Career
Center Resources
What is a Personal Statement? | What
is a Statement of Intent? | General guidelines
for writing either type of essay | Hints for
writing personal statements | Questions
you might ask yourself | General Suggestions A personal statement is required for law, medical and allied health
professions programs, and some other professional programs such
as counseling, social work and education. One statement can be customized
for each school you apply to. It is an essay. There should be structure, an introductory paragraph,
topic sentences and a conclusion. This structure should be a help
and not a burden in developing a dominant theme. The ideas and sentences
do not have to be complex. Write for clarity. Elaborate on the theme;
present experiences that develop your ideas. Grades, tests and recommendations
will be used to determine your intellectual ability; the personal
statement will establish how effectively you can communicate. It should be clear and vibrant. Admissions officers offer a range
of ideas on writing personal statements but they universally agree
on one request: please don’t bore me! Style should be honest
and concise. Obscure references, pretentious phrases and ostentatious
vocabulary will not be mistaken for eloquence. The tone should be
confident and positive (explain poor grades and/or test scores elsewhere).
Citing the example of someone you admire is appropriate if the focus
stays on you. It is an image of you. An essay that is a pro-forma exercise is
a missed opportunity. It is a chance to identify the significance
of past experience, current position and future goals. At its best,
it is a way to “gather your dreams together into words. Admissions
officers want to read essays that: are well-written and not too
lengthy; are substantive, honest and personal; are humanizing, credible,
consistent, with reliable supporting evidence What is a Statement of Intent? A statement of intent is required with your applications to graduate
school in an academic subject, e.g., an M.A. in Economics, or a
PhD in Chemistry. Most graduate schools applications will prompt
you with topics to discuss, but if they don’t, here’s
what the schools are looking for. A 2-page, 1-1/2 or double spaced statement that addresses the following: 1. Why are you applying to this program? The statement of intent is quite different from the personal statement
in that it should focus almost solely on the academic subject being
pursued. Admissions committees are not interested in whether you
enjoy the subject (that would be assumed) or think graduate school
would be interesting, challenging, fulfilling, etc. They want to
know how committed a candidate you are and if you are prepared –
and motivated – to pursue more rigorous study. This should
be a professional statement and it is your opportunity to present
yourself as a serious applicant. General guidelines for writing either type of essay A personal statement for an application should be essentially a
statement of your ideas ands goals. Your aim should be a clear,
succinct statements showing that you have a definite sense of what
you want to do and enthusiasm for the field of study you have chosen.
Your essay should reflect your writing abilities; more important,
it should reveal the clarity, the focus, and the depth of your thinking. Before writing anything, stop and consider what your reader might
be looking for; the general directions or other part of the application
may give you an indication of this. Admissions committees may be
tying to evaluate a number of things from your statement, including
the following things about you: • Motivation and commitment to a field of study There are two main approaches to organizing an essay. You can outline
the points you want to cover and then expand on them, or you can
put your ideas down on paper as they come to you, going over them,
eliminating certain sentences, and moving others around until you
achieve a logical sequence. Making an outline will probably lead to a well-organized essay,
whereas writing spontaneously may yield a more inspired piece of
writing. Use the approach you feel most comfortable with. Whichever
approach you use, you will want someone to critique your essay.
Your adviser and those who write your letters of recommendation
may be very helpful to you in this regard. If they are in the field
you plan to pursue, they will be able to tell you what things to
stress and what things to keep brief. Do not be surprised, however,
if you get differing opinions on the content of your essay. In the
end, only you can decide on the best way of presenting yourself. If there is information in your application that might reflect
badly on you, such as poor grades or a low admission test score,
it is better not to deal with it in your essay unless you are asked
to. Keep your essay positive. You will need to explain anything
that could be construed as negative in your application, however,
as failure to do so may eliminate Personal Statements should be carefully constructed, then polished.
Throughout your college career you will be provided with many opportunities
to practice writing about yourself. Use these opportunities to begin
the process of examining who you are and what you've done before
writing the ultimate one – that on the application for admission
to professional school. Make your statement personal. Present yourself: • What have you learned about your area of study? • Give the reader information about you as a person; are
you unique. • Write your personal statement as if you were writing
a newspaper article about yourself. • Remember who, what, when, where, why and how. • Do not model yourself after sample Personal Statements. • Avoid using quotes. • Avoid I think; I feel; I believe; in my opinion. • Avoid grand announcements or phrases: “I have dreamed
of being a doctor since I was five years old”; “The
purpose of…” My name is…”. “I want
to help people.” “The human body fascinates me.”
“This career would be rewarding and challenging.”
If it helps you get something down on paper just to get started,
eliminate these phrases when you rewrite the essay. • Discuss your interests, goals and ideas. Do not preach.
This is your chance to “show off” and demonstrate
that you are proud of, but somewhat modest about, your achievements.
Do not be redundant, duplicating information found elsewhere on
your application. Do not make a list of activities; select one
or two and tell the reader a story — what did you get out
of the experience(s)? • Be specific and give instances and examples. The reader
probably knows nothing about you except what you volunteer to
tell her/him. • Be determined, not wishful. • Be positive. Do not bore the reader by whining. • Consider your audience-who are they? • Be persuasive. Sell yourself. Why are you a good candidate
for professional school? • Be positive. Do not bore the reader by whining. Talk
about what you got OUT of your work, activities, or life experience
— not what you put IN; address what you learned and stress
that point. • Separate yourself from the pack. Remember others. No
“heroism”. Remember, there is a fine line between
arrogance and confidence. • Your final personal statement should have perfect grammar,
proper word usage, spelling and punctuation. It is the one part
of your application you have control over and you should look
at it as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other candidates. • Talk directly to the admissions committee and explain
your motivation. There are more qualified applicants than there
are spaces and the committee wants a sense of who you are. Questions You Might Ask Yourself When did you first become interested in this field and what have
you since learned about it? What details of your life have shaped you or influenced your
goals (family members, professionals, education, work, research)? Consider others, family, education, work, volunteerism, etc. Is there anything that has reinforced your goal? Have you had to overcome unusual obstacles in your life? What skills (leadership, communication, analytical) do you possess? What makes you different from all other qualified applicants? A personal statement tells people who you are by describing the
experiences and events that shaped your personality, values, and
goals. This differs from a résumé, which tells what
you have done. In the end, be honest with yourself and ask, does
the writing sound like me? Is it personal, is it positive rather
than uptight or stiff? Why students struggle with personal statements: DO: • Creative non-fiction writing. "Show, don't tell." DON'T: • Use the personal statement to explain
a low exam score or GPA. These issues should be addressed in an
addendum, which can be attached to your application.Personal Statements and Statements of Intent
Writing a statement of intent, or personal statement, is often the
most difficult part of the application process for graduate school.
Requirements vary widely in this regard. Some programs request only
one or two paragraphs about why you want to pursue graduate study,
while others require five or six separate essays in which you are
expected to write at length about your motivation for graduate study,
your strengths and weaknesses, your greatest achievements, and solutions
to hypothetical problems. Business schools are notorious for requiring
several time-consuming essays.
2. How has your experience (academic, work, etc.) prepared you
to enter this program?
3. What do you plan to do – professionally – with
this degree?
• Expectations with regard to the program and career opportunities
• Writing ability
• Major areas of interest
• Research or work experience
• Educational background
• Immediate and long-term goals
• Reasons for deciding to pursue graduate education in a
particular
field and at a particular institution
• Maturity
• Personal uniqueness—what you would add to the diversity
of the
entering class
you from consideration. You can do this on a separate sheet entitled
"Addendum," which you attach to the application, or in
a cover letter that you enclose. In either form, your explanation
should be short and to the point, avoiding long, tedious excuses.
In addition to supplying your own explanation, you may find it appropriate
to ask one or more of your recommenders to address the issue in
their recommendation letter. Ask them to do this only if they are
already familiar with your problem and could talk about it from
a positive perspective.
Hints for Writing Personal Statements
• What have you learned about yourself (strengths, weaknesses)?
• Show them who you are; this is your interview.
• Have a strong introductory paragraph. Catch the reader's
attention.
• Keep it within a reasonable length. Unless prescribed,
plan on no more than two pages.
• Use spell check, but do not depend on it completely.
• Space text 1.5 or double space, use wide margins, and
legible font and size
• Include your name on each page.
• Be specific, accurate and truthful.
• Make certain that your statement supports and is supported
by the rest of your application.
• Look beyond fraternity/sorority membership or athletic
experiences; include volunteer work and community involvement
if possible.
• Turn negatives into positives.
• Ask several people to review your statement before submitting
it.
• Overuse the thesaurus.
• Use clichés or quote others extensively.
• Use the third person.
• Send multimedia presentations, copies of papers or theses.
• Philosophize.
• Pat yourself on the back too much.
• Be cynical or overly humorous.
• Come across as a victim.
• Focus too much on another person, even if he/she has been
influential in your life.
• List activities that are already on the application.
• Repeat what is on your resume.
