3 Personal Statement Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Even if you have written the most creative and insightful essay, the admissions panel would not easily favor your essay if they see some mistakes on it. When you submit your essay to the admissions panel, make sure that it is almost flawless. Education Fever lists down some common mistakes that applicants should avoid when they write their personal statements.

Spelling and grammar errors

Eliminate Spelling and Grammar Errors

Sounds like the obvious one to avoid doesn’t it? In fact, this is the most commonly cited error. It is not a small consideration. Admission Committee members generally see these kinds of sloppy errors as a reflection of the candidate’s personality and an indication of how they will likely perform in their studies. It also makes the reviewer question the seriousness of the candidate, since they can’t even take the time and trouble to get such an important document correct.

You have to show to the admissions committee that you are someone who is responsible enough to make sure that you’ve done well in your tasks. You need to make an impression that you are responsible enough to make sure that your essay is well-written and acceptable. And you can do this by eliminating technical errors in your essay.

Being too original

There are cases in which people tend to go too far overboard in announcing their own uniqueness. People have written poems, told stories, and submitted videos when there was no such requirement. This is highly risky and is likely to alienate many reviewers rather than endear them to you. Generally speaking, an extreme approach like this will be seen as “grandstanding” or trying to get attention just for the sake of it. Remember, that hundreds (or thousands) of other applicants are operating within the same stated guidelines as you are. The challenge is to make you stand out as different, but within those guidelines.

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times before. Your essay should be unique and original. However, you should be careful not to make your essay seem out of place or make it hard for your readers to relate to it. Share personal experiences readers can easily relate to. Choose those that can highlight your qualifications and are most relevant to your application. Remember, a little too much of something can be bad.

Not answering the admission essay questions

Admission reviewers often report that many candidates don’t address the specific question posed on the application form. When this occurs, one of three situations is possible: 1.) the candidate has made a conscious decision to ignore the question asked for some reason, 2.) the candidate has not read and/or understood the question, or 3.) the candidate has submitted a “generic” multi-program essay and has not taken the time to adjust it to address the particular question at hand.

Some universities set their own questions to be answered through the admission essay. In which case, you must do your best to tackle the issues at hand. Don’t sway to another direction but focus your discussions on the question itself. Follow the instructions carefully, as this may be considered some sort of test by the admissions officers to see how diligent you are.

When you write you personal statement, you have to keep in mind the readers, the admissions panel. This is why you need to answer the questions as best you can. Aside from this, you have to write in a way that would be most appealing to them.

According to another article:

Your readers may have thousands of essays to read, many or most of which will come from qualified applicants. This essay may be your best opportunity to communicate with the decision makers in the application process, and you don’t want to bore them, offend them, or make them feel you are wasting their time.

If you avoid these common mistakes, you can have better chances of getting admitted to your chosen school or program. Make sure that your essay is free from grammatical errors. Also observe proper limits on your creativity, so you won’t alienate your readers. Your response to the given question should best exemplify critical thinking skills and maturity.

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