Tuesday, September 06, 2005

The Personal Statement



Okay, this week's feature is actually an extension of the mailbag.

Carrie of Oakland, CA promises to "buy six copies of the book" if I answer her questions about personal statements. In particular: What are schools looking for? She also has a friend who insists that applying early will help her chances significantly. She'd like to know if this is true. And, Kelly of Arlington, VA says she is an avid reader of the blog and she also asks about the personal statement, in particular: how much does the statement count within the entire application?

Okay, first of all the personal statement is the second most important item in your application. After the writing sample of course. Though, the writing sample counts about 90% of your selection. If the committee doesn't like your prose or poems, they won't even read your personal statement.

That said, if they do like your writing, then the personal statement can make significant difference. The committee is not only selecting the best writers (by whatever standards they choose), they are also selecting individuals who will work well within the workshop, who will be an asset to the program, and on a very basic level: they want people who play well with others.

I've got an exercise in the book for writing the personal statement, plus advice from current students and faculty, but the short version is: Be formal and friendly. State why you want to attend this particular program and what you hope to accomplish while you're there. Lean toward "learning and practicing the craft" rather than "getting a big book contract." Be specific. Talk about your writing experience in one paragraph, and do come across as disciplined and serious. Don't spend time explaining your writing. They've already read your writing. They know what it's like.

Come across as a real, three-dimensional person. This is the only chance you have to communicate who you are. If you've done interesting things in your life (worked with the Red Cross, taught white water rafting, raised your younger brothers, backpacked in Africa, bartended, worked as an exotic dancer, anything), then I'd encourage you to mention those things in your letter. Talk about what your interests are, even if that's simply reading, playing Ultimate frisbee, and hanging out with your sisters. You can mention your favorite writers if you want, but mention at least four or five if you do. Maybe the committee thinks your favorite writer is an idiot. Give them a few favorites to choose from.

Talk about why you think you'll benefit from the academic environment. Show that you value the process of workshops and other classes. Show that you value feedback and are willing to learn.

Be formal and friendly. I can't emphasize that enough. If you don't know what that means, then you've got problems. Your personal statement is not a text-message or quick email, and it's not a treatise to the royal family either.

Your statement should be no more than two pages, and a page to a page and a half is best.

In answer to the question: What are schools looking for? That's easy: serious writers who play well with other writers. People who take their work seriously and who don't take themselves too seriously.

And Carrie, I don't think that applying early will help you in most cases. I have recently seen - particularly at Arkansas - a sort of "rolling" admission, where you send in your writing sample alone, and if the committee likes it then they'll ask for additional material. These cases are rare, though I think they'll be expanding in coming years, as it seems to be more convenient for both the prospective student and the committee. So, do read the policy of each of your schools. If there is just one deadline for all material, then sending your work in early won't be an advantage. Though, remember that turning it in late will definitely disqualify you. So if you're done a few weeks ahead of time, go ahead and send it in.

Okay Carrie, we'll put you down for a half-dozen books. Anyone else who'd like to buy in bulk, just let us know. Thanks for the questions, and good luck to each of you through this application process.

P.S. I left out what I consider the obvious but here it is anyway: if a school has specific questions for you, definitely answer those in the statement or wherever the application indicates. And, there's a good site for general graduate school statements. It's from the Purdue Online Writing Lab, and it can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

As an insider, do you have any tips for applying to the Stegner?

Thanks

-MJL

Unknown said...

Only visit the online casinos or their offline counterparts with money that you can afford to lose. People who disobey this unwritten rule of responsible gambling inevitably end up making poor decisions.
statement services

Unknown said...

I got your all points but can you please mention how can e describe our special achievements? I mean to say can you provide any kind of pattern to make our profile statement?

personal statement for phd

Unknown said...

If you are applying to go to graduate school, you may find that writing the personal statement is one of the most challenging pieces of the entire application package. Admissions to a top graduate program is dependent on writing a really great personal statement writer.

Anonymous said...

When you start doing the creative activities then you surely have to passed through the good writing with the different purpose statement. This is one of the best way through which you can write more things in easy way. personal statement writing service

Troy Flores said...

In selecting a field of experience in master's degree college, you must take into thought your interest. If you have got passion in caring for teenagers, for example, pediatric medicine could be a nice field to pursue. personal statement masters

Unknown said...

Writing piece of writing desires thorough and in-depth data of the topic undertaken for the study. It got to be in-line with the topic of your analysis. personal statement writers

Newton Moses said...

I agree with you that applying very early for admission into a college does not necessarily give you an added advantage, applying within the given deadline is the best thing to do. It is also important to keep it in mind that you should keep your statement to a length of between one and two pages. Do not allow writing coursework to cause you sleepless nights whereas you can get assistance. All you have to do to obtain such help is click the link below:
Coursework Revision Help

Anynomous said...

The personal statement is your opportunity to give the admissions committee a sense of the person behind all the grades and test scores. Many of the other applicants are likely to have similar academic credentials, but none has your particular experience, background, or outlook. See more graduate school personal statement example

Allen jeley said...

nice

Allen jeley said...

Your educational statement amazing i read all topic thanks for share it personal statement editing service .

John Lewis said...

nice one.thanks for sharing.I have read it all.Hope you will like some personal statement template.Let me know if you like it.

Allen jeley said...

nice post

Allen jeley said...

nice

Unknown said...

thanks

Tyler Worgan said...

Looking for admission in best university so wanted to write a personal statement that can make a impact hopefully your blog give me some tips to write best personal statement.
english statement

milspec2017 said...

Astonishing blog. thanks for sharing with us.

music classes for adults

Survival Accessories

Wedding venue Adelaide

Astro sign

Unknown said...

This is a very nice blog and I hope that the author will be pleased to share with us such blogs even in the future. Any electrical or electrical engineering student or expert will have a lot to gain from this blog. This is a blog which I least expected to see today and it is indeed a privilege. I need Someone to Rewrite & Proofread my Essay

Unknown said...

This is the pleasant web site along with I'm hoping that this publisher are going to be very happy to present to people this sort of websites perhaps down the road. Just about any elector-mechanical as well as elector-mechanical anatomist university student as well as pro can have a good deal to realize because of this web site. This pediatrics personal statement writing is the website i very least supposed to discover right now in fact it is in fact a new benefit.