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How to Write a Successful College Personal Statement

How to Write Education-Related Copy

How to Write a Successful College Personal Statement

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How to Sit Down and Actually Start Writing a Research Paper

By Jay Neaves

While academic background, grades and extra curricular activities play a significant part in getting your college application approved, for highly competitive courses, your college personal statement can be the difference between admission to your chosen college and that dreaded rejection letter.

The significance of your college personal statement should not be underestimated and it is simply not enough to rely on other the other factors in your college application. You may have worked extremely hard to secure good grades, you may be a talented musician or sports player, but unfortunately, you can never be certain that the grades and talents of the individuals you are competing with for your college admission are greater than your own.

The statement is your opportunity to shine. It is the one area of your application where you can make a difference right now. Sadly, too many college applicants become complacent in their college personal statement and fail to demonstrate their competencies and talents effectively.

Every year, between 70 and 130 rejected students from all over the world contact my service in distress and desperation seeking my services to write their college application appeal letter. Fortunately, we can usually help and approximately 94% of the students we work with are able to secure their admission on appeal. However, the cost, stress and uncertainty their rejection creates is often completely avoidable if they had produced a well-structured and well-written personal statement.

"Where do I start?"

The vast majority of college applicants have no idea how to write their college statement and look to find quick, simple solutions. The problem is no definitive answer. There is no magic formula or template that you can use and any template you might consider buying is more likely to damage your application than it is to enhance it.

The key to writing a successful personal statement is to understand what the admission officials are actually looking for when they review your application. If you keep these objectives in mind when writing your college personal statement, it will help you to remain focused on the things that matter and whittle out the needless, ineffective information.

The college need to be satisfied that you are:

  • Suitable for the course you intend to study

  • Academically prepared for the course you intend to study

  • Able to make a valuable contribution to the course and to wider college life

    Some of the questions admission officials may be considering are:

    • Is this student conscientious, hardworking and likely to complete the course?
    • Does this student have the necessary communication skills?
    • Can this student work under pressure?
    • Is this student dedicated to this course and have they researched it well?
    • Do they have a genuine interest in the subject and a desire to learn more about it?
    • Does this student have the skills and disposition to be successful?

    "What aspects of my background and personal experiences should I focus on?"

    The content of your college personal statement must be relevant to your field of study. You should also avoid mentioning information that has been covered in other areas of your application. Focus on what you want to study and give personal reasons why. Show interest and existing knowledge of the field and relate the subject to your achievements and experiences.

    If you have participated in any practical work experience, student government, or charity work, use these experiences to demonstrate your ability to be reliable and responsible. For example, part time work requires you to be punctual, meet deadlines, communicate effectively with others, etc.

    Give insight into your personal interests, especially those that you could participate in when you arrive at college. Musical, sporting or language abilities are particularly desirable and should always be included to demonstrate that you have other attributes that make you a good candidate for your chosen college.

    Detail your personal long term goals and how you will use your degree to pursue your career plans. For example, if you intend to study criminal justice because you want to be a police officer, explain how you expect your degree to help you and why you chose to study rather than apply to police academy.

    "Where can I get more help with my personal statement?

    For some students, particularly those for who English is a secondary language, writing a coherent and effective college personal statement can be incredibly difficult. If you feel you need a higher level of support or someone to rewrite your statement on your behalf, there are many online professional writing services that provide these services.

    Your college personal statement is vitally important to gaining admission. Always ensure the statement you submit is of the highest possible standard if you want to ensure a secure academic future.

    Jay Neaves BA Hons Media & Communication Studies Author, copywriter and founder of The Professional Writing Service.

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