WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT Anna Polenova Associate Professor

WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT Anna Polenova Associate Professor English Language Depart for Humanities Rostov-on-Don 2015

STRUCTURE What is a PERSONAL STATEMENT BEFORE YOU START WRITING-basic categories/ General Guidelines for the Personal Statement ORGINISING AND PROCESSING YOUR PS Do's and don'ts when writing your Personal Statement Ø Personal Statement Samples-analysis and advice on writing Ø Ø Ø

What is a personal statement? The personal statement exists to allow applicants to convey something personal about themselves and to convince the selection committee that the applicant is an especially attractive candidate

Who will read the personal statement? Ø an admissions tutor for a taught postgraduate course Ø the project supervisor for a postgraduate research programme (e. g. MRes or Ph. D supervisor) Admissions tutors will often have several decisions to make. Firstly, they will decide who is eligible to be accepted on the course. Secondly, if there are too many eligible applicants they will decide who has priority.

What do admissions tutors look for? reasons why you want to study at this institution; an insight into your academic and non-academic abilities, and how they'll fit with the course; an explanation of how the course links your past and future; evidence of your skills, commitment and enthusiasm.

How to write an effective personal statement Write in excellent English or another relevant language Proof-read your personal statement for any grammatical or linguistic errors Write in a style that is clear, logical, concise and not too elaborate or complicated.

BEFORE YOU START WRITING The Personal Statement generally falls into one of two categories: The general, comprehensive personal statement The response to very specific questions

What should I include? why you're applying - this may be linked to your career goals, academic interest, personal development or the university's reputation. Consider which aspects of the course you find most appealing, such as modules or work experience opportunities; your academic and non-academic experience - highlight relevant skills and knowledge that will enable you to make an impact. This may include grades, awards, placements, extra readings or conferences attended; your preparation - address how undergraduate study has prepared you, mentioning your independent work (e. g. dissertation) and topic interests; your skillset - mention the abilities that you've developed in areas including IT, analysis, numeracy, time management, communication, organisation and critical thinking; your goals - consider your short-term course aims and long-term career ambitions, relating the two.

How do I write a good personal statement give yourself plenty of time to complete it; read any rules, guidelines or selection criteria carefully before writing; research your chosen university and course, tailoring each statement accordingly; stick to the word limit; continue to redraft until everything's right; ask a friend, family member or careers adviser to check your statement once it's finished.

PERSONAL STATEMENT STRUCTURE Introduction - capture your reader's attention with enthusiasm and positivity from the outset. Main body - express how your skills, knowledge and experience relate to the course. Around half of this section should focus on you and your interests. The other half should focus on the course. Conclusion - summarise why you're the ideal candidate for the programme in the most powerful way possible. Emphasise your key selling point.

How to process your PS Research the school and/or program which you are applying to. Brainstorm some ideas. Create a perfect structure, which includes separate sections, introductions and conclusions. Create an introduction that will immediately catch the attention of the admissions officer. Nail correct grammar ensuring succinct and effective communication from the writer to the reader. Limit unnecessary words, lighten overweight phrases, strengthen weak verbs, and eliminate runon sentences and clichés. Make sure that paragraphs have "hooks" linking them to preceding and continuing paragraphs. Ensure your text is as "transparent" as possible to the reader. Create a fresh approach loaded with influential keywords. Tailor the message to adhere to academic standards regarding expression, structure, and format. Write a personal statement that builds on your strengths and clearly articulates your desires, ambitions and motivations. Make sure you have no grammar mistakes, misspelled words or fragments. Ensure proper use of pronouns and verbs. Demonstrate that you’re a proficient, credible and astute person. Ask someone else to criticize your personal statement. Proofread your personal statement

Do's when writing your personal statement Do allocate enough time to writing your statement Do make sure that you carefully read and follow any instructions relating to the personal statement. Do write a response within the word limit set. Don’t be tempted to get around limits by using a very small font. Do type your final draft unless it is requested that you submit a handwritten application. Do write a separate personal statement for each application. Do make sure that you think carefully about your positive qualities and achievements and how they help demonstrate that you will be successful on the course. Do remember that work experience, hobbies, volunteering activities etc. are potentially important sources of evidence. Do sound as definite as possible in the way you word your statement. Don’t say "I hope to do this", "I might like to do that". Instead it would be better if you could say "I want to/intend to do this".

Don'ts when writing your personal statement Don’t be negative; Don’t follow an online template; Don’t include irrelevant course modules, personal facts or extracurricular activities; Don’t lie or exaggerate; Don’t make pleading statements; Don’t flatter the organisation that you're applying to; Don’t repeat information found in your application; Don’t use clichés, humour or Americanisms; Don’t include other people's quotes; Don’t namedrop key authors without explanation; Don’t use overly long sentences; Don’t use the same statement for each application; Don’t waffle.

Individual assignment Choose a course/programe/university you want to study at and write a personal statement saying why you are the best candidate. Think of some examples or details to support your point. E-mail your writing to ANNA POLENOVA polenova_a@list. ru