Personal Statement
Your Personal Statement is a very imporatnt piece to your Graduate Application. This will help the university get to know you as an individual and your passion for your field of study.
WHAT IS A PERSONAL STATEMENT?
A Personal Statement is a two page paper that talks about yourself, your research interests and your goals in going to graduate school. This is one of the biggest pieces of your graduate application. The quality of your personal statement will make you stand out as a candidate.
WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?
This two page paper wil help the university know more about you and your passions. Here are some points on what to write about:
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Your Passions related to your intended graduate major
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Any research you have done in the past and how that has impacted you or influenced you to do research in Graduate School
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Identify what you want to research or study and why
- Identify which faculty you would like to work with
- Below is an example:
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WHAT IF I HAVE A LOW GPA?
Even if you have a low GPA you should write about it. Some people do not like to mention their GPA, however it could help your case when explaining why your GPA is the way it is (family issues, mental health concerns, change of major, etc).
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Most universities look at the last 60 credit hours (about junior and senior year) of your transcript to determine your GPA. If you decide to write about your GPA do not write more than a few sentences since your personal statement will most likely be restricted to two pages.
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Do not let a low GPA discourage you from applying to Graduate School!
REVIEW YOUR WORK
Your first draft will never be your final product. It is important to have your personal statement reviewed by a faculty or staff member or someone who is currently in graduate school. If you do not know anyone who can you can ask your advisor or your school's writing center.