Writing the Personal Statement

By the Writer’s Workshop at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Personal Statements

Overview

Personal statements (sometimes called “application essays or “statements of purpose, are written in response to a question or questions on a graduate or professional school application form that asks for some sort of sustained response. Some applications ask more specific questions than others. There is no set formula to follow in shaping your response. Personal statements can vary in length from a couple of paragraphs to a series of 1-2 page essays. Personal statements are important when applying to an extremely competitive program where all the applicants have high test scores and GPAs-use them to stand out from the crowd!

Context Considerations

Know your audience: Figure out who will read your statement. For professional school applications, your personal statement may be read by an admissions committee that includes admissions staff members and faculty. For graduate school applications, your personal statement will most likely be read by professors who serve on an admissions committee in the department or program to which you are applying. A good way to think about your audience is as knowledgeable non-specialists. They know a lot, but might not know a lot about your specific sub-discipline.

Make choices based on your audience, for example about whether your statement should be more autobiographically focused or more professionally focused.

Do your homework: Show that you know about the program/department, its specialties, its people (faculty, current graduate students, etc.) and what it might be looking for in new graduate students.

Understand the personal statement as part of your ”package”: Use it to show aspects of yourself that are not developed in other materials contained elsewhere in the application. Demonstrate clearly and effectively what makes you a unique candidate.

Strong personal statements:

• Answer all the questions asked and are honest and confident in their content
• Develop an argument early in the essay and argue it throughout
• Are coherent and interesting, with an excellent first paragraph and 2-4 main ideas
• Have perfect spelling and mechanics
• Demonstrate knowledge about the school/program
• Show maturity, professionalism, and intellectual readiness for the program

Try to avoid:

• Using empty or vague words
• Repeating information directly from the application form
• Emphasizing the negative. Explain what you feel you need to, but do so positively
• Using clichés (“a fish out of water, “a chip off the old block,”‘ “beyond a shadow of a doubt,” e.g.)

Getting Started: Try answering the following questions to brainstorm ideas for your statement:

• When did you initially become interested in your chosen major or career?
• How did that interest develop?
• When did you become certain that this is what you want to do?
• What attracts you to this discipline or career?
• What kind of work or projects that are related to your interests and/or this discipline and/or career have you found rewarding?
• What do you expect to get out of this program/experience/degree?
• What life experiences have prepared you to succeed in this program or to pursue graduate education?
• What personality traits set you apart from others? Why and how?
• What life experiences have you had that are different from those of other potential applicants?

Other Tips:

• Sometimes it’s helpful to think of quality over quantity. Don’t feel that you need to reach the word limit, and in some cases, those who read your applications may value conciseness.
• Think of the “bigger picture” when writing about your experiences. Rather than simply describing your experiences, also explain what you learned from them and why they motivate you to pursue graduate school.
• Demonstrate “fit” with the programs (e.g. faculty, program resources). Help the readers understand why the program will help you develop your professional/academic interests, and how you can contribute to the program and field.
• See our website: https://writersworkshop.illinois.edu for more information.