How to Write a Personal Statement

Some General Guidelines and Tips

A personal statement is a chance to demonstrate your unique qualifications, writing ability, prioritiesa
chance to show who you are and why you are perfect for the position or deserving of the opportunity for
which you are applying. Whether it is grad school, a scholarship, an internship, or a ob, your personal
statement serves three purposes!
". To show how well you can e#press your ideas in $nglish % assessing your thin&ing and
writing s&ills.
'. To show how much thought you have put into the position you are applying for( how much
you &now and why you thin& that you are capable of doing wor&)research in this field( the
thought you have put into your application will translate into your interest in this field or
position.
*. To give you a chance to present your intellectual accomplishments in a way other than
academic records. +,ntellectual- doesn.t mean how smart you are( instead, it.s showing what
you have learned from all sorts of activities you may have done! obs, e#periences growing
up, things or situations with your family.
Structure
/our personal statement should be long enough to e#press yourself without repetition, but try to &eep it
around a page in length. A general guide is to write in essay format with an introduction with a main
argument, a body, and a conclusion. 0ere are some ideas for paragraph structure!
--Paragraph 1--
1egin with a good 2hoo&. to grab the reader.s attention, but try to avoid clich3s. 4nce you have
their attention, state your main point and introduce the body of your personal statement. 5eep this
paragraph short % a few sentences will do. ,t should identify something about yourself and your interests
that separate you from other candidates.
--Paragraph 2--
This is the start of the body of your 6.S., and should provide evidence to support your argument.
Show how your bac&ground and your academic preparation are ideal for the program. 7all attention to
relevant courses, research e#perience, special wor&shops, and overall intellectual development that are
related to the &ind of application you are preparing. ,f you.re applying for something that you 849.T
have e#actly the coursewor&, e#perience, etc. that is as&ed for % e#plain why you still feel you will
succeed at the proposed endeavor.
--Paragraphs 3 & 4--
0ere is where you get a chance to really present your professional and personal goals. What
could you do with this scholarship money that ma&es you stand out: Why do you want to do research
with this professor or organi;ation: Why did you choose this program for grad school: What does this
opportunity really mean for you professionally and personally: Why are you the perfect candidate for this
opportunity and why is this opportunity equally perfect for you: Show that you &now what you.re
interested in, and you &now that through this opportunity you will be on your way to achieving your
goals.
--Paragraph 5--
,n a few sentences, summari;e your bac&ground and goals and reaffirm that this choice is right
for you. Tie up your personal statement, refer bac& to the opening paragraph and re<state your main
argument or thesis.
The DOs and DONTs of Personal Statement Writing
DO:
give your 6.S. a thesis)main argument
brainstorm before you begin
use concrete e#amples to distinguish yourself from others
Funded by NSF Ecosystem Studies Grant #0546868
write about what interests and e#cites you
begin with an attention grabber % an anecdote, description, be creative, but avoid clich3s=.
end with a conclusion that refers bac& to the opening statement and restates your thesis or
main argument.
revise at least * times= Try reading it aloud to yourself and have someone else critique it
be meticulous about spelling and grammar mista&es
write clearly and succinctly
DONT:
include information that doesn.t follow your thesis or argument
write in an autobiography, itinerary, or resume prose >e.g., +?y interest in endangered lemurs
began in elementary school.-@
be afraid to start over
try to impress the readers with e#cessive vocabulary
rely solely on computer spell chec&
provide a collection of generic statements and platitudes
give wea& e#cuses for test scores or G6A.s
provide false information
be afraid to as& a friend or faculty or family member read your draft
Some Additional Tips
7oncentrate on your opening paragraph. This should really grab the readers. attention and
&eep them interested.
Try to set yourself apart from others % committees want to read a 6.S. that is both personal
and analytical.
,f there are solid reasons and)or your last several semesters or couple years have really shown
an improvement, describe these reasons and e#periences. Aor e#ample, +, was wor&ing
myself through school and at first wor& plus school overwhelmed me- or +When , first got
into school , didn.t have a firm sense of direction, and my G6A reflects that. ,n the last two
years , have become very passionate about my studies-
?aintain a positive, upbeat tone to proect confidence and enthusiasm.
Avoid ploys such as writing only what you thin& the committee wants to hear.
1rainstorm before hand by answering questions such as!
o What is unique or impressive about you that may help the committee distinguish you
from other applicants:
o When did you become interested in this field and what has made you thin& that you
are well suited for this position:
o What types of leadership s&ills have you learned, and how has your previous wor&
e#perience contributed to your decision:
o What are your career goals:
o What personal characteristics >integrity, dedication, etc.@ and s&ills >leadership,
communication, etc.@ do you possess:
o What are the most compelling reasons why the committee should be interested in you
% what ma&es you such a strong candidate:
Bse transitions between paragraphs and use a variety of synonyms, but be able to understand
what everything means.
Avoid qualifiers such as rather, quite, possibly, somewhat, etc. % believe in what you write=
Cemoving qualifiers can strengthen your writing tremendously.
Dary your sentence structure, collaborating simple, comple#, and compound sentences.
Write in the active voice! compare 2The application was sent by the student. >passive voice@
versus 2The student sent the application. >active voice@.