Tips for Writing an Effective Personal Statement

• Answer all questions asked
• Tell a story
• Draw from your personal experience
• Be specific
• Find an angle or "hook"
• Strong opening paragraph
• Tell what you know
• Exclude out-of-date topics
• Research the program
• Discuss why the program interests you and why it is your top choice
• Write correctly
• Challenge your writing
  •  Think: Does this statement help sell me and add substance to my essay?
• Read it out loud! Catch the grammar and spelling errors that spellcheck misses and make sure your sentences flow well

• Avoid cliches
• Avoid bragging
  • Focus on how your experiences have shaped you, rather than stating something just to seem impressive
• Avoid being vague or general
• Avoid using lists
• Avoid starting off with or centering your essay around a famous quote
  
• Avoid trying to be funny or silly                ​
  

Adapted from:
Hickey, R. (2017, June 9). Write a graduate school essay that will knock their socks off. Retrieved from https://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/write-graduate-school-essay.aspx#/sweeps-moda
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2017). Writing the personal statement. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/

Links on How To Write an Effective Personal Statement

University of Delaware Career Services page:
​www.udel.edu/students/career-services-center/students/graduateschool/

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Power Point:
https://clinicalpsych.unc.edu/files/2017/12/Personal-Statement.pdf

Purdue Owl Personal Statement page: 
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/

Peterson's: 
www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/write-graduate-school-essay.aspx#/sweeps-moda

complete a self-assessment to help you structure your personal statement and career goals