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Business School Personal Statement Guide:
Getting Personal
(by
EssayEdge.com) |
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Some applications will
include a question that simply asks for more information
about you as a person. Although all questions are
designed to help the readers learn about your character,
this type of question is meant to be more open-ended.
Some schools might ask what matters most to you, while
others will ask for a summary of your personal
background. Another common approach is to ask about the
influences and experiences that have shaped your
development.
While your answers to questions about diversity should
make you stand out, your response to the "getting
personal" questions should present you as a complete
(and preferably likeable) human being. This is not to
say that you should not emphasize unique qualities, but
you also should not hesitate to focus on common,
everyday activities. For example, many people choose to
write about their families, and as long as they do so in
a personal and engaging way, the result can invoke
empathy and understanding in the mind of the reader.
The rule that applies everywhere is paramount in this
case: be sincere. Answers that attempt to meet
presumed expectations are not only transparent, but also
counterproductive, because the best essay you can write
is one that you approach honestly.
Make sure to supplement your genuine ideas with
personal details. If you choose to write about the
family you're raising, for example, provide stories
about the time you spend with your children instead of
simply telling the reader how much you care for them.
Offer a focused portrayal. Some questions will
ask you to comment on one or two specific aspects of
your life, but others will leave it up to you to
determine the breadth of your discussion. In those
cases, you should aim to convey one or two key themes.
This discussion may encompass several experiences, but
they should be explored in a coherent manner. This
advice applies even to those questions that ask for a
summary of your personal background. Instead of
approaching the essay with a haphazard list of
significant ideas in mind, develop a clear plan to
organize your points into a logical, flowing structure.
For example, you might choose to organize your essay
around a defining quality and trace how it has developed
and applied to different aspects of your life. On the
other hand, you could choose an external point (e.g.,
your hometown or city) and describe how your
relationship to that point has changed and grown.
Identify defining moments. Some questions will in
fact use this exact phrase. A request to summarize your
entire history seems daunting, but by focusing on key
turning points in your life, you can convey a great deal
more meaning than a shallower listing of events. You
should not have to search hard for these defining
moments, because if they were truly significant to you,
they will hold a significant place in your memory.
Coming across as a likeable human being is not enough to
get you admitted, but if you have the other relevant
qualifications, this additional edge can make a
significant difference.
This applicant offers a
simple portrait of his family and small-town upbringing.
There is nothing remarkable in the experiences he
discusses, and he even notes negative elements for the
sake of presenting a whole representation: "My mother
was eager for me to test my aptitude in other areas as
well, and so she involved me in art, piano, guitar, and
tap dancing, none of which engaged my interest as much
as sports." Note how he identifies and reflects on "the
most memorable event of [his] youth," offering a
concrete image of the moving van pulling up for the
reader to grasp. Despite its apparent simplicity, the
essay accomplishes its purpose of leaving us with a
little more understanding of who the writer is.
This applicant takes a
similar approach by focusing on his family and the rural
setting in which he grew up. Note how his descriptions
of family members can be revealing because they show
what the writer values and offer context for the
relationships he has built with them. He also does an
effective job of tying his youth to his recent past:
"For example, starting at age 16, I often attended
cattle sales in our rural Irish community, where I would
haggle with much older and extremely shrewd farmers over
the price of cows. Just ten years later, I found myself
using those very same negotiating skills in the
conference rooms of the U.S. Senate." The connection is
intriguing but doesn't sound forced, because the writer
has so effectively brought us into his world.
The applicant also does not hesitate to explore conflict
and sensitive issues. Because he places such an emphasis
on the positive aspects of his upbringing, he can
discuss past struggles in a way that invites compassion
without seeking pity. Showing how you coped with
difficulties, even if they're on a smaller scale than
the Ireland conflict, can be a very effective way to
convey your greatest strengths. |
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