Instructions and Tips – Write Personal Statement
The Personal Statement is one of the very important components of applying to universities in English-speaking countries. Elite universities, in particular, usually require such a personal statement when applying for a place to study, but at other US and UK universities too, the admissions bodies often request personal statements. So if you want to complete your studies or a semester in English-speaking countries, you will sooner or later face the challenge of writing a personal statement. But then at the latest, the question arises, what a personal statement actually is concrete and how it is written.
What Is A Personal Statement Exactly?
Basically, the Personal Statement is comparable to the third party site known in this country. In part, the Personal Statement is also referred to as an Application Essay or Statement of Purpose and behind it hides a one- to two-page essay, in which the candidate should convince the Admissions Board of a suitable student for the respective university. But the personal statement is not just about describing your own motivation for this degree program at this particular university. Likewise, the Personal Statement should express what distinguishes the applicant as a personality, what he can contribute to the university and what professional plans he wants to realize with and after graduation. Crucial and, at the same time, the biggest difficulty in writing a staff statement is that the applicant is by no means simply writing a coherent text that details his curriculum vitae or cover letter. Rather, it is about showing the admissions committee of the university new aspects that arise from the life story, personal attitudes and professional plans.
How is a Personal Statement Written?
The Personal Statement is always a coherent text that usually includes one to two pages. In some cases, however, the universities also specify certain guidelines with regard to length and external shape. The Personal Statement deals with a fixed topic, whereby the questions are sometimes somewhat more specific, but usually very general. The form in which the applicant deals with the question remains up to his decision, because there are no binding rules on this. Rather, the question can be an orientation guide as to whether the applicant is more likely to focus on autobiographical issues or whether to write his personal statement more in line with his professional career. It is very important that the personnel statement contains news. For example, the candidate can tell of a specific experience in his life that has been decisive for his professional career and shaped his decision for his career plans. In addition to character traits and personal qualities, the applicant should also show what he can contribute to the university, what makes him a worthy student and how he imagines his future career. The reference to what the applicant wants to achieve through the studies must not be lost. One of the biggest challenges in writing a personal statement is finding the right mix of personality and professionalism. Unlike a Letter of Motivation, the Personal Statement is not just about the motivation of the candidate. The Personal Statement should indicate at the same time what constitutes the applicant as an individual and why the university should decide for him. The personal statement may well be original and creative, but must always be honest without becoming too personal.
What approach is appropriate for writing a personal statement?
Especially with very general questions, it is sometimes not so easy to formulate a personal statement. However, the Admissions Committee does not only review the candidate’s ability to express himself, or the extent to which the soft skills he has designated elsewhere, but often decides on the basis of the staff statement. Accordingly, a good and convincing quality is accordingly important. To make it easier to formulate, it often proves to be a list of questions and then answered in the context of the staff statement.