Creating a Strong Personal Statement
Presentation Type
Tutorial Presentation
Abstract
As an athletic training program director and someone who has served on a college application review committee, I have been able to review seemingly countless professional program applications. All too often, personal statements required within these applications begin to sound alike. Applicants consistently describe themselves as hardworking, passionate, and committed to helping others. While these qualities are important, they do not reveal what makes an applicant a strong and memorable candidate. A quality personal statement should go beyond broad claims and allow the program to see who the person is that exists behind the application. What personal or life experiences have shaped the applicant’s interest in athletic training? What perspectives, strengths, challenges, or personal qualities do they expect to bring to the program that another applicant might not? What have you experienced in your own life that made you recognize that athletic training is the career you are destined for? Such specific stories and authentic representation can quickly transform a generic essay into one that makes an applicant stand out and gain instant credibility. This presentation will offer practical strategies and real-world examples for writing a compelling personal statement for admission to an athletic training professional program. Students will learn how to recognize their unique characteristics, replace the omnipresent cliché phrases with meaningful examples, communicate their personality, and connect their prior experiences with their future goals. The goal is to ensure that you are projecting to an admissions committee those aspects that clearly answer an essential question: Why should this program invest in you?
Creating a Strong Personal Statement
As an athletic training program director and someone who has served on a college application review committee, I have been able to review seemingly countless professional program applications. All too often, personal statements required within these applications begin to sound alike. Applicants consistently describe themselves as hardworking, passionate, and committed to helping others. While these qualities are important, they do not reveal what makes an applicant a strong and memorable candidate. A quality personal statement should go beyond broad claims and allow the program to see who the person is that exists behind the application. What personal or life experiences have shaped the applicant’s interest in athletic training? What perspectives, strengths, challenges, or personal qualities do they expect to bring to the program that another applicant might not? What have you experienced in your own life that made you recognize that athletic training is the career you are destined for? Such specific stories and authentic representation can quickly transform a generic essay into one that makes an applicant stand out and gain instant credibility. This presentation will offer practical strategies and real-world examples for writing a compelling personal statement for admission to an athletic training professional program. Students will learn how to recognize their unique characteristics, replace the omnipresent cliché phrases with meaningful examples, communicate their personality, and connect their prior experiences with their future goals. The goal is to ensure that you are projecting to an admissions committee those aspects that clearly answer an essential question: Why should this program invest in you?