Writing Guide: How to write a personal statement for graduate school
Getting a graduate degree is a great step to improve your knowledge, increase your qualifications, and set a path for your career. Alongside transcripts, recommendation letters, CV, standardized test scores, and other usual application materials, most graduate and postgraduate programs require you to submit a personal statement. So, what is a personal statement anyway? Why is it so important, and how do you go about writing a winning personal statement for your graduate school application?
A graduate school personal statement is an essay that you submit as part of an application to join a particular graduate school program. The statement basically seeks to convince the committee why you are suited for the program. It shows your personality, characteristic, skills, qualities, qualifications, that sets you apart from other students. Your statement is arguably the most crucial element among all other application materials. Getting it right, therefore, determines whether you get picked among a pool of equally qualified applicants.
These tips will help you come up with a unique and captivating personal statement for your graduate school application.
Be informed. While most graduate schools give room for open-ended essays, some will provide specific instructions regarding the format and details that the applicant must include. It is, therefore, upon you to do your research and find out if there are any instructions or limitations that you ought to adhere to.
Try to be unique. There will be thousands of equally qualified candidates submitting their applications. The personal statement is the only chance you have to distinguish yourself from the crowd. Choose a topic that is personal and unique to you. This can include hobbies, skills, talent, or qualities that set you apart from other applicants.
Remain Relevant. It only takes a few seconds for the reader to go through your statement and determine if you are worthy of the chance. Focus on remaining relevant by only providing meaningful and useful information.
Be specific and professional. Research about the institution, the programs they offer, and any other important information. This way, you will be specific about what you want to achieve from the program you are applying for. Also, consider using a professional tone throughout your essay.
Finally, after you are done writing your essay, take your time to proofread your essay to eliminate any grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that might go unnoticed. If possible, have another person go through the essay before making your final submission.
