Writing Personal Statements for Applications

1. Writing Personal Statements for Applications A presentation by The Graduate Writing Center of the The Center for Excellence in Writing

2. Writing Personal Statements for Applications Instructor: Rosalyn Collings Eves Graduate Writing Center coordinator rmc216@psu.edu

3. Goals • To help you analyze application materials for “between-the-lines" requirements. • To help you write a narrative of your experiences that addresses the rhetorical situation presented by an application.

4. About the Graduate Writing Center • One-on-one consultations • All types of writing • All stages of the writing process • To schedule, see the Center’s website: • http://www.psu.edu/dept/cew/grad/gwc.htm • Or go directly to the online schedule: • https://secure.gradsch.psu.edu/wccal/studentview.cfm

5. Personal Statements: An Overview • Humanize your application • Make specific argument about your qualifications and abilities

6. Exercise #1 • Working in groups of three, answer the following questions about the fellowship application on pp. 2-3 of your packet: • 1) What are the key words/concepts in each part of this fellowship description? • 2) What can we learn from these materials about our readers’ values, interests, and concerns? • 3) Given this understanding of our readers, what strategies could a writer use to tailor a statement to the readers’ values, interests, and concerns?

7. Drafting Considerations • Generating Material • What do you want the committee to know about you? • Considering Arrangement • How do you want to organize this material?

8. Exercise #2: Brainstorming • Spend 5 minutes generating answers to the questions on p. 4 of your packet. • If you have already written a personal statement, consider which of these questions you have already answered, and what information you might add to your statement.

9. Some specific tips on organization • Introduction • Opening “hook” • Thesis statement • Body paragraphs • Use topic sentences • Provide evidence of experience and abilities • Conclusion • Target specific program

10. Exercise #2 • Consider the sample personal statement on the overhead and answer the following questions: • What problems does this statement have? • What has this statement done well?

11. General Advice • Connect personal and academic experience • Use an engaging opener • Articulate focus and long-term objectives • Emphasize your strengths • Discuss specifics about the program • Consider language • Revise!

12. Revision Concerns • Paragraph Patterns • Increasing Coherence • Improving Word Choice

13. Paragraph Patterns • Topic Sentences • Make specific assertions about your experience or abilities • Use topic sentences as “signposts” • Paragraph Body • Give concrete examples to support your assertions

14. Increasing Coherence • Move from “old” to “new” information • Use transitional phrases • Use pronouns and recycling

15. Improving Word Choice and Conciseness • Avoid empty words • Avoid unnecessary repetition • Use action verbs

16. The Rhetorical Situation for your Personal Statement • Purpose: Why are you writing a personal statement? • Content: What will your personal statement add to your application? • Audience: Who will be reading your application? • Values: What does your audience value? • Fitting in: How can you demonstrate that your interests and abilities fit with the target program?

17. Exercise 4 • If you brought your personal statement with you, trade with a partner and identify the following: • One paragraph with a good topic sentence. Star it. • One paragraph that could use a stronger topic sentence. Circle it. • One transition between paragraphs or sentences that is particularly strong. Underline with a wavy line. • One transition that could be improved. Underline with a straight line. • What advice would you give your partner for revising their personal statement?

18. The End Thank you for coming! Please fill out and return your evaluation form as you leave.