Personal Statement

What makes a good Personal Statement:

A solid personal statement provides a clear narrative that gives the reader a highlight of your interest, experience, and fit to the program. The differences in a Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement according to Per Scholar.

  • Statement of purpose: A formal essay summarizing your academic/professional background, research interests, and career goals. In this essay, you’ll usually explain your reasons for applying to grad school and why you believe the program and you make a good match.
  • Personal statement: A less formal essay where you can express your "voice" that focuses on your passion and motivation for wanting to enter your chosen field and program. This statement is typically more flexible than the statement of purpose, with a bigger emphasis on personal and professional storytelling. Schools often encourage applicants to discuss (relevant) challenges in their lives and how they’ve overcome them.

Personal Statement Examples and Resources

Prep Scholar 3 Successful Graduate Program Statements

CSU Career Development Graduate School Essay Examples (4)

GradSchool.com Personal Statement Examples

Purdue OWL Writing Lab Personal Statement Examples and Considerations

Rollins Personal Statement Guide

Components of a Personal Statement

When preparing to write a personal statement the following exercises will assist.

Application Statement Questions:

Choose 3-4 of the following questions and free-write a minute about each.

  • What makes you unique? Different? Unusual?
  • What is part of your story up until this point?
  • What writers and what particular articles in your field of study have the greatest influence on the development of your thought?
  • Who were your favorite professors in college and why?
  • What is the best paper you ever wrote in college and why? Who has influence you?
  • What is the most important book play, article or film you have ever read/seen, and how has it influenced you?
  • What is the single most important concept you learning in college?

Application Exercises, Pt.II – Grad School Direction:

Choose 2-3 of the following questions and free-write a minute about each about the evolution of your interest in graduate school.

  • What are some of the most encouraging words other have said about you over the years? Consider quoting this…
  • Where were you and what were you doing when you first thought of pursuing this direction of graduate study?
  • How has your interest evolved, and what specific turning points can you identify?
  • What work experiences have led you to b believe you would like to pursue graduate education?
  • What experiences from your family life, volunteer, and/or travel experiences have influenced your career direction?

Defining your Career Goal

  • Define your career goal as specifically as you can:
  • List Your Motivations for Achieving
  • Write Other Ways You Could Achieve Them
  • Your Career Goal

Accomplishments

  • How have you prepared yourself to succeed in graduate school?
  • What body of relevant knowledge will you take with you?
  • What personal characteristics make you particularly likely to succeed in this new career?
  • List and describe the following (consider time of experience):
  • Accomplishments
  • Projects (Skills gained —- ex. Designed experimental methodologies, scheduled and conducted experiments, analyzed data, and drafted preliminary conclusions)
  • Research (include ramifications and findings)
  • Publications (include citations)
  • Lab Skills
  • Teaching Experiences
  • Presentations and Conferences

Connections to Past work and this Institution

Consider the following and write your answers where there are connections.

  • What professors do you want to work with and why?
  • Do you know of any graduates of the program? Or other connections to the institution?
  • Can you cite or have you heard from any of the professor’s research or work?
  • What is your connection to your current advisor and departments? What other professors have influenced your path and interests in the field?
  • Are their major theorists, writers, and thinkers in the field whose work you follow?

Immediate Future

Consider the following and write your answers where you have information.

  • What classes, experience and skills will you gain between now and entrance to graduate school?
  • What research projects will you complete? Are you working on a thesis or capstone project?
  • If you are working, what will you try to accomplish before you depart for graduate school?

Final Overview

Take a look at your notes above and add information that may be missing when answering the questions below.

  • What are your specific postgraduate career plans?
  • How will this graduate education facilitate those plans?
  • What is your five year goal? Your ten year goal?
  • Will you pursue additional education or professional training beyond the program you are applying to now?

Sources:

PrepScholarGREPrep. How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement.

Asher, D. (2012). Graduate Admissions Essays, Fourth Ed. Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice.

Sayette, M & Norcross, J. (2019). Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology.