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![]() ![]() “Survival of the fittest” once evoked Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection. ![]() For example, “The devil is in the details” should hopefully not be taken literally! Other clichés may once have possessed a precise meaning that made them creative metaphors, but they have now lost their edge because that specific definition has been forgotten or dulled through overuse. Some are idioms, where the figurative meaning of a group of words is different from the literal definition. You are probably familiar with many of them, although you might find it difficult to pinpoint their exact definition. These overused phrases do not provide a specific meaning or image. What is a cliché?Ĭlichés are expressions that either have a general meaning or have “lost their meaning” over time. This example shows the problem with clichés-they are general statements that do not add any detailed evidence or unique support to a piece of writing, whether that writing is a personal statement or an academic essay. We didn’t learn anything specific about this person. The first applicant relied on clichés-“I’m a people person,” “jack-of-all-trades,” “every cloud as a silver lining”-that anybody could have used. But the second did it with more specificity-in other words, by using detailed evidence to reinforce her more general claims about herself. Who gets the money? Both applicants made the same basic argument about themselves. I finally made a contribution to my field after 200 experiments! As my numerous failed experiments for my chemistry senior project show, challenges are profitable in the long-run. I won’t let the inevitable challenges of living abroad deter me from my educational goals. Growing up in a military family taught me how to quickly adapt to new people and environments. I will be able to immerse myself in another country because I have experience as an ESL tutor interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. I am also prepared to deal with adversity and learn from challenges because I know that every cloud has a silver lining. I know how to adapt, because I’m a jack-of-all-trades. I’m a people person, so I am certain to get along well with new people in a strange country. You are responsible for making sure a limited amount of money goes to the most qualified applicants…and you have to read through hundreds of application essays! Here are two personal statements: Let’s say you are on a study abroad applications review committee. ![]() Introduction: What’s so bad about clichés? This handout discusses clichés and why you should generally avoid them in order to achieve specificity in both your academic writing and your application essays. ![]()
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