Sample Personal Statement Essay: What Top Universities Are Looking For

This article is posted under college and university admissions

Applying to one of the top universities in the country can seem like a daunting task.  Most applicants experience a great deal of stress and pressure, because they want so badly to get into a top university.  Whether you are transferring from another school or you are a newcomer into college life, you will definitely want to put your best foot forward when applying to a top university.  One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting accepted is to know what they expect from you.  Here are some tips that will also help you with writing your personal statement:

1.  Do your research

The first and most important step to understanding what the university expects from you is to do your research.  Visit the homepage of the university and read about the school, the courses they offer, their educational system and values, as well as their history.  Getting to know the university will give you a good idea of what the university expects not only from its applicants, but from its students as well.

Part of your research will be to gather all information regarding the application process, such as requirements, deadlines, and procedures.  Once you are satisfied with the information you have gathered about the university, you should spend some time trying to analyze the information to understand what the university is looking for and how they choose the applicants that will be accepted.  To round up your research, try to find some sample personal statements that were written specifically for the university you are applying to.  These sample essays can give you an upper hand on your competition when it comes to writing your own essay.

2.  Know the requirements for the personal statement

Another way of trying to understand what top universities expect from your personal statement is to know and understand the requirements for your personal statement.  Different schools will have different questions, and these questions can give you clues to what topics to write about, what the tone of the essay should be, and how to go about writing the essay.  Some questions will be very open-ended, leaving it up to you to find a creative and interesting way to present yourself, while other questions will be straightforward and precise.  Use the essays that you found to guide you in meeting the requirements for your application.  Remember that the requirements given for the sample essay may differ from those given to you, so only use the samples as general guides.

3.  Aim to exceed their expectations

Finally, when writing your personal statement, it’s important to aim higher than just meeting the university’s expectations.  Try to exceed them.  Here are some of the expectations that top universities normally have for the personal statement:

-  error-free (no spelling, grammar, or syntax errors) personal statements
-  truthful information
-  interesting presentation of facts
-  meaningful topics
-  clear, concise, and coherent essays

Write an essay that is unique, emotional, captivating, and, most of all, one that makes a strong impact on the admissions committee.  If you are able to leave a good, lasting impression on the admissions committee, you can be sure that your chances of getting into the top university will increase greatly.  Try to study how the sample personal statement essays were able to go beyond what is normally expected to make an impact on the reader.  Use some of these techniques to embellish your own essay.

Photo Credit :  PhillipC

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