As a professional writing consultant at North Carolina Central University, I occasionally meet undergrads in the beginning stages of applying to graduate school. When they come to the Writing Studio, they want help for that all important document: the personal statement, or statement of purpose. Because the personal statement is a new type of document for them, and maybe you too, let’s break down its purpose. You’ll soon see that the purpose greatly informs the structure.
One thing to understand about personal statements is that, at any given moment, so many prospective students apply to a specific graduate school. And people—actual human beings, with their other responsibilities and worries of the world weighing on their mind and attention—have to read these applications and personal statements. So, you want to make sure that people want to read and remember yours.
Not just that, you also have to convince them that you are worth investing in. You’re trying to convince them that you’re unique and that you’re an asset that they should get their hands on. So that’s why your personal statement needs to be specific. If it’s not specific, if it’s full of generalities that can be attached to anyone, then you’re basic. You’re just like everybody else. And why would they spend their limited resources on just anybody? Instead, they can find someone whom they really know about and who can bring something specific to the table. So why you?
In a personal statement, you must demonstrate where you’ve been, the unique experiences that you’ve had, and what you’ve been able to take away from them. Also, take time to express where you would like to go. What program are you really thinking about and why? Have you looked into the school/program, and what can you say about it and how it fits?
Again, the schools want to make sure that the person they admit into the program is actually serious and going to be an asset. Basically, if they’re going to spend some money, time, and resources on you, they want to make sure that you are worth their while.
If you want success in applying to grad school, keep reading. I have a game-changer of a personal statement outline for you. It’s the same one that helped me get into grad school, and it breaks down the structure of your personal statement paragraph by paragraph, telling you what you should cover from Paragraph 1 to Paragraph 6. If you want a FREE copy of it for your own personal statement, follow the LINK to schedule a FREE 1-hour session with me. I’ll share it with you and, if you’d like, we can talk through your ideas and direction.
