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Personal Statements

Personal statements are used to introduce you to the graduate admissions committee. This is the part of your application that allows your personality to shine. It should tell the committee who you are, why you are interested in your field, and what you hope to contribute. That sounds like a daunting task to accomplish in less than two pages, but you can do it. The key to a good personal statement is to not bore the reader.

In writing your personal statement, focus on telling your story. You need to capture the reader’s attention in the first paragraph and follow through with details and information that will accomplish the purpose of the statement. You want to paint a memorable picture that gets your point across.

Tips for Writing a Personal Statement

• Answer any specific question that is asked in the application.
  
  
• Explain any glaring inconsistencies in your academic record (no excuses; just explain and state what you have done to repair the damage).
  
  
• Stand out from other applicants; if your story is simple, be creative in its delivery.
  
  
• Practice good rules of writing: draft, edit, re-draft, re-edit.
  
  
• Writing the personal statement will take more than one try, so don’t rush the process.
  
  
• Have several people read it over and give you suggestions on readability and grammar and to ensure that you have answered any questions that were asked.
  
  
• Don’t lie or fabricate information.
  
  
• Don’t use information that happened in high school or before that unless it is directly related to your interest in the field.
  
  
• Don’t go beyond the allotted space provided.
  
  
• Don’t be outrageous in your story-telling (be conservative, because you don’t know your audience).

When you’re done with your personal statement, make an appointment with a Career Counselor or come to Drop-Ins to have your statement reviewed. Getting a second opinion will strengthen your overall application.