How to Write Your Personal Statement

First Think About Yourself
Special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you
Details of your life that help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants
Overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships
Personal characteristics, for example, integrity, compassion, persistence
Skills, for example, leadership, communicative, analytical

Find an Angle and Talk About Real Experiences
Be specific
Make it interesting
Show or demonstrate through concrete experience
Write in a style that is fresh, lively, and different
Make yourself memorable

Concentrate on Your Opening Paragraph
Lead or opening paragraph generally the most important
Here you grab the reader's attention…or lose it
Becomes the framework for the rest of the statement

Develop the Ideas and Stay Focused
Detail your interests and experiences
Refer to experiences: work, classes, conversations with people, books you've read, volunteer work you’ve done, and so on
Don’t stray away from your topic
Don’t go into long narratives or stories

Avoid Certain Subjects
Controversial
Religion and Politics
Overly personal experiences and extreme hardships/family problems

Write Well and Correctly
Type and proofread your statement very carefully
Express yourself clearly and concisely
Stay close to the word limits

Avoid Cliches
Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements = “I always keep my eyes on the road.” or “I want to be a doctor because I am good at science and want to help people.”
“My grandfather was an extremely significant part of my life. Without him, I would not have many of the advantages I have today.” (These two sentences, though expressive and correct, have essentially said nothing.)

Use Attention Grabbers
“During World War II, my grandfather flew fighter planes with the Tuskegee Airmen.”
That's an attention-grabber that hooks the reader in
Thinking of a catchy opener is easier than you think.