Top Tips for a Killer Personal Statement
It’s that time of year when many prospective dietetic internship (DI) applicants are trying to juggle a bit of rest and rejuvenation with making time to fine-tune their DICAS application materials. That makes this the perfect time to share a few of my favorite tips for writing a compelling personal statement that will help you shine in the application process!
First things First: Review the Program’s Directions
This may sound too obvious to be a top tip, but believe me when I tell you many applicants skip this step! While most programs ask for similar information in their personal statements, often there’s a unique question thrown in there as well. Don’t miss it or assume that your one-size-fits all personal statement has you covered. Be sure to address each program’s specific questions, and follow any other requirements they outline for what they expect you to include in your statement.
Be Memorable
Most DI programs want you to address some variation of the question Why do you want to enter the nutrition and dietetics profession? Many applicants devote an entire opening paragraph of their statement to a story about what first sparked their interest in this career; often, they or a loved one were struggling with a concern or condition that was improved through nutrition. While these moments of inspiration mean a lot to those who lived them, these types of answers to this question tend to sound the same, and don’t tell us too much about what you’ll be like as an intern in our program.
Instead, I encourage you to focus your personal statement on your experiences and discoveries since entering your DPD. If you’re answering the “why nutrition?” question, share a specific example of something that moved you when you began applying your nutrition knowledge through a work, volunteer, or practicum experience in the field. Let us see not only your passion (which you can bet just about every DI applicant has) but also your skills, personal growth, and professionalism at work! This approach will make you stand out from other applicants, and give us a better idea of how you’ve prepared yourself for success as a future dietetic intern.
Now is Not the Time to Be Modest
The personal statement is your chance to tell your own story, to shape the selection committee’s view of who you are and why we want you in our program! Take this time to reveal to us the special combination of strengths, perspectives, and experiences only you can bring to our next dietetic internship cohort. If the program asks prospective interns to address why they’re a good fit for the program or what sets them apart from other applicants, don’t be shy about sharing how much you have to offer! Get us excited to schedule you for an interview and learn more about you!
Show, Don’t Tell
And just how can you convince us of how fabulous you’ll be as a future intern? The trick is to share examples of how you’ve demonstrated your strengths and skills, rather than just rattling them off as a list. Once again, tell us stories – that time you had to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an unexpected crisis, that client you built trust and rapport with, that surprise interaction that put your cultural competence to the test…. Choose moments that illustrate who you are, what you’ve learned, and what kind of intern you plan and strive to be.
On a related note, when addressing your weaknesses (another common personal statement question), be real, and don’t try to gloss over this or hide your challenges. None of us is perfect, and we don’t expect our applicants to be. What we’re looking for here is self-awareness and a plan for action. Again, I recommend sharing stories – this time, tell us how you’ve pushed yourself to grow in your weaker areas. This will allow us to see how you’ll tackle any adversity you might encounter during your DI year.
Do Your Homework
While you want every version of your personal statement to be an accurate reflection of who you are, you also want to tailor a distinctive iteration for each program, based on the qualities you know you possess that will mean the most to that particular selection committee. This might vary depending on the program’s emphasis area, rotation opportunities, or the characteristics you know they’re looking for in future interns. I will reiterate – don’t exaggerate, don’t hyperbolize, don’t misrepresent yourself in any way, but put the focus of your stories and examples on what will count!
Similarly, show you know the program. If you’ve attended our open house, talked to our alums, or dug deeper into the websites of our rotation sites … let us know! This shows that you know our program beyond what you see on our website homepage, and that you’ve given real reflection to whether you are a good fit for our internship, and vice-versa. We want to select interns who demonstrate that deep level of enthusiasm and commitment to what our program is all about.
Get MANY Pairs of Eyes on Your Work
Once again, this might seem like common sense, but it’s worth a special mention. You’ll likely be too close to what you’ve written to be fully objective when you review it, so ask other people to take a look and give you their feedback. Give your readers an idea of what you’re looking for, such as to focus on whether it really reflects who you are or to think through whether you’ve missed important qualities or stories you might want to include. Also be sure to enlist at least one reviewer who’s really good at grammar and mechanics to give you some feedback on the nuts and bolts of your writing. Your personal statement should absolutely sound and feel like you … you just want it to reflect you at your best.
Put all those tips to work for you, and I hope you might even enjoy writing a compelling personal statement that reflects who you are and exactly why you’ll be an amazing intern!