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Методичні поради

CONTENTS

Writing Your Statement of Purpose for Grad Schools

       The graduate school statement of purpose is your chance to demonstrate your unique qualifications for and commitment to your chosen field by discussing those experiences, people, and events that compelled you to pursue it.
       That's a lot to accomplish--especially in the typical two-to-three pages allowed for your statement. You can find the key to success by focusing on a few illustrative incidents as opposed to giving a superficial overview. Remember: Detail, specificity, and concrete examples will make your essay distinctive and interesting. Generalities and platitudes that could apply to every other grad school applicant will bore. If you use them, you'll just blur into one of the crowd.
       Following "Ten Do's and Don'ts for Your Statement of Purpose" will help you write a compelling, focused essay -- one that will transform you from a collection of numbers and classes into an interesting human being.

Ten Do's and Don'ts for Your Statement of Purpos

       The Do's

  1. Unite your essay and give it direction with a theme or thesis. The thesis is the main point you want to communicate.
  2. Before you begin writing, choose what you want to discuss and the order in which you want to discuss it.
  3. Use concrete examples from your life experience to support your thesis and distinguish yourself from other applicants.
  4. Write about what interests you, excites you. That's what the admissions staff wants to read.
  5. Start your essay with an attention-grabbing lead -- an anecdote, quote, question, or engaging description of a scene.
  6. End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead and restates your thesis.
  7. Revise your essay at least three times.
  8. In addition to your editing, ask someone else to critique your statement of purpose for you.
  9. Proofread your personal statement by reading it out loud or reading it into a tape recorder and playing back the tape.
  10. Write clearly, succinctly.

The Don'ts

  1. Don't include information that doesn't support your thesis.
  2. Don't start your essay with "I was born in...," or "My parents came from..."
  3. Don't write an autobiography, itinerary, or résumé in prose.
  4. Don't try to be a clown (but gentle humor is OK).
  5. Don't be afraid to start over if the essay just isn't working or doesn't answer the essay question.
  6. Don't try to impress your reader with your vocabulary.
  7. Don't rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling.
  8. Don't provide a collection of generic statements and platitudes.
  9. Don't give mealy-mouthed, weak excuses for your GPA or test scores.
  10. Don't make things up.

      So far we've emphasized content, but of course, persuasive writing requires good style, grammar, vocabulary, usage, etc. You know, those nit-picky details that most people prefer not to think about. Well if you prefer to continue not thinking about them or if you don't think you know enough about them to ensure good writing, check out Accepted.com's review and editing service. If you just want a quick brush-up on writing fundamentals, visit Ten Tips for Better Writing.
      But wait. Before putting the pieces together, what if you are still not sure how to develop a unifying theme? Or perhaps you don't know which experiences to focus on, or simply lack confidence in your writing skills, or have suddenly developed an acute case of blank-screen-itis!?!
      Remember, you can have one-on-one, personalized assistance every step of the way. Accepted.com's complete package is designed to give you the guidance and direction necessary to draft a compelling story and the comprehensive editing needed to perfect it.

By Linda Abraham, Founder and President of Accepted.com

College Admissions

      Whew! You're in the midst of the applying to college, and it's time to write your admission essays. But first, before you start ruminating about that first essay, take a deep breath. Let's assess your status: You have your GPA. You studied for and took the SAT and/or ACT. You've been active throughout high school, carving out time for community service and your own recreational interests. Now you are about to begin the last stage - writing your essays and completing your college applications - the only one over which you still have any influence. You can't change your competition, and you can't change what you've done to date, but you can make sure that college application you submit in the future is your best.

      Accepted.com can help you with these remaining tasks. In this area of our web site you will find:

      Feel free to browse, learn, develop ideas, benefit from the experience of those who preceded you, and ensure that your application is your best.
      To really make sure your application is your best, consider using Accepted.com's advising and editing services. Think about it: We've gone through the college admissions process hundreds of times with our clients. Can you bring that kind of experience and perspective to your college application? You can with Accepted.com's consulting services.
      Then consider this fact: Talented professional writers have editors because they know the writing process is not a solitary one. Good writers, and not so good ones, require a sounding board and even a supportive critic. You too can have a pro on your side when writing your college admission essays. Simply ask for an Accepted.com editor to review your essay or even help you from the get-go.
      But in the meantime, if you want to become better acquainted with Accepted.com or you simply want to take advantage of its resources, start your exploration with any of our useful articles.

The Letters of Rec Too?!?!?!?

      OK. You've written dynamite essays and filled out the applications. All of a sudden you get a crazy thought. What if my recommenders don't know what to say in the letters of recommendation they're writing for me? You know they want to help you, but you don't know if they know how to do so.
      Relax. We'll tell you what a recommender should say. In fact, you can pass these tips on to your recommenders — just in they would appreciate a little help.  

10 Tips for Recommenders

  1. Review a copy of the applicant's personal statement or application essays so that your letter of recommendation can dovetail with — not conflict with or duplicate — the rest of the application.
  2. Ask the applicant to supply you with additional information like a résumé or activity list.
  3. Describe your qualifications for comparing the applicant to other applicants.
    I have been teaching high school drama for fifteen years and have taught AP English for the last five years.
    I have personally supervised ten research interns every summer for the last five years plus, I have coached the cross-country and tennis teams at Elite High School for the last five years.
  4. Discuss how well you know the applicant.
    I had the pleasure of directing plays in which John starred during each of his three years at ABC High School.
    Over the last three years I coached Jane as she worked her way up from JV to varsity tennis and state champion.
  5. Choose two to three qualities that you observed in the applicant.
    Jane has a rare blend of steely determination, incredible self-discipline, and great teamwork skills.
    The combination of tenacity, leadership qualities, and good communications skills found in John is truly unique.
  6. In discussing those qualities, support your statements with specific instances in which he or she demonstrated those attributes. Be as concrete and detailed as possible.
    John's discipline and dedication were extraordinary — not only did he never miss a practice; he came early to warm up and always worked out for an additional hour after school.
    Jane not only participated in every rehearsal; she also made herself available to other actors and actresses for impromptu rehearsals and practices, thus inspiring the rest of the cast to even greater efforts and success.
  7. Try to quantify the student's strengths or rank him or her vis-à-vis other applicants that you have observed.
    He was in the top 10% of his class.
    She has the best analytical skills of any high school senior I have ever taught.
  8. Avoid generalities and platitudes.
  9. Include some mild criticism, typically the flip-side of a strength.
    The only fault I have encountered in him is his retiring nature. His modesty sometimes hides a young man of remarkable strength and broad interests.
    Occasionally, her fortitude and persistence can turn into stubbornness, but usually her good nature and level-headedness prevail.
  10. Close with a ringing recommendation and endorsement of the applicant's ability.
    I enthusiastically recommend Mr. Doe to your university. This well-rounded student will be a fine asset to your student body.
    With her exceptional leadership, writing, and quantitative skills, Ms. Smith will be an outstanding credit to the college she attends.     

      These tip pages reflect the experience of Accepted.com' staff, which collectively has well over ten years of experience in admissions editing with close to one hundred years of experience as writing professionals. You can read about our backgrounds and qualifications on our bio page. Alternatively, we invite you to inquire about or register for our services by completing the Accepted.com Registration and Inquiry Form.
      Of course feel free to explore the site further, or bookmark it and come back again. Accepted.com has many more resources for the college applicant: Sample essays, a links page, and of course, our FREE monthly newsletter, Odds 'n Ends, which contains monthly tips and admissions news. Take a quick minute to provide your e-mail address in the box at the bottom of the page, and you will automatically receive valuable free advice and news from Accepted.com.

By Linda Abraham, Founder and President of Accepted.com

College Sample Essays: Rite of Passage

      "Sarah, we need your help in the Ukraine this summer. Can I count on you?" This question changed my life profoundly. I was asked to be a counselor on JOLT, Jewish Overseas Leadership Program, an opportunity to interact with young campers in an impoverished country and positively influence their lives. Little did I realize that this experience would impact mine so greatly.
      JOLT, an outreach program, runs an annual overnight summer camp in the Ukraine with counselors from the United States and Israel. These counselors are carefully selected because of the rigorous programming and the many physical hardships of living in the Ukraine. Over one hundred local children come to Charkov to learn about their Jewish background. As one of the counselors, I had the privilege and extraordinary task of exposing them to the beauty of our religion and heritage.
      I remember the anxiety and excitement that I felt as I exited the plane with twenty other high school students, embarking on my summer teaching experience, wondering if I was fully prepared. The moment the busloads of children arrived, I attached myself to a group of kids and started singing and dancing with them. Despite my initial fears, we began to form a bond. My role changed from that of a teenager to that of a responsible counselor. Not only was I here to teach them about Judaism through classes and activities, but more importantly I was acting as a role model. For the majority of Ukrainian children, we were the first Americans they had ever met and, therefore, were watched vigilantly and constantly emulated. This humbling realization made me feel rather self-conscious at first. However, their desire to imitate also heightened the impact of that which we taught them. They wanted to learn. Although an immense language barrier lay between the campers and me, we managed to communicate through translators, hand signals, songs, and broken English and Russian.
      With the help of a book that contained both the Hebrew and Russian, I taught Hebrew to a group of ten children who had never before been exposed to Judaism. Glieb, a ten-year old boy rapidly rose to the top of the class. In addition to the mandatory hours of daily learning, he was motivated to extend these sessions. So often at night after the fun and entertainment, he and I would practice reading Hebrew and we discussed, in simple terms, aspects of Jewish ritual that fascinated him. It was with Glieb that I formed the deepest bond, one that relied not only on talking, for he spoke only a minimal amount of English, but rather on demonstrating our fondness through actions.
     A few days before the end of camp, in broken English, Glieb explained that he had been working endlessly on a present for me. Similarly I had been trying to decide on something that I could give him. After hours of pondering, I decided to give Glieb what was most dear to me, my siddur (prayer book), which I had received upon entering sixth grade. I felt it appropriate to present him with his very first prayer book. For hours I decorated and transliterated the main prayers and on the last day of camp, before the kids left, we exchanged presents. He gave me his favorite key-chain of the "Sylvester" cartoon with an attached lanyard that he had made. Never had a gift had such a startling effect on me; I burst into tears. I handed him my siddur, and he stood there for a moment staring at his gift, and I at mine. Tears welled in his eyes as he continued to look at the siddur. I knew that he truly understood the significance of our exchange. We hugged goodbye, and I will never forget the feeling of his arms entwined around me with the siddur pressed against my back.
     Who would have thought that I would go to the Ukraine, make such a strong impression on the lives of a group of children and impact my own? The campers' naïve yet deep questioning took me on a journey of self-discovery as I reexamined my own beliefs and practices in a foreign environment, spiritually void and materially deprived. This defining experience also taught me that I can make a difference. By continuing to work with people in my professional life as a nurse, I will be extending the passions I discovered during my summer experience. Just as I answered the call for help in the Ukraine, I intend to respond to future calls for help — with action, kindness, and caring.

 

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