Writing a Personal Statement for Scholarship and Fellowships
It is almost certain that you will be required to submit a personal statement when applying for a scholarship or a fellowship. Among thousands of viable candidates with stellar recommendations and a high GPA, a personal statement presents an equal opportunity for every applicant to set themselves apart. Your statement must showcase characteristics that are unique to you, including your accomplishments, vision, and goals that you look forward to achieving in the future. To get a chance of being chosen for the interview, you have to make your statement unique, engaging, and interesting.
There is no one perfect way to write a successful personal statement. Different organizations may have varying requirements, and you may, therefore, come across multiple versions of personal statements. However, these tips will help you come up with the best personal statement.
- Create a draft. Without concentrating on the number of words or the exact structure, create a draft where you simply express yourself. Thereafter, you can pick the details that are important to come up with the final piece.
- Be yourself. Introduce yourself, develop your own voice, and let the committee members connect with you as a person. This is the best opportunity to showcase who you are as a person, aside from academic qualifications. Focus on your best character traits, those traits that will sell you positively for the scholarship.
- Be authentic. One grave mistake you can make is to lie on the statement. The lack of authenticity is almost instantly evident to the readers. Be honest and genuine by writing about who you truly are, and not what you think the readers want to hear from you.
- Take your time. A personal statement requires you to include a lot of personal details. Do not rush into completing and submitting your essay only to find out that you missed a lot of important information. Take your time to go through your life to establish all ideas you need to include.
- Proofreading is key. You might succeed in writing a perfect personal statement, but small errors in your essay might mess everything up. It is upon you to double-check your essay and ensure that everything is perfect. You might even consider letting someone else go through the essay.
Writing a personal statement, especially for the first time, can be a daunting task. However, it is also an opportunity to sell yourself apart from other applicants. Do in-depth research of the scholarship or fellowship such that you are clear on what you want and why you want it if given a chance.
