WEAVING YOUR POSTGRADUATE PERSONAL STATEMENT1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION
3. AVOID AMBIGUITY
4. MAKING A PROFESSIONAL IMPRESSION
5. BONUS SAMPLE PERSONAL STATEMENT
The failure of
vast majority of postgraduate professionals to gain admission to their chosen university is one of great unpublicised stories of our time.
Why do they fail?
Because they think in their terms and do not consider reader: admission officer.
They don't even know they are doing it.
THAT is why they fail to gain a place on an MBA course.
This article will help you craft a perfect personal statement. Everyone is special and everyone has a personal statement inside them. The main premise of this article is to inspire you. Please don’t feel daunted at personal statement – simply write way you speak and you are half way there.
1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
Your first aim is to make sure that your personal statement gets read; start with a powerful selling point that catches admission officer’s eye. Admission officers usually give each personal statement a quick scan before picking best for a more thorough reading. Your personal statement must therefore clearly show most perfunctory reader what you have to offer.
This means that your words need to be short and punchy.
2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION
The first and main section of your personal statement will almost certainly be a career and achievements, as this is crucial area that shows that you can do course on offer. Within each paragraph of your personal statement, put details of your most impressive or relevant achievements at top of each section.
Always end your personal statement on a high note so that you leave reader with a final positive image of you as they put personal statement down. Make sure you describe yourself in a way that does you justice:
* Give evidence supporting your claims
* Quantify your achievements
* Show that you are a high performer in most important aspects related to your course
* Use clear and positive language
3. AVOID AMBIGUITY
Phases such as ‘I supported change process’ or ‘I assisted with financial planning for company’ leave admission officer none wiser as to what you were actually doing. Make it clear what your contribution was. For example:
‘..The position involved analysing past financial performance to identify areas for future improvement and preparing budgets to ensure sound financial planning’
4. MAKING A PROFESSIONAL IMPRESSION
Your personal statement should have a highly professional image.
* Be clear and easy to read
* Draw attention to most important points
* Be attractive and professionally presented – utilise online forms!
5. BONUS PERSONAL STATEMENT
Postgraduate Application - Teaching
For three years I have worked as a volunteer Art teacher at a local youth charity. Through these experiences, I have learned how to convey my enthusiasm for art in both classroom setting and with my students one-on-one. Working with disadvantaged students proved both rewarding and challenging, as I had to make art theory applicable to everyday life. Working in these workshops, I discovered my love for teaching and became determined to help more students understand relevancy, applicability, and necessity of art in their lives.
