WRITING A
PERSONAL STATEMENT
A personal statement is an important part of your
graduate school application—this is where you
capture in clear, concise and compelling terms why
you should be chosen for the program to which
you’re applying.
Graduate schools often require a written statement—often called a “statement of purpose,” “personal
statement” or “letter of intent”—as a part of the application. Some require fairly specific information. Others are
unstructured, leaving the applicant free to address a wide range of topics. Usually the purpose is to persuade
the admissions committee that you are a distinctive applicant who should be selected.
Make sure everything you include supports the overall purpose of the statement, and remember the audience
as you draft it. Your readers are professionals in their field, and they are assessing you for fit, distinctions, self-
awareness and quality in order to make their decision.
What is a personal statement?
Don’t use the “life story” approach.
Stay focused on the program and why
you’re an excellent candidate for it.
Don’t use a catalog of achievements.
Approaching your personal statement as
an exhaustive list of what you have done
tells little about you as a person.
Don’t lecture the reader. The committee knows a
lot about the discipline so don’t make unnecessary
claims about the field.
And don’ ts
X
X
X
Read the instructions carefully. In applications
with detailed instructions for the personal
statement, not following them can hurt your
chances of acceptance.
Spend some time reflecting. Think. Jot down
some notes. What are your strengths? What
makes you special?
Be real. Readers can pick up if you’re not being
authentic. Stay focused on who you are and what
you bring to the table.
Some do’s
What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement
What to write in your personal statement
Your professional and academic purpose in graduate study
This topic should include the big issues and questions you are especially interested in tackling. It also should
include how you intend to apply your graduate study in terms of your future career or other professional goals. The
purpose portion of your statement is an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge about the program by referring to
faculty, curriculum or other program details.
Your area of specialization
Why are you drawn to this area and how does this program align with your interests and goals? This is an
opportunity to demonstrate deep contemporary knowledge of the area of study. Learn about your area of interest
in detail so that you are able to state your preferences using area-specific language, and be sure it aligns with the
program’s faculty and curriculum.
How you’re uniquely prepared and qualified
Correlate your academic credentials and your extracurricular experience with program criteria to show how they
combine to make you a special candidate. Present yourself as a distinct candidate based on your background,
interests, goals or passions. Many programs value diversity, so this is also a great place to highlight your
background or diverse perspectives.
Why this program? Why now?
Research the school and describe its special appeal to you. Refer to the school’s curriculum, philosophy/approach
or faculty. Demonstrate that you know what is involved academically, and that your goals align with the details of the
program. Also, make it clear why now is the right time for you to begin this study. Your statement should convince the
committee that this is your top choice of any program.
Tell them who you are as a person
Remember, your readers know nothing about you. Give them a strong sense of who you are as a person beyond
credentials. In many programs, faculty are selecting candidates with whom they will be working closely for three to
six years, making this element of your personal statement especially important. Relate your application to personal
experience or passion. One detail: This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you will be an active and generous
member of the learning community.
Some programs provide questions or guidance to help you structure your statement. Analyze
them. Answer the prompts fully and thoughtfully.
Usually graduate and professional schools are interested in the following topics, although the
form of the question(s) and answers may vary.
What to write in your personal statement
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