personal statements It’s Time to Boast!

I AM BEOWULF!

DEFINITION AN ESSAY THAT ACCOMPANIES YOUR APPLICATION TO COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY TO SELL YOURSELF TYPES GENERAL ALLOWS MAXIMUM FREEDOM IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WRITE RESPONSE TO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS MOST SCHOOLS AS YOU TO RESPOND TO A SPECIFIC PROMPT

RULES NARROW FOCUS TO ONE OR TWO KEY THEMES, IDEAS, EXPERIENCES (MOST HAVE WORD LIMITS) PROVIDE READER WITH INSIGHT TO WHAT DRIVES YOU BE YOURSELF ADDRESS SCHOOL’S UNIQUE FEATURES THAT INTEREST YOU FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE

RULES EVALUATE RATHER THAN DESCRIBE PROOFREAD CAREFULLY FOR GRAMMAR, SYNTAX, PUNCTUATION, WORD USAGE, STYLE, SPELLING USE READABLE FONTS AND CONVENTIONAL SPACING/MARGINS

DON’TS SUBMIT AN EXPOSITORY RESUME COMPLAIN OR WHINE ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES IN YOUR LIFE PREACH TO THE READER TALK ABOUT MONEY AS A MOTIVATOR USE BORING, CLICHED INTROS OR CONCLUSIONS “ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF” “IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT YOU WILL GRANT ME TO OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND YOUR FINE SCHOOL”

DON’TS USE UNCONVENTIONAL AND GIMMICKY FORMATS/PACKAGES SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS UNLESS REQUESTED GET THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL WRONG INCORPORATE TECHNICAL LANGUAGE OR UNCOMMON WORDS

ASSIGNMENT Go to a website for a college that you may want to apply to (this must be a 4 year school) Look under admissions requirements to find your personal statement assignment. Print out requirements and write the personal statement Your statement is due at the end of class Tuesday, 9/3

Universities in Illinois ISU--www.ilstu.edu Western--www.wiu.edu Eastern—www.eiu.edu Northern—www.niu.edu U of I Champaign—www.uiuc.edu Southern Carbondale—www.siu.edu SIUE—www.siue.edu Millikin—www.millikin.edu Eureka—www.eureka.edu Bradley—www.bradley.edu