One of most important pieces of advice I can give you regarding your personal statements and application essays is this: Show, don’t tell.
Here are three tips to help you achieve this essential writing goal:
1. Show the steps you’ve taken.
If you are writing about a goal you achieved or a project you completed, providing the step-by-step process you followed will add depth and validity to your claims. “Within six months I was promoted to Junior Account Manager” is not nearly as compelling as spelling out the specific measures you took to obtain the recognition that landed you your fast-tracked promotion. Similarly, don’t just tell the adcom that you have overcome your weakness of procrastination; instead, show them by giving concrete examples of specific things you’ve done to become a more efficient person.
2. Provide examples of strengths and skills.
You say that you are creative, mature, and an excellent leader. But how? What have you done specifically and what impact have you made on your teammates/co-workers/company/community/world-at-large? Saying that you’re creative won’t cut it; instead share a story or paint a picture (with words) that truly depicts the creative workings of your mind.
3. Offer details whenever possible.
Your story of success will be more believable and more memorable if you provide a few details. Remember, when showing instead of just telling about your achievements, your readers are going to want to see a picture of who you are and what you’ve done. Add vibrant details – talk about the number of people on your team; the amount of money you raised; the eager and nervous feelings you experienced while launching your new product; the fear you felt, followed by the extreme remorse, and then the resolve to do better that you experienced when you botched a project – all these details will add color and life to the picture you’re painting for the adcom.
Boastful claims like, “I am a team leader” or “I have excellent communication skills” won’t do much to convince the adcom of your strengths if they’re not backed up with evidence. Remember when writing your essays: show, don’t tell.
Our expert admissions consultants know exactly what goes into creating application essays that show who you truly are and what you’re capable of. Work one-on-one with an experienced guide who will help you with this, and every other element of your application. View Accepted’s Admissions Services here for more information on how we can help you get ACCEPTED!
By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted. Linda earned her bachelors and MBA at UCLA, and has been advising applicants since 1994 when she founded Accepted. Linda is the co-founder and first president of AIGAC. She has written or co-authored 13 e-books on the admissions process, and has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News, Poets & Quants, Bloomberg Businessweek, CBS News, and others. Linda is the host of Admissions Straight Talk, a podcast for graduate school applicants. Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources:
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Personal Statement, a free guide
• 3 Essential Components of a Personal Statement
• 5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story
