Molly, former writing center tutor
Please keep in mind that these are only general guidelines; always defer to your professor’s specifications for a given assignment. If you have any questions about the content represented here, please contact the Writing Centers so that we can address them for you.
What’s more fun than writing a personal statement for graduate school? Everything! I recently applied to eight – yes, eight – graduate schools for PhD programs, and it was almost overwhelming. In the span of a page or two, you have to talk about how great you are without being egotistical, sound confident without being bullheaded, and capture the reader’s interest without losing focus.
I got through it though – and even got into a few programs – and you can too! Here are some important things to remember about writing a successful personal essay:
- Personal essays need to be tailored toward each individual school to which you are applying. It is a good idea to say specific things about why the program appeals to you and how you might fit into it. This shows the school that you have done some research on the program – not that they are simply another notch on a long list of applications.
- Give the committee an idea of who you are as a person; don’t simply regurgitate facts that can be derived from other areas of your application. This is an opportunity for the committee to gain some insight into your persona, so by all means, give it that personal touch! You may want to tell a story about a past event that has impacted you. Take this opportunity to not only explain that you engaged in a certain activity and why it appealed to you, but how your experiences have helped to shape your worldview, renewed your commitment to your field, or helped you make an important decision.
- You need to show the committee that you have some direction, commitment, and idea of how you would like to pursue your future studies/professional endeavors in your field. However, you also want the committee to know that you are open to being shaped by their program, to learning and absorbing what the school has to offer. It is a delicate balance. You want to sound like you have some direction and research interests, but that you recognize this may — and perhaps should — change in pursuit of a degree at their institution.
- Follow directions to a tee! If the essay calls for 800 words or less, do not make it 801. First impressions are important – if you can’t even follow simple directions, how will you successfully complete graduate school?
- If you find yourself running out of room, write the essay as long as you need to address all the points you think the committee needs to know about you, and then cut, cut, cut! Cut out every insignificant word – like “that” or “which” or an adverbial phrase – and if it’s still too long, consider prioritizing the content. Chances are you can tweak your statement just enough to include everything you want by simply rewording things.
And most of all, remember that these people read so many essays you need to make yours shine. Grip the reader with some intense verbs and give them a window into your academic “soul.” If you are stuck, check out this book – Perfect Personal Statements by Mark Alan Stewart. It has good examples and some simple, but informative, advice.
