Personal Statement Workshop Presented by the Commission for Educational Exchange Between the United States and Belgium
Mission Website Study/ Research Resource Library Education Advising Center Email - Phone Teachers/ Language Assistants Fulbright Grants Journalism/ Law/ MBA Outreach European Union
What is it? An essay that describes your motivation within your field of study and includes past experiences that shaped your desires or influenced your qualifications current motivators of why there and why now future plans Your chance to talk to an admissions official in a personal way and give them a well-rounded view of yourself 500-700 words 3
How do I write one? Start early Create your CV Brainstorm examples of how you have demonstrated your interest/expertise in the field Think about how graduate school fits into your future plans Research program websites, talk to program alumni Allow ample time to draft and edit your document and have at least one person edit your document for grammar and style Four or five drafts are normal 4
Example Questions Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. Please tell us your goals for graduate study at X and for your career. Why is X the right place to pursue your academic objectives and to prepare you to meet your professional goals? Why have you selected the degree program to which you are applying? 5
Example Questions A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. Topic of your choice 6
Example Answer Introduction When I was 17 years old, my father took me to a Belgian brewery for the first time. Since then, I ve been conducting my own brewing experiments and selling the products to local shops Middle I have the passion for brewing, but I want to understand the mechanics and learn how to scale the demand for my product XYZ school s dual MS/MBA program will enable me Conclusion As a result, I will be able to spread my good beer throughout Belgium and hopefully introduce others to the joy of locally made beer the way my father introduced me. 7
Topics to Address Reasons for applying to graduate school Area in which you plan to specialize How you are prepared Any problems, challenges, or inconsistencies in your application or academic record Why this school How does graduate school fit into your future goals and career plan? 8
Do s Keep in mind the purpose of the statement do not include extraneous material Tell a story/find an angle Draw conclusions about the value of your experiences do not recount activities Use examples whenever possible Concentrate on your opening paragraph BRAG! 9
Don t Mention grades or testing scores Repeat information given elsewhere in the application, like biographical data Get too emotional, broad or technical. Avoid clichés. Use contractions/be too casual Focus on the adversity. Instead, focus on your reaction to it. Controversy: your admissions officer might have an opposite opinion Be repetitive or contradictory Tell the reader what is important in your field 10
Final Reminders Pick a glimpse of your life, rich with meaning, alive with imagery and clear in purpose Showcase your strong characteristics Pay attention to transitions and variety Use the active voice Don t thesaurusize Conclude effectively 11
Peer Exercise Cross out anything that Is irrelevant to the main points of the essay Repeats what has already been said Underline sentences that are solely descriptive Box words that should be replaced with the help of a thesaurus, if necessary Place brackets around sections that require clarification Draw stars next to any parts that are great!
Questions to Answer Did the opening paragraph make you want to keep reading, or no? Do you understand this person s motivation for graduate school, and how it fits in to their life story? Were there enough examples, or was it too general?
Royal Library Albert I, 3rd Floor Boulevard de L Empereur, 4, Keizerslaan B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)2 519.57.72 fulbright@fulbright.be www.fulbright.be