As an aspiring architect and a lover of architecture, one of the many lessons that I have learned is that the sky is the limit as long as you have a good, solid foundation.  Throughout life, I have observed that this principle holds true not only for architecture, but for practically any facet of living.  I’ve always believed that no matter what your dreams or goals are, you can reach them as long as you have a solid support system, which in this case is my faith and my loving family.

I am fortunate enough to have a strong foundation in my family and Christian living, both of which have allowed me to grow to new heights of self-realization and self-fulfillment.  My family is always there to support me, whatever decision I make in my life.  I’ve always wanted to follow the footsteps of my three older sisters who also attended Christian schools. Today, however, I am faced with a new challenge of fulfilling my aspirations to become a successful, licensed architect.  After thorough research and careful consideration, I have found that Judson University is the best Christian college that can instill in me the proper foundation to help me attain my highest goals as an architect, a faithful Christian, and a good human being. I believe that Judson University is the right school for me because of its strong Christian roots. As an evangelical educational institution, the university can offer a lot of opportunities to applicants like me who are looking for a Christian school with a well-known architectural program.  I find a good place in the warm environment of the university. I know that this school will help me become an active member of the society and fulfill my goals of becoming a successful architect and a responsible Christian.

Outline

I.  Introduction

A.  Explaining the importance of foundation
B.  How I have a strong foundation in religion and family
C.  Why Judson University is the best school to give me the foundation I need to succeed

II.  Body

A.  My family and religious foundation

1.  Family
i.  Being the second to the youngest
ii.  Having 3 older sisters who all attended Christian colleges
iii.  How my family background has inspired me to go to a Christian college

2.  Religion
i.  How my family background instilled in me a strong sense of Christianity
ii.  The significance of attending a Christian college

B.  My educational foundation

1.  A growing interest in architecture that spurred from my love of creativity and drawing

2.  High school years
i.  Finding out in my sophomore year that I was interested in architecture
ii.  My frustration that my school no longer offered courses on architecture
iii.  How my ambition drove me to talk with my principal about attending architecture classes at the nearby Manteca High School
iv.  Architecture classes in Manteca opened up a whole new world of opportunities and possibilities
v.  Early success in architecture after earning two gold medals in SkillsUSA for architectural drafting

C.  Forging my foundation in architecture

1.  My aspirations of becoming a licensed architect and doing something that I love
2.  How important it is to me to get a full, four years of education in architecture
3.  My search for the perfect school that is both Christian and offers a four-year course

III.  Conclusion

A.  How Judson University is the perfect fit

1.  Judson was the only Christian university that offered a four-year course in architecture.
2.  It all seemed to come together perfectly as I was blessed enough to meet the women’s golf team and I was offered a spot on the team when I visited.
3.  Judson offers a Christian education where I can continue to deepen my understanding, appreciation, and love for God and his Word.

B.  I believe that Judson is the only school that will give me the perfect foundation to reach my dreams and aspirations of being a great architect, a good Christian, and a happy human being.

When applying to any post-secondary educational institution, one of the significant admission requirements is the personal statement.  It can either work for or against you, depending on how well written your essay is.  Perhaps your most important aim when composing your personal statement is to write an essay that will grab and hold the attention of the reader–the admissions committee.  So here are three sure-fire ways to get admission officers to read your essay:

Tip 1: Don’t waste time, go directly to the point

If you take some time to read a few personal statement examples, you’ll find that it should be direct to the point.  When you write your essay, try not to go around in circles or explain things too much.  Instead, try to be concise, straightforward, and honest.(1)  By keeping it simple but engaging, admission officers are more likely to keep reading.

Tip 2: ‘Show’ instead of ‘tell’

A common mistake that you will find in poorly-written examples of personal statement is that the writer simply ‘tells’ or reiterates their achievements or experiences.  However, your goal is not to enumerate your achievements, because all of that information is already in your application form and CV.  Instead, capture the reader’s attention by telling an engaging story of how the challenges in your life have helped you grow as an individual.(2)

Tip 3: Make your essays sound sincere but still interesting

It can be hard to be sincere, straightforward, and direct to the point, because doing so can sometimes result in an essay that is less interesting or downright boring, as seen in some bad personal statement examples.  Still, you can keep your reader interested by letting your personality shine through your writing.(3)  Be patient, and take time to learn from examples of personal statements that you can check out online.  This way, you can find interesting ways to write what you want to say.

(1)  http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/apply/essay_tips/
(2)  http://www.bates.edu/essay.xml
(3)  http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/application.html

Because a personal statement must make an applicant noticed, its 3 most common types revolve on engaging topics. The personal statement or school admission essay must reflect the applicant’s personality. This is a must because the admissions committee wants to get to know you first, the applicant, even through ink and paper alone.

The needs of admission committees have given rise to the 3 most common kinds of personal statements: rising from adversity, use of a quote that summarizes your experiences, and use of a metaphor to illustrate what your life has been so far. Using any of these three does not necessarily mean that you will be writing a tired, overused essay. When you put in your unique angle and your own specific details, you will be able to write an effective personal statement. To make sure that you are doing the right thing while still relating fresh ideas, browse through examples of personal statements.  These examples of personal statements will provide you with techniques on how to completely customize your admission essay.

Overcoming the odds

One common type of personal statement is the “rising from adversity” theme. The topics that can be dealt with can vary greatly. Your personal tragedy may be as serious as being a first-generation immigrant who felt like an outcast at high school because of language and cultural barriers or being someone who has supported oneself through college (in cases of applying to graduate school). If you have disabilities, then you can also discuss how you overcame them. Disabilities that you can focus on in your personal statement can include learning disabilities such as dyslexia or physical disabilities. Adversities may vary in gravity such as having to adjust constantly through your formative years because you moved from house to house several times due to your dad’s job.

No matter what the odds in question are, it is the way that you handle your situation that the admissions committee is more interested in. If you have proven that you are made of stronger stuff than the next person without sounding too arrogant, you may just win a slot into the school of your choice. However, remember to keep your tone positive even though you are discussing problems that you have once encountered.

How a quote defines your life

Although some advise against using a quote in your personal statement, there are still several examples of personal statements that make effective use of it. If you do want to use a quote that will define your experiences in life, choose one that has not been overused. Look for quotations from less famous sources in order to present an intriguing take on an otherwise overdone personal statement tactic. You may even use a quote from your mother, your father, or any person that has had a significant influence in your life.

One of the reasons people do not recommend using the quote in the personal statement is that, sometimes, the writer does not come up with an essay that is directly connected or relevant to the quote. Sometimes, the quote feels isolated from the essay. To avoid this common problem, remember to make references to the quote once or twice in your essay so that the reader will see the connection.

Your life as a metaphor

Another common kind of personal statement is the use of a metaphor to describe your life. As with the quote, do be careful not to use an overdone comparison. If handled well, you may project yourself as a creative and philosophical person. You may also be able to convey ideas properly when using metaphors.

Again, similar to the quote, create a clear connection between the metaphor and your life or a specific point in your life. Doing so will tell the reader that your thoughts and ideas are organized and flow coherently.

Photo Credit : mrbill

Copying someone else’s work as your own is considered criminal, which is something akin to violating someone’s intellectual property rights. Using a sample as your guide, however, is helpful. Because the members of the admissions committee read hundreds of personal statements every year, the chances that they will read a plagiarized essay is not that slim. So, come up with your own attention-grabbing personal statement, something that will really stand out from the pile.

There are many examples of personal statements found in books and on the Internet, all of them aiming to improve your understanding of what a personal statement is. These samples touch on several situations because each admission candidate is unique. For example, there are personal statements designed for those applying to law school and personal statements that are appropriate for foreign students. You will be able to choose essays that are nearest to your status and use them as your guides.

How examples of personal statements act as guides

Though most candidates know that personal statements, otherwise known as admission essays, must reflect their self beyond the resume, a lot of applicants are still confused about how to write them. Some only know how to list down all their achievements and best personality traits as if they were writing their resume. Examples of personal statements will then help them structure their essays.

If you are having trouble with what content to use, good essay samples will make you realize what to avoid and what to include. You will also learn to make your essay more interesting. Excellent examples of personal statements will show you that there is a need to make words flow more easily and to make ideas coherent.

Through examples of personal statements, you appreciate what makes a personal statement readable. You will also need to apply what you have learned from those samples so that your personal statement will not be boring or clichéd. The last thing that you want to do is bore your audience from the very first line – this may make your essay unreadable and be ignored, resulting in your not getting accepted into the college of your choice. A dragging and pointless essay may reflect a dull or apathetic personality. Examples of personal statements also show you how to gracefully handle some topics, such as bad grades, or how to highlight factors that can make your essay stand out.

Controlling your use of personal statements

Reading different kinds of sample college admission essays are very important when your aim is to perfect your personal statement. If your grades are not particularly spectacular, you need all the boost you can get. You need to skim through all the samples that are available to produce properly structured but original work. You have to remember that, though there are thousands of examples of personal statements out there, you will not be able to find one that will define you exactly. So, use the samples as mere guides and not just reword or rephrase the text from the samples. Remember, copying ideas is a form of plagiarism too.

Themes of personal statements

If you read through many good examples of personal statements available online, you will notice that these essays stick to a particular theme. These themes can include overcoming adversity, highlighting a personal achievement at school, at home, at church, or in the community. When you write your own personal statement, stay focused on the theme. Do not include unnecessary details that will only add clutter to your ideas. Most institutions of higher learning would prescribe a specific word count to the personal statement; so, stay away from useless anecdotes and make each word count.

Photo Credit : ricardo.martins

Question:  What are your top 3 possessions and why?

When I was thirteen years old, my parents decided to move back to our country of origin, the Philippines. It was here that I attended high school and got in touch with my heritage and culture. During these crucial formative years of my life, I lived in areas where the rich lived right alongside the poverty-stricken. Fortunately for me, I have always been provided for and I have never had to endure the struggles and pains of poverty. Throughout my experiences in the United States, where I was born and raised, and in the Philippines, I have come to realize that the three most important possessions that I have are my culture, my my education.

My culture is one that is an amalgamation of values, experiences and peoples. Having been born and raised in the United States and then thrust back into my roots in the Philippines, my culture is a mix of these two places and their peoples. I am proud of the culture that I have been brought up in. It is one that combines the traditional hospitality and respect of Filipinos with the contemporary ways of the American lifestyle. Having experienced these two extremely different environments has given me a wider perspective of life, living and people in general.

The second possession that I hold most dear to me is a military cap that my grandfather gave to me as a child. He often wore the cap while serving the Philippine Military Army before his retirement. Aside from the sentimental value of the cap (as my grandfather has recently passed), the military cap serves as a reminder of my family, my heritage and my culture. This possession is a reflection of the hardships that my family has undergone in order for me to be where I am now. The cap also serves as a symbol of the honor, loyalty and bravery it takes to serve your country. In effect, the cap reminds me of the dedication and passion that I should apply to all the aspirations I have in life.

Finally, the third most important possession that I own is my education. I am lucky enough to have attended some of the top schools in the areas wherein I lived. In the United States, I attended elementary school in Irvine, California and middle school in Arlington, Texas. In the Philippines, I attended one of the most reputable high schools in the country. I am proud of my educational attainments and, now, I am dedicated to continue to enrich my education at ________. This college offers the best curriculum, environment and faculty for me to make the most out of what I have and what I want to give back to society and those around me.