IN THE PERSONAL STATEMENT THAT YOU CREATE, GETTING PERSONAL
Personalizing Your Personal Statement: The admissions officers at Amherst College, a liberal arts college located in Massachusetts, United States, sort through applications, share snippets of essays, and discuss the merits of students before voting on who to admit and who to defer in this brief video produced by Bloomberg, which brings the viewer around the table of an admissions committee at Amherst College.
This sends a clear message on the importance of having an engaging and memorable personal statement, in addition to meeting the university’s academic entry requirements, which is not to say that all admissions review processes are the same. However, this does not imply that all review processes are the same. Take note of the responses given by the admissions officers in the movie to the personal stories told by the students. The more compelling the narrative is, the more powerful the reaction.
Even one of the admissions officers stated that he was unsure of the reason he had raised his hand. When it comes to this, feelings come into play. Something in the applicant’s personal statement must have struck a chord with him, a story that he could relate to and that connected him with the student; as a result, his heart must have communicated to his brain that he should accept the student’s application.
This is the power of the word “personal” in a personal statement, which is a story that is exclusive to you and that only you can tell in the most compelling way. It indicates that you will be writing about yourself, including your history, thoughts, and emotions. To begin, share a tale, a moment, or an experience with the audience. Discuss the things that serve as a source of inspiration or motivation for you. Don’t be afraid to bring up a problem or an issue that you’ve run into in your life. Bringing the reader’s attention to the challenges they had along the way can help them develop a deeper appreciation for their successes and triumphs.
Sharing your feelings and thoughts, elaborating on how an experience affects you, your opinions about a topic, and sharing your personal goals and plans are all examples of how getting personal can involve talking about your feelings and thoughts. The manner in which you articulate issues and envision the future will reveal a great deal about who you are as a person. Demonstrate that you have a desired character, a distinctive attitude, and a mind of your own by demonstrating that you have a mind of your own. Or, even better, pique the interest of the jury and make them want to find out more about you.
Your essay, despite the fact that it is about you and your experiences, is not meant to be a pity party. You are not trying to garner votes of sympathy. Direct communication is the best way to present your story. Also, be careful not to come across as whining, complaining, or ranting when you express your opinions.
It is possible that you will feel overwhelmed by the entire process of having to promote yourself, and you may be unsure of how to get started. But you know yourself better than anyone else. And in a process that is as competitive as this one, you owe it to yourself to stand out. In addition, this is only the first of many personal statements that lie ahead of you, not to mention the countless cover letters that you will be expected to toil over when applying for internships and your first job after graduation.
So, get on it and make it work! You should begin writing as early as possible, and you should complete multiple drafts of your work before turning in your best effort. The best way to improve is to practice.
What Kind of Requirements Does a Personal Statement Need to Have to Meet at Singapore Universities?
The requirement for a personal statement varies widely from one academic program and institution to another. Some might need you to write an essay in response to a given question, while others might be more general. Be sure to read and follow all of the directions carefully, as well as to maintain within the word limit that has been provided while answering each and every question on the application.
The following is a summary of the requirements for the personal statement at the universities in Singapore:
- Applicants to the National University of Singapore (NUS) are required to detail their accomplishments in a personal statement that contains no more than 2,000 characters (about 300 words).
- The requirements for each program at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are different from one another. For instance, the School of Art, Design, and Media (ADM) requires students to write on what they consider to be distinctive and fascinating about themselves, in addition to providing a brief discussion of a piece of art, design, or media work of their choosing.
- Students who wish to enroll at Singapore Management University (SMU) are required to submit a personal statement that is no longer than 300 words and focuses on their most notable accomplishments and contributions. Additionally, they must respond to a couple of short answer questions in no more than 50 words each.
- Applicants to the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) are required to select two “personal insights” questions from a pool of four and submit a summary of their prior experiences and accomplishments in the areas of community service, leadership, research, and entrepreneurship.
- The application portal for the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) gives a series of prompts to aid applicants in drafting their 300-word personal statement. This statement should explain an outstanding achievement or major highlights in the applicant’s academic or professional career.
- The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) requires applicants to submit a portfolio that highlights their non-academic achievements in addition to a personal reflection essay of at least 500 words on a theme that is provided.