On Twitter I frequently see tweets lamenting the difficulty inherent in writing personal statements. It’s true, they are a pain, especially if you are the kind of person who does not like self-reflection or self-expression.

In listening to a podcast on an entirely unrelated topic, I started thinking about the essential components of a strong personal statement, statement of purpose, or MBA goals essay. Basically, the adcoms want a map of where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going for the statement of purpose and the goals essay. For personal statement your readers want to know your current location and how you got here; clear plans for the future are secondary and usually not required.

MAP has however a double meaning for those of you writing statements of purpose and goals essays. It stands for Motivation, Aspiration, and Perspiration.

• Motivation: What makes you tick? Why have you made the decisions you have made? Why do you want to go into your chosen field?
• Aspiration: Where are you headed? What do you aspire to immediately after you complete your degree and sometimes long term. HBS asks for “vision.”
• Perspiration: When in the past have you sweated to achieve? When have you dedicated yourself to a cause or goal? When have you worked hard to have impact and contribute?

If you write your statement of purpose or MBA goals essay, check it for MAP. If it has these three critical elements, you have started down the right path.

If you would like us to check whether you have MAP in your essay or you want us to work with you so you take the right road, please explore Accepted’s services.