personal statement mba

One key to landing that coveted spot in a prestigious MBA school is submitting an excellent personal statement MBA.  Because the personal statement is a way for the admissions panel to know who you really are as a potential MBA student, you have to make sure that your essay grabs their attention and that it is persuasive enough.  To be able to come up with an effective personal statement, you have to have an essay with a topic that’s strongly supported by evidence or statements.  When thinking of supporting statements for your essay topic, you can actually use logos and pathos as types of evidence.

What are logos and pathos as types of evidence in a personal statement?

In a personal statement or admission essay, there are different types of evidence you can use to persuade the readers that you really deserve a spot at your dream MBA school.  Two of these evidence types are logos and pathos.

Logos

Coming from the verb lego which means to speak, count, or tell, the word “logos” basically means reasoning or something that is said.  This word may also be used to refer to reasoning or logic because of the fact that if a person is capable of speech, then that person has reasoning skills.  As a mode of persuasion in a personal statement or essay, you are actually using reasoning in convincing the readers that you deserve to be accepted in a certain MBA school.  An example is to state a fact, such as having the aptitude to pursue an MBA degree through high college grades, in your essay.  Another example is to cite a work experience or situation that helped you develop skills you need as a future MBA degree holder.  These experiences or situations serve as logical examples of your determination or willingness to pursue an MBA program.

Pathos

As another mode of persuasion, using pathos means you are appealing to your readers’ emotions.  Now you don’t have to submit a sob story as a personal statement for MBA.  The key to appealing to your readers’ emotions without sounding desperate or pathetic is to actually “hook” them or grab their attention.  You can do this by including an interesting anecdote or by telling a story without appealing to your audience’s pity.

Other tips in using logos and pathos as modes of persuasion in your essay

When using these types of persuasion, it’s important not to go overboard.  An essay with so many facts can bore the readers.  On the other hand, too much pathos can make your essay too dramatic.  You can also read sample essays that use these persuasion modes as evidence types to help you get started with your own personal statement MBA.