<aside> 💡 Working through this document will give you a solid foundation for a compelling personal statement. The link above will take you to this page in Notion, then you can click “Duplicate” and it will appear in your own Notion workspace so you can fill it out!
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You’re allowed to write a boring personal statement. It’s almost expected. But if you want to write a compelling essay, tell a story. We don’t often think of our own life as a story, but it is. You need to look at your life experience through the eyes of a story teller.
It’s time for some introspection and brainstorming.
The first thing to do is write out the attributes that you believe make you a catch. (If you can’t think of any, that’s okay, write down all the attributes you wish you had)
You could also visit your favorite programs’ websites and read through their materials to get inspired about what kind of applicant they like.
Attributes:
(ex. hardworking, diligent, collegial, intelligent, confident, humble, astute, studious, discerning, courageous….etc.)
Now, copy and paste those attributes down below so they are always in sight. Focus on these attributes and try to connect them to each experience that comes to mind.
<aside> 💡 NOTE: What follows 👇 is a thought exercise. NOT writing advice. These are just questions to give you momentum as you brainstorm about your life and experiences. Expound beyond what the questions ask as inspiration comes. But don’t try to include all of this in your essay.
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Early Life Events
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