Workshop shares writing tips with applicants to top colleges

March, 2014

School counselors and English teachers from local high schools attended a workshop at WCMC-Q to learn how to help their students write better personal statements for their university applications.

The workshop, hosted by WCMC-Q’s Student Recruitment and Outreach Office in partnership with members of the English department of the Pre-Medical Education Department, also offered advice directly to the teachers and counselors about writing effective reference letters for their students.

Ten school counselors and ten English teachers attended the February workshop, which was opened by Dr. Rachid Bendriss, assistant dean for student recruitment, outreach and foundation programs, and featured sessions conducted by pre-medical education faculty members Dr. Krystyna Golkowska, associate professor of English; Mr. Adam Larson, ESL lecturer; Dr. Alan Weber, associate professor of English; Mr. Ian Miller, lecturer of English writing; and Dr. Rodney Sharkey, associate professor of English. 

Knowing how to write a personal statement is a crucial skill students need to have when applying to university, explained Dr. Golkowska.

 “The personal statement is a very important element of the application process and it needs to be taken seriously,” she said.

“Students need to be advised to start working on them early enough that they have time to produce a statement that explains why they are good candidates. The statement should not just focus on their grades because that information is included elsewhere in the application.

Instead, the statement should explain who the student is as a person and as an individual, so it is very important for the students to include details of their extracurricular activities and their motivations for studying medicine.

“Of course, personal statements also need to be well written, coherently structured and interesting to read.”

Each of the faculty members hosted a session, beginning with an instructional lecture before conducting interactive workshops with the visiting teachers and school counselors.

Dr. Golkowska said that reference letters written by teachers in support of college applications should also give an impression of the character and personality of the student.

She added: “It is important to back up with specific examples any assertions that are made about the positive attributes of the student.”

Dr. Bendriss commented: “At WCMC-Q we are very happy to offer counselors and teachers advice and guidance to enable them to represent the skills and achievements of their students in the most effective way. Students need to know how to present themselves in a professional way so that they have the best possible chance of securing a place at their university of choice. Similarly, teachers and counselors need to be able to write effective reference letters for their students.

“We hope they will now be able to use the knowledge they have gained from the workshops to help their students realize their full academic potential.”