Given the time it takes to gather materials for a fellowship application, you might be tempted to leave your personal statement for last. Don't be fooled by this relatively short essay; squeezing the essence of your greatness into a single page or two can be the time-consuming part of the project. Break your writing process into smaller steps, and you will see an original effective story taking shape on the page. That story will form the foundation of an essay that enhances your application.
Instructions
Draft Your Statement
1. Read the application guidelines carefully. Fellowships often require you to explain your interest in a particular area of study or career (as opposed to general scholarships open to a wider pool of candidates). Also, review committees may ask you to address a specific question or scenario while adhering to a strict word count.
2. Create a numbered list of experiences and accomplishments that inspired your fellowship candidacy. Do not duplicate information from your r sum , transcripts or other application materials. Think in terms of what differentiates you from other applicants. Try for at least 10 list items, and treat this exercise as a "free write" (if you feel like writing a sentence for a list item, do so).
3. Highlight elements of the list that best exemplify your outstanding qualities. For example, look for situations in which you worked well in a group, solved a complex problem under pressure, or overcame significant obstacles in your personal life. Pay close attention to experiences you can link to the fellowship's focus; for example, your work teaching painting classes at a community center could prove useful in applying for an arts fellowship.
4. Pick an accomplishment or event that captures your best qualities, and begin to think of your personal statement as a story rather than a list. Consider how your accomplishment or success developed over time, what difficulties arose or who you helped along the way.
5. Craft a beginning, middle and end for your story. Your statement should begin to resemble a cohesive narrative. Think of yourself as a character, and keep in mind that you have a limited amount of time to hold a reviewer's attention. Describe situations with active prose and a sense of urgency.
6. Lock your work in a drawer. Take a break to allow your ideas to settle. Retrieve your draft after a few hours or, ideally, several days.
Polish Your Draft
7. Revisit your draft with an eye for areas that stray from the fellowship's goals or application requirements. Keep your story focused on the qualities that set you apart.
8. Proofread your work each time you revise. Watch for repetition, both in content and at the sentence level. Read your statement aloud to adjust sentence rhythm and to catch awkward phrasing.
9. Ask a colleague or adviser to check your work. If your university or employer offers peer review or writing center services, use them.
10. Submit your application and personal statement, checking a final time that you have met the word count and other requirements.
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