Distinctiveness in Personal Statements: Byproduct or Goal?

So wrote Derek Bolton, Assistant Dean and Director of Stanford GSB Admissions, in his most recent and fantabulous monthly column, "The Director’s Corner," for Stanford’s MBA Admissions Newsletter.

I have see many a application essays wherever the author aimed for distinctiveness and unsuccessful miserably to attain it, simply as Mr. Bolton says. These applicants commonly wrote in clichés, aimed to impress, and hid their story, values, and personality behind a façade of imagined “diversity.” The authors of these essays probably unsuccessful to write what they thought the adcom wanted to see – always a terrible mistake.

I have as well see essays wherever the author aimed to tell his or her story honestly and still amalgamated into the mass of applicants. Applying to professional schools, they felt they had to focus alone on activity or activities directly related to their professional goals. Or they wrote on a superficial plain and left out the details that would-be have ready-made their essays and personal statements unique. They unheeded the role that distinctiveness plays in the admissions process. As well a blunder.

Your challenge is manifold. As Mr. Bolton advises, applicants need to tell their story with self-reflection and honesty. But if you have lived 20+ years and have only some hundred words to portray your life, you as well have to choose which parts of your story to tell. Are you going to discuss your Little League experience? Your participation on your college’s swim team? Your work? Given that you have multiple route to answer a question, how should you choose which experiences to write about?

Answer: Highlight those experiences that are most important to you and most distinctive simply about you.

If you have unusual experiences that answer the questions and reflect what is important to you, write simply about them and their impact on you. If your formative experiences are much common, then distinctiveness wish have to move from the details you provide and from your insight into those experiences.

“Telling your story” is for certain necessary for writing a nice personal statement or application essay. If that’s wherever the proposal ends, however, it is depleted guidance. Individualism and believability should be parallel goals as you draft your essays and personal statements. In fact, ignoring distinctiveness can be dangerous to the success of your application. What is much the individualism of your application is not strictly a by-product of sincerity. It reflects conscious choices you must do as you tell your story.

For much proposal on writing with distinctiveness and integrity:

“The Devil is in the Details”
“What if Being Doesn’t Like My Cause?”
“The Worst Question”
“Admissions: Checklist of Mosaic”

If you would-be like the guidance and keep of fully fledged editors in serving you write simply about your distinctive experiences and develop your essays, Accepted.com is here to help. We offer a range of services tailored simply for your needs.

About The Author

Linda Abraham, Accepted.com's founder and president, has helped thousands of applicants develop eminent admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted.com, she has written and lectured extensively on admissions. The Wall St. Journal, The New House of york Times, and BusinessWeek are among the publications that have wanted Linda's expertise.

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This article was denote on Jan 31, 2005