Hey guys, I am planning to write about a personality trait for the second prompt (being adaptable) and I have a small anecdote for it which I am going to put in the first paragraph but I’m not exactly sure if I should use it. I was going to explain how I was rejected from my top schools (don’t worry, I am not naming any of them) and how I was able to adapt to the situation. I thought it was a good idea but now I am starting to wonder.
I don’t know. Everyone has to adapt in that situstion. Im not sure it’s that compelling. And why bring up that the UCs are sloppy seconds in the first paragraph?
Thank you for your input! You definitely bring up a valid point
The personal statement appears to admissions officers as a massive wall of text. Don’t space it out into paragraphs.
There are paragraphs, aren’t there? You just reformat. It mentions going over it and checking the formatting. I know my daughter’s application copy showed paragraphs.
@lindyk8 They said in the personal statement webinar (either that or a PS workshop at my school hosted by somebody who worked with admissions??) that the personal statement shows up as a single block of text, so organizing it into paragraphs is pointless. I know that was mentioned very specifically - but perhaps I ought to double check to see where it came from. It should be in my notes somewhere.
Davis told me the same thing too. It’s not a big deal if you make a paragraph because the program that the UC uses for admissions will just format it into a block of words for you. I just looked at my overall application and it put everything into just a block of text regardless of how I originally formatted it in Word.
Where I also now noticed one small grammatical error and am now punching myself but whatever its over for now, nothing I can do.
@goldencub I don’t know, you may be right - which is why, as a writer, who really cherishes the breaks and change of tone afforded paragraphs, I told my daughter to put / at the end of each paragraph (signaling a break), even if it looked stupid.
So in other words, the first paragraph ends./ The second paragraph starts./ Here comes the third paragraph. / Et cetera.
If what you say is true. I’m really glad I insisted in my OCD way that she do that.
@lindyk8 I believe so. Not having designated breaks changes the entire tone of the thing. It transforms from being an essay of some sort to being a long-winded narration about one’s self. I think it’s odd - but the PS has numerous odd dynamics as it is.
@boxandwhiskers You already submitted it? Congratulations. These 20 days (probably more like 17-18) will be the death of me.
I did :(( I feel relieved but also this is going to be the longest 5 months, ever (and i’ve waited at a Planned Parenthood for 5 hours, so I know what waiting a long time for something feels like)
I already got accepted to CSU LA (my total default back up school) and I hear back about TAG this Friday, but its so hard trying to concentrate on anything until April. If it’s March 1st, like that lady at BCC said, that is my birthday which would make this birthday extra fun or extra miserable who knows.