Is getting admission to New York University your dream?
If so, you shouldn’t take your NYU personal statement for granted. Because this brief write-up has a very strong impact on deciding your admission.
In this blog, we have bundled a whole lot of information about this document such as:
- New York University personal statement paragraph structure
- 3 NYU personal statement examples
- Top 5 personal statement writing steps
- Great tricks and writing advice from experts
How Does an NYU Personal Statement Help You Materialize Your Dream?
New York University is not only a top university in the USA but also is ranked among the top universities in the world. So, getting admission there is not easy unless you make your profile stand out.
Your personal statement NYU can go a long way in making you stand out because:
- It enables you to list all your strengths and skills with evidence
- It provides you with an opportunity to show who you are and what your background is
- It gives you the space to underscore your proudest qualities and show how you can contribute to NYU
How Long Should an NYU Personal Statement Be?
Word count: | about 500 words |
Character limit: | 2500 |
No of pages: | One to two pages |
Margin: | 1” at the top, bottom and either side |
Font size: | 12 points |
Font style: | Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica |
Paragraph Structure for Personal NYU Statement
Your personal statement is an admission requirement and is going to remain in the records. So, it is necessary to write it incorporating a certain structure that is acceptable to your university.
Using a good structure for your essay makes it easier for your audience to review it. Moreover, it adds a logical outlook to your document.
Paragraph 1: Introduction: | In the first paragraph of your NYC personal statement, briefly tell who you are and what you are going to tell in the essay. Briefly point to your personal motivation for the program at NYC. |
Paragraph 2: Motivation and commitment: | In this paragraph, discuss how you got motivated to take up the stated higher study program. Elaborate on the incidents or experiences that strengthen your decision. |
Paragraph 3: Academic background: | Talk briefly about your academic and professional backgrounds in this paragraph and how they are connected to your career choice. |
Paragraph 4: Achievements: | Mention your achievements and show their relevance to your choice of course and how they will help you be successful in your formation. |
Paragraph 5: Goal: | Talk about your future goals and how they are aligned to your experiences, skills, strengths and background. |
Paragraph 6: Conclusion: | Conclude your personal statement by reiterating what you said and emphasizing your suitability for the program. Don’t forget to show your gratitude to the selection committee for considering your application. |
Top 5 Personal Statement Writing Steps
Follow the below steps to prepare yourself for writing the personal statement and execute the writing part effectively.
Understand the expectations:
Before taking your pen to write the NYU personal statement, know what the university is trying to know about you. They want to see in the document your motivation, qualities, subject knowledge, and relevant skills. Gather relevant points for these key prompts.
Read real-life examples:
It is good to review one or two NYU personal statement examples to develop a precise picture of it and to be able to write it confidently with a clear perspective.
Start early:
It may be tempting to delay personal statement writing to the last day. But doing so will lead you to feel stressed at the last moment. Start early so that you can have enough time for reviewing and corrections.
Meet all requirements:
Make sure that your personal statement meets all the requirements such as the recommended word count, text formatting, question prompts etc. Ensuring these aspects will increase your application’s acceptance chance.
Review and rectify:
Once completed, it is highly recommended to go through your personal statement at least four to five times and see if it looks incoherent, illogical, or erroneous. Even a single mistake can cause you to lose your edge.
NYU Personal Statement Examples
My passion for law has its roots in my ideology of rewards and justice. The uncanny nature of human behaviour brings forth the necessity to distinguish good deeds from the bad ones. Interestingly, the world needs some parameters or clauses that determine whether an act is acceptable or not. Here lies the idea of justice and rewards. Law has evolved over time, justifying actions of the members of every civilization. Presently, we find law as a natural integration of our ethical system. In fact, law is something that we unconsciously adhere to. My interest in Political Science further complemented my interest in law. Channelizing my interest and energy towards productive shores, I decided to be a lawyer. The advanced program that your university offers would streamline my profile significantly.
My deep-rooted interest in politics compelled me to explore the legal domain. In India, the socio-political-legal segments are uniquely intertwined. While studying political science, I got to explore some aspects of the Indian legal system. However, I aspire to imbibe relevant knowledge on international laws, particularly revolving around human rights. In one of my readings, I came across the fact that the defendants in American criminal cases were unable to receive a lawyer until 1963. Again, in ‘Gideon Vs Wainwright’, the Fourteenth Amendment was unanimously interpreted by the Supreme Court. This ensured counselling to the people who required it. This happened almost a century after Britain’s Prisoners’ Counsel Act of 1836 provided the right to the accused. I believe it to be my duty to stand by people who are baselessly accused or need support. Eventually, it has been both politics and law that influenced my professional goals.
During my Intermediates, I had taken all the subjects that would propel me towards the legal sector. Apart from studying political science, I had psychology and philosophy as my main papers. Eventually, I was able to logically scrutinize human behaviour. In the process, I learned to visualize things from other peoples’ perspectives. To establish myself as an advocate, I need to explore the legal sector, just like a barrister or a solicitor. Studying psychology and philosophy has already bestowed me with a deep insight into human behaviour. This poised me in a position to evaluate morality and differentiate wrong from right. This is the substance constituting law.
At the graduation level, I will get the opportunity to meet new aspirants from different cultures across the globe. This will foster my growth as an independent person. I am aware of the necessary efforts and responsibilities to shoulder at the graduate level. With my orientation and experiences complimenting my professional goals, I am determined and ready to shoulder fresh challenges. I feel my innate drive to push me forward to sustain the upcoming challenges. In the process, I will be able to embrace success in my professional path, which would eventually help me realize my dream. I have always looked for opportunities in the reality surrounding me. With my ambition to support the needy to get through the legal complications, I look forward to equipping myself with the necessary knowledge.
If given a berth in your esteemed university, I would be happy to refine the academic environment through knowledge sharing. Peer learning, I believe, happens to be one of the most effective means of learning in global universities. Through mutual respect and collaboration, I wish to bring people from different cultures together, binding them to work for a common goal. The globally acknowledged degree will enhance my employability in India and abroad, leveraging my professional profile substantially.
We have added here an NYU personal statement example PDF to help you understand how the tips and guidelines we have shared are implemented in a real-life scenario of personal statement writing. Download and read it carefully.
If You Ignore These Mistakes, There Will Be a High Chance for Rejection
Most students care about grammatical mistakes while ignoring a few other serious issues.
Here is a list of mistakes you should keep in check while writing your New York University personal statement.
Forgetting the purpose:
Many start their personal statement very impressively by narrating a good story but fail to address key points. Answering all the prompts should be a priority.
Repeating information:
There is information which the admission panel can easily pick up from other documents, for instance how much you scored on your graduation. Avoid such details.
Cliches:
Some of the personal statement examples circulating online contain too many cliched styles. Try to write your personal statement as a unique piece of a document about you.
Not showing your capability:
One of the key goals of personal statement writing is to show how capable you are to undertake the program at NYU. Do that without fail.
Mistakes:
Grammatical and spelling mistakes, even the smallest ones, should be avoided to create an impression that you have given a serious attempt at writing your essay.
Writing Tips from Industry Experts
Have you noticed how perfect the personal statements written by professionals are?
How do they draft it so well?
Here are their tried and tested personal statement writing formulas.
- Do not allow your personal statement to have any contradiction with any other documents in the application
- Try to present your points in the active voice as much as possible. This will enable the essay to look more powerful and closer to you.
- Express your interest and enthusiasm without any hesitation. The stronger you make them appear, the better.
- Use simple words. The point is to make your ideas get communicated to the reader. Using flowery language will make that difficult.
- Keep the focus on you. The personal statement is a document about you. So, it should remain focused on you throughout.
- Address any area that you want the admission committee to know about you or else that would remain as a question mark. For instance, a poor grade on your transcript.
Why NYU?
Why NYU? Why do many students study there? You should know the reasons not only to write your personal statement but also to give yourself a strong meaning for your choice.
Here are five reasons why NYU is worth considering for your higher studies.
- NYU boasts a good selection of programs.
- The university has a very diverse community of students and faculties.
- NYU is in the city of New York, the most ambitious city for many.
- Some of the world’s popular scientists, politicians and artists are NYU alumni
- NYU is well equipped with world-class infrastructure for classes, meetings, and conferences.
How to Apply to New York University?
- Visit the official website of NYU and find out the New York University requirements
- Check your eligibility to apply through their online tool
- Once you have ensured that you are eligible, get ready with all other required documents such as personal statement, TOEFL, LOR, application etc.
- Choose the program you wish to apply to. Register your account and submit your documents.
- Receive the confirmation in your email. Read it and follow up
On A Final Note…
An above-average NYU personal statement is a must to secure your berth at New York University.
The information shared through this blog should equip you for the same.
Are you ready to write your New York University personal statement now?
Let us know in the comments below.
