<p>Neither question has anything to do with your future aspirations.</p>
<p>Well, the first prompt could have something to do with your future aspirations if they are what caused you to develop interest the subject in a broad manner. If you researched specific careers after discovering a job you found interesting, and that gave you motivation to study a certain area in college that would help you advance towards your goal.</p>
<p>You’re answering the first question like a politician. You aren’t answering the question directly, like I believe you are supposed to do, but you are answering your own version of the question. </p>
<p>It can work, but you are basically just saying that you like your intended major because it gives you good job prospects. Is that honestly the most constructive thing you can say about your major?</p>
<p>The question asks about what experiences sparked interest in the student’s chosen major. If the student then goes on to talk about what job he/she is interested in, I see only positives. I think this is another way to show passion. Not everyone thinks about money when choosing their job prospects.</p>
<p>I never really discussed my future aspirations in my essay, but I still think that if someone wants to then it’s perfectly fine. I agree with Cali Trumpet. It shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but if let’s say a history major always wanted to be a docent or something because they love museums and enjoy teaching on a more casual basis it definitely reveals at least part of why they are interested in a history major. It’s not exactly the best example because it’s pretty impossible to make a career out of it, but maybe if they took a few sentences to elaborate as to what career it might be a stepping stone towards, then I feel it is reasonably within the first prompts topic area.</p>
<p>COOLDUDE- just answering the prompts basic demands completely average. If you want to stand out, and don’t have some AMAZING experience/accomplishment(prompt 2) simply writing about something that has shaped you as a person and where you will grow as an individual leaves for a WAAAAAAAAAAY more dynamic essay than a simple run down of your hobbies. You want your essay to stand out, and listing off things with no connection to a larger picture leaves for a generic and trite read.</p>
<p>Yes you should answer the prompt directly, but it is also more interesting to throw something else into the discussion as well. Don’t base the entire essay on that something else, but it’s always nice to bring it up somewhere. Besides anyone who has selected a major for all the RIGHT reasons(no not money) will be able to connect it with their aspirations which are WHAT are most intriguing to admissions, as they will come shape the student body of that school. Things that happened in the past are important, but its what you have to offer in the future that interests the schools the most. The person you are is always should always driven by the person you want to become.</p>
<p>Well said, Cinamint. :-)</p>
<p>I’m just saying that you shouldn’t have to go off topic in order to stand out.</p>
<p>That is not off topic in my opinion.</p>
<p>Cooldude, that is not going off-topic! Why are you <em>IN</em> college? To study something that you enjoy to get a job that you enjoy, correct? Why on Earth would anyone pursue a major that they do not want to use in the future? That is the biggest factor in choosing your major. While I agree that it shouldn’t be the focal point of your personal statement, it most definitely CAN be a powerful selling point when you try to convery your passion and interest. Think.</p>
<p>Even though I am completely sure I want to major in Economics, I have absolutely no idea what job I will end up with. I see no reason why any adcoms would expect you to know, even envision, the job you’ll get once you graduate.</p>
<p>I’m just saying be careful with this “I can see into the future” thing you’re gonna be using for prompt 1.</p>
<p>Nobody is saying that they know what job that they will end up with after college. They’re just saying, “I want this job or a job in this career field. This is part of what motivates me to succeed in the major I have chosen.”. I definitely think the college wouldn’t mind seeing some ambitious forethought as to what you would like to do in the future. Most of us are going to the college of L&S. They know that we know that the odds of working our way up to our dream job is against us and if we fail we aren’t exactly going to stumble into a high paying career, but a student’s willingness to risk mediocrity, and ending up with a job that just pays the bills, to pursue their seemingly impossible career goals demonstrates their determination and the great deal of interest they have in their intended major.</p>
<p>Cooldude-You don’t have to take our advice, that’s the point of a personal statement, it’s PERSONAL. However, keep in mind that the people posting in this thread were in your shoes last year and have already been accepted to the schools you are hoping to attend. If it is such a bad idea, how did we all get in?</p>
<p>Dem Bones-Exactly.</p>
<p>I have no idea how this conversation got so heated. It looks like I am gonna do prompt 1 exactly like Dem Bones did his. I’ll talk about how life led me to want to study my major.</p>
<p>kc_sunshine- lots of people get A’s at Berkeley; a decent amount of 'em get C’s too</p>
<p>I gotta recommend “Acing the College Application” by Michele Hernandez. It’s geared towards students applying from HS, using the common application, but has a lot of good examples on a lot of different sized application essays. Reading this book has eased my worries about writing my personal statements a lot. </p>
<p>Just finished reading this one and I’m gonna start “50 successful Harvard application essays” either today or tomorrow. Might come back to review that one too.</p>
<p>hello !
with that being said, i’m applying to UCLA as a communications major / UCB as media studies from UCSD (ucsd gpa: 3.8 + stellar high school record + solid work experience). I know the major is highly impacted and practically impossible to get in, but this major is totally fit for my ambitions and career goals. But, since I’m from ucsd I’m not going to be able to complete all the prereqs (but i’m trying)…what do you guys think of my chances? will the personal statement will be a huge make-or-break for me?</p>
<p>feedback would be much appreciated. thanks</p>
<p>ldhnch, I’d say it would be a little touch for you since you’ll be coming from another UC. You should try anything and everything to improve your chances, including an amazing personal statement.</p>
<p>Edelynly,
little touch as in little chance? UCSD is quite a prestigious school…but their communications program is just not up to par with the science department or the UCLA communications department. </p>
<p>I also am planning on double majoring at UCSD in political science, but I would only have 3/6 prereqs done by spring 2010 for transferring as poli sci major to UCLA. OR if i take 2 more classes i could apply for art history (with art history pre-reqs completed). what do you think? should I stick to communications?</p>
<p>HAHA. I don’t know where ‘touch’ came from. I meant ‘harder chance.’</p>