A Complete Guide to Writing a Personal Statement: Importance, Steps, and Tips

Universities often ask for a personal statement that entails your qualifications. You can significantly increase your chances of getting selected for your desired institute by writing a compelling personal statement. It highlights your skills and motives for the university you are applying for. So, in this blog, we will show you how you can write an effective statement that will allow you to stand out from other candidates. You will learn about its various aspects, including the steps and tips to effectively write it. So, let’s dive right into our topic without any further delay. 

What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a brief written essay that accounts for your achievements, interests, talents, skills, and goals. This essay is often included in university applications and resumes. The length of your statement depends on the requirements of the university you are applying to. However, a personal statement is generally 500 to 1,000 words long.

These essays tend to be most common for applications for undergraduate programs, and they allow an admissions committee to directly hear your voice. Personal statements are sometimes known as letters of intent in grad school, and go into greater detail about your academic and professional background. 

Also Read: How to Write SOP for UK

Importance of a Personal Statement

A personal statement is a key element in your application, just like an SOP (Statement of Purpose) and Letter of Recommendation. Here are some of the major reasons why it is so important:

Allows You to Share More Things: It lets you share things that don’t fit on your resume like motivations, personal stories, and values.

Writing Skills Evaluation: It allows universities and colleges to evaluate your writing skills. 

Show Experiences: A personal statement allows you to talk about your volunteer experiences, past employment, and skills that complement your studies. 

Shows Your Interests: It provides institutes with a chance to see why you are interested in a particular area of study and what you aim to accomplish after you graduate. 

Bring Life to Your Application: It brings your application to life which otherwise only contained facts and figures. 

Steps to Write a Personal Statement

There are certain essential components that you should keep in mind while writing a personal statement. Follow the instructions given below to write it effectively: 

Personal Introduction

Write an introduction that shows who you are and your personality. It should include why you are interested in the program you are applying for and your academic achievements or professional experiences (if any). 

Talk About Relevant Skills, Experiences, and Interests

In the body of the personal statement, expand on your interests, relevant skills, and experiences. Mention personal details that relate to the program you are applying for, such as relevant talents or skills, experiences, achievements, and academic or professional goals. 

Write a Strong Conclusion

Write a conclusion that leaves a strong, lasting impression on the university admissions officer. It needs to be a clear restatement of why you applied and what you aim to achieve. 

Proofread and Edit

Once you have written down your document, proofread and edit it. You can try to find areas of improvement, such as relevance, spelling and grammar, specificity, and simplicity of language. 

Also Read: Statement of Purpose vs Personal Statement

Important Tips

Now, we will discuss how you can make your personal statement more effective and powerful, helping you stand out from other applicants. So, keep the tips mentioned below in mind while writing your essay:  

Keep It Simple: If you use short sentences and simple language, then you will be able to convey your points in a very clear and effective manner. 

Use Active Voice: Use active voice to engage the reader and directly identify your accomplishments, which can make your statement more effective. 

Use Your Own Voice: Write in your own words to describe your qualifications, which can make your statement feel more personal and unique. 

Have a Positive Tone: Write in a language that shows your enthusiasm for the opportunity and gratitude for the consideration of the reader.

Be unique: Make sure your personal statement is unique to you. Show what makes you different from other applicants. Write specific details and brief examples of your experiences to make your essay stand out. 

Relevant Reads: 

College Application Essay	Sample SOP for Australian Student Visa
Student Resume for MS Application	Statement of Purpose – SOP for Canada Student Visa
How to Write a Best Statement of Purpose? | SOP	SOP for Singapore: Guidelines, Samples, Tips and Tricks

FAQs

So, this was all about the guide to writing a personal statement. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.