STEP. Brainstorming KEEP THIS IN MIND. Get your thoughts written down

Transcription

1 The personal statement is an important part of your scholarship application. The statement is an opportunity for an organization to get a feel for you as a person in the past, present and future. 1 Brainstorming KEEP THIS IN MIND The personal statement writing process can be exciting since it provides an opportunity to express your unique values, hopes, aspirations and ideals. The information you present, as much as how you present it, can portray you either as a positive and eager individual or as an easily discouraged person merely going through the motions of completing a scholarship application process. Always keep in mind the particular image you wish to portray when writing your personal statement. Begin by creating a brainstorm sheet. Be totally honest! Get your thoughts written down Ask yourself the following questions and complete the statements. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What is special about me? What kind of person am I? What do I care about? An achievement that made me feel terrific... Something I have struggled to overcome or change about myself or my life... An event or experience that taught me something special... Someone's act of strength or courage that affected me... A family experience that influenced me in some powerful way... A lesson, class project, activity or job that had an impact on my academic or career goals... A time I blew it, failed, made bad choices, and how I got past it... Some memorable event or advice involving an older person... Remember it is the quality of your experience as you describe it that matters, not the number of experiences.

2 2 Understand the Characteris cs of a Good Statement Before you write a single word, make sure you know what is expected of a successful personal statement. A good personal statement... Answers the question! Transforms blemishes into positives Strives for depth, not breadth Benefits from several drafts and feedback from others Exudes confidence you will be successful no matter what Contains a introduction that will keep the reader interested Follows the conventions of good writing Encompasses thoughtful and honest statements WORDS OF WISDOM In order to be an effective writer, you must remember to use your own words. I cannot stress this enough: Stop using too many big fancy words in one sentence! It does not make you sound smart; you instead sound like you are trying too hard. Have you ever been told that you look nice in your sweats when you think you look sloppy? The same idea applies to your writing style. Sometimes it is better to let yourself shine through. It is easier to convey your message when you are comfortable and are familiar with your words, rather than trying to impress the reader with complicated strange wording that you borrowed from a thesaurus. In saying this, I am not implying that you should use remedial words and phrasing. I am stating that you should simply not rely on the thesaurus or make the main focus of your paper these impressive words. ~ Katerina Syrengelas Reproduced by permission of author Conforms to guidelines

3 3 The following questions are common for scholarships and college applications. Complete a word statement for each question. These statements will be the foundation for all applications that you submit. Use the Things to consider to help you brainstorm your response. A brief background about yourself your motivation to go to school; a significant challenge/event in your life that helped shape the person you are today; your current financial situation; you re a first generation college student; you re from a low income or single parent home family What are your current educational goals? an experience that influenced your decision to go to school; name and state why you choose your program of study; aspirations for continuing your education beyond LATTC

4 What are your career goals? your immediate career goal after finishing your certificate/degree (short term goal); your career goal once you have more experience in the industry (long tern goals); state your actions you will take to reach your career goals including obtaining industry certifications or additional training Why are you considering a career in automotive aftermarket? Get an understanding of what the automotive aftermarket industry includes; How, when, and why will you use aftermarket products in your career?

5 Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about your accomplishments and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? How will this scholarship help you reach your educational goal? the scholarship money will be used for ; the scholarship will make a difference by ; the scholarship will enable me to ;