Personal Statement

The Career Center recommends at least 3 personal statement critiques/reviews.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Graduate School Week Personal Statement Workshop with Don Asher

2. Career Center (Bring statement to Career Center to make appointment)

3. Writing Center

4. Professors

5. Peers

6. Parents/other professionals in the field

Graduate programs are looking for a personal statement that is:

• Unusual

• Thoughtful

• Mature

• Well-prepared

• Written with confidence (assume you're getting in!)

Use graduate-level language and terminology
 

Make it evident that you're going to succeed anyway!
 

Unless your faculty is famous, refer to them in a non-gender way:

• Dr. I. Jones

• Prof. I. Jones

Include research, publications and presentations:

• "Extended independent research project resulting in a presented work."

• "Assisted with"

• "Collaborated with"

• "Presented with"

• If you are unable to actually present the research, "Presented by my co-authors at [conference]."

• Include a possible research topic: "At this time, my interest is potentially XXX, but I realize I have much more to learn, and as I take my first few years of course work, I know my interests may evolve."

• Begin by including all research and other significant experiences from freshman year-present; you can cull this later.

Provide evidence of success:

• GPA

• Rigor of coursework

• Work sample

• GRE scores

• Internship

• Strongly positive recommendations

• Participation in professional associations

• "As to my capacity for perform, I offer you the following evidence ... "

Include languages:

• Bilingual/bicultural

• Fluent

• Proficient

• Basic

• Some exposure to

Include lab and computer skills relevant to grad school

Talk about:

• The work of a minimum of three professors at target institution

• Advisors and mentors here at Truman State University

• Major thinkers and theorists in your field

• Encouraging words professors have told you (could be something negative that motivated you)

• "In my frequent correspondence with Drs. XXX, XXX, and XXX, I realize ... "

• Fill in one or more of the blanks: "I would like to do, learn, explore, master, discover more about ."

• "I am also interested in learning more about and in general."

Include things that are unusual or unique about you:

• Born in unusual place

• Grew up in unusual place

• Unusual experience

Be sure to include any of the following you've participated in:

• Teaching assistantship (formal or informal)

• Search committee

• RA/SA

• Admissions tour guide

Talk about your "epiphany"-the event(s) that led up to your decision to pursue this field.

Why here? Answer the question of "why this university?"

• Faculty

• Curriculum

• Geography (your interest in being in that city/area needs to be mentioned)

Talk about what you plan to complete prior to entrance-relevant coursework, independent study, research, languages, travel, new skills.

• "Before arriving on your campus next fall, I will have the opportunity to ... "

If you're trying to hide GPA, GRE Score, lack of experience...

• Sometimes the thing you want to hide is something you should feature

• "Concerning my GRE score, I was really surprised that I did not do better. In practice exams, I scored much higher. If you'd like me to take it again, I'd be glad to."

• 95% of people who retake thee exams score within 5% of their original score.

• Unless you have a compelling reason to think you're one of the 5%, don't retake. You'll only solidify your low score.

• Don't claim test anxiety unless it's medically documented.

• Should study 8-30 hours for the GRE.

• "Concerning my GPA... " (explain and shine a light in most positive way, such as GPA in major, GPA minus a disastrous semester)

• Explanations should be 2/3-3/4 of the way down the paper- NEVER in the 1st half, and NEVER the very last thing they read.

Big finish!

• Predict your own success (but not arrogantly)

• Why you? Why are you a good investment?
  
  Will you:

• Conduct original research for many years

• Educate future generations

• Make a contribution to business/industry

Admissions' greatest fears:

• Won't complete degree

• Bad methodology

• Can't write or speak

Additional pointers:

• Use a past, present, future format so that the statement flows.

• Make sure your opening paragraph is attention-grabbing, so that the recipient will want to continue on. Make your statement stand out, but not stick out.

• Avoid excessive use of the word "I", particularly at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs. To counter this, occasionally use passive voice.

• Have your statement read by the Career Center's graduate school advisor and a professor in your major.

• Default length on personal statements is 900-1200 words.