The goal of the personal statement is to convince your readers that you are a good fit for their program, that you have the characteristics and qualifications of the kind of person they are looking for, and that you can succeed in the program and your career.
What is a personal statement?
A personal statement is an important document in your professional profile and a common component in applications. Though a personal statement is about you, the name can be a bit misleading. “Personal” here refers to you and your qualifications. It’s important to remember that a personal statement is a professional document written for a professional audience in a professional context.
Personal statement vs. statement of purpose
These statements can overlap and sometimes people use these terms interchangeably. They cover similar information, but the focus is slightly different.
Personal statements
Give readers a better understanding of you as a person, your interests, your personal motivations and goals, and why you’re a good fit for this program.
Statement of purpose
Give readers a better understanding of your professional goals, motivation for applying, and how your skills and background have given you a foundation for academic and professional success.
Research checklist
It can feel overwhelming to figure out what you may want to write about. Gaining a better understanding of the school and their expectations for you and your application will help guide you when writing the personal statement.
Their values, culture, and history
Many schools and programs have their own culture and shared values that guide them in meeting their goals, serving their communities, and choosing the right students for their program. By better understanding the values of the school, the program, you’ll be able to select what to write about to show how your values align with theirs.
The careers expectations for graduates
Most schools and programs have clear expectations for their graduates. Research alumni of the program. Do they have the kind of careers you also want? Do you have similar goals, values, and qualities of successful graduates of this program? Thinking through these questions helps you to select the right program for you and helps you understand how to show you’re a good fit.
Realistic career expectations: skills, duties, and job market
Though you may be passionate about your future career, your reader wants to know you have realistic expectations for that career and that you understand what it will take for you to succeed. What specific skills do you need? What specific job duties will you perform? Having a better understanding of what you would like to do post-graduation will help you decide what to write about in your personal statement and help you explain why you’re a good fit.
Application and personal statement requirements
Different programs have different expectations for this statement. While some programs may want your personal statement to contain a mix of personal and academic information, some may emphasize one over the other. Reading the prompt and instructions carefully helps you to understand their expectations.
Brainstorming checklist
List specific qualities, characteristics, or qualifications to include
Evaluate this list against what you know about the program and their expectations for this statement.
Choose a narrative style
There are many common ways to write your personal statement. Some examples include:
- History or heritage
- Mentorship or inspiration
- Overcoming adversity or challenges
- Academic goals and success
- Noteworthy or unique experiences, skills, and goals
Write down specific experiences, examples, or evidence to support your story
These narratives or stories are a framework, but you need to make your writing as specific and detailed as possible. How can you ensure your story or statement represents you and doesn’t seem too similar to someone else’s? The key is to be specific and detailed.
Things to remember
Remember that you’re trying to persuade your reader that you’re a good fit for their program. Everything that you include in your statement is evidence for that argument.
Remember that while you’re writing a story, you must be the main character. It’s OK to mention someone who may have inspired or supported you, but this personal statement is about you, not another person!
Writing process tips
- Start early and write often in short, focused sessions.
- Ask for feedback from peers or friends early in the process and from professional readers on more polished drafts.
- Rather than trying to “write up to” a word limit, just focus on getting your ideas on paper in those early drafts. Once you feel like you’ve written everything you want to say, you can then come back and decide what strategic changes you want to make.
- Read over your draft as a skeptical reader. Look for opportunities to add detail, clarify, emphasize an idea, and delete irrelevant details.
- We often write in a different order than our reader will read. You may need to rearrange your content a few times to find the most effective organization. Try moving the most important information earlier in your statement.
- Be real and genuine. The personal statement is the opportunity to share your voice and your humanity and to convey aspects of you that a resume just can’t quite capture.
- Write as descriptively as you can. Include details, like places, names and dates. Use examples and mini stories or anecdotes to illustrate your writing and to help your reader visualize what you’re writing about.
- Don’t be surprised if your statement drastically changes over time. We start off writing for ourselves, then we begin to write for our reader. Save different versions of your statement so you feel more comfortable making changes.
- Visit the writing center! We have trained peer consultants who can help you brainstorm, give you feedback as a reader, or offer suggestions and support through the whole writing process.