Personal statement topic question

[mightydonut]

Hi!

I had a question about the content/topic of the personal statement. I have been told that it is best for the personal statement (especially for Canadian schools) to highlight one specific example of your strengths, rather than talking about it in general or overarching terms.

My personal statement has a pretty specific topic right now, but I didn't highlight one particular biographic event. How important do you think it is for the admissions council to be able to read about one specific moment that highlights the strengths that I talk about in the rest of my essay?

Thank you!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi mightydonut,

The problem with talking in general terms in a personal statement about your strengths and qualities and interests is that it's hard for an admissions office to know whether you really have those strengths/qualities/interests, or whether you're just being a salesperson. The great thing about specific anecdotes is that, if they really illustrate who you are, it'll be clear to an admissions office from the narrative you tell, without the need to sell them on the generalities. With a specific event or experience, you don't have to assert your strengths and qualities. They jump off the page from the story itself. Plus, let's be honest, admissions offices read thousands of these essays a year. Which is going to be more interesting to them (and get more time and attention as a result)? A statement of qualities that sounds general and abstract? Or a story with vivid characters and scenes and events? I'm guessing you'd probably say the latter--I know I would!

Let me know if this answers your question, and if it triggers any additional ones! Otherwise, good luck in the application process!

[mightydonut]

Thank you so much for your reply Jeremy, that really makes a lot of sense and helps a lot!

I was wondering, how specific would an anecdote have to be? I've seen some personal statements spend paragraphs describing a specific event in great detail, one that occurred at a particular time and date. Would it also count as a specific anecdote if, for example, I were a musician and described details of how I had to train and practice? In such a scenario, it wouldn't have been one specific event that happened at one point in time, but rather was repeated and occurred many years. I suppose I could also describe how this process affected me and shaped me, but would that count as too broad or general? I hope I'm making sense; I think I mean to ask about what exactly constitutes "specific" in these essays.

Thank you again!!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi mightydonut,

In your example, it'd be much better to take a specific piece (one significant to you, in which you had a significant performance) and describe what it took to bring that piece to fruition. Otherwise, you're just talking in general terms about how much you practiced, which is good information for the admissions committee to have. But it's much more interesting when it comes across through a specific piece that you performed after working on it for a long time. Of course, you can mention that this is how you've always treated music through your years of practicing and performing. But the essay is so much more vivid through the specific piece and how you brought it to performance level, if that makes sense?

[mightydonut]

Thank you, this really helps!