How to write the Perfect PT school Personal Statement
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Dr. Justin Lee, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, offers valuable advice on crafting a personal statement for physical therapy school applications. He identifies common mistakes, such as not answering the prompt and lacking a strong hook, and emphasizes the importance of reflection on personal experiences. Dr. Lee outlines a three-part structure for a compelling personal statement: sharing two impactful experiences, reflecting on personal growth, and connecting these experiences to future success as a physical therapist. He also provides an example of a successful essay and offers one-on-one coaching for those needing further assistance.
Takeaways
- 📝 The importance of answering the essay prompt: The essay should clearly articulate what makes the student unique and how these qualities will contribute to being a successful physical therapist.
- 🔍 Focus on clarity and focus: The essay should avoid being disjointed and should maintain a clear direction throughout, addressing the prompt directly.
- 🎯 The need for a strong hook: The opening of the essay should be engaging and compelling, similar to the way a TV show pilot captures attention from the start.
- 🤔 Reflection is crucial: Students must reflect on their experiences, showing what they have learned and how they have grown, which is essential for a successful personal statement.
- 📈 Two key experiences: The personal statement should focus on two main experiences or stories that highlight the student's unique qualities and growth.
- 📝 Reflect and connect: After sharing experiences, students should connect their reflections to how these experiences will make them successful physical therapists.
- 👨🏫 Dr. Justin Lee's expertise: Dr. Justin Lee, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, offers guidance on writing a compelling personal statement.
- 📚 Tailoring to the prompt: The content of the personal statement should be tailored to the specific prompt of the year, as prompts can change over time.
- 📉 Avoiding common mistakes: Common pitfalls include not answering the prompt, lack of a strong opening, and missing the reflection on personal growth.
- 💡 The power of storytelling: Using personal stories effectively can demonstrate a student's journey and transformation, making the essay more relatable and impactful.
- 🔗 Linking personal growth to the profession: The essay should explicitly link the student's personal growth and experiences to the qualities of a successful physical therapist.
Q & A
What is the main issue Dr. Justin Lee addresses in the video script regarding personal statements for PT school applications?
-Dr. Justin Lee addresses the issue of personal statements not answering the prompt, lacking focus, and clarity, which are common mistakes he sees in students' essays.
Who is Dr. Justin Lee and what is his role in the context of the video script?
-Dr. Justin Lee is a physical therapist and a PT school admission expert who helps students get accepted into physical therapy school, particularly by guiding them on how to write effective personal statements.
What does Dr. Lee emphasize as the most common mistake in personal statement writing?
-The most common mistake emphasized by Dr. Lee is not answering the prompt, which should focus on what makes the applicant unique and how that uniqueness will contribute to being a successful physical therapist.
According to the script, what is the importance of a strong and enticing hook in a personal statement?
-A strong and enticing hook is important because it sets up the entire essay and captures the reader's attention, preventing the essay from being generic and boring.
What is the second common mistake that Dr. Lee points out in the script?
-The second common mistake is the lack of a strong and enticing hook in the first paragraph of the essay, which should ideally start with a climax to draw in the reader.
What does Dr. Lee suggest should be included in the first paragraph of a personal statement to make it compelling?
-Dr. Lee suggests starting with a climax or an engaging event, similar to how a Netflix pilot starts with an exciting scene to capture the viewer's attention.
What is the third aspect that Dr. Lee mentions students often miss in their personal statements?
-The third aspect that students often miss is the lack of reflection on their experiences, which is crucial for showing personal growth and transformation.
Why is reflection important in a personal statement for PT school applications?
-Reflection is important because it shows the applicant's learning, growth, and transformation, which are key to demonstrating how they will be a successful physical therapist.
What is the main structure Dr. Lee recommends for writing a personal statement for PT school applications?
-Dr. Lee recommends a main structure that includes sharing two experiences or stories, reflecting on those experiences, and relating the lessons learned to how they will contribute to being a successful physical therapist.
What does Dr. Lee offer to help students with their personal statements?
-Dr. Lee offers one-on-one coaching sessions to help students ensure they are on the right track with their personal statements, providing guidance and revisions to improve their chances of acceptance into PT school.
How can students who need help with their personal statements reach out to Dr. Lee according to the script?
-Students can reach out to Dr. Lee for help by following a link in the description of the video, where they can purchase coaching sessions and self-book at their nearest availability.
Outlines
📝 Personal Statement Critique and Writing Guidance
Dr. Justin Lee, a physical therapist and PT school admission expert, begins the video by expressing frustration with a student's personal statement that failed to answer the prompt and lacked focus and clarity. He emphasizes the importance of a clear and prompt-responding essay for PT school admission. Dr. Lee outlines his intention to teach viewers how to write an effective personal statement, highlighting common mistakes such as not answering the prompt, lacking a strong hook, and missing reflection on experiences. He encourages students to revise their essays using the tips provided and invites them to share their struggles with personal statement writing.
🔑 Key Components of a Successful Personal Statement
The second paragraph delves into the three main parts of an effective personal statement for PT school applicants. Dr. Lee advises focusing on two key experiences or stories that demonstrate the applicant's uniqueness and potential for success as a physical therapist. He stresses the necessity of reflection on these experiences to show personal growth and learning. Lastly, he insists on connecting these experiences to the field of physical therapy, illustrating how they will contribute to the applicant's success in the profession. Dr. Lee offers one-on-one coaching for those who need personalized assistance and shares an example of a successful essay that secured multiple interview opportunities.
🌟 Transformative Experience and its Relevance to PT Practice
In the final paragraph, Dr. Lee provides a detailed example of an applicant's personal statement that effectively utilized the three key components discussed earlier. The applicant shared a transformative experience of battling an illness and the subsequent rehabilitation process, which taught her compassion, empathy, and self-love. These experiences and the lessons learned from them were directly related to her future role as a physical therapist, showcasing her readiness to serve and empathize with her patients. Dr. Lee concludes by inviting feedback on the video's helpfulness and promoting his one-on-one coaching service for further assistance with personal statements.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Personal Statement
💡Physical Therapy School
💡PT School Admission
💡Prompt
💡Uniqueness
💡Successful Physical Therapist
💡Hook
💡Reflection
💡Experiences
💡Rehabilitation
💡Self-Esteem
Highlights
The importance of answering the essay prompt correctly in personal statements for physical therapy school applications.
Common mistakes in personal statement writing include lack of focus and clarity.
The necessity of making the essay clear and directly answering the prompt for PT school admission.
The role of a strong and enticing hook in the first paragraph of the essay.
Comparison of essay hooks to the engaging openings of Netflix shows.
The critical aspect of reflection in personal statements, showing personal growth and learning.
The need for students to share how their experiences will contribute to their success as a physical therapist.
The three main parts of writing a compelling personal statement: experiences, reflection, and relevance to physical therapy.
The advice to focus on only two experiences or stories in the personal statement.
The significance of reflecting on experiences in detail, using five to eight sentences to elaborate.
The importance of linking personal growth to the role of a physical therapist in the essay.
An example of a student's essay that effectively utilized the three main parts of a personal statement.
The transformative impact of a personal health crisis on a student's perspective and motivation for physical therapy.
How the student's personal health experience taught her compassion and empathy, crucial for a physical therapist.
The student's journey from self-esteem issues to self-kindness and self-love, and how it will benefit her future patients.
The offer of one-on-one coaching to help with personal statement writing for PT school applications.
The urgency of booking coaching sessions in advance due to high demand and approaching deadlines.
The final encouragement to lift weights, lift others, and lift oneself up as part of personal and professional development.
Transcripts
by man I just finished a personal
statement writing session with the
student and unfortunately I had to chew
her out the essay was not answering the
prompt the essay was lacking focus it
was lacking Clarity a lot of these
common mistakes that I really think a
lot of students need to pay attention to
and need to fix because if you're trying
to get into physical therapy school you
have to make sure that your essay is
clear and it's Act answering the prompt
so in this video I'm going to teach you
what exactly you need to write about to
get accepted into physical therapy
school regarding your personal statement
so let's get into it let go what's going
on everyone my name is Dr Justin Lee
physical therapist I'm a PT school
admission expert and I help students get
accepted into physical therapy school
the first time so I'm going to teach you
how to write your personal statement for
PT school and this is going to be a game
Cher you're going to read your essay
learn the tips that I'm teaching you in
this video and you're going to go back
and reread your essay and redraft it cuz
you're probably not doing it right but
let's talk about that what are you not
doing right so what are some common
mistakes that people make when writing
their personal statement the biggest
mistake that I see when working with
students and make sure you're paying
attention to this is actually answering
the prompt so right now this video is
filmed in 2020 three and if you're
watching it years later it might be a
different prompt but the physical
therapy the PT Cass essay prompt is
pretty much asking you what makes you
unique and what is going to make you a
successful physical therapist as you're
reading everything that you have written
ask yourself does this share what makes
me unique and am I sharing how that's
going to help me be a successful
physical therapist if you're not clearly
answering those two questions then you
are doing it wrong go back redraft it
and make sure you're answering those two
questions I'm going to share with you
two more common mistakes but the third
one is super important so make sure
you're pay attention to this the second
mistake is that you don't have a strong
and enticing hook your first paragraph
probably the first five sentences is
going to set you up for the entire essay
and if you are being super generic if
you're going to tell your life story of
how you got into Physical Therapy where
you started it's super boring all right
now think about this when you watch your
Netflix show um the pilots the first
episode in especially in the very
beginning are they starting off with the
person getting up in bed snoozing their
alarm making breakfast no that's super
boring they're starting out with the
person in the battlefield shooting da da
da da da da da and killing all these
people and then boom a big explosion
happens
and there's ringing in the ears the
person is unconscious and then you in
just as the person is closing their eyes
turns out that that person grabs them
and kidnaps them and now you're like
what what's going on how did that happen
it captures your attention your hook
your first paragraph should do the exact
same thing get to the climax think of
the end first and start with that the
third big thing hey pay attention is a
lack of reflection man so many students
miss this part they share a great story
they do all the right things good
experience but they build it up and then
ah they dro the ball they missed the
game winning layup all you have to do is
share your reflection what have you
learned how have you grown how did this
transform you this is really important
and we're going to talk about this
because that's going to be a huge part
of writing a perfect personal statement
hey before we get into the actual Parts
the Tactical things of how to write a
personal statement I'm just curious if
one of those three things were you and I
was talking to you give this video a
like and let me know in the comments be
vulnerable I want to know what struggles
you're going through with the personal
statement essay writing process because
I want to help please let me know so
we're going to jump into the next part
so please pay attention because in this
next part I'm going to teach you how to
write that perfect personal statement
that's going to get you accepted like I
mentioned it's 2023 so the prompt is
asking what makes you unique and how is
that uniqueness going to make you a
successful physical therapist if you're
watching this in the years later this
might not necessarily be relevant to you
but I think you can get a little bit of
a tactical things from what we're going
to be talking about here but this is
very specific for 2023 2024 probably
2025 as well cuz PT cast usually reuses
the same prompt for several years okay
so there are three main parts to this
and make sure again you stay for that
third one because that third one is
going to be a huge part of what's going
to get you accepted what's going to help
you stay stand out okay first part of
writing a really good personal statement
is make sure that you have two
experiences or stories to share only
focus on two many students will start
out with one idea to the next experience
to the next idea to the next experience
and they're talking about five six seven
different things and when I'm working
with students like the student that I
just talked to here
earlier man I'm like I'm lost I'm not
engaged AED I want to not read your
essay anymore and I want to move on to
the next student because it doesn't keep
my attention so focus on just those two
stories those two experiences because
those are the things that we are going
to use and pull a lot of information out
of so that we can write a really
compelling personal statement okay now
number two like we talked about you have
to reflect on your experience whatever
has happened happened in your experience
or your stories I want you to share with
me what have you learned you can say
quotequote through these experiences I
have learned right or quote quote
through these experiences or through
through what I have gone through I have
grown by right just those things and
then you can finish off the sentences
and I want you to actually spend about
five to eight different sentences to
elaborate on your reflection that's the
most critical thing so that's going to
share with the person who's reading your
essay how have you grown how have you
matured this is so important because as
you're going through your undergraduate
years I mean you're a freaking kid when
you're 18 years old but as you go
throughout life you're going to learn
all the mistakes that you've made all
the things that you have uh learned from
from those mistakes and now the third
part is how does that relate to being a
successful physical therapist oh my gosh
so many students miss this part they
don't answer how it relates to being a
successful physical therapist again how
it doesn't answer the prompt answer the
freaking prompt so this is the way that
you're going to do this you're going to
share your two experiences you're going
to share you're going to reflect on how
those experiences have made you grow or
how it transformed you or what you
learned from that and then whatever you
learned that's what you're going to use
to share how that's going to make you a
successful physical therapist I'm going
to share an example with you of how to
use these three things and how to write
that in your personal statement so that
you can get accepted but I will say this
if you need help with your personal
statement I can help you with one on-one
coaching and matter of fact I have a
really good awesome opportunity right
now for you to work with me on several
occasions
very quickly all we need to do is 25
minute sessions to make sure you are on
the right track so that you are writing
the right things using the formula and
approach that I'm teaching you to help
you get accepted if you're interested in
that there's a link in the description
you can go to that link purchase and
Self book at your nearest availability
and we can get started on your personal
statement right away okay let's review
this example together so I was working
with the student earlier this year and
and from this essay she has gotten
multiple interview opportunities from
different schools that means they're
judging her on her application but also
her essay so this essay has been really
helpful and she utilized these same
three things that I had just taught you
in this video so here's an example of
what she talked about so she first
mentioned how she got coid and she got
sick just like a lot of other people but
coid has really affected her negatively
because this has made her health really
deep declined to a point where she got
bedridden and hospitalized for weeks now
granted that she was deadlifting over
300 lb and squatting in the 200 range
and really building up her self-esteem
in by working out but because of this
experience of being hospitalized she
lost all of that so throughout the
several weeks that she had to go through
a rehabilitation with physical
therapists alongside at the hospital and
outpatient rehab she had to regain the
ability literally the ability to walk
again but through her experience with
her physical therapist she learned how
to walk she learned how to do her first
Squat and she built the self-confidence
to go back into the gym now this
experience was very transformative for
her because it really humbled her as to
learn how much it takes to really just
put in the effort to walk or do your
simple functional tasks she has learned
compassion and empathy for the future
patients that she's going to work with
that are going to come into her clinic
and on top of that to go a layer deeper
prior to getting co9 and going to the
hospital she had issues with her
self-esteem body dysmorphia and she
really had some social struggles that
she was going through with social media
and the pressure of other people and how
she really looked and that's what was
one of her driving factors to really
exercise and get stronger and throughout
the Journey of rehabing and being able
to start walking again and squatting and
building up her strength she has learned
the ability to have self kindness to
have self love and to extend that out to
anyone who's really struggling with low
self-esteem as well and all of these
things that she has learned learned
throughout this experience she's going
to utilize to empower and to have
compassion those who are going to come
into her clinic and serve her as a
successful physical therapist so that's
exactly what I mean
experiences
reflection and related to answering the
prompt of how it's going to help you be
a successful physical therapist hey was
that helpful was this video helpful for
for you let me know in the comments yes
this was helpful or if there's any type
of video topic idea regarding the
personal statement or PT school essays
let me know so that I can create more
videos like that on my channel if you
need help I can help you one-on-one
coaching super fast make sure you're on
the right track do some revisions for
you to make sure that you can get
accepted into PT school there's a link
in the description sign up for that
today before your deadline comes my
spots fill up very quickly and it's very
often that you need to book out couple
weeks in advance because I'm already
booked up that much so think ahead if
you need help let me know take action
before it's too late and I can't help
you because the deadlines are too fast
all right everyone every day is a great
day to lift weights lift others and lift
yourself up stay lifting
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