<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I've posted a few threads in the past and this one deals with the Naval Academy's personal Statement. </p>
<p>1) Describe what led to your initial interest in the naval service and how the naval Academy will help you achieve your long range goals, and (2) Describe a personal experience you have had which you feel has contributed to your own character development and integrity. </p>
<p>Any hints on how to tackle this monster? </p>
<p>I am not too deficient in my writing skills, and yet the question posed is something that I've asked myself a few times and still have yet to answer. </p>
<p>-Maybe something about my father's coast guard tattoo or my pre-elementary school years when I would get tackled and pinned down by my uncle who was in the marine corps; or the profound respect I had for both of them and what they stood for. </p>
<p>Would it be too cliche if I say it has been one of my long-term goals (along with holding hands with a girl and having a car) from the time I entered first grade?</p>
<p>I'm not exactly sure what to write about, so I'm curious as to know why others felt the Naval Service was right for them.</p>
<p>Just make it personal. </p>
<p>I would suggest doing a free write. That will allow you to write freely from your heart. Then you can worry about the word count.</p>
<p>Tique90,</p>
<p>Send me a private message with your email and/or IM name.</p>
<p>You have some good, personal ideas. Just make your statement sincere and you'll be good to go.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that for mine I wrote about how the bombing of the USS Cole affected me and how that event caused me to be interested in the Naval service.</p>
<p>I struggled with this as well just because I couldn't remember what sparked my interest. Both my father and my brother were in while I was growing up so I thought it would be related to that, but I couldn't pin it down. My advice, if you can't say that this was definitely what made up my mind, you probably haven't found the right moment yet. What helped me was trying to retrace what led me to my decision. Once I had that down, the essay was really easy to write. Just be honest. Try not to worry about writing what you think they want hear and just write it for yourself. If nothing else, at least you will know where it all started.</p>
<p>First suggestion: Be sure YOU write it. I've had people show me their essays and I can always tell when mother, father, brother, grandad, or someone else wrote it (or heavily edited it). Always. </p>
<p>Second suggestion: (Unless it's not permitted by USNA), have someone review your essay for spelling and grammar and general common sense. When you've read something over & over & over again, your eyes fill in gaps for you and it's easy to miss a word, etc.</p>
<p>Third suggestion: (As stated in a post above), write what you mean and not what you think they want to hear. This isn't a test in that there is a "right" and a "wrong" answer. </p>
<p>Fourth suggestion: Edit! As also stated above, start by just writing what comes naturally to you. But, when you've done that, treat this like any other school or college application essay. Make it crisp and to the point. Write it and then put it aside for a week and then come back to it. Don't wait until December to start writing.</p>
<p>Fifth suggestion: Follow instructions. Answer the questions asked, don't go off on some tangent. Stick to the word limit. If you're over, see fourth suggestion above.</p>
<p>Sixth suggestion: The questions are what they are. Unlike some civilian college essays, the trick isn't to see how clever you can be and how you can distinguish yourself from the crowd by coming up with something totally radical. Just address the topics honestly with well-written answers.</p>
<p>Seventh Suggestion: follow 1985's advice, its excellent...</p>
<p>^^^ will second.</p>
<p>As to word limit..... they give you "500" of them, so make every one count! And if you are even tempted to "go over," just keep in mind one thing: if you can't follow simple directions now, what makes you think the NAVY will entrust you with billions of dollars of equipment and the countless lives that go with it!<br>
Just some food for thought! ;)</p>