Avoid These Three Personal Statement Mistakes

Avoid These Three Personal Statement Mistakes The importance of your personal statement cannot be underestimated. Get it wrong and it may even hinder your prospects of getting into your choice of course, get it right and you have one foot in the door. There is much debate on just how to compose the perfect personal statement – one that sets you head and shoulders above the competition. The simple fact is that as long as you're honest, eloquent and confident in the manner in which you portray yourself then you stand a good chance in creating a positive impression. There are, however, three killer mistakes that many students make – yet are easily avoided. For those that wish to write the personal statement, and avoid these mistakes have a read below. Basic Errors There is no excuse for making careless mistakes in your personal statement. From syntax to punctuation, choice of words and, perhaps most importantly, spelling these mistakes should be avoided. Invest some time planning, writing and checking your personal statement prior to submitting it. Personal statements submitted with a wealth of errors are likely to be tossed aside – and your chances of attending the course aside with it. Don't Be Cute Students try to be cute or gimmicky in the manner that they portray themselves. This is a mistake. The common misconception is that students try to write a personal statement with originality, hoping that it will stand out from the crowd. The simple fact is that no matter how original you feel that your personal statement is the odds are that it's been done before. The audience's attention will be caught just not for positive reasons. Stick to the facts and concentrate in portraying yourself in a positive manner. Poor Choice of Words The choice of words the final common mistake made by students whilst writing their personal statement. The use of superfluous adjectives or long winded explanations of simple facts will not endear you towards the audience. Adding irrelevant details muddies the point that your trying to make, and may give the impression that you're not being entirely truthful. Remember that anyone can use a thesaurus, and that honesty is always the best policy. You don't want to write an egregious personal statement, sorry a personal statement of poor quality. Your personal statement is very important. If you wish to make a positive impression, you'd do well to avoid the simple, but surprisingly common mistakes.