Select the topic of your personal statement. This may be a story that demonstrates some aspect of your life, who you are and how you have arrived at your present professional and educational position. For example, one may write about how volunteering for the Red Cross led to a medical school application. An English major, on the other hand, may write about how Shakespeare inspired him to become a teacher to inspire a love of language in others. Ultimately, the topic will help guide your essay.
Prepare an outline. It should include the introduction, a description of the topic, lessons learned and a conclusion describing how your experiences led you to want to pursue higher education. Write the introduction to your personal statement as the first section of your outline. Summarize the main persuasive points of your personal statement in your introduction. Each subsequent section should support the statements made in your introduction and add new information.
Draft your personal statement based on your outline. Read your statement out loud to be sure that your writing is clear and flows smoothly. Ensure that all of your points make sense and fit into the overall theme you have chosen for a personal statement. The content should convince admissions officers that you are going to fit in their program. Avoid including information that is not "personal," such as the story of how your parents immigrated to this country or the story of a notable figure you admire. If you mention the influence of other people in your personal statement, do not take up more than a few lines of your essay. Additionally, avoid incorporating quotes into your personal statement because they may seem trite to an admissions committee.
Edit your personal statement for grammar, spelling and clarity. Use your word processing software's spell check function.
Give your personal statement to a friend, teacher or mentor to review the content. Ask them if they think the story you have told is compelling, interesting and unique. You may want at least three people to read your personal statement and give you feedback.
Rewrite your personal statement based on the feedback you have received. Rewrite and rework your personal statements until you have arrived at a draft that is compelling and makes you stand out among other applicants. The redrafting process will help you to reflect upon what aspects of your story make you unique. Many applicants share common stories, such as coming from a single-parent home, being a first-generation college student or embarking on a travel adventure. A persuasive personal statement will look beyond the obvious stories about yourself and provide an admissions officer with a story they have yet to hear.