How to Write a Winning Personal Statement 3rd ed (How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School) [Paperback]

Peterson's (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1560798556 | ISBN-13: 978-1560798552 | Publication Date: July 17, 1997 | Edition: 3

The personal statement is the single most important part of a graduate school application, and yet very few applicants know how to write one that will gain them admittance to the program of their choice. The third edition of this highly successful book can change all that by showing readers numerous ways to greatly improve their essays.

Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: Peterson's; 3 edition (July 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560798556
• ISBN-13: 978-1560798552
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Education & Reference > Education > Graduate School Guides

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Magical, but serves its purpose, August 16, 2000

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Write a Winning Personal Statement 3rd ed (How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School) (Paperback)

Like just about everyone else that would purchase this book, I bought it to try to get a sense of what the 'personal statement' is supposed to be all about for a graduate school application. It accomplishes its goal. However, I found it very repetitive. The book is divided into three sections. Section one is simply and introduction, section two contains sample essays. Section three contains interviews of Directors of Admissions of (mainly) MBA, Law and Medical Schools, although there is also one or two from other professional graduate programs. Section Two's essays was probably the most helpful as they helped me overcome my writer's block. Section Three said the same thing over and over again -

1. Dont's send "And that's why I want to go to Harvard..." essays to Yale.

2. Spell-check and edit thoroughly for readability and grammar

3. Follow the page-limits stated

4. Personalize it, be natural, make it interesting, and don't write the same generic essay for all schools or try to give the admissions people what you think they are looking for.

5. The essays are important and are read by at least three people evaluating the applications.

As noted above, I haven't given anything away - the most useful part of the book are the sample essays that illustrate these points. As I read them, I started the process of self-examination which is what the admissions people what to see you doing in this essay. In short, it helps get your creative 'juices' flowing to overcome the writer's block that inevitably accompanies the task of writing these things. I can't compare this to other books of the same variety, but I can say that I was satisfied with this book, and can't imagine that any other book could say something this one dosen't.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for MBA essays not for general graduate essays, October 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Write a Winning Personal Statement 3rd ed (How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School) (Paperback)

This book seems to be most useful for MBA program essays. It lacks information about general graduate school essays, in particular the sciences and humanities. I was a bit disappointed that it focused so intently on business, law, and medical school essays while touting to be a book for graduate school as well.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars For about 1 percent of Applicants, if that, November 3, 2002

By 

CAVEMAN (KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Write a Winning Personal Statement 3rd ed (How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School) (Paperback)

The two stars go in honor of the questions asked early in the book, which do suggest many useful things to include in your statement. Very quickly, however, the book takes a one-way street that only the extreme cases can follow. The example essays include people who have escaped the communist regime of Cuba, been haunted by the Russian KGB, lived in a car, and an Olympic Skier. If you do have an extreme tear-jerker for the academy, buy this book--but that is the only style of essay discussed. If you happen to be among the average applicants, though, and you trying to get an edge, this may not be the right place to look. I am applying to Public Health school, and found more useful info in a book on getting into Law schools. I would suggest checking out the Degree of Difference Series over this book.