Which topic? Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I've been told that my PS is ok but not really compelling, captivating, emotional, etc. I'm trying to write something that can really grab a reader's attention and impress them, but I'm a non-URM, not diverse, and didn't have to overcome adversity.I applied before and wrote my PS about my involvement with my non-profit and how it was based on principles that were instilled in me by a mentor, but I don't want to use the same statement when reapplying. Obviously how good a PS is depends on the content and not simply the subject, but I'd like to get your opinions on whether these topics can be crafted into compelling statements.

Possibilities

-The influence my grandmother and mother had on me. Neither graduated high school, but they motivated and encouraged me to do well in school and anything that I pursued.

-My relationship with my grandfather. He always stressed the importance of school, but I slacked off during much of elementary and high school, and was a bit of a letdown to him. Finally I pulled it together and started doing very well, but he died just before that happened.

-The story behind the forming of the non-profit. Since I wrote my first PS statement largely on my involvement with the non-profit and the intellectual grounding for it (vs. the initial inspiration to start it), I'm not sure if I should do this topic even though it comes from a different angle.

Any other ideas about how an uninteresting person can write an interesting PS?

[Ave]

I'm more interested in the third topic on the non-profit than the first two. The first two seem like they will inevitably be clichéd.

[Anonymous User]

If I applied the cycle before with a very similar PS topic (one source of inspiration for my non-profit vs. another) does it hurt me? I think I can make the statements significantly different in content, but the subject is close to the same.

[TLSanders]

The best way to choose from among possible topics is to do some writing on each. Almost anything can form the core of a strong personal statement if it is well written and provides the right kind of illustration--but, it's usually difficult to determine how something will play out in writing until you start writing and see how it emerges. Often, applicants are surprised to find that the topic that seemed most powerful isn't the one that emerges as strongest when they start to write.

Invest a little time in each of your possible topics (and maybe a few others) and see what makes a compelling story as it unfolds.

[lastsamurai]

If I applied the cycle before with a very similar PS topic (one source of inspiration for my non-profit vs. another) does it hurt me? I think I can make the statements significantly different in content, but the subject is close to the same.

If the content is different, I think you'll be fine. I second the possibility of cliche from the first 2 topics