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The Personal Statement:The Personal Statement:Strategies for Writing an Strategies for Writing an

Effective EssayEffective Essay

Mrs. Isela ValenciaFall 2010

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Instructions and Instructions and PromptsPrompts

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InstructionsInstructions• Two questionsTwo questions

• You will respond to both questions.You will respond to both questions. A maximum of 1,000 words totalA maximum of 1,000 words total Students should stay within the word Students should stay within the word

limit as closely as they can. A little over—limit as closely as they can. A little over—1,012 words, for example—is fine.1,012 words, for example—is fine.

• Students choose length of each Students choose length of each response.response. If they choose to respond to one prompt If they choose to respond to one prompt

at greater length, it is suggested the at greater length, it is suggested the shorter answer be no less than 250 words. shorter answer be no less than 250 words.

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The Personal Statement The Personal Statement

• Admissions officials are looking Admissions officials are looking for a theme in your statement for a theme in your statement

•

• Statement defines your goalsStatement defines your goals

• Statement shows how well prepared you Statement shows how well prepared you are for your goalsare for your goals

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Use a Theme to tie Use a Theme to tie personal experience to personal experience to

the promptthe prompt• Theme = A Unifying IdeaTheme = A Unifying Idea

• Examples:Examples: Overcoming obstaclesOvercoming obstacles Helping othersHelping others Taking on great challengesTaking on great challenges

• Creates coherence and unity Creates coherence and unity

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DescribeDescribe the world you come from the world you come from —— for example, your family, community for example, your family, community oror school school —— andand tell us tell us howhow your your world has shaped world has shaped youryour dreams and dreams and aspirations.aspirations.    

Prompt #1Prompt #1

Advice – Pick one and elaborate – Advice – Pick one and elaborate – make sure you are writing to share make sure you are writing to share information about YOU, don’t get information about YOU, don’t get side tracked with descriptions.side tracked with descriptions.

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1. What one word best describes my family, my community, or my school?

2. What opportunities have been available to me in my community or at my school?

3. What is the major issue confronting my family, school or community and what has been my role in addressing it

4. How have I changed as a result of addressing this major issue, and what impact has that change had on my dreams and aspirations?

5. Why did I choose to do what I did to address this issue?

QW #7 Ask Yourself:

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Prompt #1 HintsPrompt #1 Hints• Choose one topic (family, community, or Choose one topic (family, community, or

school) or choose one theme to connect all school) or choose one theme to connect all three topicsthree topics

• The majority of your response should be the The majority of your response should be the description of your world, but place more description of your world, but place more emphasis on the second half – emphasis on the second half – how it has how it has shaped your dreams and aspirationsshaped your dreams and aspirations

• Explain how your world has influenced your Explain how your world has influenced your development as a student, or as a persondevelopment as a student, or as a person

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Prompt #2Prompt #2 Tell us about a personal Tell us about a personal quality, talent, quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution accomplishment, contribution or or experience that is important experience that is important to you. to you. WhatWhat about this quality about this quality or accomplishment makes you or accomplishment makes you proud andproud and howhow does it relate to does it relate to the person you are?the person you are?

Basic message should be about YOU Basic message should be about YOU not the experience. not the experience.

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1. What one word describes me best and captures my most important personal quality? Why is this the appropriate word to describe me?

2. What talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience has best allowed me to express my most important personal quality?

QW #8 Ask Yourself:

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Prompt #2 HintsPrompt #2 Hints•You might want to think You might want to think

about answering this prompt about answering this prompt first if it helps to establish first if it helps to establish the context you wish to the context you wish to describe in Prompt #1.describe in Prompt #1.

•Choose a topic that has not Choose a topic that has not been addressed in another been addressed in another section of the applicationsection of the application

•Keep the information relative Keep the information relative to your personal experiencesto your personal experiences