Search
Most Popular Articles
- Discussion of the Human Body Defense System
- The story of the 12 animals zodiac in China
- How to Balance Your Body to Get Pregnant
- How To Stop Your Cat Scratching - Get Rid Of Those Fleas
- Eating Junk Food -- The Hidden Price
- Ski Boots -- Testing 1, 2, 3
- Wear it Up or Wear it Down?
- Cat Care, Cat Products and Cat Diseases
- Choosing a Cell Phone
- Artificial Satellite Types
Distinctiveness in Personal Statements: Byproduct or Goal?
 Category |
: Writing |
 Times Read |
: 58 |
 Date |
: 19 March 2008 07:00 |
by: Linda Abraham
"What makes you unique is not that you have had these life-altering experiences, but rather how and why your perspective has changed or been reinforced as a result of those and other everyday experiences. That is a story that only you can tell. If you concentrate your efforts on telling us who you are, differentiation will occur naturally; if your goal is to appear unique, you may achieve the opposite effect."
So wrote Derek Bolton, Assistant Dean and Director of Stanford GSB Admissions, in his most recent and excellent monthly column, "The Directors Corner," for Stanfords MBA Admissions Newsletter.
I have read many application essays where the author aimed for distinctiveness and failed miserably to achieve it, just as Mr. Bolton says. These applicants usually wrote in clichs, aimed to impress, and hid their story, values, and personality behind a faade of imaginary diversity. The authors of these essays probably attempted to write what they thought the adcom wanted to read always a terrible mistake.
I have also read essays where the author aimed to tell his or her story honestly and still blended into the mass of applicants. Applying to professional schools, they felt they had to focus exclusively on work or activities directly related to their professional goals. Or they wrote on a superficial plain and left out the details that would have made their essays and personal statements unique. They ignored the role that distinctiveness plays in the admissions process. Also a blunder.
Your challenge is manifold. As Mr. Bolton advises, applicants need to tell their story with self-reflection and honesty. But if you have lived 20+ years and have only several hundred words to portray your life, you also have to choose which parts of your story to tell. Are you going to discuss your Little League experience? Your participation on your colleges swim team? Your work? Given that you have multiple ways to answer a question, how should you choose which experiences to write about?
Answer: Highlight those experiences that are most important to you and most distinctive about you.
If you have unusual experiences that answer the questions and reflect what is important to you, write about them and their impact on you. If your formative experiences are more common, then distinctiveness will have to come from the details you provide and from your insight into those experiences.
Telling your story is certainly necessary for writing a good personal statement or application essay. If thats where the advice ends, however, it is insufficient guidance. Uniqueness and authenticity should be parallel goals as you draft your essays and personal statements. In fact, ignoring distinctiveness can be dangerous to the success of your application. Furthermore the uniqueness of your application is not strictly a by-product of sincerity. It reflects conscious choices you must make as you tell your story.
For more advice on writing with distinctiveness and integrity:
The Devil is in the Details
What if Somebody Doesnt Like My Cause?
The Worst Question
Admissions: Checklist of Mosaic
If you would like the guidance and support of experienced editors in helping you write about your distinctive experiences and develop your essays, Accepted.com is here to help. We offer a range of services tailored just for your needs.
About The Author
Linda Abraham, Accepted.coms founder and president, has helped thousands of applicants develop successful admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted.com, she has written and lectured extensively on admissions. The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, and BusinessWeek are among the publications that have sought Lindas expertise.
Reprint of this article is only permitted when reprinted in its entirety with the above bio.
onlinesupport@accepted.com
Random Article 1 |
Random Article 2 |
by: Markku Saastamoinen The hardest part of writing is the first sentence. When you look at the whole project, it seems like an impossible task. Thats why you have to break it down into manageable tasks. Think of climbing a mountain. You are standing at the foot of it and looking up a |
by: Stephen L. Nelson, CPA If youre going to make a living by writing books, you need to understand how a book royalty gets calculated. Thats how the author gets paid, ultimately, if the book becomes a successful bestseller. Whats more, the royalties the publisher expects the book to |
Random Article 3 |
Random Article 4 |
by: David Green Applying for a job is like trying to sell yourself; your goal is to get the employer to the point where they have to have you in their company. So how do you do that? By having the right resume outline for the job you want. You have several different resume outlines to |
by: Caterina Christakos The purpose of creating a story is to create a world that will draw the reader away from their own. In order to do this one must create suspense, drama and mystery. Your reader must absolutely need to get from page to page, to find out what happens. There a |
| indir notebook hiperucuz.com teknoloji forum hava kargo adtech ile reklam 2.0 dönemi ba?l?yor ve Trkycmhrytllbtpydrklcktr r10.net seo yar??mas? |