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Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:24 pm
by Mauve Dinosaur
I came from a nice, stable middle-class family too! This is brutal. What the hell do they expect me to write?!

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:26 pm
by 23402385985
Just mention how you love being white, etc. Go full on Louis C.K. on them.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:26 pm
by 094320
..

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:28 pm
by 20121109
acrossthelake wrote::roll:
Yes, because the only thing minorities and females write about is that they're minorities and female. And white men can't possibly have anything interesting to say about themselves. Really?
Exactly.

As a minority female, I didn't mention either my sex or my race in my PS, and didn't even include a DS.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:28 pm
by Ernert
acrossthelake wrote::roll:
Yes, because the only thing minorities and females write about is that they're minorities and female. And white men can't possibly have anything interesting to say about themselves. Really?
+1

Diversity statement may be tough to pull off, but PS you'll be fine.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:29 pm
by Bildungsroman
This isn't a diversity statement; you don't need any special race, gender, or background to write one. Have you ever been in a leadership position? Struggled with a difficult project (not a class project)? Done something ambitious and failed/succeeded? Done anything that broadened your cultural experience? Volunteered? These are all questions that can help you find a PS topic. Hell, I'm as undistinguished and plain as they come and I still found a PS to write.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:32 pm
by Samara
joncrooshal wrote:Just mention how you love being white, etc. Go full on Louis C.K. on them.
I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:36 pm
by 23402385985
Samara wrote:
joncrooshal wrote:Just mention how you love being white, etc. Go full on Louis C.K. on them.
I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)
I already sent in my application to re-up. Don't forget, (white) guys!

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:38 pm
by paratactical
Write about that bake sale you're planning.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 5:41 pm
by 23402385985
paratactical wrote:Write about that bake sale you're planning.
Look, not all white guys are into meth.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:44 am
by kublaikahn
Write about growing a hairy back and having bad skin in high school. You poor bastard. Or how your parents made you pay for your own car insurance after you crashed your mom's audi.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:13 pm
by sach1282
See the Ask Asha post about the overcoming obstacle PS (http://blogs.law.yale.edu/blogs/admissi ... art-i.aspx)

You don't have to write about a problem to have a successful PS.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:16 pm
by 071816
Write about going camping with your family and your love of frisbee sports.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:13 pm
by caminante
chimp wrote:Write about going camping with your family and your love of frisbee sports.
Don't forget to mention skiing, sailing, and golf.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:20 pm
by LawSchoolChampion
Talk about how your love of mayonnaise and white bread has brought you to a new intellectual level.

In fact - don't.

That is my PS.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 10:43 am
by jim-green
Samara wrote:I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)
What does re-up mean?

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:02 pm
by Samara
jim-green wrote:
Samara wrote:I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)
What does re-up mean?
It's a paraphrasing of a Louis C.K. bit about being a white guy. The use of the term "re-up" in this context is ironic because it typically means to replenish one's stash of illicit drugs one is selling (stereotypically associated with inner-city African-American males), though "re-up" has entered the American lexicon with a more general meaning of replenishing or resubscribing. </pedant>

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:04 pm
by drmguy
joncrooshal wrote:Just mention how you love being white, etc. Go full on Louis C.K. on them.
+1

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:05 pm
by bjsesq
Amazing how many people bit on this one.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:06 pm
by rinkrat19
Samara wrote:
jim-green wrote:
Samara wrote:I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)
What does re-up mean?
It's a paraphrasing of a Louis C.K. bit about being a white guy. The use of the term "re-up" in this context is ironic because it typically means to replenish one's stash of illicit drugs one is selling (stereotypically associated with inner-city African-American males), though "re-up" has entered the American lexicon with a more general meaning of replenishing or resubscribing. </pedant>
I always thought that 're-up' originally referred to reinlisting in the military. I've never heard it used in reference to drug stashes.

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:11 pm
by 071816
rinkrat19 wrote:
Samara wrote:
jim-green wrote:
Samara wrote:I don't know up about you, but as a white male, I am definitely re-upping this year. (Also, I wrote my PS about a particular academic/advocacy interest of mine.)
What does re-up mean?
It's a paraphrasing of a Louis C.K. bit about being a white guy. The use of the term "re-up" in this context is ironic because it typically means to replenish one's stash of illicit drugs one is selling (stereotypically associated with inner-city African-American males), though "re-up" has entered the American lexicon with a more general meaning of replenishing or resubscribing. </pedant>
I always thought that 're-up' originally referred to reinlisting in the military. I've never heard it used in reference to drug stashes.
That's the only context in which I've ever heard the phrase lol

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:31 pm
by rinkrat19
chimp wrote:
rinkrat19 wrote:I always thought that 're-up' originally referred to reinlisting in the military. I've never heard it used in reference to drug stashes.
That's the only context in which I've ever heard the phrase lol
Merriam-Webster sez:
re–up verb \(ˌ)rē-ˈəp\
intransitive verb
: to sign on again <re-upped with the team for three more years>; especially : to enlist again

Origin of RE-UP
re- + sign up
First Known Use: circa 1906

Re: Writing a personal statement as a white male

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:01 pm
by Samara
rinkrat19 wrote:
chimp wrote:
rinkrat19 wrote:I always thought that 're-up' originally referred to reinlisting in the military. I've never heard it used in reference to drug stashes.
That's the only context in which I've ever heard the phrase lol
Merriam-Webster sez:
re–up verb \(ˌ)rē-ˈəp\
intransitive verb
: to sign on again <re-upped with the team for three more years>; especially : to enlist again

Origin of RE-UP
re- + sign up
First Known Use: circa 1906
Huh, learn something new every day. I've always just seen that as re-enlist. I've only ever heard re-up from The Wire, etc.

ETA: I'm pretty sure Louis C.K. was referencing it as a drug term, but who knows.