Personal Statement

This essay requires you to have done your homework on who you want to work for in graduate school. While this essay is non-binding, you should select professors who are doing work you are interested in. We recommend finding at least two-three faculty within the department to which you are applying to write about in your personal statement. This gives you a good chance that one of them will be accepting new students. 

This is where you have the chance to make a connection with the person evaluating your application. This is a statement about who you are, your values, your long term goals, your accomplishments, and most importantly, how an advanced degree from that university will help you achieve your goals. Talk about the research you have conducted, and if you have any publications be sure to mention them. Connect that research and your interests to potential groups you want to join and the work you want to do. Speak to the individual groups you are interested in – read some of their papers, look at their accomplishments – write the essay that they can’t turn away. This is not the time to be modest; but, there is a fine line to walk between being proud and being arrogant. Pride is good and shows you care about what you are doing or have accomplished; arrogance is off-putting.

Each program will give specific requirements for length and content of the personal statement, be sure to follow those requirements explicitly. Personal statements tend to be 1-2 pages in length. Try to be as concise as possible, while making sure you cover all of the pertinent information from above.

Have someone you trust give you honest feedback.  An ideal proof reader is someone who challenges every sentence and tears every draft to shreds. These are the people that actually make your essays better. Once you find a mentor or colleague who does this, ingratiate yourself with them because they’re an invaluable resource. Be sure to give your reviewers at least two weeks to read your statement and provide feedback. The authors each went through around a dozen drafts of their personal statements.