THE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
(BUT PROBABLY DON’T)
ABOUT WRITING A GREAT PERSONAL STATEMENT

You’ve heard it a million times.  You're supposed to be clear and succinct and read your personal statement out loud to friends, teachers, and unsuspecting strangers on the street.  Your guidance counselor gave you plenty of advice about how to write a killer application essay, didn't she?  So instead of rehashing the same truisms you've heard time and again, below you'll find a much more significant list.  These are the top five things you should know about personal statements, but probably don't.  They're the tips from the trenches, the five least appreciated (but biggest impact) rules in personal statement writing.

1.  Big words can make you sound dumb.

This isn't a blanket prohibition, just a general reminder not to stray too far from your linguistic comfort zone.  Remember when you were a kid and you learned a new word?  You were so proud that you'd walk around repeating it to anyone who would listen.  Unfortunately, more than a few adults haven't outgrown the tendency.  A thesaurus really is an indispensable part of a well written personal statement, but use it in the way you'd use an old school yearbook.  The idea is to get back in touch with old friends and not to make new ones.  Unnecessarily or improperly using long words doesn't just make you sound foolish, it makes you sound foolish and obnoxious.  So err on the side of caution and avoid looking silly by not including words unless you're crystal clear about their proper use.

2.  You're an applicant, not a yogi.

Sure, you want to highlight the fact that your education and experiences have helped you grow as an individual.  But avoid becoming preachy or sanctimonious when you describe the epiphany you had during your magical summer at dance camp.  Acknowledge that your journey has just begun and indicate how the program of study you've selected might help you get there.  Describing your personal breakthrough in a way that makes you seem self-important is a surefire way to come across as naive or inexperienced.  If you're marching toward a major life lesson in your personal statement, tread with caution and guard against the cliches and heavy-handedness that are more likely to leave you looking like a blowhard than a sage.

3. Personality counts.

Here's a novel concept: make your personal statement personal.  Give it a particular point of view and incorporate your own personality.  Don’t write objectively, as if you were preparing a scholarly article for peer review, and don't pretend to be someone you're not.  Instead, include glimpses into your attitude and temperament.  Feel free to reference your passion for World of Warcarft or include a self-depricating story about prom night if it helps you make your point.  Many applicants are so intimidated by the application process that they forget that their application essays are being reviewed by fellow humans who look more kindly on real people than cardboard cutouts.   

4. Ay, Ay, Ay, I....

Okay, that might not be a rule.  This can require a bit of creative restructuring on your part, but it yields some impressive results.  Once you’ve completed your first draft, go back through your personal statement and pay close attention to your use of the first person pronoun.  How often are you using the word “I” in your application essays?  Is it more like a subtle drip or a nonstop drubbing?  One of the signs of hastily assembled personal statements is that they read like monologues from self-obsessed cheer captains.  I want, I need, I believe, I will…  To a certain extent this is a function of topic selection, but it also has a lot to do with phrasing.  To avoid coming off as a junior narcissist, go back and rework a few of those “I” sections.  A tiny bit of rewording can dramatically change the way your personal statement flows.

5.  Bookends are your friends.

Starting and ending with the same stylistic element is one of the strongest ways to create the impression that your personal statement has an underlying structure that transcends the words on the page.  What does that mean?  Well, if you started your application essay with a story that takes place in a hospital emergency room and then veered off to discuss that personal characteristics that led you to volunteer at a hospital, do your best to bring things back to the ER as the essay concludes.  If you started by referencing a piece of advice from your grandfather, consider ending your personal statement with an anecdote about gramps that picks up where his advice left off.  As always, let common sense be your guide, but keep in mind that symmetry and structure are the two elements most likely to turn a good personal statement into a truly great read.