HOW TO WRITE A SUCCESSFUL Application Essay

HOW TO WRITE A SUCCESSFUL
Application Essay
(Source: The US-UK Fulbright commission. Based on a presentation in Madras by Professor Hower, Comell University, Department of English)

The personal statement is a difficult piece of writing, may be the most difficult piece of writing you will ever do, and therefore you have to do it very carefully. It is an opportunity for you to give a picture of yourself. It may take a great deal of time and energy but at least you will have written something you are proud of, which says something important about you. So I would suggest first of all: write it for yourself as much as for graduate schools in America; do a job that you like, something that has integrity, which says something important about you. If things don’t turn out the way you hope, at least you will have written something difficult but satisfying.

Importance

How important is the essay part of the application? This depends on your marks to a certain extent. If your marks are very high, then it may be as important as it is for someone whose marks are not so good. Nevertheless it is important. A person with high marks can spoil his/ her chances of admission with a bad essay. At highly competitive schools, where most applicants score at the 97^th percentile level of standardized tests, a winning proposal statement may be the deciding factor in admission.

What are universities looking for?
First of all don’t second guess. Don’t try to figure out what you think they want and supply it because you won’t be able to do that. Nor can you understand the mind of a 50 year old American who is living 10,000 miles away from you and may have woken up that morning with a headache and then was bitten by a dog on his way to the office. There is no way you can second guess, you can not read their minds. Having said that, I can tell you some things which all college admissions officers want to see in the application.

1. A picture of your overall personality
   How will you give a picture of your personality? I would suggest that you imply rather than state the facts. For instance, don’t say ‘I am a smart person’. Demonstrate it, imply it. Don’t say ‘I am energetic’. Give evidence by the fact that you worked after school for six hours every day and still had time to play on the volley ball team.
   
   
2. Academic background and work experience
   It would be mistaken to talk about your high school. Start with your undergraduate career. School records may be worth mentioning if there is something extraordinary about them.
   
   
3. Continuity
   Admissions officers are looking for some continuity in what you have done, what you want to do in the near future and what you hope to do in the distant future. So, connect them.
   
4. Commitment and motivation
   Rather than simply saying ‘I am committed’, find a way of inferring that you are indeed highly committed and motivated to your purposed field of study.
   
   
5. Communication skills
   They will be looking at your writing skills- how well you can present yourself clearly and intelligently when writing, hence the importance of spending considerable time on the statement.
   
   

These five points are very general but almost every university wants to know about them. They may be too general but if you miss one of them you are probably missing something important.
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