Preventing Arrogance and Shyness When Writing Personal Statements
While it is true that you have to write about your achievements in your personal statements, it is not true that these call for arrogance. On the other hand, while an arrogant attitude should be avoided, you must also avoid being too modest about what you’ve accomplished. A balance of self-marketing and humility is important in personal statements.
The importance of writing a personal statement does not just lie in the fact that it is an admission requirement in most schools. Personal statements are instrumental in highlighting the most challenging achievements you’ve made. Your achievements and your personal characteristics, while they are shown only in numbers through your transcript of records, may be explained by you in a compelling and interesting manner in your personal statement.
Factors that make personal statements effective
Personal statements are effective because they explain why you should be accepted in a school to study a particular field. Personal statements are an avenue for you to tell the admission committee about your personal side apart from the numerical reflections of your achievements. If you are able to explain who you are and why you and the field of your choice are compatible, there is a greater chance that you will be given a slot in a school.
Another factor that makes personal statements effective is that these show the values and principles of the applicants. In “sample essay about myself” blogs, you might find that while the writers state their pride over their accomplishments, the writers also express how they have learned from their experiences. Explaining how your accomplishments make you thankful and humble is an excellent method of expressing your values and principles and counteracting an arrogant tone.
A third factor that makes personal statements effective is that these show a picture of applicants’ personality, struggles and perspectives. Admissions committees are most interested in such aspects about applicants considering grades and scores only reveal results. So, when you write your personal statement, present yourself as someone who also has his or her weaknesses, struggles, and desire for personal improvement.
How being over-modest in your admissions essay will limit your chances of getting accepted
There are always many applicants competing with each other for a few slots in the schools of their choice. For that reason, admissions committees will only give slots to applicants who show potential or drive for success. If there is one slot left and an over-modest personal statement is compared to one that is well-written, favor will go to the writer of the latter. So, do strike a balance when writing your own personal statement.
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