Structuring Your Personal Statement
You're sitting in front of the computer screen. Your word processing program is open, but the screen is blank. You've been staring at it for what seems like an eternity. You don't know where to start or where to go. What are they looking for? How are you supposed to write it?
The cause of your frustration? An application essay. You can write application essays in many different ways, but the human interest story provides an effective model for writing your essay and easing your frustration. You read human interest stories in newspapers and magazines all the time. They are popular and effective because they engage the reader's interest, persuade him or her of the writer's point of view, and sell periodicals. Similarly, an application essay or personal statement must engage the admissions staff, convince them of your viewpoint, and sell you.
Human interest stories typically have the following structure: lead, thesis, body, conclusion. Using that structure for your personal statement provides you with a framework around which to build your essay.
Begin with a lead, also called a hook. A lead is usually a brief anecdote, a question, a startling statistic or quote, or a gripping description of a scene. The lead has a very important job: hooking the reader. Any writer will tell you that the first few lines of an article, ad, or letter determine the success of that piece. And the same is true for your essay. Put your most interesting tidbit at the beginning.
Now that you have the reader's attention, tell him/her the point of your essay--the thesis. The thesis can be a one-sentence summary or road map of your personal statement. It typically follows the lead and introduces the body, the longest section of your paper.
The body provides evidence to support your thesis. In writing the body avoid generalities and platitudes; give concrete examples from your life. Writing about specific experiences has a number of advantages:
Specifics keep the reader's attention more effectively than generalities.
Drawing on situations in your life will distinguish you from other applicants who superficially may be very similar to you.
All good things must end; so too must your essay end with a conclusion. The conclusion ties up the essay by briefly referring back to the lead, restating the thesis, and if relevant, mentioning some long term goals.
Lead, thesis, body, conclusion. That is the structure of a successful human interest story and personal statement. After all, the effective personal statement really tells a human interest story--a human interest story about you.
申英国研究生个人陈述怎样写? 申请材料一个都不能少!
申英国研究生个人陈述怎样写1、学习热情与动力个人陈述中应清晰表达自己对课程的热情,内容应该与个人学习经历相关,譬如参与过的项目、实地考察以及教育经历等等,也正是这些经历激发了你对所申请专业的兴趣。
英国伦敦埃塞克斯大学的相关申请资料,懂得这些,大有帮助!
对于英国留学的同学来说,英国英国伦敦埃塞克斯大学申请的前景都怎样呢?接下来,小编将详细英国伦敦埃塞克斯大学的相关申请资料,懂得这些,大有帮助!
英国UCAS系统什么时候开放申请?这篇文章可以给你最明确的答案
英国UCAS系统申请流程:1.Personal Details个人基本信息2.Additional Information英国本地学生需要填写的资金信息(证明有能力支付学费)3.Choices 每位学生在
曲筱绡是在美国留学吗?美国留学的条件和流程是什么?
二、美国留学所需材料申请美国研究生的学生需要以下材料:1.本科学位,学历证书2.GMAT或者GRE成绩3.TOEFL或者IELTS成绩4.GPA(大学平均绩点)5.Personal Statement(
澳洲开设美术专业的大学有哪些最好?申请的时候递交什么作品集?
莫纳什在墨尔本有七个校区,每个校区皆各具特色。莫纳什大学在校学生数达63002人,其中国际学生占比35%。
大学平均分不够能去澳洲留学么?以下五点助你一臂之力
3、个人陈述 Personal Statement许多名牌大学的申请都是需要在申请前写一份personal statement(PS)来解释自己的学习经验和工作经历的。