Whats

a personal statement?
- A picture: more precisely a snapshot of who
you are as a person. Invite the reader to get to
know you.
- A story: more precisely your story. The
personal statement allows you room for
crea=ve, meaningful self-reec=on.
- An invita4on: it tells the reader about you and
invites the reader to want to know you beAer.
 Personal Statement
A good personal statement tells about the
stories that dont show up in your transcript:
a character-dening moment,
the cultural awareness youve developed,
a challenge you faced,
a personal hardship or barrier overcome.
 Prompt #1: Describe the world you come from
(family, community or school) and tell us how your
world has shaped your dreams and aspira=ons.
Prompt #2: Recount a =me or incident when you
experienced failure. How did it aect you and what
lessons did you learn?
Prompt #3: Describe a moment in your life that
marked your transi=on from child to teenager/adult.
Prompt # 4: Tell us about a personal quality, talent,
accomplishment, contribu=on 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?

 Sample Personal Statement
Early in my high school years I discovered a
personal truth, that I have no limita=ons other than
those I choose to impose upon myself. Everyone
brings to the world unique talents, giNs, and
abili=es, and some of mine include my strong will
and my determina=on to be able to give something
back to the communi=es in which I was raised. My
plans are to not only use educa=on as a tool to
prepare me for a voca=on, but also to help me
become a self-sucient individual who is fully
prepared for life.

 No one is exempt from turmoil during their lives,
and I can honestly say that I am thankful for the
adversi=es and challenges which have crossed my
path because they have strengthened my character
and brought forth certain virtues I might otherwise
never have known. There are various personal
issues with which I have struggled and I have no
doubt as to where their founda=ons lie. Because my
parents divorced when I was two, I did not grow up
with a secure sense of home. I was juggled around
between dierent family members, each taking part
in raising me with their own set of standards and
values.
 One of the greatest challenges I have faced was
growing up mul=-ethnic in a bilingual and mul=-
cultural environment. Even though the society in
which I live insists on categorizing me into one
racial category, I consider myself to be mul=-ethnic.
My mother's ethnic make-up is French, Polish and
Ukranian and my father's is Brazilian, Na=ve
American (Fulni-o), and African. Some of the
conicts that I dealt with while growing up
concerned issues surrounding physical appearance,
self-esteem, and ques=ons such as "where do I t
in?" and "to whom do I belong?" Fortunately, I have
since learned that being part of more than one
ethnic group is disadvantage, not a detriment.
 I am currently involved in various community
ac=vi=es and am par=cularly proud of my
involvement with the Shan= Project, a San
Francisco based organiza=on dedicated to helping
people who are HIV posi=ve. I also devote a great
deal of my =me to music, a tremendously important
part of my life. In addi=on to performing at local
fund raisers, I spend =me prac=cing and recording. I
have on occasion found myself challenged to the
maximum of my capabili=es because of my high
academic standards, my volunteer work, my music,
and my part-=me jobs. But my strong belief that I
have no limita=ons and my will to succeed has kept
me going.
 One cannot always choose the circumstances
one is dealt, but one does have the choice as
to how one chooses to deal with them. Some
of my goals include developing my spirituality,
working with children to help them maintain
their sense of self by possibly teaching or
counseling, and gradua=ng from university. I
would like the opportunity to be able to pass
along the informa=on I have learned, that no
one person other than oneself can keep one
from achieving one's goals and that everyone
has the poten=al to share with the world their
unique talents, giNs, and abili=es.