Help on personal statement!!

[buruburudoku]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone.
I'm working on my application to PT program at Hunter and almost done with it except the personal statement part.
I am an international student so it not quite easy to write a well organized and at the same time an attention drawing personal statement.
I'm not really done yet and stil working on it. However, if anyone is kind enough to help me editting it, or advise me how to draw the conclusion of it, I will be greatly appreciated.
It turning out more like a life story rather than a statement. ;
Thank you very much.!!

 

[Cyndee]

Mine started out the same way! I was way too emotional when writing it and I talked too much about my family than who I was. Just make sure you tell them who YOU are and what your motivations are for your future and how great a PT you can be. If you're passionate about being a PT then it should show in your PS. Don't worry about the attention grabbing part first - get out what you want to say and then worry about the style. Just remember why, why, why you're doing this and how your past experiences have led you to this point. What makes you stand out?

 

[buruburudoku]

Yeah, exactly, I tried to focus on myself lol. This is not easy. I thought the GRE would be the hardest part of all but it wasn't.

 

[lemontree0927]

Yeah, exactly, I tried to focus on myself lol. This is not easy. I thought the GRE would be the hardest part of all but it wasn't.

I am also an international student, it's hard to write an enthusiastic personal statement. BTW, have you completed all the prerequisite courses? what about the IBT test?

 

[lemontree0927]

Yeah, exactly, I tried to focus on myself lol. This is not easy. I thought the GRE would be the hardest part of all but it wasn't.

I am also an international student, it's hard for me to write an enthusiastic personal statement. BTW, have you completed all the prerequisite courses yet? what about the IBT test?

 

[buruburudoku]

I am also an international student, it's hard to write an enthusiastic personal statement. BTW, have you completed all the prerequisite courses? what about the IBT test?

I thought GRE and a bachelor from US college would suffice it but some schools I looking to require TOEFL score no matter what. So I'm just gonna take real soon and get an ok grade above cutoff line.
I have completed all the prerequisites except Developmental psychology. well it's required by most school's I'm applying to. In which state are you applying?

 

[stephilosphy]

I am also an international student, it's hard for me to write an enthusiastic personal statement. BTW, have you completed all the prerequisite courses yet? what about the IBT test?

I'm an international student as well! Mostly the schools I'm applying don't ask for the TOEFL, since I got my bachelor degree in the United States.

 

[jbizzle]

No, no, no, no...dont write a history on how you grew up, family, etc. I actually thought about the profession, why I would be a good fit, write about your observation experience and how you felt during your observation/working with patients, etc. WRITE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE!!!!!

 

[Yohan]

No, no, no, no...dont write a history on how you grew up, family, etc. I actually thought about the profession, why I would be a good fit, write about your observation experience and how you felt during your observation/working with patients, etc. WRITE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE!!!!!

I somewhat disagree. Although I do think you should write a little about your experinces, I also think you should write about what made you you. Everybody is applying to be a PT so everyone is going to have similar experiences (from shadowing or working as an aide). A good personal statement should stand out and just writing about your experiences won't stand out. I think you should focus on who you are as a person and as well as why your experiences were beneficial. It is called a personal statement, so I think you should personalize it a little... just my opinion.

 

[jbizzle]

How I "felt" during the observations/working with patients. Why I would be a good fit.....sounds pretty personal to me.

 

[stephilosphy]

Since I'm an international student, so I think it's good to put emthasis on my diverse cultural background...😕

 

[jbizzle]

^ Yes, you can talk about how you are culturally diverse which helps when you interact and relate with patients from different cultures/backgrounds...blah, blah.

Some schools require a supplemental essay and actually have a question that you can answer very well being an international student. But I dont think NWU, or any chicago schools that you are applying to ask this.

The question is:
"How has your background and experience prepared you to interact effectively with individuals who are different from you in their social, cultural, or economic perspectives?"

 

[stephilosphy]

^ Yes, you can talk about how you are culturally diverse which helps when you interact and relate with patients from different cultures/backgrounds...blah, blah.

Some schools require a supplemental essay and actually have a question that you can answer very well being an international student. But I dont think NWU, or any chicago schools that you are applying to ask this.

The question is:
"How has your background and experience prepared you to interact effectively with individuals who are different from you in their social, cultural, or economic perspectives?"

Yes! I met these kind of questions on PTCAS.

 

[jbizzle]

Yes! I met these kind of questions on PTCAS.

Oh really cool me too. I applied to a total of 16 schools. But the two schools that ask me this question was Howard University and Alabama State University.

 

[buruburudoku]

wow 16 schools! For now, the application process feels harder than anything else to me. I only applied to 6~7 schools but do you really have to apply to that many school? are you an international student, too? I guess I see some international students here too. Wish we could share some ideas up here. 🙂
Oh also, do you think it's a bad idea to get an LOR from a graduate instructor? One of the school requires a reference letter from an upper (300/400) level class at 4 year institution and I asked my His391 instructor. Just got an email from her and she said she's just a graduate instructor but willing to write me if I still want it.

 

[jbizzle]

My stats, hence the 16 schools, are not so great. I have a 3.02 overall and at least a 3.0 pre-req. Some programs my pre-req are as high as 3.31. Gre is 1150 V:500 Q:650 W:4. So for some people with great GPAs they have the luxury (which they should have the luxury) to apply to two or three schools only because they know they will get in no matter what.

I am not an international student. Florida State University

I would ask an associate professor for an LOR.

Which ideas do you want to discuss. We have a thread open for Vision 2020, and contemporary issues that markelmarcel (I believe) started.

 

[lemontree0927]

I thought GRE and a bachelor from US college would suffice it but some schools I looking to require TOEFL score no matter what. So I'm just gonna take real soon and get an ok grade above cutoff line.
I have completed all the prerequisites except Developmental psychology. well it's required by most school's I'm applying to. In which state are you applying?

Actually, I got bachelor degree outside US. The grade system in my own country is completely different from here.I was so upset that after my transcript evaluated by ECE, my overall GPA dropped to 3.02(original GPA was 3.5) and I am trying to do better in the other stuff to compensate my weakness.
I am in louisiana state, there are only 2 PT schools here, do you have any good suggestions for international students?

 

[lemontree0927]

My stats, hence the 16 schools, are not so great. I have a 3.02 overall and at least a 3.0 pre-req. Some programs my pre-req are as high as 3.31. Gre is 1150 V:500 Q:650 W:4. So for some people with great GPAs they have the luxury (which they should have the luxury) to apply to two or three schools only because they know they will get in no matter what.

I am not an international student. Florida State University

I would ask an associate professor for an LOR.

Which ideas do you want to discuss. We have a thread open for Vision 2020, and contemporary issues that markelmarcel (I believe) started.

Did you apply for U of St. Augustine? Is that school hard to get in?
My GPA overall is 3.02, and four pre-req courses still need to take next spring. GRE is 1440, verb710, Q730. just completed 80 hours volunteer experience in PT center.
I worried about my pre-req and GPA. 😕

 

[jbizzle]

Did you apply for U of St. Augustine? Is that school hard to get in?
My GPA overall is 3.02, and four pre-req courses still need to take next spring. GRE is 1440, verb710, Q730. just completed 80 hours volunteer experience in PT center.
I worried about my pre-req and GPA. 😕

Hey, I dont want to put St. AUgustine down, they are a great school im sure. But Ive seen people get in with a 2.9GPA. I wish they used PTCAS because Their paper application is not what I want to fill out. I would have to ask the people that wrote my LORs for PTCAS to write one/fill out the reference forms again, and I know how busy the PTs are and Professors are and I dont want to ask them for one again. You should apply to St. AUgustin. Those are really great GRE scores btw.

 

[buruburudoku]

Yeah that's a really dazzling part that you scored 710 on verbal. well it's often the total score that matters but as an international i think a good verbal an writing score can appeal to the admission board.
my gpa is 3.5 and prereq gpa is slight higher. score 570v and 690q and 4.0w. this pt i shadowed was kind enough to read my personal statement and comment today. he said, try to look different an concise. your experience as an international. student, discipline (i srrved in marines) stuff like that. i'm in ny state and i'm applying to only one school that's out of ny state.