Top Personal Statement Writing Mistakes New Haven CT

Top Personal Statement Writing Mistakes

Looking for help on your personal statement? Keep in mind that there are certain things you should do while writing your personal statement and certain things you definitely shouldn’t! While writing, avoid the following and create an essay to impress.

Careless errors
There is really no excuse for careless errors, and having even one in your graduate school personal statement can affect the way you are perceived. You have more than enough time to proofread and have others look over your essay. If an error slips through, your readers may assume that you are careless, disorganized, or not serious enough about your application.

Vague generalities
The most egregious generalizations are the ones that have been used so many times that they have become clichés. For example, ""I learned the value of hard work."" That statement has been said so many times as to become meaningless.

Before:  In the first project I managed, I learned many valuable lessons about the importance of teamwork.

After:  In the first project I managed, I made an effort to incorporate all my colleagues as equal members of a team, soliciting their feedback and deferring to their expertise as needed.

The revised version explains the team dynamic in more detail, showing specifically how the applicant exercised teamwork principles. The passage should go on to include even more detail.

Author: Alan Frost

2009 Peterson's, A Nelnet Company. All Rights Reserved

Click here to read more from Petersons