A great sample personal statement essay is one with coherent ideas, concise facts, engaging stories, relevant information, and interesting introductions. These qualities are exactly what the admissions committee look forward too before going over the insurmountable pile of admissions essay they receive every year. Over the years, the admissions committee of different academic institutions has been noticing trends in how a sample personal statement essay is composed. Here are three most commonly used themes in sample personal statement essay writing:
1. Rise from adversity
2. Quotable quotes
3. Life as a metaphor
Rise from adversity
Everybody loves the underdogs. People easily sympathize with tragedy-stricken individuals who climbed high mountains, swam wide seas, and crossed windy roads just to overcome the challenges of life. Every year, college applicants take advantage of this fact by composing an admission essay that centers on how they rose from adversity. This adversity, which may be the loss of a parent or the acquisition of a disability, is always used to tell a good story.
The admission evaluators, however, are not after the cinematic qualities of your story. A well-written sample personal statement essay about how you transformed from the token chubby classmate to the school homecoming king is enough to secure you a slot in your chosen university. You have to support your movie-worthy story with the life-changing lessons you learned along the way. How did you overcome your fears? What did you to improve your way of living? How did you handle your problems? Like any underdog story, the ending of your sample personal statement essay is already predictable. You have to remember that people are not so much interested on how a story ends but how the protagonist made it through the closing credits.
Quotable quotes
One of the most commonly used introductions in a sample personal statement essay is a quote. Whether it is something Thomas Jefferson mentioned or something Angelina Jolie said, a quote will always be present in at least 50% of the total number of sample personal statement essays submitted every year. Many applicants start their admission essays with a specific quote that made a difference to their lives. Most types of sample personal statement essay that started with a quote usually centers on the same quote throughout the essay.
When writing a sample personal statement about a quote, you have to explain how the meaning of the quote changed your life. Quotes are all inspiring but the admissions committee is more interested on discovering why the quote means so much to you. It is not enough for you to mention the quote and give an overview of the person who said it. You have to explain its relevance to your life. How did the quote inspire you? What did you learn from the quote? Quotes are included in a sample personal statement for a special reason, and by that, I don’t mean an attention-grabbing introduction.
Life as a metaphor
My life is an elevator – one minute I’m up, the next minute I’m down. Sounds familiar? Well, it should be because describing life as a metaphor is one of the most commonly used themes in writing a sample personal statement essay for college. Like quotes, applicants have a huge tendency to compare their life with other objects. Some are rosaries that are full of mysteries while some are journals that are full of secrets.
A sample personal statement essay featuring metaphorical references is promising yet dangerous at the same time. It is promising because a well-written admission essay with lots of impressive metaphorical concepts will reflect your creativity and philosophy. It is also dangerous because poorly explained metaphors, no matter how brilliant the ideas are, will only confuse the readers.
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Plagiarism is the most unforgivable sin you can commit in the world of writing. Copying another’s literary work is like stealing the answer to question number five from your classmate. The same thing goes for the sample personal statement essay. Plagiarizing a sample personal statement essay you found on the Internet can actually cost you your college education.
A wide variety of sample personal statement essay is available on the Internet. Some are especially written for medical school applicants while some are specifically made for law school applicants. The collection of sample personal statement essay is posted on websites to act as a guide, not as a template.
Many school applicants are guilty of committing the crime of copying a sample personal statement essay they found on the Internet. Unfortunately for them, the members of the admissions committee who evaluate their essays have a knack for distinguishing plagiarized essays from original work. To save yourself from sheer embarrassment, write your own sample personal statement essay that will tell you apart from the rest of the bunch.
You can find a huge collection of sample personal statement essay on the Internet, but they all have one thing in common: they all share the goal of helping you write an effective sample personal statement essay for college. Because college applicants have different backgrounds and goals, each sample personal statement essay is written to inspire a specific group of applicants. Aspiring doctors may find the sample personal statement essay for medical school helpful, but business majors will find the sample personal statement essay for MBA students more useful.
Sample personal statement essay as guides
It is a fact that an admission essay must reflect not only the applicant’s resume but also his individuality. In contrary to popular belief, an admission essay is not a way of showcasing your impressive traits and important achievements. An admission essay is a reflection of your personality. Who are you? What do you believe in? What makes you different? One of the best ways to write an impressive admission essay is to find a good sample personal statement essay to base your work on.
“Base” being the operative word, a sample personal statement essay must be treated only as a guide. It is not a “copy-paste” template that you can modify a little to suit your story. A sample personal essay must be used as a guide that will tell you which stories to write in your essay and which information to leave out. It will show you how to present stories or facts without being too arrogant, too boring, or too obvious. A sample personal statement essay must be used an inspiration for writing an interesting yet effective admission essay that will help you secure your college education.
Specific theme of the sample personal statement essay
Another noticeable similarity among all types of sample personal statement essay is their specific theme. One sample personal statement essay may focus on “adjusting life in a foreign land” while the other may concentrate on “overcoming the challenges of peer pressure,” depending on which topic is assigned by the school or which subject is chosen by the applicants. Like any literary piece, admission essays have to be written with a single theme. Adding anecdotes or facts unrelated to the central theme will only cause confusions to the evaluators and incoherence to the essay.
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A turning point in my life was when my parents decided to relocate from Korea to the United States. During that time, I was living happily with my family and was content to go to the local elementary school. Even though I was still not a teenager back then, I could not help but feel resentment over the fact that I would have to start over in a foreign land where I knew no one except my sister and parents. It was difficult for me to leave my friends and accept the fact that I needed to adapt to a whole new world where the culture is so different. I was afraid of the facts that (1) I had to learn how to speak a different language that I knew nothing of and (2) that the idea of trying out and being exposed to different aspects of the American culture did not appeal to my young mind back then. I was young and knew no better than to complain about struggling with the English language and trying to belong in this place where the culture is so strange and unusual to me. Looking back at all the apprehensions I felt back then, I now knew that my fears had no real grounds.
I came from a vastly different background so it was hard for me to fit in with my classmates back in high school. Everywhere I look, I can see how different I was from my classmates and this has made me feel insecure. I had a few close friends, but I never was the kind that would hang out with the crowd and go to parties. It was hard for me to relate with my peers, and though I sometimes wish that I had more friends and went out more, I also know that if I did, I wouldn’t be as good with digital art as I am now. Because I didn’t go out often, I used my free time to draw. Eventually, I learned about various software that would enable me to create graphics. I experimented with these software and even taught myself to create web layouts and tweak CSS and HTML codes. I have even started offering my designs to my acquaintances who had websites that needed a new look.
Today, I am no longer the same boy that I was eight years ago. I now feel that my openness to all things new is what I have going for me to apply to your university. I am grateful that my parents had the strength and courage to sacrifice their own comfort and stability just to give my sister and me these chances that I now vow not to throw away.
Because of our limited financial constraints, I had to enroll first at our community college. Eventually, I learned that my experience in community college greatly influenced my perception toward school. I no longer look at going to school as a requirement or chore, but rather as a gift I have been blessed with. In college, I finally learned how to socialize more, especially with those who are not originally from the US or are second-generation immigrants. In fact, I am a member of a club that promotes Korean culture in our community college. I also work a part-time job to help fund my education and I’m glad that although this takes up a considerable amount of my time, my grades have actually improved. I’m very thankful that I have been given a job as a graphic design apprentice of a a very experienced graphic designer. This job that has rekindled my passion for the visual arts. I can say that all the experiences and learnings my mentor taught me has made me more confident and more secure about myself and my potential. Having this new outlook definitely helps me in class as I can see how theories apply to the real world. This makes me excited to study the different aspects of graphic design at ______ University.
I hope to be given the chance to learn and study in your campus. I’m looking forward to more delightful experiences and learning much from the rest of the class of 200- as I bring my enthusiasm, dedication, and bi-cultural heritage to the school.
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The pursuit for learning is something that I would never get tired of. I deem that the search for knowledge expansion is both a necessity and passion. Although I have packed myself with this kind of outlook, I cannot say that the road I traveled was easy.
I was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder at the age of 13. This explained my unusual depressive mood swings. Although the doctors said that mine is not a very serious case, my family still opted to take precautionary measures. Since then, sadness was not welcomed in our home. My parents and sisters brought me to town meetings and other civic activities whenever they could. I was able to get acquainted with community volunteers through these gatherings. Soon enough, I found myself spending my free hours in volunteer work. The exposures I had at community activities enabled me to gain confidence.
I managed to join in different organizations in our school while maintaining my involvement in volunteer work. I became a part of our school’s soccer team. Soccer taught me to value team work. Aside from this, my three-year stint as our school newspaper’s photographer gave me the chance to express myself. It was also an opportunity to see things through the narrow lens of a camera. It gave me a different perspective.
The experiences I had with the organizations also enabled me to learn many things. I learned to be productive. The organizations were also avenues to make more friends. And best of all, the activities I had helped me avoid unwanted mood swings.
Aside from the assistance I got from my extra-curricular cavities, I also got support from my high school teachers. They are well aware of my medical situation. And somehow, all of my teachers have managed to keep me focused in class. I was never given special preference, though. Still, the school environment made me think that my disorder is not a hindrance. It would not stop me from getting the things I want to have for myself. Much more, I learned that a bipolar disorder cannot stop me from dreaming big.
I am aware that academic institutions for higher learning offer diversity. And in my opinion, they can open new doors. Aside from the fact that they can provide learning, educational institutions can give me the opportunity to see and compare different perspectives and ideas. I know that college life is very different from high school. It could bring me difficulties. But I think life, generally, is just like that. Coping with ordeals is an evitable part of the human maze. Ironically, it also makes living magical. College, for me, is synonymous to challenge. And I believe that I very much prepared for it.
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