How to Write a Personal Statement for Graduate School

You’ve made it this far. You’ve gotten through the many years of higher learning that have contributed to your very first degree! With the acquisition of you bachelor degree, you’re probably feeling flushed, confident and ready for anything – and graduate school admissions shouldn’t put a damper on that spirit! With one degree under your belt, it’s time to tackle another with the same dedication and gusto as you’ve had before. The only thing standing between you and graduate school is a simple personal statement – shouldn’t be too hard, right?

When crafting a personal statement, remember: it doesn’t have to be hard, but you will have to be careful. You can’t just slap anything down on the paper and hope it passes. You’ll need to follow some key guidelines if you want to craft a truly effective, admission-guaranteed type of personal statement for your graduate school. With expectations high, it’s good to remember the following steps to writing your personal statement.

1. Write professionally. Many students underestimate the power or proper grammar, perfect spelling, excellent formatting and organized writing. If you really want graduate school admission officers to take you seriously, you need to write like a professional. Don’t change around fonts, edit the format of the paper or do anything out-of-the-ordinary. Stay within the usually boundaries of essay or other academic writing styles. This will show the college that you know how to present yourself professional, and communicate your ideas clearly.
2. Be authentic. There is no other student like you, and you need to bring that point home as much as you can. Do everything in your power to make your personal statement unique and authentic (again, without breaking any important formatting or writing rules). Use a captivating story to illustrate your desire and driving force behind entering graduate school. Try a neat anecdote to begin your statement, r even a quote that’s meaningful to you. Think about the qualities that make you unique, and communicate those as effectively as you can. Remember, however, not to make yourself sound too amazing or too unattractive; both ends of this spectrum will end in statement disaster.
3. Edit and proof. If there’s even one spelling error in your personal statement, your odds of getting into graduate school drop significantly. You don’t want to risk your entire academic future on one easily avoidable mistake, do you? That’s why it’s so important to go back over your document, proofread for error and edit for clarity and organization. It’s the easiest way to ensure your statement is the best is possibly can be.