How to Write the Perfect Personal Statement: Write powerful essays for law, business, medical, or graduate school application

PART 1
  
  CREATING PERFECT PERSONAL STATEMENTS
  THE QUESTIONS
  PREPARING TO WRITE YOUR ESSAYS
  WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT: CONTENT AND THEME
  THE ULTIMATE TEST FOR CONTENT
  WHAT THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR
  ALMOST EVERYONE MAKES THIS MISTAKE
  GETTING CREATIVE—ESPECIALLY IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS
  TAKING RISKS IN EXPRESSING YOURSELF
  DISCUSSING YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE
  DISCUSSING WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT OR UNIQUE
  DISCUSSING YOUR MINORITY STATUS OR DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUND
  DISCUSSING YOUR MOTIVES AND ASPIRATIONS
  DISCUSSING WHY YOU WANT TO ATTEND THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL
  EXPLAINING DEFICIENCIES, INCONSISTENCIES, AND BLEMISHES
  DISCLOSING SKELETONS IN YOUR CLOSET
  DISCUSSING YOUR RECOMMENDERS AND OTHER“INFLUENTIAL” PEOPLE
  WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT: STYLE AND FORMAT
  INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS AND CONCLUSIONS/SUMMARIES
  UNCONVENTIONAL AND GIMMICKY WRITING STYLES
  UNCONVENTIONAL AND GIMMICKY FORMATS AND PACKAGES
  TYPEFACE, TYPE SIZE, AND HANDWRITTEN ESSAYS (PAPER-BASED APPLICATIONS ONLY)
  PAGE LIMITS AND WORD LIMITS
  OBTAINING ASSISTANCE IN WRITING AND EDITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT
  SUBMITTING OR REFERENCING SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
  THE TOP 10 DO’S AND DON’TS FOR WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS
  TOP 10 RULES TO WRITE BY
  TOP 10 PERSONAL STATEMENT PITFALLS
  PERSONAL STATEMENTS AND MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
  THE AMCAS APPLICATION FORM
  THE AMCAS “PERSONAL COMMENTS” ESSAY
  “SUPPLEMENTAL” OR “SECONDARY” APPLICATION ESSAYS
  APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOLS VIA THE LSAC WEB SITE

  PART 2

  RECOMMENDATION LETTERS AND IN-PERSONS INTERVIEWS
  RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
  WHAT THE SCHOOLS WANT TO KNOW FROM YOUR RECOMMENDERS
  SELECTING YOUR RECOMMENDERS
  APPROACHING AND ASSISTING POTENTIAL RECOMMENDERS
  UNDERGRADUATE PLACEMENT FILES AND CREDENTIAL SERVICES
  IF THE SCHOOL DOES NOT REQUIRE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
  SUBMITTING FEWER OR MORE LETTERS THAN REQUIRED
  “SEALED” RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
  WAIVING YOUR RIGHT OF ACCESS TO RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
  SUBMITTING A “DEAN’S CERTIFICATION”
  THE LSAC LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SERVICE (FOR LAW SCHOOL APPLICANTS)
  COMMITTEE LETTERS FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS
  THE AMCAS LETTERS SERVICE FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSION
  THE GRE PERSONAL POTENTIAL INDEX (FOR MASTER’S AND PH.D. APPLICANTS)
  IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS
  ARRANGING FOR AN INTERVIEW
  INTERVIEW FORMAT AND DRESS CODE
  WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE INTERVIEW

  PART 3

  THIRTY GREAT PERSONAL STATEMENTS BY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
  ESSAYS THAT RELATE A PERSONAL ANECDOTE
  ESSAYS THAT ADMIT SHORTCOMINGS
  ESSAYS THAT CONNECT THE APPLICANT’S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
  ESSAYS BY RISK-TAKERS WITH DISTINCTIVE POINTS OF VIEW
  ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS CLEARLY FOCUSED ON GOALSs
  ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS WITH UNIQUE LIFE EXPERIENCES
  ESSAYS THAT EXPLAIN WHY THE APPLICANT CHOSE THIS SCHOOL
  ESSAYS THAT EXPLAIN DEFICIENCIES OR BLEMISHES
  ESSAYS BY APPLICANTS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO A CAUSE
  ESSAYS BY MULTIFACETED APPLICANTS

  PART 4

  ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
  ADVICE FROM LAW SCHOOLS
  BERKELEY LAW (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, SCHOOL OF LAW)
  CORNELL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
  GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER
  UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL
  THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF LAW
  UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW
  ADVICE FROM BUSINESS SCHOOLS
  COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
  THE FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, DUKE UNIVERSITY
  UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS M.B.A. PROGRAM
  LEONARD N. STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
  STANFORD UNIVERSITY, GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
  AMOS TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (DARTMOUTH COLLEGE)
  ADVICE FROM MEDICAL SCHOOLS
  STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
  NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
  UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL
  PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
  SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON