Writing an Effective Personal Profile

WritinganEffectivePersonalProfile  Scholarshipapplications,personalprofilesandsupplementalinformation(whenrequired)arereviewed byascholarshipcommitteecomprisedofUAfacultyand/orstaff.Dependingonhowmanyscholarships eachapplicantiseligiblefor,manyapplicationsarereviewedbymultiplecommittees.Thecommittees’ taskistomatchthescholarshipprogramwithascholar.Directthereaders.Whyareyoutheexemplary choicetoreceiveascholarship?  Committeeswillevaluatethefollowing:leadership,extracurricularinvolvement,presentation(grammar, punctuation,etc),youreducationalandcareergoalsandplans,andanyspecialcircumstances(i.e.other informationyoufeelthecommitteeshouldknowaboutyouoryourapplication).Touchuponeachof thosecriterionsinyourpersonalprofileandgointoasmuchdetailasyoucanwithinthe3000character (approximately500word)limit.It isstronglyrecommendedthatyoucomposeyourprofileinaword processingprogramsuchasMicrosoftWord,andthencopyandpasteintotheboxprovidedinUAOnline.  Effectiveprofilessuccessfullydothefollowing: Giveinsightaboutwhoyouare.Theyshowuswhoyouare,howyouthink,howyoudecidetoact(ornot act)uponsomething,howyouapproachaproblemordilemma,howyouinteractwithyourenvironment. Avoidbeingmelancholy!Youdohavesomethinginterestingtowriteabout.Don’twritearesume(unless askedfor);letusknowwhatmakesyoustandoutamongsttheotherapplicants.Yourpersonalprofileis readbycommitteemembersmakingscholarshiprecommendationssotakethetimetoputyourbestfoot forward.  ProfileBrainstorms: Describeactivitiesyouareinvolvedinthatrelatetoyoureducationalplanoryourfuturecareer. Describeascholasticachievementyouhavemade,andwhyitisimportanttoyou. Describecontributionsyouhavemadetoyourcommunityand/orcampusandexplainhowthose experienceshavecontributedtoyourpersonalgrowth. Pickanexperiencefromyourownlifeandexplainhowithasinfluencedyourdevelopment. Wheredoyouseeyourself10yearsfromnow?  Othertips: o Youmaychooseatopicthat200otherstudentswriteabout(whichisfine).Buthowyouwrite aboutyourtopiccandistinguishyouressayfromthepack. o Writelogicallywherethereadercanfollowyourtrainofthought.Makesureyoursentences relatetoeachother.Usetransitionswhenachangetakesplaceinyourstoryoryouaremakinga newpoint. o Avoidredundantsentencesandphrases. o Useyourownvoice;youdon’tneedtoimpressbyusingesotericjargonorvocabulary.Readers detectpretensionwhenreadingonemile‐sizemultisyllabicwordafteranother,whichmakesthe writinglesscompelling.However,itisagoodideatoconsultadictionaryandthesaurustofind therightwordsthatconveyyourideaswithprecision.Gooddictionstrengthensessays. o Writewhatyouknow.Ifyouaretryingtoimpressthecommitteebywritingonacomplicated subjectmatterbutyouarenotpassionatenorknowlittleaboutit,thereadercanpickuponthis andyouressaymayseemdisingenuous. o Useappropriatelanguage.Keepinmindyouraudience–scholarshipcommitteememberswho mustchoosetherightscholarforthescholarshipprogram.  Genericstatementsdon’trevealwhyyouareunique.Usedetailed,vividdescriptionstoproducedistinct mentalimagesofyourstory.Herearesomeexamplestoillustratethispoint:  Genericstatement:“Beingchosenascaptainofthesoccerteammadememoremature.” Analternativedescription:WhatIlearnedfrombeingthecaptainofthesoccerteamwashowto motivateandencourageotherseffectivelywhensituationsseemedhopeless.  GenericStatement:Mymomisthemostinfluentialpersoninmylife.SheissupportiveineverythingIdo andsheisagreatrolemodel.ItrytoemulateherandfollowherteachingsineverythingIpursue. Here’sanalternativedescription:Iwanttoraisemychildrenlikemymotherdid.Mymomneveruseda guilttriptoteachmewrongfromright.WhenItoldherin4thgrade,“Ididn’tneedtopractice“Silent Night”formyorganplayingdebutatMidnightMassshemerelyasked,“Haveyouthoughtthisidea through?”Ithoughtitwasabrilliantplantokeepme“fresh”,soIsaid,“yes,”withouthesitation.My nervesgotthebestofmethatnight,andIstartedonthewrongnote,stumblingthroughthefinger patternsofthesong,andcompletelyplayedthepieceoffkey.Icouldn’thelpbutseeteensintheaudience shakingintheirseats,tryingtostifletheirlaughs.AfterIplayedthefinalnote,Iran/walkedtositnextto mymom,who smiledatmeandenfoldedmeinahugepewhug.Afterwards,Iwasdespondent;yet,my motherkeptbeamingwithpridethatIcompletedthefullsonginfrontof300people.Sheneverletonif shewasembarrassedorifshewasembarrassedforme.Shedidn’tneedtoremindmethatpracticewould havemadetheexperiencelessharrowing.Butsheknewhowtousethepowerofshame.WhenIcameout ofourbathroomonemorning,myravenhairbleachedtowhiteandmybrownpupilssheeredoverby violetcontacts,mymom’sfacewentpaleandimmediatelyflushedtomaroon.Shepacedbetweenour narrowhallwayfivetimes,andsimplyasked,“Whyhaveyouerasedyourgrandmother’sfeaturesfrom you?Areyousoashamedofyourheritage?”Ifeltthedisappointmentofgenerationswithherwordsand hercurtdeliverystunnedme.Ithencriedandcouldn’tbelievewhatIhaddonetomyself.BeforeIcould runbackintothebathroomtocorrectmyappearance,shelatchedontotheedgeofmyshirtandforced medownstairswhereafamilyreunionwasgatheringtocelebratemygrandmother’s75thbirthday.My newlookattractedquestioningstaresandjokefodderfrommyfamily.Witheachembarrassing explanationandglancesofshame,mymothermademeaccountableformyactionsandtaughtmethe impactofmydecisionandbehaviorthatday.Asinthisepisode,mymompasseddowneffective life‐learningteachingmethodsthatIhopeIcanemulatewithequalpatienceandwisdomformyown children.  WorksConsulted: CollegeBoard“CollegeEssayWritingTips:WriteanEffectiveApplicationEssay” http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/essay‐skills/9406.html  NorlinScholarsProgram“TipsforWritingScholarshipEssaysandGettingStrongLettersof Recommendation”http://www.colorado.edu/norlinscholars/apply.htm  . Writing an Effective Personal Profile   Scholarshipapplications, personal profilesandsupplementalinformation(whenrequired)arereviewed byascholarshipcommitteecomprisedofUAfacultyand/orstaff.Dependingonhowmanyscholarships eachapplicantiseligiblefor,manyapplicationsarereviewedbymultiplecommittees.Thecommittees’ taskistomatchthescholarshipprogramwithascholar.Directthereaders.Whyareyoutheexemplary choicetoreceiveascholarship?  Committeeswillevaluatethefollowing:leadership,extracurricularinvolvement,presentation(grammar, punctuation,etc),youreducationalandcareergoalsandplans,andanyspecialcircumstances(i.e.other informationyoufeelthecommitteeshouldknowaboutyouoryourapplication).Touchuponeachof thosecriterionsinyour personal profile andgointoasmuchdetailasyoucanwithinthe3000character (approximately500word)limit.It. Writing an Effective Personal Profile   Scholarshipapplications, personal profilesandsupplementalinformation(whenrequired)arereviewed byascholarshipcommitteecomprisedofUAfacultyand/orstaff.Dependingonhowmanyscholarships eachapplicantiseligiblefor,manyapplicationsarereviewedbymultiplecommittees.Thecommittees’ taskistomatchthescholarshipprogramwithascholar.Directthereaders.Whyareyoutheexemplary choicetoreceiveascholarship?  Committeeswillevaluatethefollowing:leadership,extracurricularinvolvement,presentation(grammar, punctuation,etc),youreducationalandcareergoalsandplans,andanyspecialcircumstances(i.e.other informationyoufeelthecommitteeshouldknowaboutyouoryourapplication).Touchuponeachof thosecriterionsinyour personal profile andgointoasmuchdetailasyoucanwithinthe3000character (approximately500word)limit.It. smiledatmeandenfoldedmeinahugepewhug.Afterwards,Iwasdespondent;yet,my motherkeptbeamingwithpridethatIcompletedthefullsonginfrontof300people.Sheneverletonif shewasembarrassedorifshewasembarrassedforme.Shedidn’tneedtoremindmethatpracticewould havemadetheexperiencelessharrowing.Butsheknewhowtousethepowerofshame.WhenIcameout ofourbathroomonemorning,myravenhairbleachedtowhiteandmybrownpupilssheeredoverby violetcontacts,mymom’sfacewentpaleandimmediatelyflushedtomaroon.Shepacedbetweenour narrowhallwayfivetimes,andsimplyasked,“Whyhaveyouerasedyourgrandmother’sfeaturesfrom you?Areyousoashamedofyourheritage?”Ifeltthedisappointmentofgenerationswithherwordsand hercurtdeliverystunnedme.Ithencriedandcouldn’tbelievewhatIhaddonetomyself.BeforeIcould runbackintothebathroomtocorrectmyappearance,shelatchedontotheedgeofmyshirtandforced medownstairswhereafamilyreunionwasgatheringtocelebratemygrandmother’s75thbirthday.My newlookattractedquestioningstaresandjokefodderfrommyfamily.Witheachembarrassing explanationandglancesofshame,mymothermademeaccountableformyactionsandtaughtmethe impactofmydecisionandbehaviorthatday.Asinthisepisode,mymompasseddown effective life‐learningteachingmethodsthatIhopeIcanemulatewithequalpatienceandwisdomformyown children.  WorksConsulted: