How to Write a Graduate School Essay

The graduate school essay, often referred to as the purpose or personal statement, is often the first impression a selection committee has of you. Since many committees have to sift through several graduate school applications, you want your essay to attract attention. The graduate school essay is your chance to talk directly to the graduate selection committee. Use your essay to direct attention to the strong elements of your application, taking focus off any negative aspects.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Try to get your hands on successful graduate school essays to help you determine what selection committees like to see. However, do not copy any part of an essay. Using even one original phrase from another writer's essay may constitute plagiarism.
2. List all of your accomplishments, interests and experiences. Do this before you start drafting something in paper format.
3. Find an underlying theme or pattern with which to organize your essay.
4. Write in the first person throughout your essay. Use "I" or "my" when discussing your research interests and accomplishments.
5. Discuss your research interests in your essay. Be specific about the topics you want to study while in graduate school. Name faculty with research interests similar to yours.
6. Stay within 500 to 1000 words when finalizing the essay. Another standard is to write no more than two pages.
7. Proofread your essay carefully for problems with punctuation, grammar, spelling and paragraph structure. Essays that have not been adequately proofread leave very poor impressions.
8. Give your essay to a trusted friend or professor to review.
9. Edit your essay, incorporating the feedback you receive from your reviewer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you feel the need to explain application weaknesses, such as a low grade point average and lack of research experience, avoid blaming someone else for them.
• Do not create a standard graduate school essay that you copy and send to every program to which you are applying. Adapt your essay to fit each graduate program.
• Do not fall into thinking that you lack unique skills or relevant experiences. Everyone has worthwhile skills and attributes. The key is to write about these things and make them relevant to graduate study.

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