Applying to michigan? Question on SOP vs Personal Statement

[classicallynot]

Michigan requires the standard SOP and in addition a 500 word limit "Personal Statement" with the parameters:

"How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan?

For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree."

They also explicitly say do NOT repeat the SOP.

I am having a difficult time in deciding what exactly to write for this. I trace my academic journey in decent length in my SOP. Should I go the literal "Personal" route and discuss family events/situations that have impacted my development? I don't want to be too cliche and talk about my parent's divorce or anything... but I'm not sure what else there is.

Any thoughts?

[t_ruth]

UC Irvine has a similar request for dual statements. I'm facing the same dilemma.

[Minnesotan]

This is a way to get around a court ruling against race bias during the selection process, and I would treat it as such. The UC system started doing the same thing, once California forbade racist policies in admissions, letting some people in because the people in power decided that the applicants' entire race was unable to make it on their own merit.

What they want is a "diversity statement" from you. The point is to get the most "diverse individuals" (since one person cannot be diverse, except as related to a previously existing group, I would read this as meaning non-traditional, non-white, or non-rich) into the program without actually referring to race. This can also refer to social class, or to individuals whose parents did not attend college, too.

Devise your own strategy for how to deal with this, but I am sure they are looking for you to volunteer information about your race, class, gender, or religion that would make it seem to the adcom like you'd be a great poster-person for diversity.

[mlle]

This is just my rant: I CAN'T STAND diversity statements. I've had to write two at this point and I know my response must've been terribly off with both of them, but I find them to be just so terribly AWKWARD to approach no matter what your background is. They embody such a contradiction--you're not supposed to actually be too personal in your personal statement, and yet the question asks you to disclose what I think are terribly personal things about your background, your "life experiences," all that crap. Oh, please. Maybe I'm a prude, but I am not at all inclined to discuss the relevance of my religion, my cultural background, ethnicity, even my SES, to what I want to study. Sure, it is in fact relevant in its own way, but that still doesn't stifle any desires I have to tell the adcom "None of your beeswax," over and over again for 500 words. ......A very Ferrero-esque thing to do. :twisted:

[purplepepper]

I've applied to Michigan too, and empathize about these personal statements. I also don't feel comfortable talking about my religious/ethnic/upbringing/family background, because to be honest, it sounds just superficial. (Hey, I'm Jewish, admit me!) You know? Some people would say to talk about some kind of struggle that has led you to a deeper understanding of whathaveyou, but I just have not had that type of struggle.

I did though, spend some time abroad, and I've talked about my time there, and how being abroad has helped me understand things differently.

I think though, that if you are really at a loss, you could talk about how your research approach is different than what has come before, or something that has to do with how you have developed your ideas. Those kinds of essays are a bit harder to write, but they sure do sound better than "I grew up on Mars and have struggled all my life to fit into the human community on Earth. This is why I want to study Mars-Earth relations."

[classicallynot]

I wrote some attempt at a diversity statement thingamabob and ya I admit I feel a bit superficial about it. I had a couple people read it over with decent enough reactions. I probably wrote 3 or 4 completely different statements before finally deciding on one...

Upside is that this was the last piece of work I had to finish all my apps. Sending away writing samples in the morning. Let the pain of waiting begin.

[timuralp]

Well, I wrote about my life experiences that shaped my interest in CS. I described some significant parts of upbringing, college years, etc. I didn't talk about specific research, but rather broader interests, since the details were in the SOP. Apparently it was good enough to get in. Hope it helps somewhat.

[slothy]

I'm glad I'm not the only one annoyed by diversity statements... in hindsight, my statement for Michigan was pretty weak (very stereotypicial couple of paragraphs about how studying in Western Europe broadened my horizons or something like that) - but I really couldn't come up with anything else since I don't fit into any traditionally disadvantaged groups. I remember reading somewhere about admissions counselors telling men applying to undergrad at female-dominated liberal arts colleges to emphasize their masculinity in their statements - I was tempted to make some argument along those lines for admission to a sociology program, but I dobut I could have pulled it off successfully. Hopefully they won't spend too much time reading these things...

[weeble]

Yeah, the Michigan personal statement was challenging. Especially since I didn't see the 500 word limit until I'd written a 900+ word statement. I don't think they're looking for members of disadvantaged groups though. Or at least not exclusively. They just want to see how you can bring a unique perspective to your research.