Personal Statement

[tootoo30]

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What's a good starting point for writing a personal statement. Is there anything on the web that can assist me with it. I consider myself a very good writer, but I'm having a hard time actually starting the thing 😀 Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[ExpressMaiL]

A personal statement is exactly that: personal. No one can tell you where to start or what to write. (However, there are people on this forum who will help you by proofing a completed draft.) Reflect on your own personal experiences and utilize your emotions/feelings to create a statement that is representative of your unique self. If you really need help, you should ask the people who know you best; ie. friends, family, ..., etc.

 

[azPharmD2B]

Like all serious writing assignments, I sketched out a quick outline of the things I wanted to cover. Once I had that done I just started writing on the portion I felt would be easiest. As you get rolling it becomes easier to fill in the gaps. I would suggest writing up two or three now, have an English professor edit them, then set them aside for a month. After that month, sit down, read them again and see which one you like best, or maybe parts from each of three. Try and get a final essay done at this point. If its significantly different from the last one, wait a couple more weeks, re-read and evaluate again.

edit: a number of supplemental applications will require essays. If you are positive you'll be applying to those schools, snag the supplemental essay now, if its available, and get started on those as well.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

When I was writing mine, I tried looking around the internet for some inspiration but that really didn't help. I think the best thing to do is just start writing answers to the prompt. No matter how bad they seem it's best just to get some ideas down. I ended up having a lot of material I had to cut out because it got too long. Good luck!

 

[tootoo30]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I like the ideal about the outline I think that will be my starting point. The school I'm applying to does not have a supplemental essay, they just want a personal statement with the application. They really didn't give me a prompt, the application just states to write a personal essay so I'm assuming they want me to write about why I want to pursue pharmacy and why their school.

 

[tharper14]

I thought my personal essay was totally lame. It was all about me and my boring life... why I decided to pursue pharmacy, what got me interested in pharmacy, the detours I took in life before I finally got on the right track to pharmacy. Like I said, lame and boring but I think they care more about your writing ability and your reason for pursuing pharmacy more than a riveting, unique, and interesting essay. I didn't know what to write at first either, but once you start, it's hard to stop! If you're really stuck, write about what is important to you... family, friends, motocross bike riding, whatever... say why it's important to you and what you have learnt from him/her/them/it. Whatever you do, don't write what you think they want to hear. Just be honest and write about you.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ethyl Methyl]

May I suggest using a metaphor in your introduction. It will help you catch your readers' attention and you can use it as a back drop for your essay. It also will help you give your essay a unifying theme. You can also use the same metaphor for your conclusion for a crisper end. Beware of boring metaphors or cliches though.

 

[Sparda29]

How long did you guys work on it? I went the personal route but I wrote it up like 30 minutes before I e-submitted.

 

[mike36]

When I write these things, I try to start with a sentence that hooks the audience. For instance, "My dad left when I was three years old", or I was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of five."

A lot of people like to write outlines before they start, but I can't do that. I just start writing. My first draft is crap...it really sucks. But once I get something down, each revision I do makes it better. After a week, it's usually ready to turn in. Anyways, that is how I write these things.