Writing a Personal Statement

By: Travis Smith (USA)

Fulbright Fellow

English Language Teacher Assistant

America and Russia.What makes us different?

Climate...

Individual Personality

Cultural Influences

History

Language

What Does This Mean For Writing?

Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew, etc.) Eastern (Japanese, Korean, Chinese,

etc.) Romance (Spanish, Italian, etc.) Russian English (American and Canadian)

Semitic

Moves forward, but with constant digressions.

Eastern

Explores around the topic while the reader is supposed to discover the writer's thesis

on his or her own.

Romance

Some deviations from the main topic, but

usually returns by the end.

Russian

Usually some serious deviation from main topic, usually returns to topic by the end.

English

Linear, no deviations, consistently stays on the

same topic.

Not Better, Just Different

The point of these lectures is not to tell you that the Russian writing style is incorrect. Writing style is like art and cannot be labeled with “correct” or “incorrect,” but sometimes one or the other can be more appropriate.

A Personal Statement? What's that?

• Your chance to let the readers know what kind of person you are.

The personal statement is designed to breathe life into an otherwise lifeless and unoriginal application.

-John Mark King

Fulbright Senior Fellow

What Readers Aren't Looking For

• How excited you are to go on this exchange program.

• A list of academic accomplishments.

• A formal, emotionless essay using a lot of big fancy words.

What Readers ARE Looking For

• Honesty, Originality, and Humor.

• What makes you DIFFERENT.

• Something that's interesting to read.

• Don't be afraid to include weaknesses or stories of failure.

In Summary

• All Cultures Write Differently.

• It's Best To Cater Your Style To The Style Of Your Reader.

• PERSONAL STATEMENTS ARE NOT FORMAL ESSAYS!!

• Don't Be Afraid, We'll Discuss Exactly How To Write These Essays After Our Break.

Fundamentals of American Writing

• Writing a good paragraph

• Introduction

• Body

• Conclusion

Paragraph Structure

• Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence.

• Following the topic sentence will be several supporting sentences expanding upon the topic sentence.

• The last sentence is the concluding sentence in which you restate the idea of the paragraph.

Introductory Paragraph

• Have some kind of “hook” to grab the attention of your reader to create interest.

• Start with general information, move toward a more specific point.

• End the introduction with your thesis statement.

Thesis Statement

• THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ANY PIECE OF AMERICAN WRITING!!

• This is the answer to whatever question you are writing about. It sounds simple, but it can be very difficult.

Body Paragraphs

The Body of an essay is where the writer expands on what he wrote in his or her

thesis.

Concluding Paragraph

The conclusion is simple in principle, but can sometimes be difficult to write well. The main point of the conclusion is to

remind the reader of your main point that you have (hopefully) done a good job of explaining during your paper. Basically,

you restate your thesis in different words.

How to Apply This Model to a Personal Statement

As I've already said, the thesis statement is the most important part of any essay. But, luckily for you, in a personal statement, the thesis is almost always going to answer the same question:

What aspects of your personality make you an ideal candidate for this program?

Remember...

• Personal Statements are not a list of accomplishments.

• They are a personal, informal, piece of communication that summarizes your personality for the reader.

• Your thesis needs to reflect this purpose.

Turning a Thesis Into an Essay

• Find the main points of your thesis. If you can't find them, rewrite your thesis to include a few character traits that make your friend a good choice for the program.

• These Main Points will become the topics for your body paragraphs.

Concluding a Personal Statement

• Restate your thesis in different words.

• Mention something about your plans for your future career and how this exchange will prepare you for that.

• Be polite. Thank the person reading your essay for their time.

Summary• Essays are a group of paragraphs.

• American Essays follow the Intro, Body, Conclusion pattern.

• The Thesis Statement (answer to the question) is the MOST important part of an essay.

• The main points of your thesis become subjects of your body paragraphs.

• Your conclusion restates your thesis in different words.