Fun Stuff > CHATTER
University/College
Elizzybeth:
Tips:
* Ask your favorite professors to read over your statement. Professors, plural. Get advice from several, and especially seek out anyone who has a degree in your field of interest.
* Ask for samples of successful personal statements from professors you talk to. They've probably worked with other students recently who have gotten into schools. Once you do that--and this is key!--don't be intimidated! Read the samples with an eye to organization, content, and tone, but don't give into the voices in your head that say, "Oh my God, I can never write something this polished-sounding." You can. You will.
* Keep editing. I ended up doing 5 or 6 full drafts of my basic statement--not counting the time spent on the individual program-specific portions of each statement (I sent out ten applications), and not counting proofreading.
* Organization-wise, I did two paragraphs of general educational background (in which I made a claim as to who I am as a scholar), two paragraphs of anecdote, one paragraph of research interests, one paragraph talking about other details of the program that appeal to me, and a closing statement that emphasized what I could bring to their program. This will not be the same for everyone, of course (I read a bunch of statements without an anecdote... but I liked what it did for my statement), but that outline is generally typical: history, research interests, why this program.
* One thing my professors kept emphasizing was making sure the statement explains who you are as a scholar. What sort of work do you do? How do you set yourself apart from other people in the field? What would make them want you--as a student, as a colleague, maybe even as a collaborator or cowriter on a paper, study, or grant?
KvP:
Thanks! I am much more intimidated, now.
tania:
i think i still have my statement, i could send it to you if you want. i really just wrote a bunch of bullshit about how much i rule
KvP:
Do it
Barmymoo:
Unfortunately the residency requirement is not something I can get round easily. My options at this point are: find a flat within the 3 mile zone; persuade college to give me back the room on campus which I picked out last year (and which according to their own policy I have a right to return to); accept the almost certainly terrible room they will assign me.
I guess I will have to try the second one, but I really badly want to have my own flat. The possibility has been dangled in front of me and now I just don't want to see it snatched away :(
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