Berkeley personal history statement?

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YF17A
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Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:42 am

Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by YF17A » Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:41 pm

What are people applying to UC Berkeley writing for the personal history statement? It's so bizarrely out of character - how will my work in theoretical physics help save the world? I have no idea. I can barely come up with two paragraphs.

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trani
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by trani » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:02 am

Well, use the skills you teach at Kaplan in writing essays:

Brainstorm, write down association words that come in your head then elaborate...

Why do you want to get a PhD? That is what they ask first and you should have an answer to that.

Then:
What do you bring in terms of cultural diversity?
- you have been to another country, you have been emerged in another culture, that should have somehow affected you and made you a better person. Now you can understand other cultures better, etc.
- you are a musician that brings a whole other dimension to your personality.

You can also mention your experience in teaching and how that can make you a valuable resource. Should I go on?

Really, just sit down and write. The light will shine on you (from outer space) :mrgreen:

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Helio
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by Helio » Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:49 am

trani wrote:
Really, just sit down and write. The light will shine on you (from outer space) :mrgreen:
sry for off topic comment, but you mean the shower of cosmic muons and neutrinos :P

YF17A
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2008 4:42 am

Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by YF17A » Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:27 am

har har har. 'tis the witching hour for bad physics jokes.

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trani
Posts: 108
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by trani » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:12 am

I personally asked them and they agreed to extend the deadline just so you can finish your essay :lol:

Take a look:

https://gradadm.berkeley.edu/gradapp/gr ... xtend.html

techodestructo
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by techodestructo » Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:07 pm

I had 3 hours left before the deadline of the berkeley app, and i hadn't started the personal history statement yet! I basically had a severe case of writer's block, so i walked to the liquor store, bought a bottle of booze, got wasted, and just let the BS flow. I hope it worked! I have been too scared to read what I wrote, but I imagine it has the tone of a country western song

cato88
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by cato88 » Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:08 pm

techodestructo wrote:I had 3 hours left before the deadline of the berkeley app, and i hadn't started the personal history statement yet! I basically had a severe case of writer's block, so i walked to the liquor store, bought a bottle of booze, got wasted, and just let the BS flow. I hope it worked! I have been too scared to read what I wrote, but I imagine it has the tone of a country western song
thats awesome.

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a13ean
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Re: Berkeley personal history statement?

Post by a13ean » Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:26 pm

blanked



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