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You studied, worked, or volunteered abroad and now you want to include part of this in your personal statement<\/a>. Maybe you want to show that you\u2019ve experienced a different culture or that you\u2019ve managed to go outside of your comfort zone. Maybe you\u2019ve had interesting experiences \u2013 met people, climbed mountains, or lived without air-conditioning. Or maybe you had the opportunity to help people who genuinely needed it.<\/p>\n But, at this point, you\u2019ve also realized that many other applicants have had similar experiences. While the experience may have been transformative for you, requiring you to learn how to operate without your usual safety net in a foreign environment, you need to ensure that your study abroad experience serves a role in your essay as something other than window-dressing.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an old Onion article<\/a> which jokes that someone\u2019s short work experience in Africa allowed her to post a better Facebook photo, and, without the proper analysis, descriptions of abroad experiences can feel the same way in an admissions essay. Often, I read essays with lush descriptions of exotic scenery and people who speak different languages, yet you the writer \u2013 the most important person \u2013 stays the same. Without showing admissions committees why a study abroad experience was transformative, these types of stories simply blend together and give the impression that you were there simply to add another notch to your resume.<\/p>\n Studying abroad can be a pivotal moment in your personal journey, but a personal statement needs to explain exactly why<\/em>. If, indeed, gaining experience with other cultures was important to you at that stage, what exactly did you learn? It can\u2019t be enough to just give a story about someone you met while traveling, you have to explain why<\/em> that person changed you. An admissions committee member once told me that it mattered less what an applicant\u2019s experience was, what mattered was how they talked about it<\/a>. Even the most seemingly dull experience can be transformative to someone who is really paying attention.<\/p>\n Do you need help taking your experiences and using them to create a unique, compelling \u2013 even exciting \u2013 personal statement? Explore our Admissions Consulting & Editing Services<\/a> and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will guide you through the admissions process to acceptance.<\/strong><\/p>\n Jessica Pishko graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and received an M.F.A. from Columbia University. She spent two years guiding students through the medical school application process at Columbia\u2019s Postbac Program and is a former Accepted admissions consultant.\u00a0Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Leadership in Admissions<\/a>, a free guide This article<\/a> originally appeared on blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/em><\/p>\nHow to Make Your Experience Stand Out<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t Forget the Most Important Question: WHY?<\/h2>\n
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\n\u2022\u00a0How to Add Detail to Your Social Enterprise\/Community Service Goals<\/a>
\n\u2022 5 Elements to Telling an Attention-Grabbing Story<\/a><\/p>\n