Avoid listing out your accomplishments.
This is not a resume. Engage with the specific guidelines and expectations, but avoid doing so
formulaically. Instead, you should select accomplishments that make sense given the theme(s) you
are conveying within the Personal Statement. There are other spaces in the application to list out
the rest of your achievements.
Identify the “A-ha” moments.
Illustrate events in your life that have sparked personal transformation, challenged your way of
thinking, or pushed you to develop emotionally, intellectually and socially. It is important that
these moments are not events that have simply happened to you (e.g. “My family and I moved
around a lot when I was growing up”). Explain how these moments or experiences have propelled
you to take action steps towards positive change.
Develop a chronological and thematic structure.
A strong personal statement is one that charts your personal growth over time. Make sure that the
overall theme of your personal statement complements your Statement of Grant Purpose. For
example, if you are applying for an ETA, your personal statement could tie in different experiences
in your life that all relate back to education and your passion for community engagement.
Avoid clichés, stereotypes, platitudes, and overly sentimental language. It is great to share
service-oriented accomplishments, but avoid anecdotes that convey a “savior vs. victim”
sentiment. For example, “I felt joy and gratitude when I saw the smiles on those impoverished
children.” Keep in mind that Fulbright is looking for candidates who can learn from cultures and
populations, so focus on concrete and substantive experiences you have had in facilitating cultural
exchange.
Getting Feedback
Request feedback on your drafts from a variety of people.
This includes mentors, professors, colleagues, supervisors, and consultants at the Writing Center.
Keep in mind that everyone will give slightly different advice, and at times you may even receive
conflicting advice from various sources. It is up to you to collect as much feedback as possible,
synthesize the information, and tailor it to what fits best with the authenticity of your narrative.
Engage a competent and trustworthy proofreader. After many drafts, it is nearly impossible to
proofread your own work. It is important that you consult with others not only for content-related
feedback, but to critically read through your drafts for grammatical and spelling errors as well.
Plan accordingly. Give your reviewers plenty of notice.
Be sure to notify your reviewers ahead of time, and expect additional turnaround time for them to
provide adequate feedback. Respect the time of faculty members and advisors, because they may
not be able to respond right away. These may be the same people from whom you may be
requesting letters of recommendation as part of your Fulbright application.