HOW TO WRITE A MOTIVATION LETTER tips & tricks to ace your application

Summary

In this informative video, Melena offers guidance on crafting a motivation letter, emphasizing the importance of understanding what drives you and expressing it uniquely. She clarifies the letter's role as a complement to your CV, highlighting personality traits and experiences that led to your application. Melena provides a step-by-step approach, from outlining specific questions to creating bullet points that convey your critical thinking and priorities. She advises on maintaining coherence, using clear language, and ensuring conciseness within word limits, all while showcasing your writing ability.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is a guide for writing a motivation letter, especially for those who feel they lack motivation.
• 🔍 Motivation can be unique to each individual, so it's important to express personal reasons in a motivation letter.
• 🎯 The speaker emphasizes that considering applying to something already shows motivation, so don't underestimate oneself.
• 📝 The speaker provides personal tips based on their own experiences, not from an admissions perspective.
• 📚 A motivation letter is a complement to a CV, showing personality and connecting the facts of the CV to the application.
• 📑 The letter should answer specific questions provided by the institution, making it tailored to their requirements.
• 📝 The first step in writing a motivation letter is to outline the questions that need to be answered.
• 📋 Use bullet points to organize thoughts and make sure the letter is concise and avoids rambling.
• 📖 The structure of a motivation letter includes a salutation, introduction, body, conclusion, and complimentary close.
• 🔗 Use connectors to ensure the letter flows logically and coherently.
• ✍️ Writing clearly and concisely in the letter demonstrates academic writing ability and critical thinking.
• 📐 Keep an eye on word count and language to ensure the letter is concise and free of errors.

Q & A

What is the purpose of a motivation letter according to the video?

A motivation letter is a complement to your CV, showing your personality and explaining how your experiences have led you to apply to a particular program or institution.

Why is it important to understand the definition of a motivation letter before writing one?

Understanding the definition helps to avoid the common mistake of skipping to the writing process without clear guidelines, which can result in a letter that doesn't effectively support the CV.

What does the speaker suggest about motivation being unique to individuals?

The speaker suggests that motivation is personal and can vary greatly from one individual to another, emphasizing the importance of expressing one's unique motivation in a motivation letter.

What role does the speaker claim to have in the admissions process?

The speaker clarifies that they do not work in admissions and that their advice is based on personal experiences and opinions.

Why should high school students reach out to their student counselor when writing a motivation letter?

High school students are advised to reach out to their student counselor for additional guidance and support in the motivation letter writing process.

What is the first step in writing a motivation letter as suggested by the video?

The first step is to outline the questions that the institution or program wants applicants to answer, as these will guide the content of the motivation letter.

How does the speaker compare a motivation letter to an academic Tinder?

The speaker compares a motivation letter to an academic Tinder by suggesting that, like on Tinder, the institution is looking for specific answers to their questions, and applicants should answer each question individually and clearly.

What is the purpose of creating bullet points when writing a motivation letter?

Bullet points help to organize thoughts, avoid rambling, and ensure that the most important points are clear and memorable to the reader.

What is the structure of a typical motivation letter as described in the video?

A typical motivation letter includes a date, personal information, salutation, opening paragraph, body with bullet points, conclusion, and complimentary close with the applicant's full name and signature.

Why is it important to be concise in a motivation letter?

Conciseness is important because of the limited word count and to ensure that the reader can easily understand and remember the key points of the letter.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the use of 'I' in a motivation letter?

The speaker advises not to shy away from starting sentences with 'I' as it helps to make the letter clear and straightforward, avoiding an overly poetic or indirect style.

How does the speaker suggest showing your writing ability in the motivation letter?

The speaker suggests that by writing an essay that is concise, clear, and understandable, applicants can demonstrate their academic writing ability to the institution.

What is the final step in writing a motivation letter according to the video?

The final step is to write a conclusion that summarizes the key points of the letter, indicating what the applicant intends to learn or achieve.

Why is it recommended to have someone else read over your motivation letter?

Having someone else read over the letter can help catch spelling mistakes and provide a fresh perspective, ensuring the letter is clear and effective.