What Makes a Terrible Personal Statement Sample? Let Us Count the Ways

How do you know that you’re dealing with a bad personal statement sample? A lot of potential college students end up not getting through the program of their choice simply because they failed to pick the best available sample.

There’s no guarantee that personal statements can get you through the program, as there are other factors that have to be considered, but you can increase your chances. Find the most ideal sample by avoiding those with the following:

They contain a lot of technical errors. These are errors in punctuation, grammar, and spelling. School boards expect that you have, at the very least, a good grasp on English syntax. Moreover, personal statements are not really long papers. There’s no excuse for not proofreading your work. Use your knowledge in spelling and grammar, therefore, to eliminate the bad ones.

They are extremely vague. Many college students make the mistake of coming up with very broad sentences and paragraphs, perhaps just to be on the safe side. The problem is it would be very hard for the school board to get a good idea of who you really are.

Find personal statement samples that are very specific. You can do that by looking for samples that are intended for the program you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re applying for a law degree, search for “law personal statements” in search engines than simply “personal statements.” Moreover, look for those samples that offer real scenarios to confirm the writer’s claims.

They only serve as an extension of your resume or curriculum vitae. Personal statements should highlight some of your achievements, especially if they are related to your chosen degree. Nevertheless, they should not be the main thrust. Personal statements, more than anything else, should reflect your personality, such as your sincerity, honesty, stud ethics, and time management skills. These qualities are often not seen if the school board will base their decisions on resumes and application forms alone.

The best samples are the most honest ones. If you want to know if they are, just ask these two questions: Do they sound so superficial? Does it seem like they give more value on achievements than character? If the answer to both is yes, then you know they are not what you’re looking for.

They don’t sound professional. Though humor is not completely a no-no in personal statement samples, you want to see them used sparingly.

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