hitting the jackpot with a persuasive personal statement dr. ruth bingham – director, advising...

HITTING THE JACKPOT WITH A PERSUASIVE PERSONAL STATEMENT

Dr. Ruth Bingham – Director, Advising Center for the Colleges of AH – LLLUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa -

ruth@hawaii.eduPresident – NAAHP, Inc.

Beverley Childress – Director of Pre-Health ProgramsAuburn University – childbb@auburn.edu

Krysta Diehl – Pre-Health Counseling SpecialistAuburn University – knd0001@auburn.edu

NACADA - 2015

Agenda

Introduction: Uses, Types, and Prompts - Ruth

How to Write a Personal Statement - Krysta

Resources - Beverley Workshop

Sample Personal Statements

Evaluating

Giving Feedback

Q & A

Uses

Academic programs or professions

Competitive programs

Funding

Purpose

Introduces self, voice, style

Reveals personal, subjective information

Explains, but presents evidence

Advocates for oneself

Evaluative

Know your audience!

Who are they & what do THEY want to know?

What do YOU want them to know?

What do they NEED to know?

Types

General/Comprehensive

Specific/Targeted

Sample Prompts

It’s easy to go astray…

As you begin to write…

Speak directly to your reader. Don’t worry about word limits. As you write you may feel the urge to

write about a specific event…follow that urge.

List your strengths, beliefs and values. Must be personal. Introduce yourself - to a stranger.

Most influential people? IMPACT?

Pivotal moments? What has changed you?

What have you learned?

Reflect your uniqueness as an individual!

It’s hard to begin and end

As you consider what to include - it may be hard to write the beginning.

Set the beginning aside.

Put it away for a few days and re-read.

Introduction, a body and a conclusion.

Check list:What impression did you

create?

Creates the idea that you would be an interesting applicant to interview!

Identify desirable qualities.

Highlight your assets and qualities by “evidence and example”. Show, don’t tell!

Check list:Did you include?

Your motivation? Why do you want this? Does it reflect an adult decision?

What have you done to convince yourself that this is the best plan for your life?

Extracurricular activities and work/volunteer experience

Learned Contributed Matured

Check list:Did you include?

Irregularities in your academic record. provide reasons - not excuses

Distance Travelled. “ turn lemons into lemonade?” Postbaccalaureate or Graduate

Program? what you learned or how you

matured?

Check list:Did you include?

Future Plans/Long-term goals (only include if it’s sincere)

Personal Philosophy (if in doubt…leave it out!)

Reapplicants – update your personal statement to reflect how you have changed since last application.

Get Feedback

Let others read your personal statement.

Read your statement out loud Decide what to keep and what to

change.Law Schools want to know that

you have excellent writing skills.

Spell Check is Your Friend!

“Be yourself, but in proper

English!”

Sources of Information

AAMCAS – Allopathic Medical School AACOMAS – Osteopathic Medical School OptomCAS – Optometry AADSAS – Dental School PharmCAS – Pharmacy CASPA – Physician Assistant PTCAS – Physical Therapy OTCAS – Occupational Therapy AACPMAS – Podiatry Law & Graduate Schools – look at individual

school guidelines

Group Discussion

1. Please divide into small groups to discuss the sample personal statements. Each group choose discussion leader & secretary. Be prepared to report if time allows.

2. Let us know if you need sample personal statements.

Here are some questions/topics to consider

a. What is the most important thing you would tell this student/applicant?

b. How much assistance in writing the personal statement should an academic advisor provide?

c. Should you limit your assistance to the early stages of the application process?

d. What evaluative techniques do you use to give feedback?

e. What tips do you have for helping the student or the evaluator to get started?