146. Personal Statement 2012 REVEALED

Hey peeps!

Since all personal statements were completed and submitted for the Fall 2012 applications a while back...I figured it's probably about time that I post my personal statement...for the record.

I had almost totally forgotten about it, but I think I promised that I would post this year's statement...and I like to keep my promises. So HERE IT IS!

If you're interested in seeing the progression of my personal statements over the years, you can read my 2010 and 2011 personal statements for NYU by CLICKING HERE...but this time, just to switch it up...I'm posting my personal statement for Juilliard.

See below...

Virginia Wilcox - Personal Statement - Juilliard - 2012

Actors give a truly important service to society. As storytellers, they mold the collective mind and spark social change through the spread of ideas, backed by the passionate fervor of an audience’s shared emotional experience. Great acting requires bravery, discipline, and passion. These are the same qualities that make up a great human being. The more you are willing to be a fully present, loving, generous, courageous person…the better you will be at empathically embodying the experience of another. I look to the journeys of actors like Laura Linney and Daniel Talbott who have blossomed from their training at Juilliard, followed their own unique passions, and boldly serve with their work, and I think, “That’s the kind of artist I want to BE!”

Right now, at 30, I feel I have no more time to waste in becoming my dream. I must remove the barriers that are holding me back from becoming the gutsy human being and actor I’ve always known I can be. I am taking action to face my fears, changing unhealthy behaviors that undermine my strength, and transforming my life in preparation for the transformational work ahead in grad school. This year I changed my eating habits and am back in my ideal body, deepened my yoga practice, left a two-year relationship that was no longer healthy for me, adopted the Tao te Ching as my spiritual manual (my favorite audiobook for subway rides), obtained a fantastic day-job in the middle of the recession (and though the job has protected me from financial ruin, it has also given me clarity that acting is my true profession), and last, but not least, I have taken two personal finance classes at The Actor’s Fund and am on track to eliminate my debt by 2012. (Cannot wait!) Overcoming my fears and taking action, I feel a great sense of accomplishment with both. With courage and persistence I have proven to myself that I do have the power to change my life and become a stronger human being and a stronger artist. Barriers be gone!

After suffering last year’s disappointment of not getting into NYU or Yale (for the second time), I knew that for 2011 I could not depend on acceptance to grad school to kick-start my artistic growth. I was going to have to do something on my own. So I decided to address what I think is my greatest obstacle as an actor: my fear of being open and vulnerable in front of others. I came up with the idea to write a blog as a forum to test my fears, publicly documenting my process of preparation for applying to MFA acting programs. The blog has a two-fold benefit: I get to practice being publicly open and vulnerable through my daily writing, while motivating others to bravely pursue their dreams as I boldly pursue mine. To me, the idea of blogging was absolutely terrifying…and that’s exactly why I did it.  On my Facebook page I publicly committed to write 180 blog posts from September 5 to April 1, and invited everyone I know to follow. The blog has been the greatest confidence builder of all. An online community of like-minded folks have rallied around me in support. Each morning I send out an honest snapshot of my life, with all of its ups and downs. I am discovering that those flaws and idiosyncrasies that we fear others will condemn us for are often the very things that draw us to connect with one another and remind us that we are all innately human. www.AcceptanceProjectNYC.blogspot.com  has already made me feel like this year’s application process has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.

I have a deep desire to create art that inspires others and that is why I am driven to do this work; because of the “Artist as Citizen” ethos, Juilliard is my first choice for my MFA. None of the other schools “walk the walk” like Juilliard does, not only in addressing the question of how we can make work that will be significant to our communities, to our society and to the world at large, but also in taking action. We are all the creators of our own experience. I want to collaborate with other artists that share the same values and commitment that I have in doing this great work. And these artists are at Juilliard. What might I be capable of contributing to the world if I was given the opportunity to be mentored by the best teachers, inspired by the most committed fellow students, and surrounded by the most passionate arts community in the country? That is the question I cannot stop asking myself and the question that has kept me coming back to audition for graduate school, and finally, Juilliard. At last, I have found my community! Juilliard feels like home to me, where I know I’ll be safe to take risks and realize my life purpose. I hope that you will support me by welcoming me in as a valued member of the artistic community at Juilliard. I cannot do this alone! Help to guide my path, challenge me to continue to remove all barriers, give me the time and tools to build my strength as an actor. My heart beats to be of service to others and to passionately practice my greatest love: acting. I have so much more to give. 

Whah-whah...Didn't get in this year.

:-(

But that's okay...I'll just keep on giving it anyway! Can't think of anything better that I'd like to do.

:-)

For other posts relating to the Personal Statement writing process this year...check these out...
#59 Juilliard Personal Statement Draft
#65 Powerful Questions
#66 My Bucket List: Personal Artistic Goals 2011
#71 Inspiration Is IN
#74 Speak Your Truth


Please Note ***Applying to MFA acting programs really ISN'T about the Personal Statement...It's ALLLL about performing kick-ass monologues on the audition day. (For more about my philosophy of choosing monologues click HERE and/or HERE.) Acting happens LIVE...monologues are what will get you IN (or so I hear) ...not your literary skills. So don't stress if you're not particularly comfortable with writing. Just be true to your heart...and write about what you are really passionate about...because that will be unique. Do not write what you think they want to read...because it will come off completely generic and end up sounding exactly like huuuuuuundreds of other essays that they've been snoozing through for years.***

Best of luck to allllll you allllll writing personal statements out there...now and in the future.

Be courageous. Be you. Write your truth.

Loves,
V

100. First Choice

"There are no wrong choices, there's only the fear of making the wrong choices...Every path I take is perfect." - Leo Babauta, ZenHabits

Whenever I am talking with someone and the subject of applying to grad school comes up in conversation, inevitably this question is asked...

"Which school is your first choice?"

Ugh. It's SUCH a tough question. Truly...they are all my first choice...but for completely different reasons.

I am writing my personal statement for Yale right now. It's my second personal statement this year. (Juilliard was the first one I wrote. That was due on Dec 1st.)

Now, as I'm writing about why Yale is my ideal place for grad school I can't help but have this sinking feeling that I'm "two-timing" Juilliard with Yale... SCANDAL! And just WAIT until I get to writing my heartfelt-love-letter-personal-statement to NYU...then I'm REALLY going to feel like a floozy...

Juuuuust proclaiming my undying devotion and loyalty to all three schools at the same time. So promiscuous!

In my defense....They're all attractive to me. They each have unique qualities to bring to the relationship. I would be very happy devoting myself heart-and-soul to all of them!!! (Not at the same time, of course.) 

I do LOVE them all.

I guess, it's sort of like writing cover letters for job applications... You commit 100% to explaining why that job is PERFECT for you and why you are PERFECT for the job...all the while... knowing that you're just throwing it out there and the rest is up to them...or to chance or the universe or God or the Tao or whatever you believe in.

I mean...the love's got to be reciprocated for it to be a healthy relationship, right?

Sooooo I guess I'll spread my love seeds to all three schools and see if any of them fall on fertile ground...as it were.

LOL!

I mean, life is going to go in whatever direction that it will. All you can hope to do is...be true to your own heart and prepare yourself to be flexible enough to take the opportunities as they come.... and have as much fun as you can in the process, right?

Anyhoo...

Here's some great inspiration for Yale Personal Statement writing... Just in case you're working on that tonight too... Or in case you're like... "Yale? What the heck is that silly school of drama all about anyway and why is Virginia getting so lovey-dovey about it?"

See below...the world-famous acting guru...Mr. Ron Van Lieu...

And, don't forget about Mr. James Bundy!!! He's a GEM... One of my faves... A truly inspiring theatre professional...

Oh, Yale... I do love you... Yes. Yes, I do.

Hugs,
Virginia

"A decision without tradeoffs isn't a decision. The art of good decision making is looking forward to and celebrating the tradeoffs." - Seth Godin

74. Speak Your Truth

Sometimes I need to SPEAK words out loud in order to know if they are true for me. If it's false... it just feels wrong to say. Or maybe it's HEARing it out loud that's the thing? Anyway... it works.

"I am tired."

See?... Truth.

So the laaaaast step in writing this Personal Statement for Juilliard is to simply read it out loud and see if all of the words "ring true." (About to do this in a moment, in spite of the tiredness.)

And then I'll ask my roommate to proofread it, 'cause she's a pro and I ain't so good on grammar and tenses.

Remember, Virginia... the goal with this statement is HONESTY.

It's amazing how many layers of bullshit you have get through to get down to the simple truth. You'd think that knowing yourself would be easy... since you ARE you. But, no...

Anyway... Enough... It's getting late.

Where's my inspirational quote notebook? There's gotta be something in there about honesty or knowing yourself, ya-da, ya-da...

Hmmm....

How 'bout this one?... I like this one...

"First you have to know what you want, then you find a way to get it. It's that simple. The person you need to please is yourself. And there's no risk of failure when you never give up." - Jen Gresham, Everyday Bright

Not a perfect fit for this post... but, then again, who knows? Maybe it is.

Speak your truth.

La la la,
Virginia

72. Hope

"Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood that in the depths of the Great Depression, when he galvanized a despondent nation by telling Americans that they had nothing to fear but fear itself. Roosevelt was urging not to lose hope. Hope is a sustainable value that inspires us to see the world as a source of meaning and to connect with people in valuable ways. Hope is a catalyst. When we lose hope, we retreat into ourselves; we detach and dispair. When we have hope, we lean into the world, and a sense of possibility takes root that allows us to connect with others and collaborate with them to bring these futures about. Like trust, hope is fundamental to how we connect in a connected world. Without hope there can be no progress, no innovation, and no lasting prosperity. Hope impels people to get up out of their chairs, and inspires them to take on challenges that they never dreamed of taking on before -- and to stick with them however hard things get. Of course hope alone is not a strategy, but it is the essential starting point for any sustainable strategy. In this way, hope inspires the pursuit of significance." - Dov Seidman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, LRN, How: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything

I love this book! Is that not the most incredible quote!?! It is! I mean, it gives me hope that hope is so valuable... 'Cause hope is what I've got in abundance right now... Tangible evidence of success will come soon... I hope. But for now, hope will have to suffice.

In other news...

I am taking a break from putting some finishing touches on the Juilliard Personal Statement. Or you could say... I'm taking a break from over-thinking, re-working and f-ing it all up... LOL!

Actually, I do think my writing does sometimes get worse as a result of editing. What's gained in clarity is lost in flow... All well.

Ultimately, this essay's gotta go out with my application... So I will do all that I can to be happy with it... and then I've gotta let it go and leave the rest up to the universe.

Can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, ya know? (That's a throw-back to blog post #1... for those of you that have been long-time blog followers.)

It's sooooooo close to being done, folks... I can almost taste it.

What shall we do to celebrate when the personal statement is alllll done and the Juilliard application is submitted? Ideas?

Anyhoo, HOPE you have a good evening... I'm gonna get back to the re-writes!

Fingers to the keys,
Virginia

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day." - A.A. Milne, author (1882 - 1956)

 

71. Inspiration Is IN

"The first step to living a life of passion and purpose is to remove the barriers that hold you back." - Adam Baker, Man Vs. Debt

Sooooo, I'm still working on my Personal Statement Draft for Juilliard. It's coming together. But striking that balance between being honest/raw/open/vulnerable about where I've come from and what I had to do to get to where I am now... and still managing to show my bubbly-passionate-desire-to-inspire-self is really challenging.

It's a balancing act... Heavy/Light... Dark/Bright... Negative/Positive. One without the other will not give the full picture.

There is much shitty-ness that is a part of my story... and I often choose NOT to focus on that part... for various reasons... The greatest of which is... I have found that focusing on the negativity of the past has never helped me to create a more positive future. So I try to spend as little time walking down negative-memory-lane as possible.

But with this Personal Statement... it's tough NOT to go there... I don't want to wallow in the past, but I don't want to deny it either. The dark times have become a part of who I am now and have helped to shape me. They've made me appreciate my successes and blessings soooo much more than if everything had come easily.

And... as avid-AcceptanceProject-blog-follower-Alexis reminded me in a VERY HELPFUL phone call late last night regarding the Personal Statement... the thing that makes us unique and inspiring to each other are not our pains or our obstacles (everybody's got those to contend with to varying degrees)... but HOW we manage to overcome them and get to a more positive/happy/successful/awesome life. Everybody can relate to that struggle/journey and get on-board the HOPE train! Tell THAT story and people will both...A. root for your success and B. be inspired to pursue self-betterment themselves!

WIN/WIN!

Sigh... Anyway, that's great and all... But it's not enough to just to KNOW what  I want to communicate in the Personal Statement... The key (that I am trying to get to) is HOW to communicate that idea successfully... in 2 pages... double-spaced.... Still working on that part.

Luckily I've got 4 more days to figure it out... before I have to press SEND and submit the application.

TONS of time... Not.

I wish I was gutsy enough to send in a personal statement that looked like the following...

Ha ha ha!!! Can you imagine?... Sigh... Hilarious.

But.. no... that would be a cop-out. Because I'd only be doing it out of laziness... trying to avoid having to get to my bottom-line and be REALLY specific and concise about WHY I WANT TO BE AN ACTOR... and HOW I HOPE MY WORK WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE WORLD... and WHY JUILLIARD'S PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY RESONATES WITH ME AND WILL HELP ME ON MY JOURNEY OF ARTISTIC GROWTH.

Soooo here's TODAY'S PLAN OF ACTION in re-writing my Personal Statement...

Step 1: Go to the movies... and (hopefully) be inspired by some amazing acting

Step 2: Go to yoga... to let my body sweat and allow my subconscious mind to mix-up all the ideas I want to incorporate into the next draft of the Personal Statement (perhaps inspiration will hit me during final savasana?)

Step 3: Come home, shower, make a cup of tea, turn on my computer, read what I've already written and see if I am even remotely inspired by my own words... If not... my "literary babies" will have to be sacrificed (cut or rewritten) in the interest of the greater good (a personal statement that is true to who I was... true to who I am am... and most importantly... true to who I am becoming!)

All that... in 2 pages... double spaced... 12 point font.

Noooow.... GO!

Gettin' there,
Virginia

"Human qualities like creativity, helpfulness, and hope can't be commanded; they can only be inspired in people. You can't order somebody to have a great idea. You can't mandate rich, creative collaborations. You can't command a doctor or nurse to be more humane and show compassion at a patient's bedside. You can't really motivate or coerce a teacher to be more hopeful and create a sense of possibility in the classrom. You can't sufficiently motivate a sales representative to engender trust in every interaction. The lucky ones figure it out early on their own, but others need to be inspired to bring out these qualities." - Dov Seidman, How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything

66. My Bucket List: Personal Artistic Goals 2011

Bucket List: A list of things to do before you die. Comes from the term "kicked the bucket".

The below is part "bucket list," part "goals for the future," and part "ways I want to create my life." I wrote this list as a brain-storm exercise for the Juilliard Personal Statement. Probably not going to include any of it in the final draft of the statement, but I thought that the act of writing the list was valuable. I also thought that it would be an important thing to post on the blog... as a record of what I would like to do in the future. 

Who knows? Maybe I'll look back on this post years from now and be able to go through the list and check off a bunch of things...or maybe even ALL of them. Hope so!!! Wouldn't that be an awesome feeling???

Here's my Bucket List of Personal Artistic Goals 2011...

• I want to love my life and die knowing that I lived it exactly the way I wanted to.
• I always want to remember to be grateful for every opportunity that comes my way.
• I want earn the respect the artists that I respect and admire as a valued artistic collaborator.
• I want to serve our society in the best way that my unique talents will allow and inspire others to do the same.
• I want to be able to give back to those that have been positive influences for me along the way. I would love to be a mentor to up-and-coming artists or stay involved with my former school as an alumni who gives back.
• I want the process of “getting there” to be just as enjoyable (if not more so) than achieving my “goals."
• I want to work on projects with passionate people that also want their art to make a difference in people’s lives.
• I want to be a person that others enjoy working with.
• I want to create a sustainable life for myself, financially and creatively.
• I want to be able to pay my bills and take care of my family and thrive on the pay I receive from my acting.
• I want to attract an agent that truly believes in my abilities and versatility as an actor, understands how to best represent me within the industry, shares my vision for my artistic career and will have an unwavering work ethic because he/she LOVES his/her job.
• I want to have fun.
• I would like to voice an audiobook.
• I want to find a life partner who will love me unconditionally and will always support me in my life's work.
• I want to constantly grow and be challenged and always pursue excellence.
• I want to get really confident in my skills as an actor. I want to create such a strong foundation in my work, that I can look forward to a life-long career.
• I want to work with people I LOVE and am inspired by.
• I would like to be a regular on a televisions series that feels like a company of  super-skilled, excellence-pursuing, like-minded artists all working together to create the best show on television.
• I want to be a part of a community of like-minded artists in New York City and Los Angeles.
• I want to be a smart business woman.
• I want to live debt-free.
• I want to own my own home.
• I want to have health insurance.
• I want to travel and experience different cultures.
• I want to be able to afford to fly home and see my family whenever I want to.
• I want to originate a role on Broadway.
• I want to write a book and have it published somewhere.
• I want to write a play and see it produced someday.
• I want to create a successful enough career as an artist to be able to have creative artistic choice is selecting my jobs, such that I can choose my jobs because I LOVE them and I BELIEVE in them, not because I need the money.
• I want to be remembered as someone that left a positive impact on the world in my own small way.
• I never want to stop learning... EVER.
• I will stop doing all of the above… on the day I die.

What's in your bucket?

Loves,

V

"You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes you might find

You get what you need"

- The Rolling Stones

65. Powerful Questions

"The questions you have to answer pertain to what, where, when and WHY. Mine pertain to how and with whom. When you know the end result, I always know the fastest way." - The Universe

Working on my personal statement today... In my comfy writing-space at home with a cup of tea and the sunshine coming through the windows and all my papers and notes scattered about me on the futon.

I am enjoying some of the questions that have come up as I've been brain-storming and journaling and exploring what I really want to say with this personal statement for my Juilliard application.

I seriously love a good, hard-core, no-nonsense, well-stated question.

I'm so grateful to have the opportunity and motivation to reflect on these life-direction types of questions. I think they are important to ask ourselves from time to time... just to check-in and make sure that our daily actions are in-tune with what our own unique hearts REALLY value.

Below are my questions... and "my answers"... Which are in no way "your answers"... As you know, you've got your own answers inside of you. So please keep in mind while reading below... that I am simply exploring these ideas and none of these answers are meant to be etched in stone (not even for myself). Ask me these same questions tomorrow and you'll get a whole new set of "answers"... none of which are wrong... none of which are right.

:-p

Just asking the question and being open to listening for the universe to bring you an answer is a step in the right direction.

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." - Luke 11:9, The Bible: New Living Translation

Enjoy living in the questions...

Q: What job would your pay someone to let you do?
A: Do that.... If you aren't doing that now, do one small thing today to move yourself in the direction of doing that. You will be happy with yourself when you do.

Q: What is stopping you from becoming your "dream come true" right now?
A: Don't use FEAR of anything as an excuse... Run as fast as you can toward conquering that fear. Ask for help from experts when you need it.

Q: If you become like those you are with, who are you with that you want to become like?
A: Seek out people who inspire you and spend time with them. Learn from them. Don't waste your time on people that you don't enjoy.

Q: What is your measure of success?
A: Define it. Make it quantifiable in some way. That's the only way you'll know when you've reached it.

Q: What stories inspire you?
A: I like "rags to riches" stories. I like "overcoming the odds" stories. I like stories of successful entrepreneurs who experienced years of failure to finally rise from the ashes and do great things. I like stories of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things. I like stories of people who don't wait around to be saved, but choose to save themselves and help others save themselves in the process. I like funny stories that make you cry. I like stories about change... changed hearts, changed minds, changed bodies and souls.

Q: How do you see your art connecting to the world?
A: I will answer this question with another question... "What is the universal truth in this?"... I am CONSTANTLY asking myself that question, unconsciously and consciously... Especially in writing, but in acting as well... What do I mean, exactly? Well... For example, you could be doing a scene about eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich... but what's REALLY going on in that scene?... What is it that's humanly universal about the experience of eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Which universal truth are we trying to communicate?....  Is is about satisfying a craving? Is is about nostalgically reliving a familiar childhood experience? Is it a suicidal death-wish because you are allergic to peanut butter?

THAT is what I love about art. It can be interpreted a million different ways, by both the artist and the audience. So that's how I'd like my art to connect to the world... I would like to be a skillful enough artist to make specific circumstances and unique personal experiences feel universal through sharing my creative point-of-view. That's my idea of fun. That's how I'd like to create more empathy and connection between humans. I truly believe that's the kind of art that changes the world. Because empathy leads to new ways of thinking, which leads to new ways of reacting and eventually motivates pro-action... for the betterment and benefit of ALL people... if I have anything to do with it... and I will... and I do. And so do you!

We are all participating in artfully creating this world. So the best question is... What do you have to contribute to this art project called life? Our society, our world needs you... so GIVE what you most love to give. It will be appreciated by someone.

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller

Always in process,
Virginia

62. Water Break

"I'm shifting gears professionally.... I'm beginning to focus intensely on where I've succeed and failed in 2011 and what I want to build in 2012 and beyond. While I've accomplished some great things this year, I know I've also dropped a lot of balls and not come close to what I'm capable of creating in the world." - Jonathan Fields 

I'm still germinating on the whole "personal statement" idea before actually setting pen to paper... or fingers to keys (as the case may be). Maybe I'll get to an actual "draft" on the plane this afternoon. 

Planes always make me sentimental and self-reflective. Something about flying and looking down at the ground beneath the clouds. Thinking about all the lives that are being lived as we pass over in the air... There's something profound about that experience.

Anyway... I've gotten some great feedback and suggestions regarding my personal statement from several wonderful readers/friends/supportive souls. So thank you to all of you that took the time to write me a response to post #59.

I am packing-up everything from this business trip in Florida now and will soon be getting back to the "real world" in New York. Florida has been a welcome change of pace and there have been several moments for reflection on this trip... which I am very grateful for.

November has been an unusually unfocused month for me... Tons of stuff going on... Difficult to clear my mind of extraneous thought to focus on one thing: writing this personal statement for Juilliard. 

But that's where I am at. And that's okay. It's real. It's honest.

And I am hoping that today, I will be able to clear a space in my head for these thoughts and ideas to coalesce into form. But, these things will happen on their own time and forcing it neeeeeeever works out well for me.

So, for now, I will take my cues from the ocean: I will go with the flow. I will let the tide of creative inspiration pull me when it will. And hopefully, the result will be a personal statement that is deep and clear, just like the blue ocean water that continuously, persistently and beautifully writes in seafoam on the shore.

Love to you all,

Virginia

"Look, and it can't be seen.
Listen, and it can't be heard.
Reach, and it can't be grasped... 

You can't know it, but you can be it,
at ease in your own life.
Just realize where you come from:
this is the essence of wisdom."- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching - Chapter 14 (translated by Stephen Mitchell)

 

59. Juilliard Personal Statement Draft

"The secret of good writing is to say an old thing in a new way or a new thing in an old way." - Richard Harding Davis, journalist and author (1864 - 1916)

Soooo I'm in West Palm Beach, FL right now... on a business trip for my "day-job."  Tough life, right?

It's beeeeeautiful here. And between doing all my job-related duties, I've been resting and taking some time to do a few things that I lovvve... like staring out at the unending horizon of the Atlantic Ocean and breathing in the smell of the sea salt or taking a luxurious bubble-bath in the ginormous hotel bath tub.

I love water. Baths seriously rule. There is nothing like the soothing feeling of warm water and the smell of super yummy fragrant suds. Very healing after a couple of very stressful/busy weeks.

Relaxing a bit is good.

Annnnd... I set myself a "grad-school-application-prep-goal" for the weekend too... I want to write-up the first draft of my Juilliard Personal Statement, which is due (along with the rest of the online application) on Dec 1st.

Hopefully, with the inspiration of being surrounded by so much beauty, comfort and H20... I will be able to come up with two pages, double-spaced in a 12-point font.

It's funny... I write about my creative process and reasons I want to go to grad school six days a week on this blog... so you'd think that I'd be like... "Personal statement? No problem!"

But I'm actually rather intimidated by the prospect of narrowing all of my millions of thoughts/feelings/ideas/reasons/motivations/inspirations for this whole grad school endeavor down into two simple pages.

I want to tell my story in a compelling and concise way. So I've got to be selective about what I chose to include. I can't tell them EVERYTHING about me. So what are the most important thing(s) that they should know about me and my story?

There are sooooo many different angles I could take. I could write 20 different personal statements and they all would be 100% TRUE, but still only a small snapshot of WHY I am making this choice of applying to grad school for the third time.

So what's the best picture to paint?

Here's what I do know for SURE... I definitely want to write about the blog and how overcoming my fear of being publicly transparent about my creative process has helped me grow as a person.

So that's that... but there are million different WAYS for me to tell that story and many different personal examples I could include... ya da, ya da.

So this is where yooooou come in...

What do you think is the best way to spin my story? You guys have been reading the blog and following my process and being believing mirrors, supporting me since I started this project back in September... and before. So I feel like you are all incredibly qualified to weighing-in on this particular subject of what best to include in my personal statement.

Need some structure to hang your thoughts on? How 'bout this...

Juilliard spells out their "Criteria for Acceptance" on the website. In auditioning and interviewing potential students, the Drama faculty looks especially for the following qualities:

• A serious commitment to an acting career in the professional theater 
• A potential for meeting the technical standards of Juilliard’s professional training program 
• A potential for vital, individualistic, trainable growth—regarded as more important than the applicant’s present state of technical accomplishment 
• Energy, openness of mind, enthusiasm, and a readiness to take risks 
• A body, voice, and imaginative/emotional powers promising significant dramatic development 
• A potential for identification with the thought process of a text 
• A generosity of spirit essential to ensemble playing 
• A sense of humor, a sense of language, a sense of rhythm, and a capacity for sustained concentration 
• A readiness for hard, rigorous work 
• All applicants must be completely fluent in written and spoken English.

That's who I want to BE!!!!

And...here are Juilliard's guidelines for writing the Personal Statement Essay:

Juilliard’s Admissions Committee uses your essay to learn more about you as an individual, and gain a sense of who you are beyond your application, transcript and audition. Please write about why you have chosen to become an actor and your personal artistic goals. We encourage you to write frankly and openly about your life, your connection to your art, and how you see your art connecting to the world. Share your passion about people or politics or other art forms or about anything that speaks to you.

So what comes to mind about Virginia Wilcox when you read all that? Any ideas sparking from anything you've read in a previous post or a conversation that we've had?

Ultimately, I know that it's going to be ME who's going to write the thing... But I am very interested in your perspective, because I feel like we're not always the best judge of our own best stories.

If you want to go the extra mile and be really super OVER-ACHIEVING... You can click on the "Personal Statement(s)" tab on the AcceptanceProject home page and gather some context from reading my two past personal statements for NYU. Then you can flaunt your knowledge by posting a incredibly insightful suggestion for possible inclusion in this year's statement in the comments at the bottom of this post.

Yes, you can help shape this girl's future success, by your participation with this blog! How cool is that?

I mean... if you were on the audition panel at Juilliard, choosing which students would be accepted to your program, and you read an essay by this blog-writing-failed-twice-but-won't-give-up-Virginia-Wilcox-actor-person... What about her would make you sit-up and take notice and motivate you to want to help her succeed as an actor soooooo much that you'd be overjoyed to take her on and work closely with her for the next four years to help mentor her into the best possible artistic collaborator she can be?

THAT's the essay I want to write.

Send me your thoughts, peeps! Let's get this draft goin'!!!

Loves,

Virginia

"The storylines we create around a particular circumstance are far more determinative of success than the circumstance itself. They affect not only our willingness to act, but the quality of our ideas and solutions." - Jonathan Fields, Uncertainty: Turning Fear & Doubt Into Fuel For Brilliance