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Most of the people who apply to selective graduate
schools have the numbers – the GPAs and test scores
– needed to get in. Admissions committees look to
personal statements for the additional information
they need to decide who should receive an admissions
offer.
The particular requirements of a personal essay vary
from one field to another. In general, this is the
information that admissions committees are looking
for:
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Who are you? Why do you want to study subject x at school y? Why
should the admissions committee want you in their
program?
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Can you write? Grad students have to be able to share information
and express ideas in writing. Your writing doesn’t
need to be Nobel Prize material, but it does need to
be competent.
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Can you understand and follow directions? Did you write a personal
statement that does what the application said it
should do? Or did you attach a statement that was
clearly written for a different program, or one that
says what you want to say but ignores what the
admissions committee wants to know?
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Can you set a goal and pursue it effectively? Did you select a
clear topic or theme for your statement? Do you stay
focused on that topic or theme? Are you in control
of your train of thought, or is your train of
thought in control of you?
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Are you personable? Do you sound like someone faculty and staff
would enjoy having as a student and colleague?
See our Checklist and Tips pages for more pointers
on writing your personal statements.
“Perhaps the most important thing applicants can do
today to increase their admission chances is to add
a lot of specificity to the ‘why?’ part of their
personal statement. Applicants who could have gotten
by five years ago with a weaker statement are now
being rejected outright.” – Jonny Nicholson.
Law School Personal Statements
Medical School Personal Statements
General Tips on Writing Personal Statements
Personal Statement Checklist |
