The Personal Statement: Strategies for Students

The Personal Statement:Strategies for Students Madison High School Senior Portfolio Personal Statement Requirement Class of 2013 .

Overview • Purpose of statement in UC admissions • Understanding the task • Preparing students to write • Necessary information and skills for a strong personal statement • Completing the process

Purpose of the Personal Statement

Purpose of the Personal Statement • Part of UC’s comprehensive review process • Opportunity to provide information that supports and augments the review process • Enables applicant to make the best case possible for admission

Purpose of the Personal Statement • Adds clarity, depth and meaning to information collected in other parts of the UC application • Completes the application for admission • An admission decision will never be based on the content of a personal statement alone

A Message from UC Faculty • While it is acceptable to receive feedback or helpful suggestions, applicants’ personal statements should reflect their own ideas andbe written by them alone

Understanding the Task

The Instructions • Two rationale statements and questions (prompts) • Academic preparation • Potential to contribute • Word limits – 1000 words total • Two responses – 500 each

The Prompts • Rationale statement: provides context for the response • Question: provides direction for the response

Focus on Academic Preparation (#1) Rationale: • The University seeks to enroll students who take initiative in pursuing their education (for example, developing a special interest in science, language or the performing arts, or becoming involved in special programs such as EAOP, MESA, Puente, or COSMOS). This question seeks to understand a student’s motivation and dedication to learning.

Question: [Freshman Applicants] Describe the world you come from – for example, your family community or school – and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Focus on Academic Preparation (#1)

Potential to Contribute (#2) Rationale: • The University welcomes the contributions each student brings to the campus learning community. This question seeks to determine an applicant’s academic or creative interests and potential to contribute to the vitality of the University.

Question: Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? Potential to Contribute (#2)

Student Preparation

Steps to an Effective Personal Statement Draft, Get Feedback, Revise Develop Topic and Thesis Read Critically Gather Information

Necessary Skills • Critical thinking and reading • Analytical writing • A writing process

Important Strategies • Think like an admissions reader • Know the difference between a short-answer response and an extended response as these are extended responses

Try to… • Understand the role of the personal statement in the admissions process • Recognize the relationship between reader and writer • Understand the reading and writing tasks of the personal statement • Use a writing process • Obtain appropriate feedback

From Prompt to Topic to Thesis Prompt General Instructive Topic Specific Concrete Responsive Thesis Point of View Decisive

Question/Topic/Thesis Example Our question: How have you taken advantage of the educational opportunities you have had to prepare for college? Your topic: The role of Pre-College Academy in academic preparation Your thesis: Asserts why and how PCA was a significant preparation experience

Question/Topic/Thesis Example Our question: What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest developed…describe any experience and what you have gained from your involvement. Your topic:Why I study literature Your thesis:Asserts why and how literary study has contributed to your academic and career growth

Avoid irrelevant background information Understand meaning of key words Ensure that response addresses what the prompt asks for Make sure each sentence advances the argument Avoid a collection of facts or examples Use concrete details and make them clear, rich and meaningful Tips for Personal Statements

Readers Want… • Organization and clarity provided by a persuasive thesis, analytical topic sentences, well-chosen examples • A response that supports and completes — by clarifying and contextualizing — the information in the application

Special Circumstances • Students are encouraged to write about special circumstances that have influenced their educational experience • Moving and reconnecting to another school • Small or alternative learning environments • Learning and/or physical challenges • Major events in family life

Sample Thesis — Prompt 1 Although my school does not offer Advanced Placement Spanish,I wanted to master Spanishso that I could enrich my understanding of the literature of Latin America and prepare for my eventual career goal of becoming a diplomat.I prepared on my own for the Advanced Placement Spanish exam, and as a result have become a more disciplined and engaged student in all of my classes.

Sample Thesis — Prompt 2 Although I do not plan to major in veterinary science,my experiences raising and caring for animals have helped me understand how important animals are to human well-being.Because I have seen the result of human disregard for other forms of life, I am better able to appreciate the importance of ethical treatment for all.As a result, I will be able to contribute my knowledge of animal preservation and my skill as an organizer to the campus environment.

Writing Process • Brainstorm using levels of questions • Draft • Get feedback — give readers at least a week to respond • Revise for organization,clarity & meaning • Proofread

How do you begin? • Use the brainstorming sheet to capture your ideas • Attack each of the two questions. • Write 500 words for each prompt, a total of 1,000 words. • Go through the process of drafting, revision, final draft and proofreading. • Submit your two prompts to your teacher.

The Personal Statement: Strategies for Students