How To Write An Effective Personal Statement

How to assure that your personal statement becomes the centerpiece of your application.

What you'll learn
how to write an effective personal statement
Requirements
none
Description
Congratulations. Since you are about to write a personal statement it means that you have excelled at your academic career and are ready to reach the next level. I’ve helped hundreds of students to write their personal statements and I know writing a great personal statement is difficult, but I can show you how to skillfully pull it off—and get a boost of self-esteem to boot. I first want to convince you of the importance of the personal statement in your application process; most students don’t understand the huge role it plays. Then I’ll show you who precisely is your audience, who specifically you are trying to impress. Then I’ll take you through my three-step process that will convince you to take the time and energy to insure that you create an outstanding essay.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Where we are heading: what constitutes a great personal statement

Lecture 2 Your personal statement potential is HUGE

Lecture 3 How many programs will read your personal statement attentively?

Lecture 4 A majority of programs: your personal statement is crucial

Lecture 5 Consider two perspectives: yours and the admission directors'

Section 2: Our Three-Step Process

Lecture 6 View the process from two perspectives

Lecture 7 Your ultimate goal

Lecture 8 Apply GROW: Generate

Lecture 9 Writing–especially personal statements–is storytelling.

Lecture 10 Generate: a specific example

Lecture 11 Relate: how to connect and link your ideas to create a flow of logic

Lecture 12 Transitions and Segues

Lecture 13 Organize

Lecture 14 Analyze your transitions and segues

Lecture 15 Wordsmith

Lecture 16 A specific example

Lecture 17 Erin's segues

Lecture 18 Erin's Golden Nugget

college students