Writing Personal

Statements
for Graduate School

Pat Sokolove, PhD

[email protected]
Why Does a Graduate School Ask for
a Personal Statement?
 To get to know you, not your record
 To see if you can think logically
 To see if you can write well
 To try to determine if you are likely to succeed
 What do you know about doing research?

 How effectively can you talk about science?

 What do you know about the program?

 How sophisticated are you about graduate school?

 Do you have characteristics that favor success?

 To see if you will be a good fit for the school

 Desirable Characteristics
 Creativity  A positive attitude
 Problem solving ability  Resilience
 Tenacity  Organizational skills
 Ability to work in a team  Attention to detail
 Independence  Ability to see the big picture
 Self-motivation  Ability to prioritize
 Good communication skills  Time management skills
 Project management skills  Appreciation for diversity
 Relevant background  Good interpersonal skills
knowledge  Maturity
 Flexibility
 Getting Ready to Write
 What sets me apart from other applicants?
 How did I learn about this field?
 Why am I interested in this field?
 What experiences have stimulated and enhanced my interest?
 What skills or personal characteristics do I possess that would
enhance my chances for success?
 What are my biggest accomplishments?
 What are my career aspirations?
 Why THIS school and program? Do I have any connections?
 What will I be doing between now and next fall?
 Have I overcome relevant obstacles in my life?
 Are there any gaps or discrepancies in my academic record?
What do I want the Admissions
Committee to Know?
 The General Structure

 The “hook”
 Introduce yourself.
 Explain why you want to go to graduate school.
 The substance
 Explain your science.
 Highlight other relevant experiences.
 The future
 Explain “why this program”
 Briefly describe your career goals.
 Explaining Your Science
 Include your IC and the name of your PI or mentor
 Present the big picture – the overall goal of your
group or lab
 Describe your project
 What specific question are you trying to answer?

 What techniques are you using?

 Present your results, briefly

 Indicate what your results mean and/or possible
future research directions
 General Thoughts
 Answer the questions that are asked
 Tell a story – but content over style
 Analyze – don’t just list
 Give concrete examples
 Share credit when appropriate
 Personalize each statement to the school and/or
program
 Be concise rather than long-winded
 Make your statement easy for committee members to
read
 Statement of Purpose
Describe in your statement of purpose:
 Your reasons for applying to the proposed program at
Stanford and your preparation for this field of study
 Your research and study interests
 Future career plans and other aspects of your
background and interests which may aid the admissions
committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for
graduate study

Your statement should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced).
 Statement of Purpose
Describe in your statement of purpose:
 Your reasons for applying to the proposed program at
Stanford and your preparation for this field of study
 Your research and study interests
 Future career plans and other aspects of your
background and interests which may aid the admissions
committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for
graduate study

Your statement should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced).
 Statement of Purpose

Please describe your aptitude and motivation for

study in your field of specialization, including
your preparation for this field of study, your
academic plans or research interests in your
chosen area of study, and your career goals.
Please be specific about why UC Berkeley
would be a good intellectual fit for you.
 Personal History Statement
Please describe how your personal background informs
your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please
include information on how you have overcome barriers
to access opportunities in higher education, evidence of
how you came to understand the barriers faced by
others, evidence of your academic service to advance
equitable access to higher education for women, racial
minorities and individuals from other groups that have
been historically underrepresented in higher education,
evidence of your research focusing on underserved
populations or related issues of inequality, OR evidence
of your leadership among such groups.
Please describe your previous academic work in your proposed field
of study and include a personal statement regarding your goals for
graduate study and a professional career. In your response, list
memberships in honor societies and professional organizations;
scholarships, prizes, honors, or other recognition; and give titles of
publications, major papers, or theses of which you are author or co-
author (if published, give citation). Please also describe any
relevant research experience and what you have learned from it,
and other educational or life experiences that you feel are important
and relevant. If you have specific interests in your proposed field or
are interested in working with any particular faculty members, please
tell us about them. (University of Illinois)

Please limit your response to 1500 words.

 General Thoughts
 Answer the questions that are asked
 Tell a story – but content over style
 Analyze – don’t just list
 Give concrete examples
 Share credit when appropriate
 Personalize each statement to the school and/or
program
 Be concise rather than long-winded
 Make your statement easy for committee members to
read
Five graduate level courses are required for the PhD. Formal
course work is generally finished in the first twelve to eighteen
months, permitting students to begin full-time research early in their
career. Courses are selected according to the special interests and
needs of each student. Penn State’s chemistry department is
noteworthy in its effort to break down unnecessary barriers; hence
there are no formal divisions between chemistry areas. Lists of
suggested courses are provided for concentration in specific areas
of chemistry (analytical, biological, chemical physics, inorganic
materials, organometallic, organic, physical, polymer, surface,
theoretical). Students are encouraged to begin research as soon as
they are ready and to choose courses that strengthen their research
capabilities.
 General Thoughts
 Answer the questions that are asked
 Tell a story – but content over style
 Analyze – don’t just list
 Give concrete examples
 Share credit when appropriate
 Personalize each statement to the school and/or
program
 Be concise rather than long-winded
 Make your statement easy for committee members to
read
Dealing with the Elephant in the Room - I

Attempt this only if the problem is

 In the past
 Resolved
 Sympathetic
 Unlikely to come back
Dealing with the Elephant in the Room - II
 Use either your personal statement or an attached
letter to the Graduate Program Director
 Avoid making excuses or assigning blame
 Point out more recent evidence showing that you are a
good candidate
 Success in graduate level courses
 Steady improvement in your GPA
 Success in the lab
 Offer to discuss this further with the Program Director
 Polish Your Draft
After you have edited, have your
statement read by
 Friends and non-scientists for general writing
and flow
 Your PI, your IC Training Director, OITE
staff, undergraduate teachers for content and
style
 Someone with experience on an admissions
committee
 Common Mistakes
 Not enough intellectual depth
 Too much humor (or drama)
 Too long – too short
 Failure to answer the question(s) asked
 Failure to explain a weakness in your application
 Trying to impress the committee with big words
 Poorly written, written in the passive voice, or wordy
 Too many (or too few) transition words
 Re-stating the obvious
The Penn State Dance Marathon was
great fun and a huge success; in the
aftermath we were able to contribute
$25,000 to the fight against cancer.
The Penn State Dance Marathon was
great fun and a huge success; in the
aftermath we were able to contribute
$25,000 to the fight against cancer.

aftermath: the period following a (usually)

ruinous event
 Common Mistakes
 Not enough intellectual depth
 Too much humor (or drama)
 Too long – too short
 Failure to answer the question(s) asked
 Failure to explain a weakness in your application
 Trying to impress the committee with big words
 Poorly written, written in the passive voice, or wordy
 Too many (or too few) transition words
 Re-stating the obvious
 Things to Avoid

 Criticizing past professors (or anyone else)

 Bad-mouthing other graduate programs
 Expressing intolerant religious beliefs
 Sharing political beliefs
 Extended descriptions of mental anguish
 Arrogance
 Sexist language
 Too many adjectives: “wonderful”, “meaningful”
or adverbs: “terrifically”, “extraordinarily”
 Flowery language
 General Writing Principles

 Be specific and accurate.

 Make certain grammar and spelling are perfect.
 Avoid lofty sounding statements that communicate little.
 Be ruthless about eliminating extra words.
 Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence and make
certain all sentences in the paragraph address the topic.
 Use white space to make the document look easy to
read.