I had no idea of what I wanted to write about or discuss in my paper--I knew I was known for going on rabbit trails, so I sought out some help.
First, my very own best friend was completing the nutrition program with me and before she did she majored in communications at UF. I discovered that she was an exceptional writer and I quickly acknowledged her skills. She had serious talent. As her close friend, she was willing to help me--so my advice, find someone you trust that can go over your statement and tell you the facts about your drafts and someone who is willing to guide you through the process.
Secondly, I visited the ACE center at UNF, for those of you reading this that are not familiar with what that is it is a general tutoring center that offers free academic skills workshops. This is HIGHLY recommended. I submitted my paper (twice) and the tutors are friendly and resourceful. Simply schedule an appointment {based on your availability} and have them read and edit your paper.
I'm positive you're asking yourself, "What do I place in my statement, what do I say, what do I write about?" Those are all great questions--and I'm here to help.
I discovered that FSU's "Writing a personal statement" was advantageous. It offers a list of questions, tips, common mistakes, and the do's and don'ts of writing a paper. Plus it offers an evaluation chart that helps you assess if you're on the right track. It was perfect.
Remember to answer all of the questions your *future* program director wants to hear--EVERY internship is different so I would recommend writing a general personal statement then answering their questions on separate drafts. You don't want to submit a paper to Delaware when it was intended for Michigan, and so forth.
I would recommend no more than 3 pages. It needs to be direct and to the point, no sappy stories and "passionate" reasons of why you want to become a dietitian. Plus, I believe DICAS has limited your statements to a numbered amount of characters. I've attached mine for a demonstration, but please note that if you abstract any of the writing that this is considered plagiarism. Everyone's writing should be similar to a fingerprint, unique and demonstrates their own characteristics.
I wish you the very best on your journey to becoming future registered dietitians.
I hope this helps, and of course if you have any questions then please don't hesitate to ask!
Have a healthy week!
