...knowledge, achievements and experience you have that will help you do well. • These could be from education, employment or work experience, or from hobbies, interests and social activities. • Take a look at the activities on the Planning your future page to see some of the things it could be useful to mention. • Explore your options • Undergraduate • When to apply • Filling in your application • Personal statement • Reference, pay and send • Tracking your application • Results • Student number controls • Fraud and similarity • Performing arts • Postgraduate • Teacher training • Flexible and part-time • International • Starting your studies • Student finance • Mature students • Parents and guardians • Advisers and referees Your personal statement Write a personal statement that shows you'd be a great student – to persuade unis and colleges to accept you on their course. • Course tutors use personal statements to compare applicants, so try to make yours stand out. • Remember it's the same personal statement for all courses you apply to – so avoid mentioning universities or colleges by name, and ideally choose similar subjects. If they're varied then write about common themes – like problem solving or creativity. Personal statements BSL personal statement video How to write your personal statement This video looks at how to get started, as well as common fears and concerns. • Watch more video guides Signed personal statement video This signed...
Words: 9243 - Pages: 37
...A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In • Prepare your resume and professional record • Discover the differences between business schools • Top essay and interview strategies • Behind the scenes of the admissions process • Qualitative factors that can make you stand out • Application insights from insiders Chioma isiadinso, M.ed. former Admissions Board Member of Harvard Business School The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets A Former Harvard Business School Admissions Board Member Reveals the Insider Keys to Getting In Chioma Isiadinso, M.ED. © 2008 by Chioma Isiadinso Cover and internal design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Cover photo © Punchstock Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. —From...
Words: 89633 - Pages: 359
...poverty on your $9,000 trip to Africa. These are a few topics on independent consultant Arun Ponnusamy’s list of what not to write about in your college application essay. (A few more: Don't write about mom and dad's divorce, and no general philosophizing—you're 17, get over yourself.) Admissions season is under way, and with early applications deadlines starting November 1, you've only got a few more days to polish your make-or-break essay. Straight As and stellar SAT scores won't be enough. In a year where 10 brilliant kids are vying for every one slot at your average Ivy League school (yes, that statistic is accurate), the personal essay...
Words: 468 - Pages: 2
...Tips for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be...
Words: 876 - Pages: 4
...Tips for a Great College Essay Why write an essay? The purpose of the essay is to convince admission officers whom you’ve never met, in less than ten minutes, that you would be a good match for their colleges. At the most basic level, it allows admission officers to evaluate your communication and writing skills. In addition, the essay allows admission officers to discover more about you as a person – a side of you not shown by statistics like grades and SATs. The essay gives information about your history, attitudes, interests and creativity; it gives a sense of your values and goals. What admission officers are doing is creating a community…looking to see how you would fit in that community, what would you bring to that community and what sets you apart. How the essay is evaluated • • • Is your writing mechanically sound? Is your writing style comfortable? Can you write a good sentence? Can you write a good paragraph? Do you address the question asked? Can you form a thesis? Can you discuss a theme? Is your argument logical? Can you get in and out of the essay with some finesse? Do you write with style, nuance and creativity? Do you write with a distinctive voice? Choosing a topic Choose the essay topic that appeals to you most. The topic is less important than your delivery Remember: there is no right or wrong answer. The college just wants to know who you are and how your mind works. Bad essay topics - there are bad essays, not bad topics; but be careful about the following:...
Words: 876 - Pages: 4
...What is Personal Statement Overview of the Personal Statement Personal statements are sometimes also called "application essays" or "statements of purpose." Whatever they are called, they are essentially essays which are written in response to a question or questions on a graduate or professional school application form which asks for some sort of sustained response. Some applications ask more specific questions than others. There is no set formula to follow in shaping your response, only choices for you to make, such as whether you should write an essay that is more autobiographically focused or one that is more professionally focused. From application to application, requested personal statements also vary widely in length, ranging from a couple of paragraphs to a series of essays of a page or so each. Personal statements are most important when you are applying to an extremely competitive program, where all the applicants have high test scores and GPA's, and when you are a marginal candidate and need the essay to compensate for low test scores or a low GPA. :: Context Considerations How are personal statements read, and by whom? It's most likely that your personal statement will be read by professors who serve on an admissions committee in the department to which you are applying. It is important in developing your personal statement to carefully consider this audience. What are the areas of specialty of this department, and what might it be looking for in a graduate...
Words: 1287 - Pages: 6
...for pursuing an MBA. This may be the most important essay question you tackle. You must convince the admissions committee that you deserve one of their few, cherished spots. Reference your background, skills and career aspirations, demonstrating how this degree is a bridge to the next step in your professional life. Be sure to speak to how this particular program will help you realize your potential. It's okay to present modest goals. Deepening your expertise and broadening your perspective are solid reasons for pursuing this degree. If you aspire to lofty goals, like becoming a CEO or starting your own company, be careful to detail a sensible, pragmatic plan. Don't be unrealistic. Question 2: What are your principal interests outside of work or school? What leisure and/or community activities do you particularly enjoy? There's more to b-school than the library. The best programs buzz with the energy of a student body that is talented and creative and bursting with personality. They're not just about case studies and careers. Describe how you will be a unique addition to the b-school community. B-school is also a very social experience. Much of the work is done in groups. Weekends are full of social gatherings, and the networking you do here will impact the rest of your career. Communicate that people, not just your job, are an important part of your life. Question 3: Who do you most admire? The admissions committee wants to know the qualities, attributes and...
Words: 743 - Pages: 3
...I try to draw an analogy with the process of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic...
Words: 1664 - Pages: 7
...I try to draw an analogy with the process of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic...
Words: 1665 - Pages: 7
...Thanks so much for your interest in Texas Christian University. Please follow the easy steps below to complete the application process so we can review your application and give you an admission decision. Step 1: print thiS packet and keep it for your recordS. This packet contains this checklist, the Counselor and Teacher Evaluation forms and your application as submitted. Step 2: pay your application fee. You may submit your fee online or by mail. To submit your fee by mail, send your check or money order made payable to TCU to this address: Office of Admission Texas Christian University TCU Box 297013 Fort Worth, Texas 76129 Step 3: have your official tranScript and teSt ScoreS Submitted. Your guidance counselor can include your scores on your transcript. Or you can ask ACT to send us your scores at www.actstudent.org (our ACT code is 4206). If you’d prefer to submit your SAT scores, go to www.collegeboard.com (our SAT code is 6820). We look forward to reviewing your application! Raymond A. Brown Dean of Admission Texas Christian University P.S. If you haven’t already, please visit TCU soon. To schedule a visit or to ask any further questions, please call 800-828-3764. Texas Christian University • TCU Box 297013 • Fort Worth, Texas 76129 COUNSELOR EVALUATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION & SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION Required for all freshmen – not required for transfers. The student's application file is not complete until this evaluation is returned to TCU. This document...
Words: 3208 - Pages: 13
...W. P. Carey MBA Admissions Essay Questions – Evening MBA and Online MBA MBA Applicants are required to submit answers to essay questions during the online application process. Essays may be typed in the document below, saved and uploaded in one document when requested during the online application. Responses to each essay question should be no more than two pages using 1.5 line spacing. Please begin each question on a new page. Essay Question #1 Explain how your past accomplishments have prepared you for the W. P. Carey MBA. “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” A famous saying from the movie Forrest Gump pretty much describes my situation. In my earlier life, I never thought I would come to US for my master of engineering, work as an electrical engineer at Force10networks (it was acquired by DELL recently), and now pursue an MBA. My past accomplishments that have prepared me for the W.P. Carey MBA include teaching mathematics in Taiwan, coming to US to improve myself, earning my engineering masters at the University of Arizona, and working as electrical design engineer at force10networks. Before I came to US, I had taught mathematics from high school level to college calculus for seven years. The reason that I like teaching is I like to sense students’ issues of learning mathematics. I like to communicate with them, and to help them succeed in achieving...
Words: 1911 - Pages: 8
...We write: Essays Research Papers Coursework Thesis Dissertations Term Papers UK Essays # Count of pages: Number of words: Choose your academic level: Term: Discount Code (optional): Discount: 0% Price: $0 Official PayPal Seal website security Types of Essays A big problem that most students and new essay writers run into is “How to write an essay.” usually roughly all essays follow a common structure of writing which comprises of an introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Once the writers are lucid about the technique of writing an essay and how to write an essay outline, the next step that they face up to is how to move toward a particular research paper topic. And what type of writing works best? Students often complain about a certain type of essay they have been assigned with. It seems to them that writing within essay type boundaries doesn’t allow them to think out the box, limits their potential. But writing a paper without any directions could be even more confusing than the class assignment you got. Do not think about the limitations as of the prison walls, but as of the walls in your room where you feel free to paint murals or change nothing whatsoever, simply being in control of it, being yourself. Tweet Quick Navigation through the Types of Essays Page Basic Types: Narrative, Descriptive and Persuasive How Can We Help Personal Essays Argumentation Essays Information Essays Analysis Essays ...
Words: 2955 - Pages: 12
...Supplement to the Common Application First-Year Applicants 2011–2012 We will use what you tell us on these pages to complement information you have provided in the Common Application. Our aim is to give you the opportunity to tell us more about you in a variety of ways. Thank you for applying to Brown. –The Brown Admission Staff Please indicate an application type and specify the program you intend to pursue. (Further descriptions listed in the Guide for Applying to Brown.) 1 of 4 ❑ Early Decision November 1st Deadline ❑ Regular Decision January 1st Deadline _____________________________________________________________________ Program Early Decision applicants to the PLME only: If your Early Decision application to the PLME is not successful in December, do you still want to be considered as an applicant to The College under our binding Early Decision program? ❑ Yes ❑ No Legal Name of Applicant Enter name exactly as it appears on passports or other official documents. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Last/Family Prefix (if any) First/Given Middle Suffix (if any) Permanent Home Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address 1 ❑ Female ❑ Male Date of Birth ___________ mm/dd/yyyy _________________________________________________________________...
Words: 1351 - Pages: 6
...MBA Admissions Essay Powerful Tips for Improving Your Odds of Gaining Admission to the MBA Program of Your Choice Admissions essays are easily the most challenging part of the MBA application process, and it’s no wonder. Most people don’t like to write, and even those of us who do enjoy writing can come up blank when called upon to write about ourselves, especially when so much is at stake. The fact remains: If you want to go to business school, you have to be able to generate one or two thousand carefully chosen words that sum up your background and experience, your career goals, your reasons for seeking the MBA, and why you’ve chosen the program to which you’re applying. Step one: Relax. Writing admissions essays is stressful—it’s supposed to be stressful— but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Everyone who has ever applied to business school has written admissions essays, and so can you. All you have to do is submit essays that are a little bit better than most of the others, and if you follow the advice we’ll cover in the following pages, it will be a lot less painful. How to Write a Successful Most MBA essays are mediocre The good news is that most MBA admissions essays are mediocre at best. If you can at least come up with a marginally compelling narrative, and if you can spell and punctuate everything correctly—or know someone who can—you’ll automatically have an advantage over much of the competition. This guide is designed to help you get started (the hardest...
Words: 5885 - Pages: 24
...How to Write a Personal Statement by UNM Prof. Elizabeth Archuleta Through a personal statement, you introduce yourself to the university; it reflects your personality and intellect. It is important that you read each question carefully and make every effort to understand and respond to it with well-considered responses and in a persuasive enough manner to hold the reader’s interest. 1. Understand and Explain Yourself One of the main problems when writing is that applicants fail to take a thorough and analytical look at themselves and their objectives. Admission committee members are looking for interesting, insightful, revealing, and non-generic essays that suggest you have successfully gone through a process of careful reflection and self-examination. 2. Set Yourself Apart Committees are looking for something PERSONAL and ANALYTICAL. This means sharing information you rarely share with others and assessing your life more critically than usual. This approach is key to a successful personal statement. Exercise: In order to begin writing your personal statement – your story—you’ll need to answer some basic questions to prepare yourself. Questions: * What is special, unique, distinctive, or impressive about you or your life story? What details of your life (personal or family problems/ history, any genuinely notable accomplishments, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart...
Words: 1208 - Pages: 5
