1. 1 The Personal Statement: Strategies for Writing an Effective Essay Mrs. Isela Valencia Fall 2010

2. 2 Instructions and Prompts

3. 3 Instructions Two questionsTwo questions You will respond to both questions.You will respond to both questions.  A maximum of 1,000 words total  Students should stay within the word limit as closely as they can. A little over—1,012 words, for example—is fine. Students choose length of each response.Students choose length of each response.  If they choose to respond to one prompt at greater length, it is suggested the shorter answer be no less than 250 words.

4. 4 The Personal Statement Admissions officials are looking for a theme in your statementAdmissions officials are looking for a theme in your statement Statement defines your goalsStatement defines your goals Statement shows how well prepared you are for your goalsStatement shows how well prepared you are for your goals

5. 5 Use a Theme to tie personal experience to the prompt Theme = A Unifying IdeaTheme = A Unifying Idea Examples:Examples:  Overcoming obstacles  Helping others  Taking on great challenges Creates coherence and unityCreates coherence and unity

6. 6 Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Prompt #1 Advice – Pick one and elaborate – make sure you are writing to share information about YOU, don’t get side tracked with descriptions.

7. 7 1.What one word best describes my family, my community, or my school? 2. What opportunities have been available to me in my community or at my school? 3. What is the major issue confronting my family, school or community and what has been my role in addressing it 4. How have I changed as a result of addressing this major issue, and what impact has that change had on my dreams and aspirations? 5. Why did I choose to do what I did to address this issue? QW #7 Ask Yourself:

8. 8 Prompt #1 Hints Choose one topic (family, community, or school) or choose one theme to connect all three topicsChoose one topic (family, community, or school) or choose one theme to connect all three topics The majority of your response should be the description of your world, but place more emphasis on the second half – how it has shaped your dreams and aspirationsThe majority of your response should be the description of your world, but place more emphasis on the second half – how it has shaped your dreams and aspirations Explain how your world has influenced your development as a student, or as a personExplain how your world has influenced your development as a student, or as a person

9. 9 Prompt #2 Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? Basic message should be about YOU not the experience.

10. 10 1.What one word describes me best and captures my most important personal quality? Why is this the appropriate word to describe me? 2. What talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience has best allowed me to express my most important personal quality? QW #8 Ask Yourself:

11. 11 Prompt #2 Hints You might want to think about answering this prompt first if it helps to establish the context you wish to describe in Prompt #1.You might want to think about answering this prompt first if it helps to establish the context you wish to describe in Prompt #1. Choose a topic that has not been addressed in another section of the applicationChoose a topic that has not been addressed in another section of the application Keep the information relative to your personal experiencesKeep the information relative to your personal experiences