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Monday, August 6, 2012

How to Create an Impressive Statement of Purpose Essay

A Statement of Purpose Essay is a written explanation stating your reason, goal or objective for a bachelor, masters or doctorate degree entry.  It is an essay about yourself.Take time to accomplish it with much diligence to better impress the reader.   

Though being modest is a factor to consider, it is also good to brag at times so long as it is true.  Do not forget to support it with evidences. Keep in mind that you are trying to sell yourself to the admission officer.  Anything and everything they read on the essay is a reflection of you.  They can use that to either refuse or grant you admission.  So practice honesty during the course of your writing.   

How can you catch the reader’s attention?  You can do this by coming up with a striking first paragraph.  Build a connection between you and the admitting officer by providing the focal point of your essay.  Once you have grabbed his/her attention it will be easier to keep him/her focused to reading.  Provide them with abiding interest as he/she reads along.

Keep in mind to always provide a positive attitude.  The reader can feel that.  Make use of pleasant words.  If  it cannot be avoided, divert the negative words or experiences into positive one.  For example, “I do not like the way he looked at me;” you can rewrite it as “He looked at me differently.”  It is a must to broaden your vocabulary, else, you can always refer to a dictionary or a thesaurus. It will always be about proper or correct word choice. 

Officers do not like to see clichés in your essay.  Try to be unique as much as you can.  Reveal yourself in a more personal note.  Think of experiences that will make the committee remember you.  Expand on that particular experience by telling how it helped you become the person that you are now in a precise manner.  After all, it is better to consider quality over quantity. 

Let your SOP speak highly of you.  Keep it neat and concise in nature.  It should look professional as possible, yet natural. 

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Guide to Getting Admitted with an Effective Personal Statement Essay

As part of the application process, most universities or colleges require candidates to submit a personal statement essay as part of the final determinants.  Taking it as an icing on a cake, many would just take the essay casually.  A passing SAT score and good scholastic records may qualify you for college but a well-written personal statement essay will guarantee you of admission.  To help you get started, here are some helpful tips to making your personal statement essay: 

Think and write down all the things that you would include in the essay.  Create a list so you will not forget.  This will serve as a guide to better organize your thought as well.  Cite in bullet-point all the personal details and experiences and expound on them as you start writing your essay.  Take note of important events, places and people.  

Make your research.  If possible try to gather information about the institution that you are applying at.  This way, you will know where and how to direct your own values as tantamount to the school’s norms.  You can also point out the advantages of getting admitted to the institution as compared to the others. 

Get straight to the point.  Although the essay may require you substantial amount of facts, it is an important consideration to just answer what is being asked.  Present yourself in a complete but brief manner.  This means that you should avoid using unnecessary words.   You would not like to bore the admission officer, do you?  A one or two-page essay is highly recommended, else, follow instructions as provided to you.  Do not fail to follow guidelines.

Make revisions.  Never forget to read through your essay, not once, but twice or more.  This is to double check on spelling or grammatical errors. Rephrasing, omitting or enhancing some parts of the essay and working it towards your very own subject is also vital.  Remember that the essay speaks highly of you.  It will leave the officer a lasting impression of who you are.  Presenting them in a correct, neat and organize manner will be given plus points.

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Basic Questions to Consider Before Writing a Personal Statement Essay

Most applicants find difficulties in creating a personal statement essay.  They worry even before they start writing it.  Before proceeding with the personal statement essay, you might want to consider the following questions to better gather your thoughts with:

What are your objectives in life? It is vital that you should have a career goal path.  It will determine what route you will take that will eventually lead you to the fulfillment of those objectives.  Make the admissions officer feel that you are a person of ambition, ever ready to make the initial step in preparing for those dreams to be fulfilled.

What personal experiences do you have to help the admitting committee consider your application?  Try to remember any experiences, either good or bad, that have somehow shaped your persona in a positive manner.  You might also want to cite those people (whether family, friends or even highly-acclaimed personalities) that have influenced you in those times.  If it is a work-related experience, it will be a plus point to include them in the letter.  Just make sure that the effect is somewhat related to the application.

What strong qualities do you have that qualifies you for the position or the slot? Since many universities or colleges admit students on a limited basis, it is important to make yourself stand out among the rest.  Your letter must point out your very best asset/s.  Make the admissions officer feel that it will be their loss if they fail to fill you for the position.  To do this, you will need to support your claim by providing them with facts. 

If admitted, what do you think can you contribute to the institution?  Many applicants failed to contain this on their personal statement essay.  Little do they know that, at some point, a gesture of gratitude is given special consideration.  Although the essay should be all about you, take that extra mile to at least include your future plans for the institution as well since you will be part of it.  Always remember to patch loopholes, that way you will have higher chances of getting hired.

If you need help writing your personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays, visit the reliable statement of purpose essay writers


What Admissions Officers Look For in a Statement of Purpose Essay

We have already emphasized the importance of writing your statement of purpose essays in your application process.  Though it may not take the place of a good SAT score or academic performance, a good statement of essay can still help you get to the college or university that you want even if you have a below  average SAT score or average in your scholastic records.

Now you know that preparing a good statement of purpose essay is a good idea. But how do you write a good statement of purpose essay? What do the Admission Officers look for in a statement of purpose essay?

1. Admission officers like to see the student’s writing style, the manner he organizes and presents his ideas in written form.  We suggest that you first prepare an outline of the things you are going to say in your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.  This outline will serve as your blueprint as you prepare to write your essay. 

2. Admission officers like to evaluate the student’s use of language.  However, students should not try to incorporate complex words and sentences which the students do not normally use just to impress the admissions officers.  Simple words and sentences are good so long as the idea is effectively conveyed. 

3. Admission officers are looking for dramatic or traumatic experiences in the life of students or any event in their life that made an impact on them.  They want to get to know who you are as a person.  If you have failures in the past do not be afraid to reveal it to the admissions officers.  Be open and honest to them.  What is important is that you emphasize the things that you have learned from that experience. 

4. Admission officers are not interested to see what you have already provided in your resume.  Avoid repeating the information you have already provided in your applications forms and resume.  The admissions officers have seen them and they are not interested to read about them again.  Mention new information that you have not mentioned. What are your interests and hobbies?  Do you collect weird stuff? Share it to the admissions officers.  Make them laugh.  Some personal statement essay coaches will agree that it is always better to incorporate humor in your essay. 

5. Admission officers like to read personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays that come from the heart.  Give them a peak into your daily life.  Tell them about your plans and your goals in the short term and the long term.  Do you feel you can contribute to the college or university? Tell them how.  You do not have to be a very influential figure in campus to be able to help. 

6. Admission officers do not have time to read lengthy essays.  They do not have all day to read your essay. If you have a story to tell go straight to the point. Avoid long introductions.  

7. Admission officers are looking for something that will distinguish you from other students.  Do not just say that you plan to give back to the community or that you plan to be help the planet.  Everybody else is already saying that. Give them something that will distinguish you from the rest of the pack. 

8. Admission officers like to see maturity in the tone of your essay.  Going to college is a big step in the life of the student since it entails a lot of responsibilities. They want to make sure that you understand what you are getting into and that you have made a commitment to go to college.  Try to read the school’s prospectus or catalogue to find out more about the school. Interview the alumni or the other students who have been there.  This will give you an idea on what they are looking for in the students.

If you need help writing your personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays, visit the reliable statement of purpose essay writers

Common Mistakes Students Make in Writing their Personal Statement Essays

Many students are looking for quality advice on how to write their personal statement essay.  There are so many information proliferating in the web that it is simply not possible to read all of them.  As a result, students end up committing the same mistakes over and over again in their personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.

Common mistakes students avoid in writing their personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay: 

1.  Students have the tendency to mass produce their essays.  It is common for students to write the same thing on their college admissions essay which they send to different schools.  Personalize your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.  Make sure that you change at least the name of the school or the person to whom you are sending the essay.  It would be disastrous if another school gets hold of a personal statement essay which is supposed to be submitted to another school. 

2. Students are cautious about revealing their mistakes on their essays.  Be open to the admissions officers.  Writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay is your chance to confront your nightmares.  Do not be afraid to mention your negative experiences.  What the admissions officer wants to know is how you were able to deal with the difficulty you experienced in your life.

3. Students lie about the information they write on their personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.  Be honest and sincere in your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.  It is a bad idea to state lies in your essay because it is very easy to verify your statements.  Make sure that you can back up everything that you write on your statement of purpose essay or personal statement essay.

4. Students try to impress the admissions officers.  Avoid trying to impress the admissions officers.  Trying to impress the admissions officer does not always work. In fact, it almost always does not work.  Instead, try to reveal unpleasant things about yourself and your negative experiences.  Focus on what you have learned and emphasize on what you have done or are doing to improve as a person.

5. Students think that they are writing the worst personal statement of essays.  There is no best or worst personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.  Every essay is unique because it is based on the student’s experiences.  Instead of trying to impress focus on things that distinguishes you from other applicants.  

6. Students fail to edit and proofread their essays. Avoid submitting your personal statement essay as soon as you have finished it.  You should let at least 24 hours to pass before you read it again and evaluate what you have stated.  Take time to edit and proofread your paper.  Writing your personal statement essay takes a lot of time.

These are just some of the mistakes that we have seen students commit in writing their personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays.  Avoid committing the same mistakes.  Learn from what other students have done in the past.

If you need help writing your personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays, visit the reliable statement of purpose essay writers

Do's and Don'ts in Writing Personal Statement Essays

We have already emphasized the importance of a personal statement essay in the application process.  By now, you know that admissions officers can overlook the result of your grades and SAT scores if they find that you have an interesting personality and a bright future based on your college essay.  You are now ready to embark on writing your personal statement essay.  
But wait.  There are still information that you need to know in writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.

Below are some of the do’s and don’ts in writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay.
  1. Have a positive attitude.  If there is one thing that makes writing Personal Statement Essay very difficult it is the fact that it is being written towards the end of the college application process.  In many cases, the student is so stressed out after completing all the requirements that they have nothing but negativities and angst to mention in their essay. This is a mistake for those who are writing their personal statement essay.  Admissions officers do not want to see your anger in your essay.  Neither do they want you to make excuses on the essay on why you had low grades in high school. We are not saying that you should avoid mentioning your negative experiences in your essay.  In fact, college essay coaches agree that you should mention something about the negative experiences you had but do not dwell on it.  It is a lot more beneficial on your part if you will focus on the positive experiences that you have gained.
  2. Tell a good story. Admissions officers are suckers for good stories.  They want to read interesting information about the students. Try to go think about your life and find out if there are interesting events in your life that you want to share to your admissions officers.  Tell them when and where it happened.  When you write stories give a vivid narration of the setting or the place where the story takes place.  Mention about the other characters in your story.  Narrate it clearly. 
  3. Find a Coach to help you with your Personal Statement Essay.  Before you start writing your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay, try to identify the teachers whom you can ask for help.  Michael James Mason, a famous college application essay coach, suggests that you look for an English teacher, Journalism instructor or speech coach to help you with your college.  Try to talk to them and ask them if they can help you with your essay.  As professionals, their comments can go a long way in helping you finalize your essay. As you listen to their comments, make sure to put the pointers in writing to avoid missing anything.  Try not to be sensitive about their comments and listen to them. Be reminded that you were the one who asked for their comments in the first place.
  4. Be discerning and show sophistication.  Always remember that you are trying to get into college.  Admissions officers expect to see a certain level of maturity on your part.  As such, avoid saying anything on your personal statement essay or statement of purpose essay that may gross out the admissions officers. Though you think a story about your sexual escapades is funny, think again. Talking about your flirtations with a girl or the events that happened in a fraternity party may not be a brilliant idea.
  5. Keep it simple.  Students make the mistake of trying to use high sounding words on their essay to impress the admissions officers.  This is a mistake especially if you do not know how to use these words in a sentence.  Try to keep it simple.  Use simple words and sentences.  The key here is to make sure that you deliver your message to the admissions officers.
  6. Write an essay about yourself.  Many students think that their life is not interesting.  They think that their friends have a more interesting life.  They think that they have better chances of getting accepted if they bloat facts or conjure situations.   Students tend to forget that the admissions officers will see through these lies.  They will know because it will simply sound unnatural as they are reading your essay.
  7.  Add an advice from an important person in your life.  College essay coaches like Michael James Mason suggests that an advice from an important character in your life can help add to the quality of your essay. Think about when it was said and why it was said. Reflect on it and say how it changed your life. 
  8. Be cautious in using quotations.  Though using quotations from famous people may appear to be a good idea at first, you should think again.  Many students are already using quotations to start their statement of purpose essay or personal statement essay.  It is no longer original.  If you really want to start your essay with a quotation Michael James Mason suggests that you choose something that is out of the ordinary.  It should be something that is a bit humorous and funny to capture the attention of the admissions officers.

Now you are ready! Go ahead start writing your personal statement essay now!
If you need help writing your personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays, visit the reliable statement of purpose essay writers

Best Practices in Writing Statement of Purpose Essay

It is no argument that Statement of Purpose Essays or Personal Statement Essays are very important requirements in the college application process.

For students, they should understand that these essays provide a valuable source of information about themselves.  It is their last chance to show the college or university that they are special and that they are worthy for that slot.

It gives the admissions officers an idea about what the students think and feel.  It is a way for the admissions officers to get to know the applicant, his personality, his character, his values and his motivations. 

Thus, it is very important for students to be able to write killer personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays.  Below are some of the tips the students can use in writing killer personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays:

Understand the audience. 

All essays are written to be read by a particular audience.  There is an appropriate essay for particular kinds of audience. So, you need to know who will be reading your college application essay before you start preparing your first draft

Know what the college or university values

What does the college or university value? Colleges and universities have certain principles that they consider as very important. To find out what these principles and values are you need to check the college’s prospectus or catalogs to get more information about the school

Get the Evaluation Form

What does the evaluation form say? The evaluation form also provides several clues that could help the student find clues on what the screening committee wants to see in the applicant’s essay.  Some of the examples are: motivation, maturity, integrity, originality, leadership potential, independence and enthusiasm.

If you need help writing your personal statement essays or statement of purpose essays, visit the reliable statement of purpose essay writers