Personal Statement for Graduate School

Writing a Statement of Purpose
Dr. Beth Brunk-Chavez
Graduate School Expo Day
March 26, 2009

What it is
An overview of what you plan to study and what you have already done
Education, work, publications, etc.
Self-promotion
Probably the most important piece of your application package. If all things are equal, this will be the deciding piece.

Why is it so important?
Sell yourself as a good student, hard worker, reliable, someone who will finish the degree
Distinguish yourself from other applicants

What it tells committees
How good a fit you are
How committed you are to a graduate education
How good of a writer you are
What you have accomplished
What you hope to do/study/become

What not to do
DON’T
Be too personal
Write about inappropriate topics
Forget to change the name of the school
Be too modest
Or, be too braggy
Use clichés
Dwell on weaknesses

What to do
Use detail
Address weaknesses
Focus on the opening paragraph
Be interesting and personable
Tell a story
Write concisely and correctly
Follow guidelines.
If it asks for 2 pages, don’t send 3.

Getting started
Read instructions carefully—schools may ask for different things:
Personal statement
Statement of interest
Research agenda
Teaching philosophy

Getting started
Do research
On the discipline
On the program
On the faculty
On the current students
On the graduated students

Use a writing process
Brainstorm, invent, draw maps, free write, draw pictures
Draft quickly
Revise
Have someone read it
Revise more
Revise again
Edit
Have someone read it

Language Choices
Use “I”—but don’t overuse it
Use active voice/present tense
Not too casual, not too formal

Nice touches
Mention several faculty by name
Mention something about what current students are working on or publications of former students

Online Resource
The Purdue OWL
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/

Personal Statement for Graduate School

by beth brunk-chavez on Nov 09, 2009

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