Your essay matters a lot.

The essays are divided into two types: Personal Statement and Study Plan.

The Personal Statement is where you discuss yourself, your upbringing, your family, your motivation for studying, your hardships, your education, academic activities, volunteering, projects, and your experiences related to your career.

The Study Plan is where you explain your plans for studying the language and the major, as well as your future plans. In this issue, we will focus on the Personal Statement.

When I review the Personal Statement of my GKS coaching students, the first few things I notice are:

1. A terrible first sentence.

2. Lack of structure.

3. Poor grammar.

4. Incorrect spellings.

5. An unsatisfying conclusion.

6. The essay is either too short or too long.

7. Failure to answer the questions on the prompt.

These are just seven out of the many potential issues that could arise in your essay and lead to a loss of points. Even if these issues seem small individually, when they accumulate, they become noticeable.

An essay is NOT:

• A novel, so avoid excessive length.

• A speech, so don’t skip details.

• An editorial, so refrain from discussing political leanings.

• An oratory piece, so avoid using quotations.

• A modern literary piece, so don't get overly creative with your writing.

The personal statement is an "academic piece of writing" dedicated to understanding the complete picture of a student's life in and out of school. Its tone and voice must be intellectual, and the style should be neutral. To illustrate, I often advise my students to maintain a balance, writing with 20% drama and 80% information about their life. We will delve into this 80/20 rule of writing I invented in future issues.

What you need to understand is that your essay holds significant importance because it is your first impression on GKS. This is where they truly get to know you as a person. In the points system, the Personal Statement likely holds a 20-30% designation in the criteria, emphasizing its importance compared to other elements in the application.

What I can tell you today aside from what I discussed above is write a shocking first sentence as a hook. It is a fact that when we read an essay or even a story, the beginning will tell us whether it is interesting or not. This is the same with the first sentence of your essay. If you could related that shocking event to your intended major, it will become a motivation later on.

Here’s an example:

When I was 16, my beloved pet parakeet passed away in my arms, leaving me questioning what I might have done to allow such a loss. This heartbreaking moment marked the beginning of my exploration into animal care. Since then, I have dedicated myself to learning more about veterinary medicine.

This student applied for the major in veterinary medicine. Later in her essay, she elaborated on the details of what happened to her pet and how this event became a pivotal motivation for her chosen career path. Her essay’s flow was so engaging that it was no surprise she passed the scholarship despite low performance in other aspects of her profile. This is a strategy I instill in my students when I review their essays. When they encounter challenges or feel lost, I guide them to dissect their lives, identifying any significant tragedies or impactful events, and then we work together to establish a connection to their intended major.

In my coaching program, I provide my students with a paragraph-by-paragraph outline to ensure they do not omit any information or details. This outline has proven effective for over 90% of students who successfully secured the GKS through my program, and you can access their essays when you join us. The consistency of this outline's use is notable, as it also appears in the essays of GKS winners outside my program when they shared their essays with me. You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation for your GKS profile here: Scholars Academie

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