support@accepted.com
Get Your Free Consultation!

Which program are you applying to?

  • - Select a program -
  • MBA/EMBA
  • Law School
  • Grad School, PhD
  • MD/DO, Residency
  • Other Healthcare Programs
  • College
  • About Accepted
    • About us
      • The Accepted Advantage
      • Clients Accepted At
      • In The News
    • Client Feedback
    • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
    • MBA Admissions Consultants
    • Med School Admissions Consultants
    • Grad School Admissions Consultants
    • Law School Admissions Consultants
    • College Admissions Consultants
  • Free Resources
    • MBA
      • Free Guides
      • Selectivity Index
      • Sample Essays
      • Essay Tips
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for MBA Applicants
      • MBA Deadlines
    • Med School
      • Free Guides
      • Selectivity Index
      • Sample Essays
      • Essay Tips
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for Med School Applicants
    • Healthcare Programs
      • Free Guides
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for Healthcare Applicants
    • Grad School
      • Free Guides
      • Sample Essays
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for Grad School Applicants
    • Law School
      • Free Guides
      • Selectivity Index
      • Sample Essays
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for Law School Applicants
    • College
      • Free Guides
      • Sample Essays
      • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast for College Applicants
  • Services
    • MBA
      • Complete Packages
      • Essay Editing
      • Resume Services
      • Interview Prep
      • MORE
    • Med School
      • Premed Packages
      • Primary App Packages
      • Secondary App Packages
      • Essay Editing
      • Interview Prep
      • MORE
    • Healthcare
      • Postbac Packages
      • MPH Packages
      • NursingCAS Packages
      • PharmD Packages
      • Essay Editing
      • MORE
    • Grad School
      • Complete Packages
      • PhD Packages
      • Essay Editing
      • CV/Resume Assistance
      • MORE
    • Law School
      • Complete Packages
      • Essay Editing
      • Interview Prep
      • MORE
    • College
      • Complete Packages
      • Common App Package
      • Essay Editing
      • MORE
  • Blog
    • MBA Blog Posts
    • Medical School Blog Posts
    • Other Healthcare Blog Posts
    • Grad School Blog Posts
    • Law School Blog Posts
    • College Blog Posts
    • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast
Accepted

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

May 15, 2007

Reading Time: < 1 minutes

Personal Statement Tip: History vs. Memory

Over the weekend I went to a talk focused on the difference between history and memory. The two are clearly related, but not the same. History is what you read in an encyclopedia or newspaper timeline. It is facts, dates, statistics, and data, impersonal and frequently very dry in isolation. Memory consists of vignettes, stories, experiences. It is personal and human, engaging. Churchill’s History of the Second World War as opposed to The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. (Those of you who have read the former will correct me saying it has lots of memory in it and is highly engaging. You are correct, but it is still primarily dates, facts, and history — as Churchill saw it. Those of you who have read the latter will say he uses data to support the memories, and you will be correct too, but it is still primarily memory.)

Whether writing an MBA application essay, an AMCAS essay, a law school personal statement, a grad school statement of purpose, or an undergraduate application essay, realize you should be like Brokow, dealing in the realm of memory: Write about events that you find personally significant, experiences that you would recount to make your point.  You are not constructing a timeline, a resume in prose, or your personal data bank, although you can and should use data in your essays. Nothing but the facts goes into the boxes on your application. The realm of the essay consists of memory and your subjective interpretation of events as you recall them.

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Article by Linda Abraham / College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions / application essay, law school personal statement, personal statement

Get Accepted!

Sign up for a free consultation today!

Which program are you applying to?

Blog Categories

  • Admissions Consulting
  • Admissions Straight Talk Podcast
  • College Admissions
  • Grad School Admissions
  • Law School Admissions
  • MBA Admissions
  • Medical School Admissions
  • Other Healthcare Admissions
  • Uncategorized

Most Popular Blog Posts

1. 7 Simple Steps to Writing an Excellent Diversity Essay

2. 4 Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future

3. How to Write About Your Research Interests

4. Tips for Answering the Yale University Supplemental Essays and Short Answer Questions [2022-2023]

5. When Will Medical Schools Give You an Answer?

6. Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

7. Tips for Answering the University of Pennsylvania Supplemental Essay Prompts [2022-2023]

8. Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools

Sample Essays

MBA Personal Statement Examples

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Law School Personal Statement Examples

College Application Essay Examples

 

Home Page Services and Prices MBA Med School Law School Grad School College

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog
Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553
© 2022 Accepted

BBB A+ RatingStamp of AIGAC Excellence

Copyright © 2023 · Education Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in