Knowing my essay is good enough

[LittleDarlings]

I am currently working on my graduate autobiography for UK and I am scared.  I feel like it isn't strong enough.  I don't know how to give them my bio and also answer all of the questions that they want answered.  Does anyone have any tips for these essays? I tried to start it with a quote instead of with "My name is _____ I was born ______" you know? I just feel like the quote is cheesy.  

[LittleDarlings]

A quote is cheesy.  Try a story.  "I chose social work as my path when my grandfather entered hospice..." or some other attention-getting story. "My life changed the day that..."  end the paragraph with how this event led you to discovering the match between your values and those of the  profession. When I review essays, I find that quotes are often associated with lack of life experience or young applicants. Similar with "my name is..." (We know your name, it's in 20 places on your application).  Say what makes you stand out.  

See I don't have a specific experience like that that made me want to go into social work.  A lot of my essay is about how I was born with Cerebral Palsy and that really made me want to go into social work because I had to go into counseling because of my low self esteem.  I read on here that you shouldn't talk about your personal struggle though unless it shaped you.  My CP did, it is the reason I want to do clinical social work, to hopefully help people who are in the same position as me.  How can I express this but not be a cheese ball lol and not have this sob story, because my life isn't a sob story.  I want them to know how important it is but not be the entire focus.  I am not going to lie I am young (22) I just graduated undergrad and I don't have a lot of life experience.  I have volunteered a lot and had 1 job and a few internships.   

 

Thank you! (I think you made the other post that I read about what to say and not to say) 

[U-M_Detroiter]

See I don't have a specific experience like that that made me want to go into social work.  A lot of my essay is about how I was born with Cerebral Palsy and that really made me want to go into social work because I had to go into counseling because of my low self esteem.  I read on here that you shouldn't talk about your personal struggle though unless it shaped you.  My CP did, it is the reason I want to do clinical social work, to hopefully help people who are in the same position as me.  How can I express this but not be a cheese ball lol and not have this sob story, because my life isn't a sob story.  I want them to know how important it is but not be the entire focus.  I am not going to lie I am young (22) I just graduated undergrad and I don't have a lot of life experience.  I have volunteered a lot and had 1 job and a few internships.   

 

Thank you! (I think you made the other post that I read about what to say and not to say) 

If CP is the reason you want to go into social work then you should definitely touch on that. Talk about what dealing with CP has taught you and how you can apply that to your future in social work. Being concise in your personal statement is important (from what I've been told), and I think this helps prevent you from making your story a sob story because you only have so much space. I wouldn't dwell on what you lack, rather focus on what abilities you can contribute that will make you a great grad student and social worker. 

[LittleDarlings]

Thank you!!