Introduction
Writing a good personal statement is an important part of any application to graduate or professional school. The personal statement not only shows the admissions committee that you can write an interesting, cohesive essay, but it also allows them to learn about you as a person. This is your chance to show them that you are more than just a list of grades and test scores; show them how you will contribute to the school and its community.
Supply the committee with unique information about yourself that does NOT appear elsewhere in your application. With thousands of applicants vying for a limited number of slots, you must make yourself stand out. As in any essay, it is crucial that you know your audience. A detailed list of professional goals that demonstrates determination, motivation, and, above all, careful thought, often enhances your application. While it should go without saying, your essay must employ grammar correctly. While proper grammar doesn't earn you points, sloppy grammar can be the kiss of death. Poor grammar suggests to the committee that you are a careless student who is not detail oriented. Needless to say, admissions officers value precision and attention to detail. Afterall, how many people will trust a sloppy, careless lawyer or engineer? While that making the leap from sloppy grammar to careless lawyer might seem far-fetched, countless admissions officers tell a different story.
This handout was written with the help of Alissa Irvin
關(guān)于目標(biāo)
Goals
Forecasting your goals for a career you've not even begun can prove a daunting task, but most admissions committees expect you to do just that. Remember that while they may expect you to complete this unwieldy task, no one is going to hold you to the goals you outline in your personal statement. In fact, committees are really just using this portion of your essay to gauge your motivation, knowledge of the field, and commitment to the course of study. Above all, they want to know that you have carefully considered your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree and the career it eventually makes possible. For many students, this is one of the most difficult portions of the essay to write. Before launching into this section (or any part of the essay, for that matter), you should take some time for self-reflection. Most committees are impressed by essays that express not only motivation and intelligence (your grades can show that as well), but also thoughfulness, maturity, and self-awareness.
This handout was written with the help of Pond Kittisuwan.
譯:
關(guān)于目標(biāo)
預(yù)測一個你還甚至沒有開始的職業(yè)的目標(biāo)可能有點困難,但是大部分錄取人員都希望你在這個問題上盡力而為. 請記住,盡管他們要求你完成這個不切實際的任務(wù),但是沒有人會因為你在真實生活中不按照申請信中的目標(biāo)發(fā)展而起訴你. 實際上, 錄取方的真正意圖是通過這個部分來衡量你的動機,專業(yè)知識,以及對所學(xué)課程的投入程度. 首先,他們想知道你是否已經(jīng)認(rèn)真考慮過為什么要攻讀一個研究生的學(xué)位.
與眾不同的信息
Unique Information
Unique information about yourself is an important part of your personal statement for Graduate and Professional Schools because for many committees this is their first (and perhaps only) chance to find about you as a person. This information should highlight your talents, interests, and accomplishments; it should also give life to your academic records. Though you want your personality to show in your statement, remember to keep the tone of the statement professional. Never include anything that could be misconstrued as offensive in any way. Keep in mind that humor is very difficult to pull off. Unless you are extremely confident (and have asked several people to read your essay), it may be best to steer clear of jokes and sarcasm.
The unique information in your statement should include an opening that will grab the reader's attention. Remember one of the main goals of this essay is to make yourself memorable to the committee. Consider beginning with a particular experience that relates to your career interests. But stay away from wild stories that bear little relevance to your career goals or other main points in the essay. While many applicants like to begin with a quotation, this is overused. Only take this strategy if the quotation is truly meaningful to you or ties in creatively with the rest of your essay. Be sure to include any relevant personal or work experiences, particularly if they do not appear elsewhere in your application. Somewhere in the essay, perhaps towards the end, you should consider pointing out why the specific institution is a good match for you.
This handout was written with the help of Landon Moore.
譯: 與眾不同的信息
無論申請研究生院還是商/法學(xué)院, 申請信中的關(guān)于申請者本人的與眾不同的信息至關(guān)重要, 因為對于許多校方錄取者而言, 申請信是把申請者作為一個"完人"來了解的第一個(也許是唯一的)機會. 這些信息應(yīng)該能夠提綱挈領(lǐng)地展示你的天賦,興趣和成就; 同時也能夠使你的那些成績分?jǐn)?shù)變得不再枯燥.盡管你想使申請信充滿個性,但是請記住保持專業(yè)的行文風(fēng)格.永遠(yuǎn)不要在文中包含任何可能被誤會為冒犯性的內(nèi)容. 請記住, 在申請信中使用幽默很難達(dá)到你想要的效果.除非你非常有把握(并且讓其他人閱讀過你的文章), 否則最好還是離那些笑話和諷刺遠(yuǎn)一些.
你的申請信中與眾不同的信息應(yīng)該包含一個能夠吸引讀者注意的開篇.請記住,這種文章的功能之一就是使你在在錄取方心中留下印象. 你可以考慮在文章開頭講述一段與你的職業(yè)興趣有關(guān)系的特殊經(jīng)歷. 但是請不要使用那些與職業(yè)目標(biāo)或者文中其他重點沒什么太大關(guān)系的荒誕故事. 很多申請者喜歡在文章開頭引用名人名言,但是這種做法被濫用了.只有當(dāng)所引用的話對你而言真正的有意義,或者與文章的其他部分巧妙而緊密地結(jié)合在一起, 你才這么做. 請一定要提到任何相關(guān)的個人信息或工作經(jīng)驗,特別是當(dāng)這些信息不會在申請資料的其他地方出現(xiàn). 在文中的某個地方, 最好在靠后一點的部分,你應(yīng)該考慮說明一下為什么這個學(xué)校適合你.
注意你的聽眾是誰，注意你的語氣
Audience and Voice
It's important to keep your audience in mind as your write your personal essay. While the admissions committee appreciates creative essays, they also know all the tricks. After all, many of them have been reading thousands of applications for decades. So, make yourself stand out, but dont' write what you think the committee wants to hear. First of all, they've heard all that before. Second, they can see through your attempts to please. The most successful essays are those in which the author is honest and genuine. The best advice we can give you is simply to be yourself. That also means paying some attention to voice, or the personality behind your writing. You should not be afraid of using "I" in your personal statement. This essay should not be a dry, academic essay, but neither should it be one stand-up comic routine; instead, you should strive for a balance between the two. Admissions committees also complain that many students try excessively hard to create an entertaining voice or write what they deem sophisticated prose. Often, these attempts backfire, making the essay sound contrived and flowery. You can avoid these pitfalls simply by being yourself.
This handout was written with the help of Michael Nguyen.
譯:
在寫作申請信時,您一定要時刻記住是誰在閱讀您的文章. 錄取委員會當(dāng)然欣賞那些有創(chuàng)造力的文章, 但是他們也了解所有的小伎倆. 畢竟, 他們中的許多人在過去的數(shù)十年中已經(jīng)閱讀了成千上萬份申請材料. 因此, 您應(yīng)該使自己與眾不同, 但是不要寫一些你認(rèn)為錄取方想聽的話. 首先, 他們都已經(jīng)聽過了. 其次, 他們能看穿您的取悅企圖. 最成功的文章往往是那些誠實而真實的文章. 我們能給您的最好建議就是----做您自己. 這就意味著您應(yīng)該注意文中的語氣口吻, 以及文中刻畫的人物性格. 您不應(yīng)該害怕在申請信中使用"我"這第一人稱. 申請信不能成為一篇枯燥的教條式的文章, 但更不能演化成一幕滑稽的鬧劇; 相反, 您應(yīng)該在這兩個極端中取得一個平衡. 錄取委員會的委員們抱怨道, 很多學(xué)生過分地試圖在文中營造一種滑稽的氣氛, 或者把申請信寫成了一篇他們認(rèn)為很不錯的散文. 這種起反作用的試圖常常使得文章看起來很做作, 華而不實. 其實您可以避免這些寫作陷阱, 只要您簡單地----做您自己.
研究生院與法/商學(xué)院的區(qū)別
The Difference between Professional Schools (Law, Business，Medical) and Graduate Schools:
While graduate school committees certainly expect well-written, thoughtful essays, they are looking for different content from their applicants. For graduate schools, that will likely be funding your education for the next 2-6 years, they want to know about your specific qualifications in your field. In other words, you should spend most of your essay explaining your interest, research experience, and disciplinary goals. Be sure that you research the school well to determine whether your interests align with those of a faculty member. Not only must you convince a committee that you are a qualified applicant, but you must also convince them (and probably also a particular professor) that your interests match the needs of the department; after all, they are about to invest a substantial amount of money and time in your education. With this in mind, limit the personal anecdotes and extracurricular interests to those that pertain directly to your field of interest or career goals.
This handout was written with the help of Michael Nguyen.
譯:
法/商/醫(yī)學(xué)院與研究生院對PS的要求區(qū)別如下:
研究生院的錄取委員會期待著看到有文采有思想的文章, 但同時他們在申請者身上尋找一些與眾不同的東西. 對于研究生院而言, 他們將要在接下來的2至6年中資助您的學(xué)術(shù)生涯, 因此他們想了解您在您的研究領(lǐng)域中具體有什么過人之處. 換句話說, 您應(yīng)該使用較大的篇幅闡述您的興趣、研究經(jīng)驗、以及一直追求的目標(biāo). 一定要認(rèn)真地調(diào)查以確保您的研究迎合了教授的興趣. 您不僅要說服錄取委員會相信您是一個合格的申請者, 而且您要說服他們(也許是其中某一個教授)相信您的研究興趣符合系里的需要; 畢竟, 他們將要在您身上投資一大筆資金和大量的時間. 考慮到這些, 您應(yīng)該少說一些您的生活經(jīng)歷和業(yè)余興趣什么的, 多講講您感興趣研究領(lǐng)域和職業(yè)目標(biāo)等.