Writing Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is just that. It is personal. It is not about someone who inspired you-- although you might want to mention who or what influenced you to go into your major/career. It is important to let the scholarship donors know who you are. It is the most critical part of your scholarship application.

I know that it is difficult to open up and really talk about yourself, but you need to show who you are. An organization who is giving money wants to be sure that they are making a good investment. You need to convince them that you are the one who deserves the scholarship.

Try not to write what you think they want to hear, but rather speak from your heart. Be sincere and be yourself. Talk about feelings. Share how you have overcome a challenge. Everyone has faced "bumps" along the way. You don't want to write a "pity me" statement, but show committment to your goals in spite of the sorrows you have experienced.

Remember that the first paragraph needs to be powerful. You want to "hook" the reader and pique their interest enough to finish reading the statement. You can write a good essay, but it cannot be done last minute. It is important to start now and expect to rewrite it many times.