How to Write a Personal Statement for a Graduate School Application
When applying for a graduate program, the personal statement is your opportunity to set yourself apart from the other candidates. This is where you can include personal information about yourself and convince the admissions committee that you deserve a spot in their program. Using a few important techniques when creating your personal statement can help get you that much closer to an acceptance letter.
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Instructions
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Address all questions specified in the application. Cover all topics that the application states you should include in your statement.
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Give an overall depiction of yourself, including any noteworthy characteristics or positive attributes. Be honest and sincere. Reflect on life experiences that have made you the person you are and brought you to this point in your life.
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Tell the admissions committee what is special or different about you and what separates you from other applicants. Convince them that you belong in their program.
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Outline your career goals and what you hope to accomplish using this degree. Include information about what led you to this field of study and why you want to further your education in it. Mention why you have chosen this particular institution at which to further your studies.
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Describe awards or honors you have received, especially pertaining to the field of study you are applying for, as well as any honorary or professional societies to which you belong.
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Discuss work or research you have done in this field and any publications you have. Include pertinent volunteer work. Explain what you have learned through these job experiences and how they apply to your graduate studies and future professional work.
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Provide concrete examples to illustrate personal characteristics, accomplishments and abilities.
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Explain academic discrepancies in your record, such as a poor GPA or low GRE scores. Don't make excuses, but rather provide an honest explanation for such discrepancies.
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Make your statement interesting and original. The admissions committee will probably read hundreds of personal statements. Don't lose their attention: make your statement stand out from the others.
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Proofread and ensure that your statement is well written. Have at least one person proofread it, preferably a former professor in the field.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't include too much information, but at the same time, cover any topics that you do address thoroughly. Refrain from being superficial or trite.
Include information in your personal statement that is not already covered in your application. The admissions committee does not need to read the same information about you multiple times when there is other, and better, information you could be supplying.
Use the old Composition 101 rule of thumb: hook your readers with your opening paragraph. If you make the opening paragraph too bland, you'll lose them.
Refrain from writing one generic personal statement to send to multiple graduate schools. Each statement you send should answer the questions asked for that particular program. Admissions committees will know if your statement is mass-produced and will not be impressed.
Do not, under any circumstances, lie in your personal statement. Only make claims that you can support with evidence.
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Comments
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af40
Apr 02, 2008
Good suggestions. Also: -Try to avoid gimmicks at all costs. Graduate progams are not the place to be overly creative; after all, graduate schools want a seasoned, mature, and thoughtful applicant who knows what s/he wants professionally. -Use correct grammar and syntax; it is probably a good idea to use words of a college graduate evel, but don't overdo it. AdComs know when you are piing it on or when you are simply making poor use of a Thesaurus. -Relevance is key. -Show how and why your experiences and interests are relevant to your graduate education. -You need not "teach" the adcom about their profession, this is not ony pandering but condescending. But DO show some broad knowledge of the key issues in the subject you are applying to. -Proofread (many times) and have a few people (friends, family) criticaly proofread it, too. -Make sure you don't go over page limits. EDIT E -
af40
Apr 02, 2008
Good suggestions. Also: -Try to avoid gimmicks at all costs. Graduate progams are not the place to be overly creative; after all, graduate schools want a seasoned, mature, and thoughtful applicant who knows what s/he wants professionally. -Use correct grammar and syntax; it is probably a good idea to use words of a college graduate evel, but don't overdo it. AdComs know when you are piing it on or when you are simply making poor use of a Thesaurus. -Relevance is key. -Show how and why your experiences and interests are relevant to your graduate education. -You need not "teach" the adcom about their profession, this is not ony pandering but condescending. But DO show some broad knowledge of the key issues in the subject you are applying to. -Proofread (many times) and have a few people (friends, family) criticaly proofread it, too. -Make sure you don't go over page limits. EDIT E
