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+--- Thread: Words I hate people using in personal statements (/thread-110.html)
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Words I hate people using in personal statements - ijakings - 27/09/2004
Having reviewed quite a few statements, and just looked at loads more, some words are really beginning to get on my nerves. These are just a few of the most annoying.
Passion – Yeah of course you’re supposed to be passionate about your personal statement but surely people can find another way of getting their enthusiasm for the subject along in a way that doesn’t sound so phoney. While just saying you’re interested in your subject maybe doesn’t really get across your dedication. Passion is up there with words like obsession and infatuation - it’s a bit over the top.
Avid – It seems everyone is an avid something these days. Usually it’s an avid reader of some publication related to the subject they’re applying for, though I’ve seen it used for other things – particularly extra-curricular activities. Do you really need to be an avid reader/tennis player/stamp collector or will words like keen and eager just not do?
Socializing – This is a word I’ve seen used to extremes. Either used by those who’s only extra curricular activities are hanging around in gangs pushing children off the swings in parks, or those who spend so much time on theirs, that it’s the only way they show they have some contact with the outside world. No one really seems to know the benefits of putting socializing on a personal statement, it’s just there to try and make people appear more well rounded (whatever that means) than they are.
Anyway, those are my personal favourites, feel free to add your own and make those applicants reach for their thesauruses
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - me - 28/09/2004
lol thanks 4 the advice! but i mentioned my "passion" for my subject on my PS first draft! any ideas of a better word then???!!!!
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - gem87 - 09/10/2004
Yeah i said iam an avid reader of the times.
any other words?
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - Guest - 09/10/2004
get a thesaurus
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - Willa - 10/10/2004
it annoys me when people try and avoid using the word "interesting" as well. To be honest, you shouldnt really need to explicitly say you have a passion or interest in your subject, it should be implicit in what you are writing about!
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - irisng - 19/10/2004
Why not just write and avoid bluffing? Lol I kept on bluffing until the person checking my PS basically laughed at me and told me to be more down-to-earth! Not an easy thing to do really lol! Although I still couldn't get away from using the word "fascinating" lol! I think in my drafts I mentioned "passion" once about neuroscience and I basically got told uni's won't take me seriously with that word cus I imply I was born with the love for neuroscience, which I wasn't! Lol with the word interesting I phrased it "interesting to say the least" - dunno if that counts as bluffing
but hey, more original than "passion" I guess? Just say the honest truth - but of course don't say "I hate maths" if you're applying for sciences or something! I've gotta avoid saying that in interviews now..... and evolution.......
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - Acaila - 28/10/2004
I got really annoyed with myself for continually writing "I feel..." at the start of pretty much every sentence.
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - Guest - 04/11/2004
how many people do you hear saying "i relish the challenge" personally i think it sounds too over the top
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - Rammez - 11/11/2004
I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD NOT USE BIG WORDS. THEY KNOW YOU DINT COME UP WITH THE WORDS SO WHATS THE POINT KEEP IT SIMPLE, LIKE
ONCE UPON A TIME I WANTED TO STUDY BUSINESS
RE: Words I hate people using in personal statements - theresa - 19/11/2004
I agree, I dislike: " I have 'always' been interested in..." or 'I have always loved" and I would like to 'be' a...... :o