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Applying & writing your personal statement

how to write a personal statement king's college

Published at 12 Apr 2021

How to rock your king's college application (postgraduate), choose your course.

King's College London is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, ranked within the first 20 by QS World University Rankings in 2014. It is clear then why you chose to study at this institution. The first and most important (although often underestimated!) step of your application is choosing the right course. Start from the King's website, where you can browse courses by keywords. You can also download an overview of all postgraduate offers in the online prospectus. There are tons of options! If you're not quite sure whether you want to become a specialist in polar bears' reproduction yet, there are ways for you to find out what your dream course is. Check for postgraduate open evenings and campus tours on the website. Visits represent a great chance for you to clear your doubts, or even just “feel the vibe”. Keep in mind that this is where you'll spend some of the most exciting times of your life! Don't be afraid to ask: you can contact the programmes' directors, academics and current students. For this purpose, there is a Virtual Fair with videos, download materials, and even live chat opportunities. A few sample questions: what is the research in my field focusing on at the moment? Can I take optional modules from other Departments? What about foreign languages and joint Degrees? What conferences does the Faculty host? Biancamaria Fiore - KCL Student

Check the entry requirements

So you've found your perfect postgraduate programme at King's College . It's time to find out if you've got all it takes! Remember that entry requirements vary for each course and you can read them on the programme's webpage or on the online prospectus. For the majority of postgraduate taught courses, a 2:1 honours degree is required. Many postgraduate research degrees will also require a master's degree. King's is an international university, very aware of the different academic paths around the world. If you undertook your undergraduate studies overseas, they will recognise the equivalence. If you are an international student, make sure to meet the English language requirements too. These vary depending on your Faculty of choice but simply mean that if your mother tongue is not English, you have to prove your English language skills with an English Proficiency Test. Typically, students take the IELTS or TOEFL test. Biancamaria Fiore - KCL Student

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Personal statement

If you're applying for a Master or PhD, in order to be offered a place at King's College there's some writing for you to be done. A personal statement is basically a letter to the admissions panel, where you outline why you would make a great asset for their programme. This is not simply an extended version of your CV! It's usually good to start with a very personal paragraph (an anecdote, maybe) which tells the story of how you fell in love with the subject. Then you should move on proving this passion: your previous studies and extra-curricular activities related to the field, your publications and awards... It's not a bad idea to tell something extra about yourself: you speak other languages and love travelling, or maybe you care for animals and have volunteered in your local dogs' shelter. You definitely need to talk about King's too: why did you choose to study there? What do you expect from this programme? What are your academic and career goals? Some Master's programmes also ask you to write a short paragraph to outline the optional modules you'd like to take, and the topic you intend to write your final thesis on. PhDs applicants usually won't need to write a personal statement but are always required to submit a detailed research proposal. You will find guidance about how to write a research proposal on the department's website. Pretty much all PhD programmes (and some Master's too) will ask you to submit a written sample. This will typically be your Master's thesis or one other academic essay. Just a tip: check, double-check and ask someone else to check. Spelling and grammar mistakes could seriously compromise your application. Biancamaria Fiore - KCL Student

Reference letters

Reference letters are essential to both Master and PhD applications, at King's College and elsewhere. These are letters written by a person from your past in the position to describe your suitability for your intended studies: typically, previous professors or employers. King's College usually asks you to submit two reference letters. If you are applying for a Master, it's best to ask your undergraduate professors, while previous employers and supervisors are good options for PhD applicants. Your referees need to know you well and truly be excited about your future: “plane” reference letters are simply bad reference letters. They will need to describe in details your personality, writing and research skills and the projects you took part in, together with your attitude towards your peers and supervisors. In short, a good referee will describe you as special! Biancamaria Fiore - KCL Student

Time to apply!

The new year has started, you have decided what to study next at King's College and made sure you have all it takes: it's time for you to submit your application! First of all, find out when the deadline is but don't worry, we can already tell you there is still plenty of time. For September 2016 entries, Masters' applications at King's usually close in early April (with some earlier exceptions!), while for PhDs we are talking about the 2nd of September. Keep in mind that usually, funding deadlines are earlier! International students are often required to apply earlier too. Sometimes, late applications may be considered subject to the availability of places. If you are a PhD applicant, remember that you are strongly advised to contact potential supervisors before you submit your application. Some Departments actually ask you not to apply if you can't find a supervisor. Applications are made through UCAS or the “King's Apply” website. Here, you will have to register, give your personal information and upload relevant documents. Check for the application fee. Not all programmes require the application fee but if that's the case, you won't be able to submit your application until you will have paid £30. At King's College, it is possible to apply for several programmes, but you will have to pay a separate fee for each application. Biancamaria Fiore - KCL Student

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Personal Statement for King’s College London

Being one of the top colleges in the UK, King’s College London is preferred by students around the world for a bevy of courses. However, writing a personal statement for King’s College London seems like a big challenge. During our experience in the field, we had many students come to us for a personal statement for King’s College London.

We have leveraged our expertise in the field and the insights that we have gathered over the years to create compelling personal statements for our students for admission. And we have delivered them on time in PDF and Doc formats to the clients.

If you are in a trying situation toiling to make a personal statement for King’s College London , you have come to the right place. Our team has extensive experience in creating unique and effective personal statements for King’s College London even better than most samples online . That means, we can help you for sure.

Our skilled professional King's College personal statement writers helped 100+ students to get admissions.

How to Write a Personal Statement for King’s College London?

One of the major aspects of writing a personal statement for King’s College London or any other college for that matter is to understand the college’s preferences. You need to first understand if the college has any particular format or structure for the statement. When you understand that, you need to take into consideration other elements that the college looks for in a statement. When it comes to a personal statement for King’s College London , the total characters in a statement need to be less than 4000. Also the college would want to know what makes you an exciting addition to the college as well as to the department where you have applied to. Taking care of all these, you can make an excellent statement.

If you are confident to make a statement of your own, follow these tips:

Make sure that you have plenty of time to revise and edit the statement

Gather all the information needed to make the statement in advance

Make the statement a unique blend of personal and professional voices

Explain what makes you excited to study the course at King’s College London

Talk about your career aspirations and goals after the program

Elucidate upon how the college and your course there will help your career

As you can see, these tips can help you sail your statement closer to what the college expects. Adhering to the same can also save you time from having to search for sample personal statements for King’s College London in PDF.

What Makes Us One of the Best Names for Personal Statement for King’s College?

Writing a personal statement for a renowned course at King’s College London is not an easy job. One has to be extremely careful with the choices they make regarding the format, structure, vocabulary and tone of the s tatement . It has to be professional while being optimistic, respectful and confident.

However, that is not an easy job most of the time. This is where our team can support you. We have experience in creating excellent statements for King’s College London for a range of courses. And we can leverage the same for you too.

Further, we also have a multitude of service qualities that we hold closer to our hearts while delivering services to our clients. They are as given below:

Economic Personal Statement Help

One of the biggest traits that we are extremely proud of is our ability to provide our clients with economic and competitive pricing. Often students have to spend huge sums of money to pursue their higher education in King’s College London . However, the personal statement to get admission there from us is highly affordable.

Student-Centric Service Offerings

As an experienced and expert service provider, we are exceedingly particular about the services that we offer our clients. As we know that each student is a unique person with singular stories to tell, experiences to share, and destination to reach, we tender them with individualized personal statement writing services , as well.

World-Class Quality and Standards

Most of our students who want to get into King’s College London have to always compete with students from around the world. Hence, we work hard to render all our students with the best quality personal statements for King’s College , London with the help of internal quality systems and a series of assessment processes.

Team of Trained Writers and Editors

One of the most important strengths that we are extremely proud of is our team. The team has creative writers and qualified editors who can make every piece of personal statement incredibly value-adding for the students. This is what makes us a reliable brand to help you write personal statements for King’s College in London .

Our Industry Experience and Expertise

Professional, friendly customer care.

As a professional service provider, we always want to offer top-notch service support for all our students. Hence, along with providing the best personal statements for King’s College London, we render each of our students with comprehensive service support. This makes all our students comfortable to work with us.

In order to render all our students with personal statements for King’s College London the way they want, we combine all these elements. This helps us meet each of the personal statement writing needs of the clients such as quality, price, and support.

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Hire Personal Statement Writing Help for King’s College London

We know that getting into a suitable course at King’s College London can change the lives of many students for the better. Hence, students look to secure admission from the college with all their might. However, writing a personal statement for King’s College London is a huge task they find difficult to tackle.

Bringing together our experiences and skills in the field, we can create impressive personal statements for King’s College London in any format like PDF for you.

You are certain to get statements from us that are:

Focused on your end goal
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A lot of students are happy with our King's College Personal statement writing services

Despite being a busy service provider that services numerous students looking to study in King’s College London, and many others, we work personally with the students. We learn about their aspirations and goals, and the journey they so far had. This helps us write an incredibly value-adding personal statement for the college .

You can get all the details that you need about our personal statement writing services for King’s College London from our client support team.

Contact SOPC , here. We would love to hear from you.

Vasuki Ram, senior writer and the founder of SOP Consultants is a B-tech Graduate who used to work in an MNC. Starting from 2013, she along with her team has assisted more than 10,000 students. Shift in her career was drastic. Read full story here.

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Writing the personal statement for King's College London: Why you should play to your strengths

King’s College London is a leading institution for higher studies in law, and provides students with an opportunity to broaden their horizons in a vibrant community of intellectuals, students from other jurisdictions, and leading practitioners.

As part of the entry requirements for the LLM program applicants are required to submit a personal statement, English proficiency scores, copies of their academic transcripts, and can optionally submit a CV. This post breaks down how one should go about putting together the personal statement, and includes snippets from CollegeIt’s interaction with Farhan Shafi , an LLM candidate at King’s College London pursuing a specialization in international dispute resolution.

What should you include in the personal statement?

The university website specifies that the personal statement should not exceed 4,000 characters if directly entered into the online application form, or two pages if uploaded as an attachment.

In Farhan’s experience “ universities tend to put a lot of weightage to [the candidate’s] uniqueness and what [applicants] need to focus on is what makes you, ‘you’ .”, and accordingly it’s important to include details in the personal statement that are based on one’s strengths and experiences.

I didn't talk much about academics, I mean, you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot, right?

Following such an approach can also makes it easier gloss over shortcomings in one’s profile – for instance, Farhan did not meet the academic requirements for the LLM program at King’s . While the program required a High 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 65% or above, he only had about 61%.

In playing to his strengths, Farhan mentioned that he "didn't talk much about academics, I mean, you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot, right?", and instead he chose to talk about an access to justice initiative he had started in law school, which was engaged with by over 6 million people in its lifetime. He bolstered his statement by talking about his prior work experience in arbitration, potentially adding a few brownie points to his application, considering Farhan also wished to specialize in the same field.

I focused on my work experience, and an access to justice initiative I had started in law school

Academic achievements and engagement outside of the classroom, such as summer school experience, conferences, internships, and related work experience, can all be incorporated into the personal statement. Discuss prospects for postgraduate research, specific courses, and professors you admire. It's a good idea to avoid employing platitudes and generic phrases, and instead using the personal statement to speak in specifics about topics that you like.

Structuring the personal statement

As a broad approach for the personal statement, Farhan suggests that applicants should highlight their motivation for going for an LLM, what they bring to the table, and what they can do after obtaining an LLM. He followed a structure which focused on his prior work experience, which he then linked with the reasons for which he wanted to obtain an LLM, and demonstrated how the skills which he gathered could help him during the course of the program.

Based on our conversation with Farhan, the personal statement can potentially be structured as follows:

Make a great first impression in the initial part of the personal statement. Start out with a strong introductory paragraph that captures the attention of the reader. Consider mentioning your motivation for pursuing an LLM, and include a few lines about your biggest accomplishments.

Go ahead and tell your story after the strong introductory paragraph: talk about how your interest in law developed over the years, and how that led to an inclination towards any particular area of law. You can build a coherent narrative to demonstrate your interest in a particular specialization and your suitability for the program using past internships and work experience. In doing so, it is important to highlight how these experiences prompted you to apply for an LLM, and how they can help you during the program. A general caveat for the personal statement is that it should not be a bland restatement of your CV – instead, it should be used to bring out how the several line items in your profile shaped your ideas and interest in law, and how it eventually prompted you to apply to KCL.

Once you’ve laid down a strong foundation in the initial part of the personal statement, you can dedicate a paragraph to your most recent work experience. Farhan used this space to talk about his prior experience in arbitration, and how this experience helped him appreciate the intricacies of dispute resolution. You can also use this paragraph to demonstrate how an LLM would contribute to your skills and understanding in your preferred area of specialization.

After you’ve talked about your work experience, put down a few lines to discuss your academic background and achievements, and use these to demonstrate how such background has prepared you to meet the challenging demands of KCL’s LLM program.

Several universities in the UK require LLM candidates to submit a dissertation towards the end of the program. Keeping this requirement in mind, it may be a good idea to dedicate a paragraph to talk about your prior publications – essentially, these will speak to your ability to write a dissertation and effectively fulfil the requirements of the program. You could also consider mentioning a potential dissertation topic – Farhan explains that this provides a fair bit of substance to your motivation behind applying for an LLM, and that you’re always free to change your topic later on in the course.

Finally, you can wrap up the personal statement by writing about what you like about the university and why KCL would be a good fit for you. A simple way to do this would be to highlight specific modules in the program, or faculty members who you like, and how you believe this would contribute to your intellectual growth. You can also consider linking this paragraph to your overall motivation for applying for an LLM.

As a disclaimer, the structure set out above is indicative and Farhan's approach might not work for everyone. At the end of the day, it may be a good idea to let the personal statement be what it is designed to be: personal.

How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are.

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

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Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing.

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world.

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap:

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – KCL (Saif)

Home » Application Guide » Dentistry Personal Statement Examples – KCL (Saif)

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Welcome to our collection of Dentistry Personal Statement Examples! We’ve searched far and wide to find personal statements from successful applicants all around the UK and asked them to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their work for your own inspiration. Today’s subject is from Saif, who studies Dentistry at King’s College London.

Saif applied to study Dentistry back in 2021 at four amazing UK Dental Schools, including KCL, University of Bristol and University of Glasgow. He received offers from 3 out of his four choices of which he chose to study at KCL.

Let’s read the personal statement that got him a place at KCL, or skip straight to his feedback to learn what made his personal statement a success!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example

Whole personal statement.

A smile is more than just a smile, it is a reflection of happiness, confidence and self-esteem. Dentistry is the engineering of a smile, focusing on patients’ health, comfort and wellbeing. The interaction with patients and colleagues is not only integral to the care provided, but also a very attractive aspect of this career. With constant advances in research, dentistry has been and always will be an evolving profession. This opportunity for lifelong learning excites me and has fuelled my desire to pursue this pathway.

I had the opportunity to join the dentists at my local practice where I observed check-ups; the fitting and moulding of dentures; and tooth extractions. The interaction between dentists of different specialist interests; along with the dental nurses, hygienists and supporting staff maintained the best care possible in a multidisciplinary team. It was amazing to see the wonderful impact that they had on so many patients. For example – helping a lady with periodontitis. Her gums had begun to recede causing many teeth to fall out and others to wobble. Everyday tasks we take for granted (such as talking and eating) led to constant pain and difficulty. I will never forget the look on her face once she was fitted with her personalised dentures. This inspired me to learn more about the working life of a dentist.

I came across Dr Manouchehri’s ‘Teeth and Tales” podcast which was informative and enjoyable. It was interesting to learn about the importance of dental health as an indicator for many diseases. For instance, mouth ulcers can indicate signs of some bowel diseases, and examination of the mouth can diagnosen early stages of oral cancer. This captivated me : dentistry does not only improve the quality of people’s lives; it has the potential to save it. The podcast includes a brief yet stimulating discussion about a dentist’s ‘typical work week’ – which is in fact not typical at all.

Each patient has their own needs, resulting in an immense variation of work that has intrigued me – sparking my interest in orthodontics. This focuses on unique tooth alignment in order to provide patient focused treatment, providing new, exciting challenges to overcome. A smile can be built that improves the appearance and functionality of someone’s mouth – building their confidence and protecting their teeth by correcting their bite.

Communication is the basis of the dentist-patient relationship that is built on trust and respect. I am an effective communicator – evident in my roles as Senior Prefect and Classroom Assistant. As part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award, I volunteered at my local Barnardo’s where I worked as part of a team which helped me improve my communication skills. It was a great pleasure to do something good for my community, supporting the less fortunate by gathering and sorting through donations to those in need.

Dentistry is a demanding and stressful career, so finding ways to relax is important. Music is my tool for relaxation. I am a keen piano player and have passed my grade 6 exam with distinction. Hard work and disciplined practice have greatly improved my manual dexterity and attention to detail – skills that are integral to dentistry. My commitment has allowed me to begin tutoring, where I tailor my teaching style according to a student’s age and skill level. I am able to communicate complex information in an understandable way; build relationships with otherwise shy children; and put them at ease when dealing with frustrations. By effectively managing my time, I balance my schoolwork and benefit from being part of the school choir as well as an U18’s football team within the top division of my region. Football involves communication with teammates, mirroring the teamwork required in the life of a dentist.

I recognise that dentistry is a demanding career, but it is also extremely rewarding. It would give me the opportunity to connect with and positively impact so many people. Nothing would fulfil me more.

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KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example Analysis

Now, let’s go section by section and see what Saif has to say about what he wrote:

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

I feel that in the introduction of my personal statement I have been able to clearly demonstrate my passion for Dentistry. From my explanation, the intent behind my desire to study Dentistry really shines through.

I do feel that my introduction does come across as quite impersonal and I haven’t related it to myself until the final sentence. I could have expanded further on the research aspect of Dentistry as this is an area I am interested in and it would have been better to covey this to the admissions tutor to demonstrate my understanding of it.

Paragraph 1

I have not only discussed my work experience but also reflected on it, showing what I learnt and how it made me feel. This shows my passion and experience – and also that I understand the value of doing work experience.

I probably could have been more concise, which could have meant I would have had more characters available to me later on in my personal statement which I feel I ended up rushing through. As well, I would have liked to have spent more time discussing the life-saving aspect of Dentistry in more depth by talking about what a Max Fax surgeon is.

Paragraph 2

I have shown that I have been doing wider reading – even though it has not been in the traditional sense of the term but rather with a podcast. I have made sure to talk about what I have learnt from it, using mouth ulcers are a symptom for some bowel diseases as an example as I just found it so fascinating.

Again, I probably could have been more concise here. What the podcast talks about is not what is important but rather what I have grasped and learnt from it. I have probably embellished my language a bit too much, e.g., “…podcast which was informative and enjoyable,” when I could have cut out the latter part of the sentence and gone straight into why it was interesting.

Paragraph 3

Here I made the point of discussing a specialist branch of Dentistry, that being orthodontics. I have talked about what interests me in orthodontics. This also displays the knowledge I have gained through wider reading and understanding of the profession as a whole.

I should have gone into my depth about what sparked my interest in orthodontics. It would have been helpful to relate it back to what I saw during my work experience.

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Paragraph 4

I have used my personal experiences to relate to how I have developed and enhanced my communication skills – a skill which is vital to a career in Dentistry. Though I have only mentioned it from the sense of a dentist-patient relationship, it is also a necessary skill when working with other members of a dental team.

As briefly mentioned above it would have been better to relate my communication ability to a clinical setting and draw on what I saw and learnt during my work experience. As well, I mentioned being a Senior Prefect and Classroom Assistant but have not gone into detail of anything I actually done within these roles.

Paragraph 5

Here I have discussed the extracurricular activities that I undertook to show off more of my personality and interests outside of school and Dentistry. The idea behind this was to show the universities I was applying to what sort of person the would-be considering aside from my academics and to showcase myself as a well rounded individual.

I have mentioned elsewhere I could have been more concise at the start of my personal statement as I feel this section is really rushed as I ran out of characters which would have allowed me to go into more depth. Maybe if I had structured my personal statement differently, it would have allowed me to discuss my extracurriculars in more detail

My conclusion is clear, concise and straight to the point. I have acknowledged that a Dentistry degree and career will be challenging but I feel I am well suited to face this adversity and rise above it.

There is being concise, and then there is potentially being too short which I feel this is. Again, I used up valuable characters earlier on in my personal statement which would have been better used for my conclusion. As well, I could have related it back to what I said in my introduction to make it feel more cohesive.

Final Thoughts

I am pleased with my reflection of my work experience, I have not just listed what I done but mentioned the value I have gained from it by relating it to patients that I came across. Additionally, the section about my wider reading and my interest in the subject through Dr Manouchehri’s podcast, I feel, conveys my passion for Dentistry and my fascination with it.

The end is what really lets it down, I feel, I ran out of characters, and it shows. I easily could have shortened my introduction and gained characters back there. Reading it back through, it does come across as slightly rushed and that I had just crammed it all in. There are definitely some sections that could have been broken down into smaller paragraphs just for ease of reading.

So there you have it! This personal statement helped Saif get 3/4 offers in his application.

Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Saif is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!

Be sure to check out more Medicine Personal Statement Analyses to see advice from all different kinds of applicants, including Ali Abdaal himself! Or if you want to get started on your own statement, check out 6med’s Personal Statement Bundle for all the support and resources you’ll ever need! If you want full support on every part of your application and a guaranteed place at med school, the Complete Bundle will be perfect for you.

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How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges

← What Is an Application Theme and Why Is It Important?

10 Personal Statement Examples That Work →

Most of the college applications process is fairly cut and dry. You’ll submit information about your classes and grades, standardized test scores, and various other accomplishments and honors. On much of the application, your accomplishments must speak for themselves.

The personal statement is different though, and it’s your chance to let your voice be heard. To learn more about the personal statement, how to choose a topic, and how to write one that wows colleges, don’t miss this post.

What is the Personal Statement?

Personal statements are used in both undergraduate and graduate admissions. For undergrad admissions, personal statements are any essays students must write to submit their main application. For example, the Common App Essay and Coalition Application Essay are examples of personal statements. Similarly, the ApplyTexas Essays and University of California Essays are also good examples .

Personal statements in college admissions are generally not school-specific (those are called “supplemental essays”). Instead, they’re sent to a wide range of schools, usually every school you apply to.

What is the Purpose of the Personal Statement?

The personal statement is generally your opportunity to speak to your unique experiences, qualities, or beliefs that aren’t elsewhere represented on the application. It is a chance to break away from the data that defines you on paper, and provide a glimpse into who you really are. In short, it’s the admissions committee’s chance to get to know the real you.

So, what are colleges looking for in your personal statement? They are looking for something that sets you apart. They are asking themselves: do you write about something truly unique? Do you write about something common, in a new and interesting way? Do you write about an aspect of your application that needed further explanation? All of these are great ways to impress with your personal statement.

Beyond getting to know you, admissions committees are also evaluating your writing skills. Are you able to write clearly and succinctly? Can you tell an engaging story? Writing effectively is an important skill in both college and life, so be sure to also fine-tune your actual writing (grammar and syntax), not just the content of your essay.

Is your personal statement strong enough? Get a free review of your personal statement with CollegeVine’s Peer Essay Review.

How To a Choose A Topic For Your Personal Statement

Most of the time, you’re given a handful of prompts to choose from. Common personal statement prompts include:

Central aspect of your identity (activity, interest, talent, background)
Overcoming a failure
Time you rose to a challenge or showed leadership
Experience that changed your beliefs
Problem you’d like to solve
Subject or idea that captivates you

One of the questions that we hear most often about the personal statement is, “How do I choose what to write about?” For some students, the personal statement prompt triggers an immediate and strong idea. For many more, there is at least initially some uncertainty.

We often encourage students to think less about the exact prompt and more about what aspects of themselves they think are most worthy of highlighting. This is especially helpful if you’re offered a “topic of your choice” prompt, as the best essay topic for you might actually be one you make up!

For students with an interesting story or a defining background, these can serve as the perfect catalyst to shape your approach. For students with a unique voice or different perspective, simple topics written in a new way can be engaging and insightful.

Finally, you need to consider the rest of your application when you choose a topic for your personal statement. If you are returning from a gap year, failed a single class during sophomore year, or participated extensively in something you’re passionate about that isn’t elsewhere on your application, you might attempt to address one of these topics in your statement. After all, the admissions committee wants to get to know you and understand who you really are, and these are all things that will give them a deeper understanding of that.

Still, tons of students have a decent amount of writer’s block when it comes to choosing a topic. This is understandable since the personal statement tends to be considered rather high stakes. To help you get the ball rolling, we recommend the post What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting To Write About In My College Essay?

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for College

1. approach this as a creative writing assignment..

Personal statements are difficult for many students because they’ve never had to do this type of writing. High schoolers are used to writing academic reports or analytical papers, but not creative storytelling pieces.

The point of creative writing is to have fun with it, and to share a meaningful story. Choose a topic that inspires you so that you’ll enjoy writing your essay. It doesn’t have to be intellectual or impressive at all. You have your transcript and test scores to prove your academic skills, so the point of the personal statement is to give you free rein to showcase your personality. This will result in a more engaging essay and reading experience for admissions officers.

As you’re writing, there’s no need to follow the traditional five-paragraph format with an explicit thesis. Your story should have an overarching message, but it doesn’t need to be explicitly stated—it should shine through organically.

Your writing should also feel natural. While it will be more refined than a conversation with your best friend, it shouldn’t feel stuffy or contrived when it comes off your tongue. This balance can be difficult to strike, but a tone that would feel natural when talking with an admired teacher or a longtime mentor is usually a good fit.

2. Show, don’t tell.

One of the biggest mistakes students make is to simply state everything that happened, instead of actually bringing the reader to the moment it happened, and telling a story. It’s boring to read: “I was overjoyed and felt empowered when I finished my first half marathon.” It’s much more interesting when the writing actually shows you what happened and what the writer felt in that moment: “As I rounded the final bend before the finish line, my heart fluttered in excitement. The adrenaline drowned out my burning legs and gasping lungs. I was going to finish my first half marathon! This was almost incomprehensible to me, as someone who could barely run a mile just a year ago.”

If you find yourself starting to write your essay like a report, and are having trouble going beyond “telling,” envision yourself in the moment you want to write about. What did you feel, emotionally and physically? Why was this moment meaningful? What did you see or hear? What were your thoughts?

For inspiration, read some memoirs or personal essays, like The New York Times Modern Love Column . You could also listen to podcasts of personal stories, like The Moth . What do these writers and storytellers do that make their stories engaging? If you didn’t enjoy a particular story, what was it that you didn’t like? Analyzing real stories can help you identify techniques that you personally resonate with.

3. Use dialogue.

A great way to keep your writing engaging is to include some dialogue. Instead of writing: “My brothers taunted me,” consider sharing what they actually said. It’s more powerful to read something like:

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.

Having dialogue can break up longer paragraphs of text, and bring some action and immediacy to your story. That being said, don’t overdo it. It’s important to strike a balance between relying too much on dialogue, and using it occasionally as an effective writing tool. You don’t want your essay to read like a script for a movie (unless, of course, that’s intentional and you want to showcase your screenwriting skills!).

Want free essay feedback? Submit your essay to CollegeVine’s Peer Essay Review and get fast, actionable edits on your essay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Personal Statements

1. giving a recap or report of all the events..

Your essay isn’t a play-by-play of everything that happened in that time frame. Only include relevant details that enrich the story, instead of making your personal statement a report of the events. Remember that the goal is to share your voice, what’s important to you, and who you are.

2. Writing about too many events or experiences.

Similarly, another common mistake is to make your personal statement a resume or recap of all your high school accomplishments. The Activities Section of the Common App is the place for listing out your achievements, not your personal statement. Focus on one specific experience or a few related experiences, and go into detail on those.

3. Using cliche language.

Try to avoid overdone quotes from famous people like Gandhi or Thoreau. Better yet, try to avoid quotes from other people in general, unless it’s a message from someone you personally know. Adding these famous quotes won’t make your essay unique, and it takes up valuable space for you to share your voice.

You should also steer away from broad language or lavish claims like “It was the best day of my life.” Since they’re so cliche, these statements also obscure your message, and it’s hard to understand what you actually mean. If it was actually the best day of your life, show us why, rather than just telling us.

If you want to learn more about personal statements, see our post of 11 Common App Essay Examples .

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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During my BSc course, emphasis was placed on observing user behaviour to find key insights. The empathy this human centred method gave me ultimately led to better designed products and services. I applied this to my role at Studio Make Believe as I analysed brand identities and the way they were perceived, to design products that effectively communicated their stories.

I also developed a research document expressing key insights for potential growth areas that the brand implemented. I saw the importance of marketing to develop creative strategies for more effective brand experiences.

Presenting products to clients and negotiating prices with suppliers gave me a practical outlook on the entire product lifecycle as well as the challenges of communicating across cultures. Due to these interactions, I am eager to learn strategic methods of branding and business management on an international platform.

I have been influenced by talks on the theory of affordances and explored the practical applications of behavioural economics in the International Design Camp. I collaborated with students from various disciplines to design services that would improve dental health in young children.

The experience made me considerate of many possible applications to marketing practices. I am eager to apply this design thinking and develop analytical skills in the Consumer Behaviour module. In the near future, I aim to pursue a career orienting brands and market research.

A personal endeavour to start my own business began as I travelled parts of India to better understand a culture I am a part of but have not really known. I noticed brands that we are familiar with at home were portrayed slightly differently to suit lifestyles of eastern consumers, whilst retaining their core image.

This drew me to connect with local manufacturers to design modern homewares, uniting traditional materials with a strong sense of functionality, that could be well received in western lifestyles. I saw the narrative of the collaborative process as a strong selling point.

Working with small communities to evolve dying crafts was a rewarding experience despite challenges of language barriers and differences in work ethic. I plan to turn this passion into a business. Taking this course would equip me with the practical and theoretical knowledge of all aspects of international marketing to achieve my long-term goal of making it a success.

Working as a manager and tutor for a local business has fed my appetite for analytical thinking. The learning environment has been advantageous to my creative career as it demands a flexible mind. I have seen the business grow from its humble beginnings, allowing me to see the value of marketing in the many roles I took, from designing the logo to managing other people.

I have seen the importance of the relationship between people and business on small and large scales. I believe this is more vital now to due globalisation and ever-growing digital economy. Businesses must now work harder to understand global cultures and values whilst upholding their own identity. Therefore International Marketing is crucial in grasping this area.

The research environment at King’s would allow me to build on insights which are critical to uncovering practical solutions to close this gap. I hope to contribute to discussions and develop knowledge for my personal development. I strive to better myself and would be honoured to resume my studies at King’s. The international reputation and global environment would stimulate and support my development.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Author's Comments

I applied to King's college London for the International Marketing MSc. My BSc was in product design and I graduated with a 1st class degree. I didn't have much experience in marketing when I applied but I recieved an unconditional offer.

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Residency Personal Statement – Guide for 2024

April 1, 2024

Crafting your residency personal statement requires careful planning and strategic thinking. Your personal statement is more than just a document; it’s your opportunity to convey your passion, experiences, and aspirations to residency program selection committees. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of writing a compelling personal statement that effectively highlights your unique qualities and suitability for your chosen specialty. We’ll also provide you with invaluable insights and practical tips to navigate the writing process with confidence and clarity.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or approaching this task for the first time, this guide will equip you with the tools and strategies needed to create a standout personal statement. You’ll be one step closer to becoming the doctor or surgeon you’ve always dreamed about.

How Long is a Residency Personal Statement?

Generally, the residency personal statement should be between 500 to 800 words in length, roughly equating to one page. This statement is a critical part of your residency application, allowing you to communicate your personal and professional background, career goals, and reasons for pursuing a particular specialty, such as plastic surgery . In addition, it’s your chance to showcase your unique experiences, skills, and motivations that make you a strong candidate for your chosen specialty and residency program.

While it’s important to be concise, make sure your statement effectively conveys a compelling narrative that highlights your strengths and aligns with the values and objectives of the program you’re applying to. Crafting a concise yet impactful personal statement is crucial for making a memorable impression on selection committees. However, unlike the medical school personal statement , which tends to be longer, your residency personal statement is on the shorter side. In essence, it should focus specifically on your experiences and aspirations within your chosen specialty.

What Should You Write About in a Residency Personal Statement?

When writing your residency personal statement, consider incorporating the following topics to effectively convey your qualifications and motivations:

1) Passion for the Specialty

Discuss what initially drew you to the specialty and why you’re passionate about pursuing it as a career. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that highlight your interest and commitment.

2) Clinical Experiences

Reflect on significant clinical experiences that have shaped your understanding of the specialty and reinforced your decision to pursue it. Also, describe memorable patient interactions, challenging cases, or research projects that have influenced your career path.

3) Skills and Attributes

Highlight specific skills, attributes, and qualities that make you well-suited for the specialty. This could include problem-solving abilities, communication skills, empathy , resilience , or teamwork . Furthermore, provide examples that demonstrate how you’ve demonstrated these qualities in clinical or academic settings.

4) Career Goals

Clearly articulate your short-term and long-term career goals within the specialty. Explain what you hope to achieve professionally and how you envision making a meaningful impact in the field. Additionally, discuss any specific areas of interest or subspecialties you’re passionate about exploring.

5) Fit with the Program

Explain why you’re interested in the residency program you’re applying to and how it aligns with your career goals and interests. Specifically, highlight specific aspects of the program, such as its curriculum, clinical opportunities, research resources, or faculty expertise, that appeal to you.

6) Unique Experiences and Contributions

Showcase any unique experiences, perspectives, or strengths that set you apart from other applicants. This could include cultural or linguistic diversity, research achievements, leadership roles, community involvement, or overcoming significant challenges. Also, discuss how these experiences have shaped you as a candidate and how they will contribute to the residency program’s diversity and excellence.

What Should You Avoid When Writing a Residency Personal Statement?

As you compose your residency personal statement, it’s common to encounter pitfalls along the way. If you haven’t previously tackled a similar writing task, such as a medical school personal statement , you may inadvertently stumble into errors without recognizing them. Hence, it’s essential to acquaint yourself with potential missteps before diving into the writing process. By recognizing these common mistakes, you can ensure that your residency personal statement effectively communicates your qualifications and aspirations.

Content to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

1) Generic Statements

Instead of resorting to generic phrases, focus on highlighting unique experiences, skills, and aspirations that specifically align with the residency program and specialty you’re applying to. For example, rather than stating a broad interest in helping people, discuss a particular patient encounter or clinical experience that ignited your passion for the specialty.

2) Irrelevant Details

When discussing your experiences and qualifications, ensure they directly relate to your interest in the specialty and your suitability for the residency program. Avoid including extraneous information or unrelated anecdotes that may distract from your main narrative. Instead, each detail should serve to strengthen your candidacy and provide insight into your motivations and capabilities as a future resident.

3) Negative Experiences without Reflection

While it’s important to acknowledge and discuss challenges or setbacks you’ve faced, it’s equally important to reflect on how these experiences have shaped you as a candidate. Merely listing difficulties without demonstrating resilience or growth may leave a negative impression on the selection committee. Therefore, use these experiences as opportunities to showcase your ability to overcome obstacles and adapt in the face of adversity.

4) Overly Technical Language

While demonstrating medical knowledge is essential, avoid using overly technical language that may be inaccessible or alienating to readers outside your specialty. Remember that selection committee members may come from diverse backgrounds, so aim for clarity and simplicity in your writing. Use layman’s terms when possible and explain complex concepts in a way that is understandable to a general audience.

5) Plagiarism

Integrity is paramount in the residency application process, so never plagiarize content from online sources or sample personal statements. Your personal statement should be an authentic reflection of your own experiences, insights, and aspirations. Plagiarism not only undermines your credibility as a candidate but also violates ethical standards expected of medical professionals.

Styles and Tones to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

1) Arrogance

Although it’s important to present yourself confidently, avoid crossing the line into arrogance. Instead of making sweeping declarations about your abilities or achievements, focus on providing concrete examples and letting your accomplishments speak for themselves. Humility and self-awareness are valued traits in prospective residents.

2) Overly Formal Tone

While professionalism is essential, aim for a tone that is approachable and engaging. Avoid overly formal language that may come across as stiff or impersonal. Your personal statement should feel like a genuine expression of your personality and motivations, so don’t be afraid to inject some warmth and authenticity into your writing.

3) Inappropriate Humor

Humor can be a valuable tool for connecting with readers, but it’s important to use it judiciously and appropriately. Avoid jokes or anecdotes that could be construed as offensive or insensitive. Instead, opt for light-hearted anecdotes or observations that showcase your personality without detracting from the seriousness of your application.

4) Excessive Self-Promotion

It’s natural to want to highlight your strengths and accomplishments, but avoid coming across as overly self-promotional or boastful. Instead of simply listing achievements, provide context and insight into how these experiences have shaped your aspirations and prepared you for residency. Focus on demonstrating your potential as a future resident rather than simply listing accolades.

5) Lack of Proofreading

Careless errors or typos can detract from the professionalism and impact of your personal statement. Before submitting your application, thoroughly proofread your statement for grammatical mistakes, typos, and inconsistencies. Consider asking trusted mentors, colleagues, or peers to review your statement for feedback and suggestions for improvement.

When Should You Start Writing Your Residency Personal Statement?

Writing your residency personal statement is a significant task that requires careful consideration and ample time. Ideally, you should start the writing process several months before the application deadline to allow sufficient time for brainstorming, drafting, revising, and polishing your statement. Starting early enables you to craft a compelling narrative that effectively communicates your qualifications, experiences, and motivations to the selection committee.

The timeline for starting your residency personal statement may vary depending on individual preferences and circumstances. However, a good rule of thumb is to begin the process at least three to six months before you plan to submit your residency applications. This timeframe allows you to gather your thoughts, reflect on your experiences, and develop a cohesive narrative that showcases your strengths and fit for your chosen specialty.

Starting early also provides you with the opportunity to seek feedback from mentors, advisors, or peers throughout the writing process. Sharing your draft with trusted individuals allows you to receive valuable insights and suggestions for improvement, helping you refine your statement and ensure that it effectively highlights your qualifications and aspirations.

Moreover, beginning the writing process early gives you the flexibility to iterate and revise your statement multiple times. By allowing for ample time between drafts, you can step away from your writing and return with a fresh perspective, making it easier to identify areas for improvement and fine-tune your message.

Personal Statement Residency – What’s Next?

After completing your residency personal statement, the next steps involve refining and finalizing your application materials before submission. Take the time to review your personal statement carefully, ensuring that it effectively communicates your qualifications, experiences, and motivations. Consider seeking feedback from mentors, advisors, or peers to gain valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Additionally, make sure to thoroughly review all other components of your residency application, such as your CV, letters of recommendation, and transcripts, to ensure they are accurate and compelling.

As you prepare to submit your application, take confidence in the knowledge that you have put forth your best effort in crafting a personal statement that reflects your dedication and passion for your chosen specialty. Trust in your abilities and the experiences you have shared, knowing that you are well-prepared to embark on the next phase of your medical career .

Medical School Admissions

Emily Schmidt

Emily is currently a professional writer in the healthcare industry. As a former journalist, her work focused on climate change, health disparities, and education. She holds two bachelor's degrees in English and Spanish from Stanford University, and a master's in journalism from Arizona State University. Her first published novel debuted in 2020, and she hopes to finish her second novel by the end of this year.

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Perfecting Your Personal Statement

Please note: this event has passed

Looking for tips on how to make your personal statement stand out?

Look no further!

Join us in this online talk on how to refine your personal statement and make sure it stands out for all the right reasons!

We will cover:

Tips on introductions
How to conclude your statement
Dos and Don'ts
How to make it as authentic as possible

Hear from current King's students on their advice on how to write a successful personal statement.

There will also be the chance to ask us your questions on personal statements.

Please note this event is aimed at people applying to university for 2022 entry

Event details

Related departments.

How to Write a Personal Statement for College (15+ Examples)

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 3/13/24

Are you struggling to write your college personal statement? You’re in luck! Read on for a complete guide on how to write a strong personal statement.

Writing a personal statement can feel daunting. May students struggle to frame themselves the way they want to — and we get it! It’s not always easy to talk about yourself. With that said, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

We’ll review how to write the perfect personal statement, from what colleges look for to successful examples of personal statements. If you still have questions by the end, you can always set up a free consultation with one of our admissions experts to kickstart your college application.

Let’s get started!

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a college admissions essay, providing you with the opportunity to sell yourself in the application process. It shares information beyond what admissions committees have already seen in your other application materials.

This is your chance to show colleges your personality, strengths, and what matters most to you. Generally speaking, there are two types of personal statements:

A general personal statement is an open-ended essay with very few constraints, sometimes with no prompt or word count. While this type of personal statement allows you to write about whatever you want, it should tell admissions committees about you. General or open-ended personal statements are common in med or law school applications.

A response personal statement is an essay answering a specific question and is more common for college applications. These questions guide your writing but are geared toward getting to know you. For example, you may be asked, “What matters most to you, and why?” or “How have your life experiences led you to your current interests or goals?”

Think about a story, moment, or lifestyle change that has shaped who you are today or influenced your educational and career goals. These experiences often make great personal statement topics!

Why Do Colleges Ask for a Personal Statement?

Colleges ask for personal statements to have the applicant present themselves to the admission committee, beyond their grades on paper. Essays humanize candidates, allowing them to express themselves and their passions.

Your personal statement can give you a competitive edge against other candidates if it stands out. When brainstorming topics, consider the unique experiences you’ve had that have shaped who you are.

What to Include in a Personal Statement for College

Before getting started, include all the necessary information you want admissions committees to know. Your personal statement could answer some or all of the following questions:

What is something unique in your life that has shaped you into who you are today? (Consider your culture, heritage, hometown, health, family traditions, hobbies, etc.)
What event first sparked your interest in your chosen field?
What have you learned about your interest area so far, and what more do you hope to learn during college? (It’s a good idea to do school research to best answer this question.)
Have you experienced any unique challenges in your life? If so, how have you overcome them?
How do you specifically intend to contribute to your field in the future? (What are your goals, and how will you achieve them?)
How does your unique experience set you up for a successful career as a student and a professional? (Think of things you’ve learned, your background, and challenges you’ve overcome.)

You can answer these questions before you start writing your essay and try to find links to connect them. While all of your answers may not be relevant to the prompt you chose, they can help you get started!

Note that a personal statement is different from a statement of purpose , in which you would focus more on your academic aspirations and goals. Statements of purpose are typically required for graduate school applications.

How to Write a Personal Statement for College

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to write a college personal statement.

Step 1: Brainstorm

Before you start writing, it’s essential to brainstorm; this is a valuable personal statement tip. Consider the questions above. What makes you unique? What challenges have you overcome? Ensure you answer each question in the brainstorming process.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, you can ask a family member or a friend who knows you well what they think makes you unique. This can help you gather some ideas to craft your story.

Take plenty of time on this step and write down many ideas – even silly ones! You may be surprised by what comes to mind. By the time you move on to the next step, you should have at least five anecdotes to choose from and several pieces of information you want to include.

Make sure to keep the prompt in mind. Your prompt may cancel out some ideas if they don’t relate.

Step 2: Select Your Strongest Ideas

Evaluate your brainstorming notes. Which story from your life compels you the most? Whichever idea gets you excited to write is likely the one you should choose.

The story you write should have an apparent climax and a compelling takeaway. What did you learn from the experience? How has it shaped your life? This is what the reader should understand by the end of your essay.

Step 3: Write Your Introduction

When you write, your introduction should immediately grab the reader's attention. There are many ways to do so – if you’re feeling lost, you can always refer to these five effective ways to start your college essay .

In summary, avoid clichés and begin with a bang. Your introduction should only be one or two sentences before getting to the meat of the story.

Step 4: Tell Your Story

Your story should answer the prompt and show admissions committees what makes you a unique and qualified candidate. This is the main chunk of your essay. Ensure your writing is self-reflective, concise, and straightforward.

While your narrative should center on an experience you’ve had, the central theme should be bigger than that. Your takeaway should be a trait you’ve developed throughout the story or something you’ve learned that has made you a better person and candidate today.

Step 5: End on a High Note

The end of your college essay is a crucial moment for the reader, so spending a lot of time here is important. This is the last thing the admissions officers will read, so it should be memorable. You want to ensure your narrative comes full circle and has a common thread.

How you write your college personal statement’s conclusion is up to you; some students like to look toward the future, whereas others have different ideas about ending a personal statement !

Step 6: Revise, Revise, Revise

Once you’ve completed the writing portion, it’s crucial to revise like you’ve never revised before! There should be absolutely no spelling or grammar mistakes, famous quotes, run-on sentences, clichés, or other errors.

When giving your essay to someone else, ask if they agree with the following points:

Your writing is clear, concise, and straightforward.
The essay is interesting from the very beginning, with a short yet compelling introduction.
Your story is easy to follow.
Your story tells the reader something unique about you.
The essay has an effective conclusion in which the main theme of the essay is clear (i.e., what you’ve learned, your goals, or character traits).

You should also ask your revision partner what they’ve learned about you and ask yourself if their takeaway aligns with your original intention. Sometimes the intended message doesn’t always come across as it does in our heads, so this is an essential final step.

The Benefits of Reviewing Personal Statement Samples

When it comes to crafting a compelling personal statement, it can be challenging to know where to start. One effective strategy is to review personal statement samples from successful applicants.

By understanding these examples, you can gain valuable insights and inspiration to help you create a standout personal statement of your own. Here are some key benefits of reviewing personal statement samples:

1. Understanding the Structure

Personal statement samples provide a clear picture of how to structure your own essay. You can observe how successful applicants introduce themselves, discuss their experiences and achievements, and tie everything together with a strong conclusion.

2. Identifying Key Themes and Patterns

As you review personal statement samples, you'll likely notice recurring themes and topics. Successful applicants often discuss their passions, challenges they've overcome, and their goals for the future.

3. Gaining Inspiration

Reading personal statement samples can also provide a much-needed dose of inspiration. Seeing how others have successfully conveyed their stories and personalities can spark ideas for your own essay. You may discover new ways to frame your experiences or find inspiration for a creative opening or closing paragraph.

4. Avoiding Common Pitfalls

In addition to showing what to do, personal statement samples can also help you avoid common mistakes. By reading through a variety of examples, you can identify overused phrases, clichés, and other pitfalls to avoid in your own writing. This can help you craft a personal statement that stands out from the crowd and truly reflects your individual voice and experiences.

5. Seeing Successful Examples

Perhaps most importantly, reviewing personal statement samples allows you to see what successful essays look like. You can gain a sense of the writing style, tone, and level of detail that admissions committees are looking for to stand out as a strong applicant.

So, take the time to read through the following examples and use the insights you gain to create a compelling personal statement of your own.

College Personal Statement Examples

Here are some examples of good personal statements and explanations of their success. These examples can provide inspiration to formulate your own writing. You can also find more examples of college admission essays in our database to give you even more inspiration.

#1. Personal Statement Example

This is an example of a personal statement that worked from a student named Rozanne who was accepted to Johns Hopkins University:

“ The white yarn slipped off my aluminium crochet hook, adding a single crochet to rows and rows of existing stitches, that looked to be in the form of a blob. Staring at the image of the little unicorn amigurumi lit up on the screen of my laptop, and looking back at the UMO (unidentified messy object) number five, I was extremely perplexed.

…The remaining rounds were blurred into hours and minutes that should have resulted in a little white creature in the likeness of a unicorn, but sitting on my desk (much like the four days before today) was a pool of tangled white yarn…

Very much like learning how to crochet, my journey in forging my own path and finding a passion was confusing, messy and at times infuriating. Even in primary school, I had heard all the stories of individuals finding their own route in life. I had been told stories of those who found their passion at a young age and were exceptionally proficient at their craft, of those that abandoned their interests and pursued a lucrative career, even those who chose their dreams but regretted it afterwards. This weighed heavily on me, as I was determined to have a success story as many of my other family members had. The only problem was that I did not have a direction.

In the years following primary school, I stepped out of my comfort zone in a frenzy to find a passion…At my ballet school, I branched out to contemporary and jazz dance. I stuffed myself with an experience similar to an amigurumi engorged with batting. I found myself enjoying all of those activities but soon enough, I was swamped with extracurriculars. Just like the tangles of white yarn on my desk, I was pulled in all directions. I still felt lost…

It was not until high school that I realized that I could view this mission to find a passion from another perspective. While successfully completing a crochet project is an accomplishment itself, the motions of making slip knots, single or double crochets takes you on an adventure as well. The knots that I had encountered in my craft were evidence of my experiences and what shaped me as an individual…

Through trial and error, the current adventure that I am on resonates the most with me, taking me down the path of service and environmental activism. However, I have learnt that no one path is static, and I can be on more than one path at a time. While I may only be halfway to the proportionate unicorn amigurumi that some others may have already achieved, I still have so much to learn and so much that I want to learn, and so my journey to grow continues. ”

Why This Personal Statement Worked

Rozanne’s narrative expertly showcases her hobby (which may not have been discussed elsewhere in her application) and connects it to her struggles to find direction and passion when everyone else seems to have everything figured out.

Her strength in this essay is reflecting upon that idea: it also shows us her vulnerability. Beyond continually weaving in the analogy of a messy crochet project and her perceived lack of direction, this essay also shows she’s a curious individual willing to try new things.

It also helps that she refers to the ideas in her introduction, conclusion, and the rest of her essay. Circling back to her crocheting hobby creates a nice narrative thread.

#2. Personal Statement Example

This is an NYU example that worked:

Prompt: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

“In her cramped kitchen, Titi Nana cracked the egg in the center of the pan, the cheeriness of the bright yellow yolk contrasting the harshness of the caldero. In a flourish, she jerked the bottle of alcohol in her hand, flames erupting from the griddle. She instructed me: "Wipe it all off," gesturing to dust off my shoulders and arms into the inferno. I laughed nervously as I removed the maldad [evil] from my body, one brush at a time. I left Titi's apartment that day confused about how our family's practice of Santería [witchcraft] fit in with my outward embrace of my heritage. I felt as if the parts of my Latina identity I claimed openly -- dancing salsa to Celia Cruz or enjoying lechón y arroz con habichuelas en Navidad -- were contradicted by my skepticism towards Titi's rituals. My experience with Santería wasn't new, as proven by my mother's kitchen altar lit dimly by prayer candles and adorned with evil eyes, statues of San Miguel, and offerings to Elegua; however, I'd never before witnessed such a tangible demonstration of my family's ritualistic beliefs. Although it surrounded me, I refused to believe in the effects of Santería... so I shunned it entirely.

Moving to a predominantly white boarding school and away from the rituals my family had passed down, I avoided addressing the distance I had wedged between myself and my background. I pushed away all things Latina as my fear of failing to honor my Puerto Rican heritage intensified. This distance only grew as my classmates jokingly commented on my inability to speak Spanish and my white-passing complexion, further tearing away bits of my Latinidad with each snide remark.

In an effort to build myself back up, I began to practice the small bits of Santería that I comprehended: lighting candles for good luck, placing a chalice of water by my bedside to absorb all maldad, and saying my prayers to San Miguel and my guardian angels each day. To my disbelief, the comments that attacked my Latinidad, or lack thereof, faded along with the aching feeling that I had failed to represent my heritage. As I embraced the rituals that I initially renounced, I finally realized the power in Titi's practices. In all of her cleansing and prayer rituals, she was protecting me and our family, opening the doors for us to achieve our goals and overcome the negativity that once held us back. In realizing the potential of Santería, I shifted my practices to actively protecting myself and others against adversity and employed Santería as a solution for the injustice I witnessed in my community.

Santería once served as my scapegoat; I blamed the discomfort I felt towards black magic for the imposter syndrome festering inside me. Until I embraced Santería, it only served as a reminder that I wasn't Latina enough in the eyes of my peers. Now, I understand that while intangible, ethereal, even, the magic of Santería is real; it's the strength of my belief in myself, in my culture, and in my commitment to protect others.”

The writer has done an excellent job of telling a story related to their cultural background. We learn about the writer and their family in this heartwarming story, even learning things we might not have known about Santeria — but that’s not the central theme.

The main theme of this essay is the lesson of self-trust, cultural pride, and self-acceptance. While we are learning about this person's unique identity, the takeaway is that this person has a newfound respect for their identity and has learned to embrace themselves.

#3. Personal Statement Example

This example details Stella’s journey as she takes the skies and what she learned:

“ The first lesson I learned as a student pilot is that left and right don’t exist. Maybe driving on a highway or in a parking lot, left and right is precise enough to describe the location and movements of slow-moving bikers, pedestrians, and cars. But at 36,000 feet in the air in a steel tube hurdling almost 200 miles an hour? Left and right just don’t cut it.

During one of my first flights in a small Cessna-182, my flight instructor ordered me to scan the horizon for approaching aircrafts. To my right, I caught a glimpse of one: another Cessna with maroon stripes, the sun’s reflection glinting off its windows. Gesturing vaguely to my two o’clock, I informed my flying instructor, “There’s a plane to the right.”

“No, to your right. From his position, what direction does he see you?” From his angle, I was to his left. In that moment, I realized that perspective and precision of language is everything. The radio chirped: “Cessna One-Eight-Two Sandra, heading north to John Wayne Airport. Over.”

…Through flying, I began to consider all points of view, regardless of my personal perspective.

Perhaps it was my ability to scan the horizon to communicate a single story, uniting contrasting outlooks, that drew me to my love for journalism and the diverse melting pot that was my community.

To me, journalism modernizes the ancient power of storytelling, filled with imperfect characters and intricate conflicts to which I am the narrator. As editor-in-chief for my school newspaper, The Wildcat’s Tale, I aim to share the uncensored perspective of all students and encourage my editorial groups to talk — and listen — to those with whom they disagree. Starting each newspaper edition with a socratic, round-table discussion, I ask the other journalists to pursue stories that answer the questions: why did this happen and where will it lead?

Expanding beyond the perspectives of my classmates, I began writing articles for the Korea Daily, and later, the Los Angeles Times High School Insider. I schedule interviews with city council candidates, young and old voters, and mayors of my town, obtaining quotes and anecdotes to weave into my writing. My interviews with both Democratic and Republican voters have taught me to thoroughly report polarizing-opposite opinions through an unbiased lens. As a journalist, I realized I cannot presume the opinions of the reader, but instead simply provide them with the tools necessary to formulate their own conclusions.

I found that in my suburban community, people love to read about the small-town hospitality of their own friends and neighbors…My favorite stories to publish are the ones taped onto fridges, proudly framed on the mom-and-pop downtown diner, or pinned into the corkboard in my teacher’s classroom. I discovered the size of my story does not matter, but the impact I leave on the reader does.

In my time as both a student pilot and journalist, I grew to love these stories, the ones that showed me that living life with blinders, can not only be boring, but dangerous. Whether I was 36,000 feet in the air or on ground level, by flying and writing, I realized that the most interesting stories of life come straight from the people most different from me .”

Why This Personal Statement Worked

Although Stella opens with an anecdote about flying a plane, that’s not really what this personal statement is about. She reflected adequately on points of view in the sky and connected it to how the ability to see an issue from all sides was instrumental to her success as a journalist.

Stella shares some of her achievements in a way that doesn’t feel like a list, but her responsibilities give us a glimpse of her life. When she transitions to writing about the value in every story, big or small, we see her ability to connect with her community and deliver an impact, even without writing a years-long investigative story.

#4. Personal Statement Example

Please note that this and subsequent personal statements have been anonymized.

“‘ I have the audacity of equality.’ The roar of applause explodes from the television as I hunch over a rapidly cooling bag of popcorn, my world rocked by this single line. Enter Hasan Minhaj’s Netflix comedy special Homecoming King, an ode to all the brown kids born and raised in the U.S., caught between the country they have known their entire lives and the countries their immigrant parents are still deeply tied to. As I sat enamored by Minhaj’s performance, it was as if the fog that often obscured how to navigate that middle ground of living as a mixed kid in America was cleared. I am the daughter of a [COUNTRY] immigrant mother and a first-generation [COUNTRY] father raised in cookie-cutter American suburbia, and I have spent my entire life in a strained limbo of feeling not quite red, white, and blue enough to fit in with my almost entirely white peers, while also feeling far too disconnected from my parents’ countries to find solace in their cultures. After a lifetime of feeling unseen, not fitting into a boxed-off identity, Minhaj’s special felt like a beacon of understanding.

The day after watching the special, I announced my newest aspiration in life: to become a professional comedian. But after a few stale jokes fell flat, it was clear comedy would not be my future. Yet that image of Minhaj traipsing across the stage as his words held the live crowd, and me miles away, ensnared in their grasp, was unshakeable. I wanted to chase that feeling of using words to speak to and for others, especially those whose stories are often abandoned and unheard. So while I didn’t join any comedy clubs, I did sign up for my first year of competitive debate.

Soon after, I found that I too could use my words to influence and speak to others, even if my audience was limited to judges and my spotlight was the glare of fluorescent lights in high schools across the nation. Addicted to the thrill of getting to discuss pressing issues I had previously only seen in the news, I amassed unholy amounts of research on American water resource protection for the 2021 season. As I plowed through mountains of research, I unearthed the truth that how we distribute water is also how we exercise justice, particularly in my community. In [STATE], where agriculture consumes over 80% of my state’s water, every-day people, especially other people of color, struggle to deal with the disproportionate impacts of water scarcity. Though I sat stunned and disappointed by my state’s water conservation practices, the line ‘I have the audacity of equality’ echoed, reminding me that I don’t have to settle for historically inequitable systems of power decided decades before I was born. I have a right to fight for the change my community needs.

Thus, when the opportunity arose to speak to one of my city’s biggest newspapers and radio stations about water conservation, I took it. I was shepherded in front of a voice recorder and later into the radio station, palms sweating as the black microphone that would project my voice city-wide hovered imposingly before me. Yet, I remembered that this was my chance to use my voice to uncover the stories that had been silenced. As my words flowed, (yes, like water) I felt that same spark of advocacy ignited in me years prior.

However, it’s one thing to elevate silenced stories and another to act upon a desire to change those narratives. If outdated political decisions are to blame for water inequities, I know new ones from young, passionate people like myself must upend them. Accordingly, soon after my interviews, I sought out an internship where I could pitch those same ideas of water conservation to residents throughout [COUNTY NAME]. My audience morphed from high school debate judges to voters, porches as a stage where I amplify the voices of the people through the power of elections and democracy.

Upon revisiting Minhaj’s comedy special, a line I first missed stands out. Hands gesturing wildly, he asks, ‘Isn’t it our job to push the needle forward little by little?’ I have established the answer is decidedly yes. I no longer miss that line when I rewatch the special because over the course of my advocacy my habit of mind has changed along with my actions. No matter the audience, the stage, or the spotlight, I view each opportunity to speak to issues I care about as pushing that needle forward. Despite my brief dream of comedic glory never coming to fruition, I am no less fulfilled in how I choose to speak for what I believe in because I understand that I have that same potential to inspire change .”

This personal statement does an excellent job of keeping a narrative thread from the introduction to the conclusion. Through this statement, we learn about the author’s background, identity, values, passions, and skills without feeling like we’re reading from an itemized list.

Their explanation about comedy not being for them is light-hearted and comical, but their speaking up for water inequities is powerful and shows their determination.

#5. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement explores a student’s experiences with wildfires:

“ A cacophony of alert ringtones blared loudly from pockets, backpacks, and desks around the room. I grabbed my phone: “EMERGENCY ALERT: Wildfire evacuation for areas west of [STREET NAME].” I looked out the window of the [HIGH SCHOOL] classroom, where I and the other Link Crew members had planned to spend the week before school started organizing freshman orientation. An angry column of black smoke billowed from just beyond the football field. This fire was closer and more intense than most. We booked it to a nearby friend’s house. An hour later, I received yet another [STATE] Fire alert. My heart dropped – I wouldn’t be able to go home tonight. Instead, the Fire had spread, cutting me off from my dad, mom, and little brother. What’s more, the fire was rapidly approaching our location. After receiving a second evacuation notice, we loaded up the camper and drove through falling ash to the nearest evacuation center, where I spent hours refreshing the [STATE] fire page and anxiously watching the smoke-filled sky.

Since I moved in 2014 from the [CITY] suburbs to [TOWN], a town of [NUMBER] in the [MOUNTAIN] Foothills, I’ve witnessed climate change firsthand. Years of drought gradually turned much of my pine forest playground into sticks of tinder. Instead of running on once-shaded trails at cross-country practice, we now dash through blackened remains of burned-out trees. While my old friends in [CITY] mow their lawns, I clear scotch broom and dead manzanitas from our property to reduce wildfire hazards.

I recognize climate change for what it is – an existential threat. Yearly reminders during the fire season underscore the immediacy of the threat that climate change poses. Some think of our climate as a problem for the future. But I know that climate change already shapes the lives of me, my community, and millions around the world. Initially, my response to climate change was just on a personal level. After studying the meat industry’s carbon footprint at Tech Trek, a STEM camp at [COLLEGE], I cut meat out of my diet entirely and have been a vegetarian for almost five years. Last year, in response to the fire, I used the skills I learned in my engineering classes to design and construct garden boxes for people who had lost their plants in the blaze.

But I know that my actions alone aren’t enough to engender lasting change. I turned to my community to compound my impact. Partnering with nature preserves and conservation groups around [TOWN], my girl scout troop and I organize environmental cleanups of tributaries and hiking trails. I designed and taught Leave No Trace curriculum and organized challenges for local youth to increase community engagement in local ecological issues.

More recently, I’ve begun to think more deliberately about how to further my impact on a larger scale. I believe that my firsthand experience with climate change, when paired with my passion for designing technological solutions to environmental problems, allows me to think about innovative ways to tackle climate challenges. To address the lack of useful resources on native and invasive plants in the [MOUNTAIN] Foothills, I’ve created a database of plants with tips and educational materials for each plant in order to create a resource that scientists, gardeners, and enthusiasts alike can use. Using the skills I’ve developed over the course of the last three years in the engineering pathway, I am drawing inspiration from temperature-regulating termite mounds to design a biomimetic home that uses air movement to maintain comfortable interior temperatures.

My family and home were safe through the fire, but others weren't as lucky. My lived experience with climate change and subsequent response on a personal, community, and larger-scale level equip and motivate me to continue the fight for a more sustainable future. Climate change started this battle, it's up to me to finish it. ”

The introduction immediately catches our attention for its vivid imagery and charged emotion as the student navigates an emergency. They connect this anecdote to the broader theme of climate change and other experiences relating to their values.

Although the student describes what they’ve already accomplished, they share what they’d like to do to address climate change on a larger scale in the future and wrap up their story by referencing the anecdote from their introduction.

#6. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement explores a candidate’s love of fashion:

“ I nervously stand from behind my desk, ready for my turn. Eyes glare at me from all sides as the teacher beckons me to begin. I dread group introductions, the first days of school, or any icebreaker exercise because of this moment. I have never had a traditional fun fact to share, like ‘I play soccer’ or ‘I have a twin.’ I used to share something safe like, ‘I hate whipped cream.’ On this day, I decided to share my true passion. ‘I love fashion.’ Giggles float through the room. Whispers are exchanged through my classmates' smirks. I immediately began to second guess myself. Was my response too shallow? Too girly? No – fashion transcends the boundaries of gender and is the opposite of shallow. It is an intricate manifestation of a person's true, innermost feelings toward the outside world. It is a way to express oneself when words don't suffice. That does not seem shallow to me.

Each day, I gaze into my closet and try to answer the routine question of what to wear. A flowing white sundress or a worn, black leather jacket? A pleated blazer or a bright red band tee? I might choose a sundress when I feel carefree and lighthearted or a heavy jacket when the world seems overwhelming and I need protection. Though it may seem an insignificant question of comfort or trends, I am really deciding which version of myself I want to reveal that day through my clothing. I could wear a coastal, relaxed outfit, and tomorrow could feature urban business attire. By no means does this imply that I have an identity crisis. I am simply a human with a wide range of emotions that cannot be confined. It is because of my inner diversity that I am unique.

The fabric that wraps my body is not meant only for cover. It also allows others a window into my soul. Though the deep desires of my heart never waver, each day brings new emotions, obstacles, and circumstances that, at times, can be difficult to process. This daily change instigates a perpetual evolution that communicates I am not the same person I was yesterday.

It's human nature to try to categorize people and things. Certain styles and garments tend to connect with a particular aesthetic. For instance, a callous person must dress grunge, and a fun, free-spirited person must dress bohemian. But people are complex. We cannot be constrained by one specific personality type. The beauty of humanity is in its inherent diversity. People can be demographically grouped by their culture, surroundings, family, or upbringing. However, the people who make up those respective communities are capable of diverse and independent thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Fashion can express that.

Fashion is not just an opportunity to display the latest trend or designer clothes. Fashion is an intimate representation of the inner workings of one's being. Even those who claim not to care about their clothing subconsciously express their emotions through it. A girl going through a breakup would think she disregards fashion by putting on a pair of sweats and throwing her hair into a messy bun. In reality, she chose the sweats because she is vulnerable and wants to feel warm and safe, and her bun prevents her hair from drowning in her tears. Her attire tells us multitudes of details if we just pay attention. Acknowledging how she feels through her clothing choice can help her process difficult emotions. She deserves this outlet to express her current state of mind. Everyone deserves this chance. I believe in an industry that can provide the average person with clothing that helps them feel beautiful and confident, regardless of their stage of life or socioeconomic status. So maybe she and I deserve those few extra minutes to get ready in the morning so that we may define the current state of our ever-changing selves .”

This personal statement shows the author’s love for fashion, particularly how they describe the various pieces in their closet. Their writing shows how they connect apparel choices to a person’s personality and feelings.

This statement may be more metaphorical and poetic than others in this list, but it could be a compelling personal statement for an aspiring fashion or art student.

#7. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement showcases a high school student’s experience with physician shadowing:

“ As I sat observing the patients scattered around the waiting room, my eyes stopped on a man flushed and gasping. He met my gaze; his own eyes were brimming with fear. His face began to take on a deep shade of red. The woman by his side jumped up and began shouting for help. A group of doctors and nurses came rushing into the waiting room. The man held my gaze and I returned his panicked stare.

Over the four months I’d spent shadowing Dr. [NAME] at [HOSPITAL NAME], my days encompassed: accompanying him during his rounds, checking on patients, and taking vital signs for postoperative patients. I even shadowed him during a valve replacement procedure. I remember thinking that operating on a person’s most central organ, with calculated precision, was the pinnacle of what it meant to be a surgeon. However, as I sat paralyzed in the waiting room, unable to break eye contact with a terrified patient entering cardiac arrest— I knew I was experiencing a part of the medical field I’d never seen.

Dr. [NAME] and the nurses moved in a synchronous dance. The nurses placed the patient on his back and helped to hold him still. Dr. [NAME] centered his hand on the man’s chest and began performing CPR. I knew rationally things were moving in real time, but the doctor’s actions seemed to move in slow motion. Dr. [NAME] began cycling between mouth to mouth and chest compressions. I felt my own heartbeat pounding rapidly in my chest.

A piercing ‘beep’ filled the room as the monitor detected a heartbeat.

When the patient met my gaze, my first instinct was to leap from my chair and help him. However, my traitorous body had been paralyzed in terror; all I could do was hold his gaze. This concerned me. If I couldn't manage my anxiety for a patient during high stress situations, did I have what it took to be a surgeon?

‘How did you stay calm?’ I asked Dr. [NAME] as we sat in his office later that day. The regular sounds of the waiting room leaked under the door—as if nothing had happened. He paused for a moment, ‘I was nervous, of course, but years of experience has taught me to channel my nerves into treating the patient the best that I can.’

Although his words made sense, it still seemed impossible to not feel fear for a patient whose life is in danger. However, as I considered his words further, I realized Dr. [NAME] wasn’t telling me he didn’t feel emotionally invested in the patient’s safety. Rather, he was saying he had learned to channel his concern into focusing on providing the best patient care possible.

During my time shadowing Dr. [NAME], prior to the day of the resuscitation, I learned the importance of surgical precision, clinical expertise, and confidence under pressure. However, as I sat in his office that day, my perspective of the medical field changed. I now understood that staying confident in the midst of chaos isn’t instinctive; it is learned. Moreover, a good surgeon recognizes that she can use her fear for her patient as motivation to save the patient.

My inclination to help others and fascination with molecular biology is what attracted me to the medical field. From the waiting room ordeal, my preserving commitment to becoming a physician was only reaffirmed. It encouraged me that my natural empathy for others would fuel rather than hinder my ability to work efficiently during stressful situations. I look forward to using this thought process in my day-to-day leadership activities, and one day, as a surgeon. ”

This personal statement offers a glimpse into the writer’s time shadowing a physician and shows their vulnerabilities and fears. This statement shows what they’ve learned from the experience and how they’ll use these skills and knowledge to realize their dream of becoming a surgeon.

#8. Personal Statement Example

This sample personal statement is about an applicant’s journey with dance and religion:

“ I stepped barefoot onto the cool wooden floor and bent down to lay my sweaty palms on the ground. I quickly got into line with the other girls and waited for the music to begin playing. My hips swayed while my heartbeat matched the rhythm of the song. Through each segment, my movements changed, evolving from Jhumar and ending in Dhamal. Behind every motion, there was an intention to send a message to the audience.

I immediately found my place with Bhangra–a traditional Punjabi folk dance. I picked up the routines effortlessly, dancing with precision. I soon advanced to the older girls’ group, working on intricate choreography that required more stamina. Bhangra became not just a passion, but a path to better explore my Punjabi heritage. With each passing year, I came to see reflections of my life in Bhangra, connecting its many forms to different pieces of my identity.

Jhumar is delicate. It grows in intensity over time, but remains fragile. Full of smooth hand movements and soft placements, it builds on knowledge and experience, mirroring my relationship with Sikhism. For a long time, I was skeptical of practicing my faith. It seemed unnecessary–a method of control rather than a choice. My grandmother coaxed me to attend prayers and forced me to sit for long periods in the Gurdwara, all of which felt like more of a chore. Over the last two years, I found myself returning to the Gurdwara willfully. I had not completely restored my faith in God, but went there as a place of healing, finding comfort in the practices I once dreaded. I sat alone in the silence to calm myself. Gradually, my broken relationship with Sikhism wove itself back together, like the gentle motions of Jhumar.

In my teenage years, I began to perform Giddha with my mother, aunts, and cousins, clapping and laughing alongside figures who shaped me. The dance is usually performed by women, telling tales of village life through skip steps and illustrative motions. Each gesture conveys the emotion and content of the story told. Giddha captured the evolution of my self-identity, reminding me of my support system and my ancestral roots. Performing next to these strong women in my life allowed me to grow my confidence and granted me a fuller sense of myself.

Dhamal is the grand finale–bright and energetic, full of jumps on fast-paced beats. It is a dance that is usually performed at the end and demands the most energy. At the beginning of this segment, I am forced to make a decision: push forward and smile through the exhaustion, or flail my limbs and give up. I center myself to keep my hands sharp and clean while stepping with purpose, making every step count. I know I will regret becoming sloppy with my motions when I rewatch the performance, so I do my best to perform elegantly. It is a test of my drive.

What began as a lighthearted use of time became a fundamental part of me. Bhangra allowed me to restore my relationship with Sikhism and turn towards it as a source of healing from times I felt lost and overwhelmed. I formed meaningful connections to the women in my family, and through them, my ancestors, bonding over traditions and experiencing my culture in depth. I learned to handle pressure with grace, pushing through difficulty with determination, and further strengthening essential parts of my identity. As I dance, I step, clap, and move through the parts of myself that make me whole .”

This personal statement begins with an anecdote to immerse the reader in an event and showcases how Bhangra helped her reconnect with her heritage, religion, and culture. This narrative shows the applicant’s drive and talent while illuminating her journey toward strengthening her identity.

#9. Personal Statement Example

Let’s see how one applicant transformed their love of chess into a winning personal statement:

“ The wooden board promised possibilities and endless opportunities. On the maple wood of the battlefield, rooks, bishops, and knights stood ready in the most strategic war, chess.

My father lovingly taught me the game of chess as a young child. I immediately gravitated toward the game due to its strategic nature and quickly learned that chess appeared simple: just capture the king. Regardless of this apparent simplicity, my analytical mind always thought ten moves ahead. I never entered the battle without a full-fledged plan and a future-focused mindset that always seemed to be an advantage. From that point, many victories made me naive to the need to adjust my well-laid plans to meet outside challenges. Then, a particular game upended my strategies and confidence. This game began no differently from the others as I slowly set up the pieces and developed a seemingly invincible plan. And as my plan was forming, my confidence rose.

I started the game by bringing the king's pawn forward two spaces. In the very next move, I crossed my queen three places. I applied maximum pressure immediately to stay on offense and put my opponent on defense. After a few silly moves later by my father, I saw the opening to put his king in check, so I took it. I was executing my plan perfectly. However, my father started moving his rook closer to my queen, and in a matter of seconds, he captured my strongest piece. Playing it off as no sacrifice, for the rest of the game, I remained unwilling to change my plan, only to lose the game eventually. I realized at that moment that I had not appreciated the importance of adapting to changing circumstances and challenges–to the idea that for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction, as I later learned in physics. Since that game, I began to balance my strategic planning with the need to adjust to the moves of my opponent as one must balance one’s strategic goals with the reality of the present; otherwise, life will deliver missed opportunities.

Yet one of my greatest passions was discovered by thinking far ahead in the future. From a young age, I became fascinated with engineering, both the physics of how objects move and fly and the potential for real innovation that accompanies the design and execution processes of engineering. Due to my logical nature, I prefer to set plans in order to optimize an outcome. When one identifies and defines problems logically and precisely, a plan is necessary, so thinking in future terms becomes essential. However, as time has passed, my love for engineering has grown, especially my passion for discovering how physical objects move and interact and plans can develop in creative and previously unthinkable ways. This future-focused mindset has influenced both my academic studies and my work in STEM internships as well as a recent apprenticeship with [LARGE COMPANY]. These pursuits, in turn, have allowed me to expand my vision of what my undergraduate studies and future career paths may hold. Still, future strategizing and adapting to the present are skills that will guide my future endeavors. Thus, engineering, like the game of chess, not only involves having a strategy going into the game, sometimes the key to victory, but also adapting to changing conditions can mean the difference between success and failure. ”

The author used their experiences with chess to describe the development of skills such as strategic planning and adaptation. They effortlessly connect their story about a chess game to their love of physics and engineering.

The chess game serves as a backdrop for their passion for STEM and what they’ve done to further explore their interests and connects the game to engineering and their cultivated skill to adapt amid changing conditions (such as new information) – a skill top colleges look for in candidates.

#10. Personal Statement Example

This candidate’s experience with a disposable camera helped them find the perfect personal statement:

“ When I was fourteen years old, my mother bought me a disposable film camera, a shiny green plastic gadget from Walmart. At first, I was bewildered by how this seemingly superfluous object could supplement my perfectly efficient iPhone camera. Dangling the gift between my fingers with confusion, I was torn between telling my mother I had no use for this fossil, and graciously giving in to her request to ‘just try it out.’ I took the high road, and settled on the latter.

Initially photography was an aesthetic hobby, however, it quickly turned into immense devotion to the art. I began to carry around the little green camera everywhere I went. Unfortunately, disposable film cameras have meager lifespans, and I could only take 27 pictures before the film was exhausted. After years of taking pictures with careless abandon, my photography was transformed by the idea of a tiny plastic box forcing me to choose my shots more carefully. Formerly, I could whip out my camera whenever I wanted to and take a picture, capturing a frame that would eventually disappear in the mass conglomeration of my iPhone camera roll. Conversely, my film camera required me to decide the right moment to capture a snapshot of a memory frozen in time.

Ultimately, the narrative I have captured through my film camera has also helped me find my authentic voice through writing. I love using language to express my character, demonstrating my willingness to explore my passions and capture my every emotion. When I first attempted to write a full length novel, I recognized it would be a massive time commitment, and there would be hundreds of revisions. However, upon completing my first manuscript, I did not feel worried, or overwhelmed by the editing process. I was excited to embark on this next journey of perfecting my work. I was immersed in finishing my novel when my mom convinced me to apply for a Writing Contest. I followed her advice, and the risk ended up paying off. A few months later, I opened up my laptop to see an email announcing I had received the [TOP PRIZE]. The thrill of my teachers and parents could not be compared to my own surprise. I was absolutely overjoyed that the judges were moved by my story. My devotion to the film camera is now reflected in my approach to everyday life and my profile as a student.

Throughout my high school career, I have dedicated myself to a few activities and developed my skill set, instead of spreading myself thinly in several fruitless activities. Stepping out of my comfort zone, I decided to sign up for a boxing class in my [HIGH SCHOOL] year. I looked forward to every training session, and began to transfer that energy into becoming an even better academic student. I loved learning new techniques and memorizing nuanced tips, until I eventually took the combat training style and made it my own. Yet another activity that began as a hobby, eventually helped build my self-confidence and provided strategies on how to approach adversity; from interactions with peers, to the boxing ring.

I have yet to fully appreciate the fleeting nature of every moment. Incorporating my film camera into my everyday life has allowed me to take control and fill my high school career with a rich and genuine photo album of experiences .”

The writer’s careful approach to using the film camera shows their deliberateness and newfound approach to their passion for art and photography. They connect this story to their love of writing, citing their finished full-length novel, a truly impressive feat.

They also show their ability to step outside their comfort zone and passion for artistic endeavors with their experiences in boxing. This personal statement showcases their commitment to their passions and how taking pictures with a disposable camera showed them how to take control of their journey.

#11. Personal Statement Example

Here’s another example detailing an applicant’s visit to the zoo:

“ As the sunlight trickles through the willow trees and glitters on the surface of the water, I squint. Where is it? Even though I’m in the shade, sweat is pouring down my face; it’s easily 115 degrees out. I scour the swamp beneath me one last time, sigh, and give up. Every time I visit the [ZOO NAME], this singular [ANIMAL] (a type of crocodilian) evades me. Somewhere in the murky water underneath the pedestrian bridge, the elusive false gharial hides from view. It’s enough to make most people give up in disappointment, potentially anger. Not me. Each time I visit, I enjoy my experience to the fullest, regardless of what I see.

Since I was a toddler, I have been enamored with every zoo I visit. My mother doesn’t exaggerate when she claims I had to be dragged out of zoos against my will as a toddler. The animal kingdom is beautifully diverse, unique, and absolutely breathtaking; it enraptured me as a child and still does today. The fact that toucans throw their food in the air and catch it with their beaks, parachute frogs glide from tree to tree, or sea cucumbers eject their insides as a self-defense mechanism–these are all such incredible adaptations and behaviors that I sometimes am unable to comprehend the incredible scope of evolution. I am easily swept up in my admiration of all aspects of the natural world, completely losing myself in the experience.

The last time I visited the [ZOO NAME] with my extended family, I was astonished by the new Dome structure. A shimmering glass dome sparkling under the bright, hot sun, the building was reminiscent of a giant greenhouse. Although the eponymous pangolins had not yet been moved to their new home where I could see them, reading about their story was eye-opening. These cute armored mammals are considered the most trafficked animals in the world. As I traversed the rest of the building, I discovered that different levels are devoted to depicting various aspects of the Rainforest, the most ecologically productive biome in the world. Starting from the bottom of the dome, viewers walk through the tropical, fish-filled waters, then climb through the forest’s various levels, getting to see the complex intersection of energy flows, water use, and nutrient cycles. I was humbled by the experience. I left that day with a clear understanding of why I love zoos so much: zoos are a chance for humans to learn how to better coexist with the environment.

We live in a world where human development and conservation are almost mutually exclusive. A forest, field, or beach has to be destroyed, drilled into, or paved in order for ‘civilization’ to exist. Zoos prove that this does not have to be the case; they are a source of inspiration for how we can better live in harmony with nature. Every exhibit is a microcosm of a distinct aspect of the environment and can teach us how facets of nature interact. The aforementioned Dome, for example, uses natural light to simulate a real biome while conserving energy. Other conservationist elements–resource recycling and reuse, water conservation, etc.–are evident throughout the zoo.

In what feels like an instant after stepping out of the tomistoma enclosure, I realize that the sun has already begun to set and the cicadas have already begun to buzz. As I am dragged back into the car by my uncle, I reflect on how I can apply the zoo’s sustainable techniques to the general public. How can we adapt nature’s solutions to certain problems and conform them to meet our needs? For example, can we reduce a city’s temperature and carbon levels? Planting green roofs can reduce both. Whenever I want to solve such environmental issues, I think of the [ZOO NAME]. Nature has solutions to all of our problems; we just have to embrace them. ”

This personal statement shares the author’s interest in biology and animal sciences through anecdotes showing their love and appreciation of zoos. The animal facts and musings about the new building show their passion for knowledge and happiness at the opportunity for humans to coexist with nature.

The conclusion raises the writer’s questions but shows their critical thinkins skills and how they can connect the zoo’s “sustainable techniques” to new solutions in cities. It also effectively wraps up the narrative.

#12. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement describes a candidate’s experience navigating the jungle and how it ignited a new passion:

“ Immersed in the core of the [NAME] jungle, I was set to embark on my first plant medicine journey. At age 14, I was depressed and anxiety scheduled my days. For a week, I lived with the [NUMBER] year-old [NAME] tribe: waking before the sun, drinking cleansing tea with the Chief and his counsel, and cutting through the wilds with a machete to hunt for dinner. Known for centuries to be cautious of welcoming Westerners, the village members embraced me. I had the chance to hear the tribe passionately share their knowledge about native plants and ways to live harmoniously with the land. Songs of exotic birds and warm, crisp air breathed love into my lungs, and I felt my nervous system recalibrating. I partook in the ceremony with [TEA NAME], a plant based entheogenic tea that activates the pineal gland, and I felt my connection growing stronger with divine nature. It felt like I was washing my brain in ice water and I was inspired by the tribe’s devotion to Her. At night, I feverishly scribbled down my day in my Moleskin journal. By the time the week was through, every page was filled with thoughts, questions and feelings.

When I returned back home, I wanted to learn more about these plants and why or how they became so scorned and abused in contemporary society. Taking research into my own hands, I proactively began to dig into the history of these plants. I was hooked after reading Terrance and Dennis McKenna's Stoned Ape Theory and listening to the podcast, ‘Avoid Gurus, Follow Plants.’ This year, I became the youngest to complete The Course [NAME] led by Dr. [NAME]. I learned about limbic healing, the psychoneuroendocrine immunology network, and the power of these sagacious teacher-plants. Dr. [NAME] discussed the harms of disrespecting plant medicines and how if we work for them, they may choose to work with us.

The course included conversations with Ph.D. student, [NAME], regarding her dissertation about the benefits of ketamine in psychotherapy. The thesis concluded that compounds in medicinal plants had healing properties to neurodegenerative diseases and those with terminal illnesses and trauma, all of which are imperative to our current and future concept of health. My enthusiasm for plant medicine spread into all aspects of my life; it was time for another journal and another journey. Thus, I began my podcast: [NAME]. Honoring the wisdom of the indigenous, the podcast bridged gaps between societies and generations, creating a safe space for curiosity to thrive and penetrating the walls of ignorance. Recently, I watched my mom transform from a senior executive at a major telecommunication company to a [NEW ROLE] and CEO of her own firm. As my first podcast guest, she shared her mission to guide one million souls into personal sovereignty. Since then, I have been blessed to speak with Dr. [NAME], the Chief of a [TRIBE], who discussed the preview of her new book and shared how surrendering invites harmony to a person’s life. It was then that I realized that The [PODCAST NAME] was more than a podcast; it was a quiet voice with something loud to say. Today, its purpose is to focus on integrating spirituality into everyday life, and how to work respectively with these venerated and still controversial plant medicines. It is paradise for thinkers, visionaries, and pioneers. The words exchanged in the podcast are the planks in a bridge that connect some of the world’s most remarkable leaders to a generation that may benefit from their wisdom. The journey that began in [COUNTRY] struck the match to the wildfire of my passion, curiosity and devotion to plant medicine .”

This personal statement illuminates the author’s experiences living with a different culture in a new environment, showing their ability to exit their comfort zone. The story shows the author’s cultural understanding, describes where their passion for plant medicine bloomed, and how it inspired them to start their own podcast.

#13. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement explores the writer’s love of painting:

“ I am a painter. The connection I feel to the art I create and love is — like the art itself — so much more than the words I can use to describe it. I become utterly absorbed in the process of creating, viewing, and studying art; it taps into my vulnerabilities and connects me to previously unknown parts of myself. Everything I paint, regardless of the apparent subject, reflects something about me. My recent painting ‘[NAME],’ for example, depicts a close friend curled up beneath a quilt festooned with red poppies. I have realized that it is a portrait of both of us that reveals our shared yearning for safety, warmth, and beauty. Likewise, my favorite pieces by other artists lay bare my own internal tensions and artistic aspirations. I believe that paintings unlock access to both the artist and the viewer. This has become apparent in an independent art history project I completed this summer about the early 20th-century painter Amrita Sher-Gil. I remember first seeing one of her works and feeling deeply drawn to her use of color. Compelled to learn more, I sought the mentorship of a local art history professor and embarked on an exploration of Sher-Gil’s work that has resulted in a tremendous affinity for her story – and a better understanding of my own.

In volumes of Sher-Gil’s letters, photographs, and paintings, I found an uncanny resemblance to myself. She was Indian and European, moved frequently, played the piano, and saturated her paintings with bold, warm colors. Sher-Gil drew inspiration from Rajput painting and stained her female subjects with a burning red that could have spilled out of the tube of cadmium red I squeeze each time I create an underpainting. In my work, the same Rajput-like red shines through the crevices of my overpainting and brings my subject matter to life.

As I became enthralled by Sher-Gil’s red, I learned about the color’s history and, in the end, I made an original discovery. Rajput artists surrounded their paintings with a luxurious red border and often used the color to adorn and highlight two lovers; this red became a mark of heterosexual longing. As I read Sher-Gil’s letters and looked at her paintings, I noticed that she used the Rajput-like red to allude to her own bisexuality; my paper pointed out that she reworked the color’s meaning to represent intimacy between and among women.

My research on Sher-Gil is a clear reflection of my own artistic process — sometimes confusing, far from neat, and often driving to an unclear conclusion. Nevertheless, it reinforced my relationship with art. Sher-Gil used paint to capture the complexity of her identity and illustrated her struggles, dilemmas, and moments of pleasure; in doing so, she has given me confidence in my own painting process and self-exploration. When I paint, I live in a space of meaningful and productive uncertainty. Just as the unexpected purple highlights on the arm of the figure beneath the poppies in my painting resulted from accidental layers of red, blue, and green, the meaning of my work may not be evident until the painting is complete.

In the same way, I am a work in progress. In art, I explore strength and vulnerability, femininity and masculinity, uncertainty and knowledge; I throw myself into my creative and intellectual interests as the practitioner and academic, the painter and viewer. When I paint, I value the companionship of my tubes of pigment, the subjects of my images, and painters like Sher-Gil, who has become a role model. I am eager to pursue studio art and art history and to introduce others to the possibilities of self-exploration through art. To know me, you should know my paintings: the ones I create, the ones I love, and the ones I will study, teach, and share with others. Painting reveals the fullest version of who I am .”

This student’s love of painting and Sher-Gil’s work spurred them to seek mentorship and how, like their artistic process, they’re a “work in progress.” The author’s experiences and passion for art intersect with their explorations of himself and their strengths.

#14. Personal Statement Example

This personal story begins with what appears to be a humorous anecdote that transforms into a well-written personal statement:

“ During my first week of kindergarten, I pulled the fire alarm.

We had just come in from recess and kindergartners were lined up single file against the wall. It was our ritual before returning to class. I felt antsy, fidgety, and bored; my body was not ready for the impending ‘circle time.’

A quick turn of my head and there it was – a red, shiny, attractive box. The allure was all-consuming. ‘Pull the lever,’ an internal voice told me. Before I knew it, my thoughts had become actions, and I instantly became a legend. Blue ink on my palms from the dye pack gave me away when the blaring alarm and chaos settled. Despite initial frustration, even the principal appreciated my clever argument: ‘Why can a small kid reach the fire alarm – is it even really my fault?’

For years, I struggled with that question as I learned that my brain craves action and I need to learn to ‘pause’ while most others don't. I also discovered that I have a passion for understanding how and why the brain works, and a resulting interest in neuroscience.

Recognizing that people learn and experience things differently and that it's not their ‘fault’ spurred my desire to help others from a young age. I cajoled my parents to take me to a library – an hour away, each way – that was willing to accept a 12-year-old tutor. Soon after, I developed [WEBSITE NAME], a service that provides a combination of learning and social support. I learned that each child has individual needs, different ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ for learning and experiencing the world – and I was fascinated by it all.

My high school serendipitously had a program perfectly designed for me - [PROGRAM NAME]. I didn’t realize until I started working as a fellow with the [PROGRAM NAME] – a center for mind, body, and education science – that my “field” experience as a tutor coupled with my fascination with learning differences made the intersection of neuroscience and education an ideal focus. My innate desire to understand the brain's inner workings guided me to help others learn and feel comfortable with their own brain wiring. Whether leading a study on the biggest stress factors for high school students or exploring what types of music best influence learning, I am inspired to gain a deeper understanding of brain function and its educational implications.

My parents often tell the fire alarm story – it is pretty funny, after all – but it also represents something more serious for me: the realization that impulsivity is part of my brain circuitry. It's arguably a blessing. As a five-year-old, I needed to pull that alarm. As a more mature student, I need to pursue my desire to understand the brain, recognize I have no ‘fault’ to fix, and use scientific research and insights to help myself and others. To this day, I still believe the fire alarm should be higher than a kindergartner's reach.”

Although this personal statement begins with a humorous anecdote, the tone remains serious enough to convey the author’s lived experiences and accomplishments influenced by their brain’s impulsivity. This exploration of themself led to their interest in neuroscience and how they’re inspired to learn more about brain function.

The conclusion brings the narrative full circle in a light-hearted way while the author shares their conviction to use scientific research in the future to better understand themselves and others.

#15. Personal Statement Example

This personal statement describes the a figure skater’s reflection of their path:

“ The frigid air bit my cheeks as music breathed life into the otherwise dead-silent arena. I felt the intimidating stares of a million eyes as I started gliding across the gleaming ice in sync with the music, yearning to flaunt the moves I’d assiduously perfected during my early-morning practices. Flawlessly landing the last double lutz in my program, I was homebound. As the music reached its final decrescendo, I slowly exited my last spin and struck my final pose facing the motionless audience. The silence returned momentarily but quickly turned into thunderous applause and cheers as I took my bow after another ‘gold medal’ performance.

Exiting the ice, I noticed a haze of silhouetted smiles. Most were unrecognizable, but a few jumped out at me before I was even off the ice: those of my coach, my parents, and my exuberant little sister. However, after performing this same program multifarious times this season, each warm post-program greeting by friendly or familiar faces felt like déjà vu.

Competition after competition caused me to gradually lose sight of my goal. An Olympic gold medal is known to be the pinnacle of a figure skating career, but the elusivity and cutthroat nature of the journey slowly became more of a deterrent to finding my way to the top of that podium. Instead, I was prompted to look beyond the bounds of this track as I sought to uncover a solution to the monotonous cycle that held me confined to the quotidian repetition of competition between training sessions and performances.

Serendipitously, I soon stumbled upon a volunteer coaching opportunity at my local rink. Through the [NAME] Skating Program, I was given the opportunity to work with individuals with a range of physical and developmental disabilities on the ice. Initially hesitant to fill this position because it’d be my first coaching opportunity, I was soon elated by each skater’s positive demeanor and excitement to reach their fullest potential. To them, skating wasn’t about a collection of gold medals, but instead about the freedom granted to them on the ice and the resultant sense of coach-and-skater camaraderie so freely formed.

After the program met each week, I continuously found myself exceptionally eager to return to the ice to improve my own skating skills. However, I began approaching practice sessions with a renewed sense of purpose, as I was no longer concerned with the minuscule details that’d cost me valuable points in competition. Shifting my focus from technicalities to the bigger picture, I could now enjoy my time spent on the ice while also enhancing my skills as a mentor. Precipitating fulfillment out of practice sessions, I discovered that the pride I held in my mentoring abilities was more valuable than any medal.

Reflecting on my decade of skating, I’ve come to find that the most rewarding times, just like the most rewarding and delicious recipes, tend to rely on a balance between leadership and zealousness, between seasoning and zest. The leadership seasoning has come from my coaching experiences, which have impelled me to thrust myself into even more leadership roles both inside and outside the rink. On the other side of the rink, my zest at my best is hard for the rest to test, so this equilibrium between leadership and enthusiasm is critical for me to maintain so that I can always be my best self not just for my own self, but also and mostly for others. Whether it be teaching a skating class, educating underclassmen on basic business fundamentals for DECA, or discussing how to write efficacious and mellifluous news articles for my school paper, I’ve constantly been able to find avidity in every activity I pursue through an equilibrium of mentorship and individual effort, even if it doesn’t earn me an Olympic gold medal in the end, because when it comes to being golden-hearted, I’ve already been Olympic-caliber all my life.”

While the beginning of this personal statement showcases the author’s figure skating talent, the “reflection” piece shows how they handled feeling deterred from their goal toward meaning an Olympic gold medal.

Their mentoring experience shows their community spirit, leadership potential, and adaptability – they connect these experiences to helping them enjoy their time on the ice again. This story conveys how they found balance and can apply it to other situations.

These examples of college personal statements are just that: examples. While your statement doesn’t need to look exactly like these, reading examples is a great way to gain inspiration.

Common Personal Statement Mistakes

Many students find it easy to fall into certain traps when writing their personal statements. Make sure to avoid these mistakes in your writing!

Relying on cliches : It is imperative that you avoid cliche saying, topics, or ideas in your statement. Admissions officers read tons of statements daily, so you want to make yours stand out. Using cliches will give the impression that you aren’t putting honest effort in and only writing what you think they want to hear.
Choosing an inappropriate topic : Stay away from topics involving illegal activities, highly personal or tragic situations, or controversial ideas. You don’t want to make your reader uncomfortable in any way.
Using quotes : Your personal statement should come from you. Using a famous quote in your statement is not only cliche but also takes up valuable space that you could use for your own words and story.
Not proofreading : If you want to look professional and polished, you need to avoid grammar or spelling mistakes at all costs. Proofread your work and then proofread it again. Try reading it aloud to catch small errors.
Repeating your application : You don’t need to talk about your GPA or test scores in your personal statement. The admissions committee has already seen them. Your statement is a place for you to show them who you are in a personal sense.

If you’re struggling even after this comprehensive guide, get help with your personal statement today. Our personalized tutors will work one-on-one with you to craft the perfect personal statement.

Here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about how to write a college personal statement.

1. What Should a College Personal Statement Include?

Your college personal statement should include a brief snippet about a transformative event in your life that led you to your application. You can include important lessons you’ve learned, qualities you’ve developed over time, and your goals.

2. How Do You Start a Personal Statement?

To start a personal statement , begin with a concise introduction. Don’t spend too much time on the beginning; starting with one or two sentences to set up your story and grab the reader’s attention is best.

3. How Do I Make My Personal Statement Stand Out?

To stand out , your personal statement should highlight something special. Think about your life experiences that meant a lot to you growing up and have shaped you into who you are today and who you want to be. Avoid clichés like famous quotes or general statements.

4. How Should I Format a Personal Statement?

College application platforms typically provide a personal statement format, such as a word count or page limit . Generally speaking, you’ll want to select a basic, legible font, such as 12 pt. Times New Roman.

5. How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

A good personal statement is between 500 and 650 words. Double-check the specific requirements for your school to confirm how long your statement should be.

6. What Should You Not Do in a Personal Statement?

When writing a personal statement, avoid using famous quotes, grammatical errors, or choosing an inappropriate topic.

Final Thoughts

Your personal statement should be authentic, compelling, and give the reader an excellent idea of what makes you, you . The best personal statements include a punchy introduction, a compelling and unique anecdote, and conclude with a few lines nicely wrapping up the narrative.

Don’t be afraid to get personal — it’s a personal statement, after all! Just ensure you end on a high note. Remember, your conclusion is the last thing admissions officers will read, so it should be memorable and impactful. What do you want the audience to take away?

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LSU coach Kim Mulkey's feuding with the Washington Post. Here's what we know so far

As it turns out, the madness of March extends past the confines of the court.

LSU women's head basketball coach Kim Mulkey spent four minutes of a Saturday press conference going after her next opponent: the Washington Post .

Mulkey, who led the Tigers back to the NCAA tournament one year after winning a national title, accused the Post of writing an upcoming article framed as a "hit piece" about her. According to Mulkey, the Post's reporter has been working on the piece for the last two years and contacted multiple former coaches and players.

"I’ve hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me," Mulkey said. "Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable but I am, and I’ll do it."

A Washington Post spokesperson declined a comment request from USA TODAY on Saturday.

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

On Sunday, Mulkey had more to say when asked about her team's slow start against No. 11 Middle Tennessee State Tigers. While LSU eventually won handily, 83-56, the sluggish first half begged the question of whether the team was distracted.

“No. Listen, we’re not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we’re trying to do. Absolutely not,” Mulkey said.

Here's everything we know so far about the upcoming article.

March Madness picks: Our Sunday bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA women's tournament

Rumors about a Kim Mulkey article surfaced on Friday

Pat Forde, a writer for Sports Illustrated, reported via social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that he heard about a "big Washington Post story in the works." According to Forde, the piece may come out as early as next week.

The Washington Post reporter has covered LSU in the past

According to Mulkey, the reporter in question, Kent Babb, had previously written an article about Brian Kelly for the Post. She "didn't appreciate" the story and refused to sit down with him as a result.

Mulkey said the writer sent LSU "more than a dozen questions" on Tuesday with a deadline to respond on Thursday, "right before we’re scheduled to tip-off." (LSU's women's basketball team played their first game of the tournament against Rice on Friday afternoon. They won, 70-60.)

She went on to say she believed the timing of the questioning and deadline were intentional, an attempt to distract her and her team from their current postseason run.

"It ain’t gonna work, buddy," Mulkey said.

"This is exactly why people don’t trust journalists and the media anymore. It’s these kinds of sleazy tactics and hatchet jobs that people are just tired of."

Women's March Madness games: Schedule, how to watch Sunday's NCAA Tournament games

Kent Babb has responded to Mulkey's comments

Though both Babb and the Post have declined most requests for comment from multiple outlets, Babb did confirm to the Associated Press he is working on a Mulkey profile. He also seemingly responded to Mulkey's press conference allegations and lawsuit threats in a Saturday post on X.

"Hit piece?" the post read with a link to Babb's aforementioned 2022 article on Brian Kelly.

It is so far unclear when the Washington Post will publish the upcoming story.

to submit an obituary

Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm, Call 610-915-2226

(Proofs will be provided for accuracy only, they will not be styled/formatted like the finished product)

Obituaries submitted on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays are accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. by email only [email protected]

(No proofs will be furnished. Pricing will not be available until the next business day after 10:00am by calling Dianne at 610-915-2226)

Obituaries received after Deadline will not be published in the following edition of the paper.

Sending Procedure:

Email is the preferable method for receiving Obituaries (and the only method on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays), they can be sent to [email protected] (Feel free to call and confirm that we’ve received the email)

Formatting:

Obituaries will continue to visually look the same as they currently do, but you will no longer be restricted in what you can say (ex. As much Family can be listed as you’d like; Wording like “Went to rest with the Lord” is now permissible)

There is a cost for each obituary. Pricing and payments are only available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. All weekend and holiday submissions will be provided a cost the next business day.

Exceptions:

All New accounts, Out of State Funeral Homes and Private Parties will require prepayment upon approval of the obituary. Weekend and Holiday staff are not authorized to set up a new account or process payments

Deadline for the above is before 4:00 PM Mon – Fri. only (Holiday schedules may vary).

Prepayment required submissions will be handled on the very first business day following the weekend and/or holiday schedule. A complete name, address and best contact phone number are required upon submittal of your obituary request to set up your account. A proof will then be emailed for review but placed on hold until payment is received.

Have you been struggling to put together a memorable personal statement for college? This service specializes in helping with that. Based on 11685 reviews on Sitejabber, EssayPro has an overall consumer rating of 4.73 stars for its affordable rates, quality output, and excellent customer service. The company also offers free revisions.

There are no limits to the fields EssayPro can write about, whether it is computer science, economics, psychology, or even English. The best part? The content is 100% custom-written, with no plagiarism. The essay service provider is one you can trust at any given moment to deliver a personal statement that will wow your admissions officers. The company is known to write brilliant graduate school papers as well.

EssayPro charges different rates based on the type of paper you need. Fees for personal statement writing start at $14.25 per page. Their services come with a 60-day quality warranty.

3. EssayTerritory — Exceptional Customer Service

Adding to our personal statement review list is EssayTerritory. This essay writing company provides its customers with top-quality personal statements that help them secure admission into institutions of their choice. Their writers have extensive experience writing academic papers and are capable of writing excellent personal statements that will impress admissions committees.

In fact, writers at EssayTerritory have been writing personal statements for years and helped thousands of students get into their dream schools.

Its website is quite professional and conveys confidence, which is important when looking for someone to write your statement. They also follow a set of guidelines that ensure you receive exactly what you want. Plus their services are reasonably priced.

Pricing depends on the academic level of the paper required and the deadline. A one-page personal statement can cost anywhere between $15 to $44 per page depending on your academic level.

4. SpeedyPaper — Good Selection of Personal Statement Writers

SpeedyPaper provides students with custom-written high-quality papers for any subject and level of difficulty. Every personal statement, term paper, research paper or essay is written from scratch by highly qualified academic writers with over 12 years of experience in the academic writing process. This means you will receive prompt, compelling plagiarism-free material.

The company also offers low prices on all services and customers can choose their preferred personal statement writers at no extra cost. It scores 4.41 on Sitejabber and 4 on Trustpilot. Its customer base is impressive, so you’re in good hands when you hire them.

The company’s services for writing personal statements and admissions essays start at $34 per page and go up to $100, depending on the type of document and the timeline. Students who use the company’s loyalty program can save on expenses. A 100% money-back guarantee is also available.

5. GradeMiners — Company With Solid Reputation

The final pick on our top five list of companies that provide personal statement help is Grademiners. Scoring consumer ratings of 4.2 stars on Sitejabber and 4.7 on Trustpilot, it’s difficult not to trust them with your personal statement writing. This company has outstanding customer service and top-quality material.

Not only do they have an almost flawless track record in delivering well-written essays, but they also edit and proofread other documents, such as dissertations, graduate and undergraduate essays, reports, and speeches. Definitely one to keep an eye on if you are seeking admission or want to graduate in style! The starting price per page is $30.25.

Here’s where we wrap up our top-five picks. These companies have made it to our list of essay writing service reviews based on the quality content, prompt delivery, and excellent customer service they provide. Explore their profiles further to find the perfect match for your needs.

What is a Personal Statement?

Many schools, including colleges and universities, require an impressive personal statement (or admissions essay) before you can be accepted into your desired program. This essay focuses on your skills, experience, achievements, and education to give admissions officers a better understanding of who you are as a person and what makes you unique. It’s often short, covering between one and two pages.

Even at that volume, it could take you weeks or months to draft the document if you want to create something that will impress admissions committees around the world. Fortunately, you can achieve this with professional assistance. Whether it is from composing the perfect content to proofreading final versions, especially for people whose schedules don’t allow them enough time or freedom, these writing services can make it a breeze.

What Makes a Good Personal Statement?

“I want to write my personal statement, but don’t know if it will be good enough,” you might say. Regardless, don’t let your fear stop you. Just like everything else you will ever write in your life, writing a good personal statement is all about your perspective.

It takes a creative writer to draft compelling material. Whereby a personal statement does not reflect a student’s personality or viewpoint, it might sound like a sales pitch or a generic description of the applicant. That doesn’t mean you need to write down a lengthy and complex dissertation that details every aspect of your life.

A well-written personal statement focuses on a few points that provide a convincing overview. For example, you can discuss a major challenging situation you encountered and how you handled it or describe a specific academic milestone or creative work that demonstrates your intellectual capabilities and passion for a field. It could even include hobbies or extracurricular activities.

These highlights should provide additional information pertinent to understanding your background. Word count is another factor to consider when drafting this material. It shouldn’t be too long or too short. Some schools have less stringent word limits.

There is no one right way for personal statement writing. Just be yourself and showcase your strengths. Besides, admissions officers will probably read a lot of applications, so make sure yours stands out.

How to Create the Right Personal Statement?

Before you hire a writer for personal statement essays, understand the requirements for creating such materials. That way, you’ll set expectations for your personal statement writer. In general, drafting a personal statement is similar to writing a cover letter. You just need the right knowledge and approach.

There are things you can do all along to develop your statement and get it ready for submission. Here we look at how to do that! As much as possible, read through the application requirements and make note of what the personal statement should contain. This will help you get started.

Personal statements are of two types: response to a question and general statement of purpose.

Response to a Question Your custom personal statement might take the form of answering direct questions or prompts that are styled with the intent to know you better. Hence, your answer must align with each question’s purpose. Here are some sample questions to expect. Yours may vary.

Do you have any specific reasons for applying to this university, and what are your goals?
Is there a unique quality that makes your application outstanding?
What can you bring to this institution or discipline that is currently lacking?
Would you mind sharing anything about your history with us?
How does your personal background or distinct viewpoint relate to this discipline? What prospects might this program offer?
What are some of your proudest accomplishments with application reviewers that you would like to share?
Were you drawn to this field because of a difficult background? Please share any insights you’ve gained
How has your life been affected by overcoming adversity?
Can you recall an experience that inspired you to pursue a career in this field?

You might find it helpful to imagine yourself talking face-to-face with someone who can decide whether or not you should be considered for the course. Keep your intentions and qualities clear when speaking. Students worry a lot about admissions officers seeing right through weak essays, but don’t worry too much.

Personal statements aren’t easy to judge automatically and admissions tutors read hundreds every year. They tend to rely more on personal impressions, rather than hard data like grades and the likes, which means there is room for you to make an impression even if your grades aren’t exceptional.

General Statement of Purpose Some of the best personal statements fall under this category. Here, your selected institution will require you to write a personal statement in broader terms — a more common term used. Although it allows applicants more freedom, there are guidelines they must strictly follow.

As a general rule, you should describe yourself more regarding your expectations from the course or how you can add value to it. You also need to tailor your personal essay to the institution’s requirements, just as you would when writing “Response to a Question.” There is one difference, though. You can reuse parts of your statement in subsequent essays.

Legitimacy and Safety of Personal Statement Writing Services

Every day more students are relying on online services to improve the quality of their documents, and personal statements are no exemptions. A little bit of help never hurts, right? Sure, but while you’re online, you risk sharing your personal details with untrusted sources. This can create a breach of confidentiality and security and could compromise your safety.

While the internet is flooded with tons of online paper writing services, not all of them are legit or safe. Some of these providers claim to offer personalized papers. Yet, they fail to deliver on their promises. And many of those who have used them report their experience as being less than excellent and regret ever hiring them.

For this reason and more, you should take precautions before contacting any professional personal statement. Reviews, such as this one are there to guide you. And whatever you do, don’t share confidential information that could compromise your identity.

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Personal Statement Writer Online

Here are some of the obvious advantages that you will get if you decide to buy personal statement:

Relieve yourself of the burden of writing your personal statement and focus on other tasks, saving time and effort
Spice up your paper professionally by choosing from the various options and features offered by the best personal statement writing service
Easily maintain the quality of writing since the online writing services comprise experienced writers
Expect a personalized, original and engaging customized essay free of plagiarism at any time
Save more money by using discounts and get money-back offers whenever you wish

Hiring a personal statement writer for your personal statement editing also come with potential drawbacks, including the fact that:

You can’t be sure of finding the best-custom essay writing services since they are offered by many
If you have a tight budget, then you might require some time to find a service that is within your budget and can still deliver top-quality material. It may require several trials and errors, which could cost you more time and money
You risk divulging your personal details to an untrustworthy source, which may result in impersonation, theft, and even a threat to life
It could make you overdependent and less creative over time
Consider these factors before hiring any personal statement writer service. As much as it provides freedom, you shouldn’t abuse it.

Who Will Write My Paper?

The answers depend on the online agency you hire. Reputable writing services employ experienced native speakers or certified non-native speakers who can write your personal statement perfectly. These professionals are thoroughly vetted to deliver high-quality content. This implies that your personal statement will be 100% original and on par with your school’s admission standards.

Is it Confidential to Hire Professional Personal Statement Writers?

Generally, yes. When you hire a professional personal statement writer, your information remains confidential. This means that, for one particular service you hire, the provider will not ever use your contact details, financial details or other private info to get a good name for it and attract more customers. You can submit the document as the “original writer.”

Also note that your reputation is on the line when you choose an agency, as subpar or plagiarized content can threaten your overall credibility. Hence, always hire a writing service with proven results and experience.

The Bottom Line

A personal essay is an important part of a college or university application that can make you stand out from other applicants. As such, it should be taken seriously. But if you don’t have the skills, time or freedom to pull this off, then consider hiring an online service for writing personal statement essays.

A professional writer can save you time and money by producing a high-quality writing piece that will impress your admissions officers.

The news and editorial staff of the Delco Daily Times had no role in this post’s preparation.

College & Career Pathways (CCP): College & Career Pathways: Cover Letters & Personal Statements

This event will take place online/virtually.

A cover letter is a one-page business letter that you submit when applying to a job. A personal statement is a brief essay you submit as part of a college application. Learn the ins and outs of putting pen to keyboard and leaving a good impression with your writing!

Grades 10-12 are welcome to attend!

Audience: Teens/Young Adults (13-18 years), Young Adults/Pre GED (16-24 years)

IMAGES

FREE 20+ Sample Personal Statement Templates in Google Docs
💋 Writing a personal statement for college application. 5 Tips On How
How to write a Personal Statement for Master's (Postgraduate)
How to Write a Personal Statement for University
Personal Statement Examples
How to Write a Personal Statement (Tips + Essay Examples)

VIDEO

Important points to write personal statement for UGRAD 2024
HOW TO WRITE PERSONAL STATEMENT: UNIVERSITY ADMISSION GUIDE
How to Write Personal Statement
Write an Incredible Personal Statement: 3 Steps with Examples
Last-Minute College App Tips to Get Into Your Dream School
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Essay Guide

COMMENTS

PDF Personal Statements and References for Beginners
English. Passion for subject very apparent, pursued both in and out of school. Understanding of course - comparing Literature, mention of plans to study French Literature. Concrete examples used with some sound explanation in places (e.g. Milton's quotation used for comparison of Heaven and Hell)
King's College London Personal Statements
King's College University Personal Statements. These UCAS personal statements have been kindly provided by students applying to King's College London. You can click on one of the links below to view the entire statement and find out if the applicant was offered a place. You can also view our entire collection of personal statements or view ...
Medicine Personal Statement Examples
Medicine Personal Statement Examples - King's College London (Azzra) Welcome to 6med's collection of Medicine Personal Statement Examples. Read through Azzra's successful Medicine Personal Statement for King's College London, where he will analyse the strengths, weaknesses and overall quality of his statement to inspire your own writing.
Applying & writing your personal statement
Applying & writing your personal statement. From Christina Troullides September 23, 2021. views comments. Details. ... Watch this video to find out everything you need to know about the UCAS application process and tips on how to write your personal statement. To watch the full video and find out more about applying visit: kcl.ac.uk/ug-apply.
Medicine Personal Statement Examples
Medicine Personal Statement Examples - King's College London (Thomas) Welcome to 6med's collection of Medicine Personal Statement Examples. Read through Thomas's successful Medicine Personal Statement for King's College London, where he will analyse the strengths, weaknesses and overall quality of his statement to inspire your own writing.
How to write a Personal Statement for Master's (Postgraduate)
ART STOREhttps://www.redbubble.com/people/atousaart/shop?asc=u//it's almost been a year since I was making applications to postgraduate courses, and since it...
How to rock your King's College application (postgraduate)
Personal statement. If you're applying for a Master or PhD, in order to be offered a place at King's College there's some writing for you to be done. A personal statement is basically a letter to the admissions panel, where you outline why you would make a great asset for their programme. This is not simply an extended version of your CV!
Learn To Write Personal Statement For Kings College London
Writing a personal statement for a renowned course at King's College London is not an easy job. One has to be extremely careful with the choices they make regarding the format, structure, vocabulary and tone of the statement. It has to be professional while being optimistic, respectful and confident. However, that is not an easy job most of ...
Writing the personal statement for King's College London: Why you
King's College London is a leading institution for higher studies in law, and provides students with an opportunity to broaden their horizons in a vibrant community of intellectuals, students from other jurisdictions, and leading practitioners. As part of the entry requirements for the LLM program applicants are required to submit a personal statement, English proficiency scores, copies of ...
How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)
Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You're Applying. Don't forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn't simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That's an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.
How to Write a Personal Statement
Insert a quote from a well-known person. Challenge the reader with a common misconception. Use an anecdote, which is a short story that can be true or imaginary. Credibility is crucial when writing a personal statement as part of your college application process. If you choose a statistic, quote, or misconception for your hook, make sure it ...
Dentistry Personal Statement Examples
This personal statement helped Saif get 3/4 offers in his application. Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Saif is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!
How to Write a Personal Statement (Tips + Essay Examples)
In a great personal statement, we should be able to get a sense of what fulfills, motivates, or excites the author. These can be things like humor, beauty, community, and autonomy, just to name a few. So when you read back through your essay, you should be able to detect at least 4-5 different values throughout.
How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges
2. Show, don't tell. One of the biggest mistakes students make is to simply state everything that happened, instead of actually bringing the reader to the moment it happened, and telling a story. It's boring to read: "I was overjoyed and felt empowered when I finished my first half marathon.".
Postgraduate International Marketing Personal Statement Example
I applied to King's college London for the International Marketing MSc. My BSc was in product design and I graduated with a 1st class degree. I didn't have much experience in marketing when I applied but I recieved an unconditional offer. This personal statement is unrated. Businesses are woven into every part of our lives and marketing plays a ...
How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber
Top tips on how to write your statement opener. We spoke to admissions tutors at unis and colleges - read on for their tips. 1. Don't begin with the overkill opening. Try not to overthink the opening sentence. You need to engage the reader with your relevant thoughts and ideas, but not go overboard. Tutors said: 'The opening is your chance ...
Residency Personal Statement
Generally, the residency personal statement should be between 500 to 800 words in length, roughly equating to one page. This statement is a critical part of your residency application, allowing you to communicate your personal and professional background, career goals, and reasons for pursuing a particular specialty, such as plastic surgery.
Perfecting Your Personal Statement
How to make it as authentic as possible. Hear from current King's students on their advice on how to write a successful personal statement. There will also be the chance to ask us your questions on personal statements. Please note this event is aimed at people applying to university for 2022 entry. Sign up for this event via the registration form.
How to Write a Personal Statement for College (15+ Examples)
Personal Statement Example. This personal statement describes a candidate's experience navigating the jungle and how it ignited a new passion: " Immersed in the core of the [NAME] jungle, I was set to embark on my first plant medicine journey. At age 14, I was depressed and anxiety scheduled my days.
Kim Mulkey Washington Post story explained: What we know
1:07. As it turns out, the madness of March extends past the confines of the court. LSU women's head basketball coach Kim Mulkey spent four minutes of a Saturday press conference going after her ...
The 5 Best Personal Statement Writing Services: Hire a Professional
EssayPro charges different rates based on the type of paper you need. Fees for personal statement writing start at $14.25 per page. Their services come with a 60-day quality warranty. 3 ...
College & Career Pathways: Cover Letters & Personal Statements
A cover letter is a one-page business letter that you submit when applying to a job. A personal statement is a brief essay you submit as part of a college application. Learn the ins and outs of putting pen to keyboard and leaving a good impression with your writing! Grades 10-12 are welcome to attend! This event will take place online/virtually.

Applying & writing your personal statement

Published at 12 Apr 2021

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How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

Good writing = better grades

Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

Harvard Personal Statement Example

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How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

How to Start a Personal Statement

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PS Self-Study

KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example

KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Final Thoughts

More Medicine Personal Statement Examples & Inspiration

Chloe Hewitt

What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chancing factors

How to Write a Personal Statement That Wows Colleges

What is the Personal Statement?

What is the Purpose of the Personal Statement?

How To a Choose A Topic For Your Personal Statement

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for College

2. Show, don’t tell.

3. Use dialogue.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Personal Statements

2. Writing about too many events or experiences.

3. Using cliche language.

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Residency Personal Statement – Guide for 2024

How Long is a Residency Personal Statement?

What Should You Write About in a Residency Personal Statement?

1) Passion for the Specialty

2) Clinical Experiences

3) Skills and Attributes

4) Career Goals

5) Fit with the Program

6) Unique Experiences and Contributions

What Should You Avoid When Writing a Residency Personal Statement?

Content to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

Styles and Tones to Avoid in Your Residency Personal Statement

When Should You Start Writing Your Residency Personal Statement?

Personal Statement Residency – What’s Next?

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Perfecting Your Personal Statement

Looking for tips on how to make your personal statement stand out?