Writing personal statements can be really frustrating. I am realizing that only now, as I am preparing for junior year scholarships and fellowships. As many already know, and most of us will find out, writing a personal statement is completely different from the regular writing that we do on a daily basis. It requires us to sell ourselves in a concise and clear way. Personal statements allow us to brag about our achievements and tell our story. Almost always, there will be a word limit, which greatly decreases our chances to write about EVERYTHING we have accomplished, so it’s good to know exactly what to highlight, something I have a lot of trouble with. While everyone has that special story, it’s hard to convince someone your story is the most unique. The following website has helped me immensely on my journey to explore my life story and put it into paper. Perhaps it will provide some guidance for you as well:
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/writingpersonalstatementsonline/
The website provides a handbook for students applying to graduate schools, fellowships, and other scholarships. It also contains examples of many different sorts of essays including Rhodes, Truman, Beinecke, Marshall, and Fulbright.
As always, these websites only provide the foundation for your unique stories. Once you have something down on paper, feel free to reach out to your peers and professors who are more than willing to look over drafts. Good luck and email me if you need any assistance!
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