How to write a personal statement for grad school

It depends on the institution, but many ask for a personal statement. Some schools even provide questions and prompts for you to address when crafting your statement.

If a graduate program asks for a personal statement, assume it is a required part of the application process. Failing to include your personal statement could result in rejection or a delay in being admitted.

A personal statement should have several key components. They are:

• Your personal journey and obstacles: Outline the major life events that brought you to this point and how those events affected your decision to pursue graduate school.
• Your understanding of the program and why you chose to apply: Research the program and showcase your knowledge in your personal statement by expressing why this specific program feels right for you.
• Your reasoning for pursuing a graduate degree: Show the admissions committee that earning a graduate degree is a vital part of reaching your goals.
• Specific examples of past work: Provide examples of your work and experiences that demonstrate why you would make a great addition to the program.
• How you will contribute to the school’s learning community: Going to graduate school is not all about what you can obtain, but also how you can contribute as a student and alumnus to the institutional community. Provide information on what makes you unique and how you can give back.

Your personal statement is sometimes the admissions committee’s only chance to get to know you beyond your transcripts and resumé. Tips for writing an effective and impactful personal statement include:

• Research the program: Mention specific professors you want to work with and specific classes you are interested in.
• Hook your reader: While you want your entire statement to be strong, it is especially important that your first sentence is powerful enough to engage your reader.
• Choose a few main points: Don’t write a complete autobiography. Choose a few main points and dive deeply into each one.
• Proofread and edit: A statement with typos will give a poor first impression. Be sure your statement is grammatically correct and well written. Don’t just rely on spell-check; check it a second or third time yourself. Ask a friend or professional mentor to look it over for you.
• Use your own voice: Although proofreading and clarity are essential, avoid adjusting the tone and words to oversanitize your language so that it no longer represents the essence of “you.” Admissions professionals review hundreds of applications a year, and losing your personal voice to overediting can decrease the impact of your personal statement.

Following these tips will help you write a compelling personal statement that demonstrates you have given this decision careful consideration, you pay attention to details, you have strong writing skills, and you have confidence in your future performance in the program.

When discussing a past obstacle you overcame, you should explain how the obstacle helped prepare you for grad school. For example: 

[The obstacle] taught me more about myself and showed me that I have the strength to do hard things in life. In overcoming it, I realized I have the power to take charge and reach my goals.

When discussing your personality traits, give specific examples of how those traits will help you in your specific course of study:

My insatiable curiosity has helped make me a thorough researcher and an avid reader. I want to know as much as I can about [your field of study] because learning is a part of who I am.

Beyond writing your personal statement, you may be asked to complete several other requirements to apply to graduate schools, including:

• Transcripts from your undergraduate degree: To be accepted for a graduate program, you will need to complete an undergraduate degree and submit your transcripts with your application.
• Letters of recommendation: Letters of recommendation from two or three professors, mentors and employers might be required.
• Testing: Some grad schools require that applicants submit their GRE score or GMAT result, but this may not always be the case.
• Application forms: Make sure all of your forms, which will most likely be digital, are filled out with the correct information.
• Statement of purpose: Some schools ask for a statement of purpose, which is different from a personal statement. The statement of purpose is more tactical in nature and should speak about your accomplishments and the level of work you plan to contribute on a functional basis.

Each piece of your application comes together to create a full picture of who you are, where you have been and where you are going.

As mentioned, when applying for graduate school you might need to write both a personal statement — or a personal history — and a statement of purpose. The personal statement focuses on your personal journey, your goals, past obstacles, and the skills and personality traits you have that make you a good match for the specific program.

A statement of purpose has more of a professional and academic focus. You will need to outline your professional and academic work experiences, awards, publications and achievements. You will also need to outline your goals for your study within the program, the mentors you hope to work with and the focus of your studies or thesis.

The personal statement lets the admissions committee get to know you, and the statement of purpose lets them know the kind of work they can expect from you if you are accepted.

University of Phoenix (UOPX) offers a wide range of online master and doctoral degree programs.

• Master degrees: UOPX currently offers 27 graduate degree programs in education, business, health administration, nursing, data science and more. To learn more, visit https://www.phoenix.edu/online-masters-degrees.html.
• Doctoral degrees: UOPX currently offers the following five doctoral degrees: Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Health Administration, Doctor of Management and Doctor of Nursing Practice. To learn more, visit https://www.phoenix.edu/online-doctoral-degrees.html.