sharon travers writing coach & college advisor. introduction personal statement basics purpose...
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Personal Statement Workshop
Personal Statement BasicsSharon TraversWriting Coach & College Advisor
1WelcomeIntroduction Personal Statement BasicsPurposeComparing PromptsWriting with InsightEngaging the ReaderDos and Donts
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising
2Purpose of the Personal StatementAdd dimension and context to the applicationReveal personality and make connectionExplain unique circumstancesShow how you will add to universityDemonstrate writing and thinking skillsLimitations and reality
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising3The Common Application vs. U.C.U.C. The Common ApplicationTwo mandatory prompts Must address both mandatory prompts1,000 word maximum total One optional prompt (550 word max.)Applications due November 30
Six prompt choicesAddress one prompt250-500 wordsOne work/ extracurricular prompt (1,000 character max.)Additional essays by college Supplemental Due dates vary
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising4The Common ApplicationEvaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you
Discuss some issue of personal, national, or international concern and its importance to you
Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence
Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence
Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you
Topic of your choice
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising 5U.C. Mandatory PromptsU.C. Prompt #1Describe the world you come from for example, your family, community or school and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.
U.C. Prompt #2Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising6Optional U.C. PromptIf necessary, you may use this space to tell us anything else you want us to know that you have not had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application
Purpose is to allow you to provide additional information that you have not been able to provide elsewhere in your application
Leave the third prompt blank if you do not have any additional information to add
Separate 550 word limit
(c) Sharon Travers, True North College Advising7U.C. PromptsPrompt 1: About Your World and How Its Shaped YouFamily, Community or School choose one only
Prompt 2: About YouQuality, Talent, Accomplishment, Contribution, or Experience
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising8U.C. PromptsAnswer both components of each promptDescribe and Make Meaning: Insight is KeySmall, specific story can reveal something greater about you
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising9Ways to Approach the Writing TaskOutside, InWhat attributes do you want the reader to know about you? Write an essay that shows those attributes
Inside, OutThink deeply about your life and what has influenced youReflect that understanding and insight in your essays
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising
10
Experience + Reflection = InsightChallenge: Student felt she had not really done anything significant
Strategy: Think about recent experiences and interestsInterest in early childhood developmentWorked at pre-school during summer
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising11Experience + Reflection = InsightIdentify Specific ExperienceHelped a boy who was behind learn to write his name
Reflect on ExperienceFelt good to help himWhy?Helped him catch up to peersGo deeperEvery kid needs to be able to write his/her name
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising12
Experience + Reflection = InsightWhat does writing enable us to do or become?IdentityIndependence, freedomHow we learn who we are
Insight = Student
Realized significance of the act of writing
Discovered importance of her role as an educator and clarified her passion for teaching
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising13Hints for a Strong EssayIntriguing introductionSensory detailsConnect specific incident to larger themeReveal personalityReflectiveConnect to values or attributes
Sharon Travers, True North College AdvisingIntroduction: Engaging the ReaderVersion 1Version 2I have always had an interest in early childhood development. Last summer, I worked at my mothers preschool, and the highlight of this experience was helping a four-year-old learn to write his name. Nicholas was the same age as the others but was behind in many ways. After weeks of working together, he was so excited when he finally was able to write his name correctly.Four-year-old Nicholas hollered in triumph. The entire class of preschoolers looked up from the stories they were writing about butterflies to see Nicholas waving his paper excitedly. On it, for the first time, was his name. The N was a little wobbly and the s was backwards, but it was all there. You did it! I said proudly. Weeks of working together had yielded his victory. Sharon Travers, True North College Advising15DosWrite it yourself Write about yourselfProvide additional informationWrite about recent experiences or accomplishmentsExamples of leadership, involvement, passion, responsibility
Provide specific examplesKeep statement focusedHave teacher, counselor, or adviser read itRead instructions carefullyGo to: University of California How to Apply Personal Statement
University of California, Davis
o Sharon Travers, True North College Advising16DontsDont just list accomplishmentsDont use gimmicky writing techniquesDont write more about an inspirational person than about yourself
Dont exceed total maximum lengthDont include work samples, letters of recommendation, etc.
University of California, Davis
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising17Other Non-Official Dos/DontsBegin writing process now:Reflect before writingWrite from the heartThink before writing about sensitive subjectsBrainstorm, pre-write, draft, and edit
Parents: provide support, but give student the lead
Use your resources CVHS Essay Workshop, teachers, Career Center, counselors
Dont think of the essay as an assignment its a giftEverything else on application is past this is one place you can actively control now
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising18Good luck!Contact me at s.travers@yahoo.comwww.truenorthcollegeadvising.com
Sharon Travers, True North College Advising19(c) Sharon Travers, True North College Advising20
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