable statement that will impress even the most discerning admissions committee. So go forth and conquer, future legal eagles! And remember, as you embark on your law school journey, may the precedent be ever in your favor.
Tech-focused creator of LSD.Law. I built LSD while applying to law school. I saw unequal access to knowledge and built LSD to level the playing field and help applicants make thoughtful, well-informed decisions in the application process.
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Need help writing a personal statement? You came to the right place!
We've seen everything here at Scribendi, which means we know what makes a good personal statement and what makes a bad one. The bad news is that there's a very fine line. The good news is that we've compiled a list of common mistakes that students make when writing a personal statement. Now, you can learn from the mistakes of others so you don't have to learn them the hard way.
If there's one time to think inside the box when writing a personal statement, it's with the technical rules. If there's a required word count, stay inside of it, whatever you do. If they want a specific font type or size, don't try to wow them with your downloaded font pack. If they need a specific file type, make sure your document is in it.
It sounds obvious, but little details like these can be easily overlooked. They're also the first step to getting your foot in the door and onto the desks of the application committee, so color inside of the lines. Doing so will prove that you know how to follow guidelines. Not doing so will get your personal statement a reserved spot in the trash.
It's easy to derail from the topic at hand or to answer a question with which you feel more comfortable than the original question posed. However, it's so important to stay on track and show that you are more than equipped to deal with whatever is thrown at you. First, provide an interesting hook—a succinct and engaging sentence to draw readers in and make them want to read more. Then, ensure you follow a clear structure and present a logical flow of thoughts. When answering the question, get to the point as quickly as you can, and stay relevant. If you're not sure whether to include something, keep rereading the question or topic to make sure you're not off track.
"One size fits all" isn't just a lie in the fashion industry; it's also a lie for personal statements. You shouldn't submit the same personal statement to multiple different schools, just changing the school and program names. Even though the application committee won't know this for sure, they'll get a sense that the whole statement is just a little too generic. Worse, you're proving to yourself that you don't have what it takes to write a different statement for each school, which is a little lazy and pretty insulting to the addressee. So don't do it!
Many hopeful students, especially at the post-grad level, make it a point to show they've done their homework, mentioning particular researchers at the school whom they'd love to work with. Remember that one size never fits all.
Let's be honest. Nobody wants to hear about the rising tuition costs in America or how the field you're in is progressing at a steady pace. Generalized statements are a killer in personal statements because, of course, the focus should be on you. Talk about how these things affect you specifically. Make your personal statement personal!
Home in on a level of specificity, and keep zooming in until all of the broad statements are vanquished. Instead of talking about rising tuition costs, talk about how you worked two jobs to feed your cat.
On that note, though . . .
Don't tell a sob story. Everybody has one; it's part of being human.
But you can't let something bad that's happened to you become an excuse. You don't want to rely on it, and you don't want the application committee to think you're trying to gain pity, so it's important that you remain professional. If you have overcome a struggle or a tragedy and it has genuinely influenced or changed you, of course you can and should talk about it. However, try to put a new or positive spin on it when possible. Talk about how working those two jobs was worth it, the different things you learned from your two bosses, or how your experiences made you who you are today.
In writing a personal statement , you should present yourself as a well-rounded individual but outline your achievements in different areas like academics, athletics, the arts, and your work, volunteer, and social experiences. Make sure, though, that you've moved on from high school. Your experiences should be current and professional.
What you did last weekend is more important than a project you completed three years ago. The application committee wants to know who you are now, not who you once were. What will you do in your free time today, tomorrow, and in the future? It's important that the application committee gets a sense of who you really are.
Maybe you lack experience. Maybe you've never had a job in your field, or you haven't volunteered enough. Maybe your marks fell halfway through school, or you lost a scholarship. Maybe you don't have any extracurricular activities to list, or you've been out of the game for a while. The worst thing you can do, when faced with these common problems, is to make excuses. Don't even make excuses when they're valid, and don't apologize. There are always explanations for doing poorly, doing nothing, or just not doing the right thing, but they should never be used as excuses. If you absolutely feel the need to address your mistakes, try to talk about what you've learned or how you've grown and changed for the better.
Another common mistake on the flip side of the last is putting on a great big show. Drop the dramatics. If you haven't found a cure for the common cold, then don't act like you have. Can the over-the-top descriptors, adjectives, and adverbs, and let your accomplishments speak for themselves. Similarly, the jargon, the overly academic language, and the stuffy personality have all got to go. It's okay to keep your personal statement simple because that will make it genuine. Write like yourself, and the personal statement will not turn into a drama.
It's important, though, that you don't take the backseat. This is your personal statement. What is it about you that the application committee needs to know to understand who you are and how you function? How can you best demonstrate your strengths, achievements, and ability to overcome challenges? Which ones have made you the person you are? These are all worth considering.
There will be points where you have to brag a little bit, but do so subtly. Mentioning your achievements is important. Explaining how you made them and what you learned is more important.
There's a very fine balance to strike in your personal statement, and it's one that's often overlooked. This is probably the most important tip! Here it is: you need to balance how you can benefit the school in question and how the school in question can benefit you. If you focus too much on the first, you'll come across as arrogant. If you focus too much on the second, you'll come across as desperate. So make sure you balance it out.
What does the school gain from accepting you? That's important to answer, and that's the whole point of writing a personal statement. Answering that question well will get you accepted. At the same time, you have to thoroughly explain what it is about the school that makes it so desirable. Without that, the application committee may believe that you don't think you need its school and that any school will suit your purposes fine. Make sure you give and take!
If you're enthusiastic about the prospect of attending a school, say so! Most students decide to apply for a program because they are excited about the material and the prospect of using the knowledge they'll gain in their future careers. You can also add a touch of altruism by explaining how you hope to harness your passion to help others. For example, if applying to a business program, express your excitement to take advantage of its prestigious alumni roster as well as your hope to help a particular nonprofit. Be specific about why you're excited about the opportunities a school or program will provide.
Focus on highlighting unique experiences that could have only happened to you. This will help get your personal statement remembered and cared about. Show that you have energy and passion, that you are committed, and that you are unique (because you are). However, be humble. Unique does not mean "the best." There's always room for improvement, so instead of trying to sound like the best, try to sound irreplaceable. What makes your point of view your very own? That's what you want to demonstrate. Everybody's different, so make sure the application committee understands how you're different by the end of your essay.
Here's the hard truth: one typo can make or break your personal statement. You need to have your personal statement edited and proofread, whether professionally or by a friend or colleague. Seriously, just do it. There's always, always room to improve. Even if you have flawless grammar and spelling (and no typos), perhaps you can work on clarity, tone, structure, or flow. Having others look at your document for you can provide a fresh perspective not unlike that of the application committee. An editor will not only improve the language in your piece but will also give you pointers on how to improve the content. Your personal statement isn't complete unless it's been edited!
Now that you know the common mistakes students make, you can avoid them. Writing a personal statement can be a little more than intimidating, but following these suggestions will at least put you ahead of the others. Here's to getting your personal statement on the top of the pile!
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Typ0s, repeated words words, and other signs of humanity on your college application.
This week we welcome Senior Admission Counselor Samantha Rose-Sinclair to the blog. Welcome, Sammy!
Our twelfth president was formally installed in a ceremony called an Investiture last October. It was a powerful celebration that happens only a few times in the life cycle of an institution. As the person behind our admission Twitter account, I was thrilled to attend in order to share the festivities with our online community.
The result: 351 cumulative words and 13 carefully curated tweets and retweets over four hours to capture the significance of the morning. And in the very last tweet–the grand finale–the first word was a typo. And I didn’t see until until hours later. The. First. Word . Face, meet palm. Much like college essays, tweets can’t be edited after pressing send (but uh, @twitter, if you’re listening, I wouldn’t mind sacrificing this comparison if you’d consider changing that) so this one lives on to quietly haunt me forever.
That Moment You Find an Error….
Months ago you drafted your essays, polished your application, and submitted it into finality. Now you anxiously start peeking back at your docuuments while you wait for the decision on the other end. That’s when you see it: the word “biomedical” repeated twice, perhaps the incorrect use of “there.” My advice could be to close your laptop, walk away from your application, and we could end the blog there. But I’m a realist–so we’ll keep going.
Here are some more numbers for you: We’ve been reviewing files for about 117 days now. That’s around 35,000 essays, another 35,000 supplemental essays, 58,000 rec letters, and one “Nicholas Cage Appreciation Club” extracurricular. But whose counting, right?
Let’s be honest, I’m not 100% confident in all those numbers, but I am without a doubt confident about this: in thousands of decisions rendered, no one has been denied for a typo. Or the inverse: I’ve read a comment from a student on a college admission forum that hid typos in an essay to see if a school really read them. When he was admitted, he concluded that they didn’t. That’s just not how it works. (The truth: they read his essay and likely looked past the errors.)
We don’t practice gotcha! admission review. By that I mean, Admission Officers aren’t cynics looking for that one mistake, a missed point on a final grade, or that one letter that’s out of place in order to cross you off the list and move on. Actually, I don’t mind the occasional light reminder that at its core, this process is human, our applicants are human, and the function that the application serves is often more important than the form it takes.
Keep the Big Picture in Mind
In the past few months, I’ve read about some school called Georgia Gech and been called Georgia Tech University more times than I can count. A student discussing foreign policy spelled illegal, “ill eagle” and one student (hopefully) used the wrong vowel when describing his love of math. Some were admitted, some were denied, but all those decisions were made with the bigger picture in mind.
Schools that practice holistic admission use your application as a medium to learn not only about what you’ve done, but to learn about who you are and how you would contribute to campus. This is our chance to hear your voice–what are you passionate about? What drives your intellectual curiosity? Can we see you coming to campus and building on your experiences and interests to add to our campus community? When a school takes the time to comb through your applications, essays, and activities, we do so with intention and care. While we expect that you put the same care into your application, we also know when to extend grace.
Quick word from the devil’s advocate: this is not intended as your hall-pass to forgo the editing process or skip having others look over your work before sending it to us to review. That’s still an important part of the process. If your on your own, try changing the font and printing out your essay (sometimes it’s easier to catch things in print) and reading it aloud, or copying and pasting it into a text to speech site to hear it read to you. Though not perfect, that should help you catch most mistakes. After sending, if you notice mistakes that would prevent us from understanding that bigger picture (perhaps an imperative sentence got missed when you copied and pasted from your drafts) feel free to reach out to admissions offices. If it’s just a letter here, or a missed word there, there’s no need to do anything further. We get it. There’s a lot on your plate this college admission season, feel free to take this little piece of worry off it.
Be Kind to Yourself
One more time for good measure: Schools don’t practice “gotcha” admission review. When a recommender highlights an activity that a student forgot to mention, we’ll note it. When a student laments a class they just couldn’t fit into their schedule, we understand there’s only so much time in the day. Still, those aforementioned college forums are riddled with “I wish I…”, “Help! I forgot…” and various other shoulda/coulda/wouldas. We get it! This process can drum up self-reflection and subsequent anxieties you’ve never experienced before. But regardless of the decision awaiting at the end, submitting college applications is a huge achievement, and your personal growth over the past four years to get to this point is even bigger. So, it’s your turn: we extend grace- we just hope you’ll be kind to yourself too.
This blog is roughly double the length of most of those 30,000 essays we’ve read to date. Not including the title and the listing of application typos, there were four typos of my own. Did you notice them? They may have been momentarily distracting, but were you able to understand the bigger message? That’s the point. A typo in a tweet about a president’s Investiture doesn’t take away from the gravity of the day, an error in a blog doesn’t override the message, a mistake in an application doesn’t preclude admission. So, whether you’re applying to Georgia Gech, or somewhere else entirely, one mistake doesn’t erase years of hard work. We look forward to getting to know you–humanity and all.
If you would like to subscribe to receive blog entries when they post, please enter your email address above, or click the “Subscribe” button in the header at the top of this page. We also welcome comments or feedback @gtadmission on Twitter.
Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech. He has served on a number of national advisory and governing boards at the state, regional, and national level. Rick travels annually to U.S. embassies through the Department of State to discuss the admission process and landscape of higher education. He is the co-author of the book The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together, and a companion workbook published under the same title. A native of Atlanta, he earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. from Georgia State University. Prior to coming to Tech, Rick was on the admissions staff at Georgia State, The McCallie School and Wake Forest University. @clark2college View all posts by Rick Clark
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Before your essay sounds good, it has to sound honest. Authenticity should always be your starting point. Over the years, I've helped hundreds of students write their personal statements and I can tell you that the most successful essays are always written by the heart before the hand. Why? Because at the end of the day, authenticity is the fabric of genuine and impactful connection. It's more than just showing the reader who you are; it's about using your essence to reflect theirs. Think of any film or song that resonates with you. This is precisely the bond that you want to create with your reader. This leads to the next point..
Write for yourself , not for the school. Of course, you will need to eventually tailor your essay into a mature and professionally sounding piece while following certain guidelines; however, do not make the mistake of writing with the question of "what do colleges want to hear?" I strongly suggest journaling your first draft. In other words, forget the fact that you are writing an admissions essay and simply speak your heart and mind for as if you were writing in a diary or talking to a friend. This strategy is particularly helpful for students who are struggling to find a meaningful topic. Most importantly, don't be discouraged by a lack of direction; I promise that you will strike gold so long as you keep digging. Expression and discovery always go hand in hand.
It's all in the presentation. Yes, you should avoid sob stories and cliches; however, this ultimately doesn't boil down to the topic but the context in which you use it. There is not a single generic topic that is off limits so long as you talk about it in a non-generic way. In other words, it's not just what you say but how you say it. The number of themes available to you are ultimately limited; however, the methods of framing and packaging it are endless.
Do not be dogmatic (or lazy) with your approach. Oftentimes, when I'm working with a student, we touch upon a side-theme in the final draft that paints the essay in a much more impactful and authentic light. When this occurs, I always encourage students to restructure the entire piece to fit that theme, working on the essay three-dimensionally. You may very well find new themes and have new realizations as you are writing. Never be afraid to reconstruct or even demolish your piece if you've found a better foundation to build on.
Write from a place of authority. After all, it's a personal statement, not a personal plea. You need to have conviction when talking about your life. At certain points, you may ask yourself, "Is this good enough for a college essay?" Replace that question with "If this was the last time I spoke about my life, would this be the story I want to share?" Most of all, don't think that just because you're young, you cannot teach the admissions board member something new about life or offer them an interesting perspective.
Not every essay needs to be serious or profound. You can probably imagine how much drama college admission reads. A little levity goes a long way. If you have a sense of humor, use it! Also, if you are discussing a heavy topic, it may help to find places in your essay for some relief. A mature essay is one that can balance a spectrum of emotions.
Start by showing; not telling. Ever notice how some television series open with an interesting scene that is not yet explained, followed by the opening credits, then the actual storyline that leads up to it? Try adopting this approach for your essay. Engage your reader from the start with an anecdote. Then format the rest of the essay so that your opening scene starts making sense.
Tie the conclusion back to the introduction. For instance, if you opened up with an anecdote, refer to it (or something similar) in a new light and with a new understanding in your conclusion. While this strategy is not always necessary, having your essay come full circle is always pleasing for the reader.
Title your essay. Often underrated, but an interesting title goes a very long way and can be the perfect bow for your masterpiece. Sometimes, it's great to think of a title BEFORE you finish your essay; this way, you'll have a better understanding of your essay's meaning as you are writing it. It also helps to look through your essay to see if there are any interesting phrases or words that could be used as a title.
Stick to the theme! While it may be tempting to veer off into tangents to show how diverse you are, doing so will always dilute the impact of your personal statement. Remember, you don't have a huge word-count to work with. Therefore, your essay needs to be as efficient as possible. Focus on quality, not quantity. Remember, you are not writing a resume; you're creating a story, and the last thing you want to do is to make your reader forget what it's about.
Happy writing, everyone, and remember, authenticity is key.
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What's done is done. Quit fussing.
dgstrikers said: I just submitted my primary app but I noticed a typo in my personal statement. I used the work "threw" instead of "through". I dont know how i missed this I reviewed it multiple times!! Is there anything I can/should do? Click to expand...
Not a problem. Clear evidence that the essay was not written by a hired gun.
mariposas905 said: OP I'm curious why did you submit your primary so late in the cycle? To answer your question, though, there is nothing you can do to fix this but it really shouldn't be an issue. Click to expand...
Don’t do anything. Currently a second year med student and had a typo on my essay. My interviews never mentioned it. That doesn’t mean they didn’t notice it but they probably liked my application enough to give me an interview despite my typo. By the way, the typo I had was the same type.
Too most important qualities in an applicant: 1. Hard working. 2. Attention ot detail.
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I submitted my application to my top choice school a few days ago, and when going back and reading my personal statement I realized there was a small typo. I'm devastated, as I read my statement probably 50 times before submitting and even let someone else read it and somehow it went unnoticed.
When you find a typo in your already submitted personal statement. I'm not gonna re-read anything, including secondaries, until I get an interview. That means they want you to come regardless of all of your typos or errors. I have honestly refused to re read it for this reason. I wrote strengths as "strenghthts".
Typo on submitted PS... : ( : r/premed. Typo on submitted PS... : (. I feel really dumb writing this, but I managed a typo on my personal statement, after literally proofreading for at least a 100 times. I submitted my TMDSAS app today.
You're doing it wrong, part 1: your personal statement. This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you. I did the math this year and ~1% of the personal statements I read this year were memorable in a positive light. ~7% were memorable in a negative light.
Found a typo in my personal statement and corrected it within one hour of the personal statements being available to programs. How will this affect me deleted1016251 Oct 21, 2020 Replies 5 Views 3K Oct 21, 2020 gutonc L ERAS Personal Statement 1-Page Rule lakeofavalon Sep 13, 2021 Replies 2 Views 1K Sep 17, 2021 GoSpursGo D
Must-read law school personal statement examples by accepted applicants, including proven strategies by a former admissions officer.
That sounds anal to me. Jun 7, 2009 #12 Post the typo so that we can judge. Heres hoping you weren't browsing porn while typing your personal statement and accidently put "big beautiful women stomping cornbread between their webbed toes" in the essay instead of google. Jun 7, 2009 #13 BlueElmo said:
If you found a typo in your application essay after you've submitted, there is no need to panic. But what should you do about it?
2. Typo/Grammatical - This is the most heartbreaking kind of mistake because you worked so hard to avoid it and it feels so final. One person called me yesterday and said she had repeated "the the" in a sentence in her personal statement, and another applicant called me today because she left out the word "to" in a sentence in her optional essay. If you're going to make a mistake ...
Typo in personal statement. Application Process. Just submitted 2 applications today with the same personal statement. After submitting I realized that I had a typo. I meant to write "I was able to quickly" in the sentence and instead I wrote "I was able quickly". Does forgetting one word warrant calling the school to re-submit the ...
Sometimes the easiest way to figure out how to write a personal statement is to look at someone else's efforts and see how not to write one. In this article, we present to you a superbly bad (fictional) personal statement and show you just how many ways in which it misses the mark. We'll also explain what our hapless fictional student should have done in order to write a personal statement ...
Unleash your inner legal superstar with our Ultimate Guide to Writing an Outstanding Law School Personal Statement! In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through every step of crafting a dazzling, unforgettable statement that will have admissions committees clamoring to admit you to their hallowed halls. From choosing the perfect topic to structuring your story and polishing it to ...
Hello y'all, I just realized I made a typo at the end of my personal statement. I mistakenly put "and" in place of "has" in one of my concluding sentences. I also had a repeating word in one of the description for my extracurricular activity. Do y'all think I should email all the schools...
When writing a personal statement, learn from the mistakes of others to make sure you get into the program of your dreams.
He mentioned one student will both an excellent LSAT and GPA but that he considered the student a sure reject when the student never emailed to address a typo in their personal statement. God, that is insane!!! Makes me not as interested in Georgetown. People, including lawyers, make mistakes all the damn time.
Georgia Tech Senior Admission Counselor discusses the impact that typos and other mistakes will have on your college application, and she offers advice for students when they discover a typo after submission.
Typo In Personal Statement (I'm a Canadian applicant btw.) So I've noticed one small typo in my personal statement. I wrote "about I considered normal" instead of "about what I considered normal." I was thinking of emailing the school asking to resubmit my statement.
Even still, a small typo like that shouldn't hinder your chances, as long as you kept to a very strong standard for the rest of your personal statement. Good luck with it!
Found a typo in my personal statement and corrected it within one hour of the personal statements being available to programs. How will this affect me deleted1016251 Oct 21, 2020
10 tips for writing an outstanding personal statement (from a writer). Before your essay sounds good, it has to sound honest. Authenticity should always be your starting point. Over the years, I've helped hundreds of students write their personal statements and I can tell you that the most successful essays are always written by the heart ...
Getting your personal statement right is a crucial part of the application process. Learn how to format your personal statement, and find examples.
Not really, no. Most personal statements are read through quickly and the mistake probably won't even get noticed, but even if it did it's just a typo. Don't worry about it. 1 user 7+ Year Member Jul 5, 2017 #3
Typo in Personal Statement. This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you. I just submitted my primary app but I noticed a typo in my personal statement. I used the work "threw" instead of "through". I dont know how i missed this I reviewed it multiple times!!