Writing Advice

Bonnie's second paragraph goes too far in the other direction; this paragraph tells a story that is far too personal. Also, the story Bonnie chooses does not have a clear point. Although Bonnie claims that nothing is more important to her life than her own birth, her logic is faulty. An admissions committee is looking for personal information and narratives that reveal who you are as a person - what you are committed to, what has formed your sense of an adult self, and so on.

The stories that you tell should also work together to form a coherent theme or picture. The choice of these stories and how you weave them together should be extremely purposeful. Think about your personal statement in the same way as you do an academic paper. You still need a thesis, an argument about yourself, that all of the pieces of your essay support. Bonnie's story does not seem relevant to the theme she established in the Forrest Gumpparagraph.

A quick note about language and tone: Bonnie needs to pay more attention to the language she is using in her essay. Noting that the doctor "whipped out the scalpel and scraped me out" certainly invokes a vivid image, but the image is not appropriate in this particular forum. Everything about your personal statement, from the stories you choose to the language you use, contributes to the essay's content, tone, and persuasiveness.

Last Updated: 7/9/08