PS outline copy question

[bulldogger116]

I've been reading several books on personal statements to help me write my own personal statements.  My question is, do you think that it would be considered copying if I used the same/similar outline/format as one of the essays used in one of the books.  For instance, if an essay starts by talking about his/ her strengths, and then talks about how he/she wasn't also like that, and then how it has changed her.... yada yada yada..., and I write my ps using the same outline, would that be considered copying? Isn't there only so many ways you can write an essay?   

[cascagrossa]

hopefully you isnt going to use the same grammar in your ps.

[TDPookie1]

I don't think that would be copying.  Anyone else?

[lexylit]

just make sure that's all you copy... sometimes when you work too closely from a model you inadvertently end up choosing some of the same syntax & sentence structure too, which is trouble

[londongirl]

I wouldn't. They've seen so much before already. At least if you think something up yourself you're minimising the risk of giving them something they've already seen. Remember that lots of people will be doing the same as you, getting ideas from these books.  I think if you really brainstorm you can come up with something youreself. Even nif someone's done _that_ before, too, at least you will have carefully considered and decided that this is the BEST way to present yourself.