Personal Statement cliches?

Hello all,

I have just begun drafting a personal statement and have heard many mixed messages from people on what to write. First I hear that I should make it very personal (perhaps include an anecdote from volunteering, or something) while others say keep it very formal and tell, don't really show. The adcoms want you to get to the point.

Another I heard from a person that essays about personal experiences (such as illness, or sick family member) where a nurse inspired you to pursue this profession are way to common and cliche. Others have said writing your personal statement this way is a great way to bring up why you are passionate about nursing and why you wish to pursue it.

What do you guys think? I know many people who decided upon the nursing major because of a life experience they had (like I mentioned about), and I'm sure they've written about it in their essays. But are they really so common, boring, and even cliche now?

Well, those experiences are pretty common and they are legitimate reasons to decide you want to go into nursing. I think the problem is that applicants tend to write about them in cliche'd and stereotypical ways. Try to explain your thought process in more specific detail than just saying you found the nurses "inspiring" (or something similar). Also, for God's sake, don't say you want to go into nursing "to help people." I've worked on admissions committees for nursing schools -- that one is so ridiculously overdone that people actually groan out loud when they encounter it in an essay, and it hurts people more than it helps them. Best wishes!