6 tips will help you create a stellar personal statement for graduate school.
6 tips will help you create a stellar personal statement for graduate school.
You will gain additional knowledge and skills that will be useful in your job. You will need your transcript from undergraduate, standardized test results (such GRE), recommendation letters and a personal statement to be considered for admission to the graduate program. Your personal statement will be considered if you apply to the top tier. This article by Domyhomework123.com will explain the importance of a personal essay in graduate school. We also provide tips and examples to assist you in writing your own.
What is a personal essay?
When applying for a program at a school, a personal statement is necessary. This should explain why the applicant is qualified to apply for the program. Some schools require a specific prompt for personal statements. Some schools offer free-form essays, which allow students to pick a topic or a part of their life.
Personal statements are very important because they show your character and individual qualities. Graduate programs are looking for people who can contribute to the school’s learning environment and to its discussions. Your personal essays should be unique and not have been used elsewhere in your application. This will highlight your unique contribution as a person. It is important to highlight your reasons for choosing this program by sharing your stories.
Tips for writing a personal statement for graduate school
Your personal statement is the most important aspect of your application. It is important that you give time to your personal statements. These are some tips that will help you make your personal statements stand out from the rest.
Research needs
Ask your university whether there are any particular formats for personal essays. Some schools require applicants use a prompt like “Write a personal essay on an accomplishment of which you are particularly proud.” Some schools may have specific formatting guidelines or word limits.
Be unique
You can choose a topic that you are passionate about even if there isn’t a prompt at your university. Your personal statement can help you stand out among other applicants who may have the same academic skills and test scores. It is possible to write about a unique hobby or moving experience.
A master’s degree in economics would include, for example, “How my time in organic agriculture taught me about agricultural economics”. A Master’s degree in Communication would offer a unique perspective on “Where performance and politics meet: Influencing the public perceptions through musical selections”.
Keep up-to-date
Write about your experiences with the program. While an emotional trip to Ireland to trace your family tree might have been meaningful to you personally, it may not be relevant to the computer science program that you are applying for. Maybe a recent trip to Japan inspired you to think about efficient train design, which might be an area for a master’s in transportation engineering.
Be specific
Clarify your reasons for wanting to attend that institution. Research the school’s faculty and research opportunities. To make yourself a good fit for the program, you should show what interests you most and how you behave. This could be a chance to solve unsolved problems, such as gaps in education or education.
Use a professional tone
While you want to express your individuality in your personal essay. However, it is important to respect the institution and its formalities. Use a professional tone throughout your essay.
Proofread
After you’ve completed your essay, make sure to check it for accuracy, relevancy, grammar, punctuation and spelling. Ask a friend for feedback and to read your essay. If you are limited on words, it is better to write a shorter essay than a longer one. A minimum of two pages should be double-spaced.
Examples of personal statements taken from graduate schools
These personal statements are examples of graduate school personal statements to help you inspire your writing.
Example 1: A master’s degree in education policy
“I was 19 when I held my first textbook. I was a college freshman. They were clean and unmarked. They still have a fresh, clean scent to me.
The textbooks I used before that were old, marked up, and sometimes torn. We didn’t complain. As missionary students, we were grateful for the opportunity to live in Zambia’s western provinces.
I was able study well and get top marks in my final exams, which earned me a scholarship to Wesleyan College. In three years, I was awarded a scholarship to Wesleyan College and graduated with high marks. Two years later, I returned to the school where I was raised in Zambia. My goal this time was to provide new books for the students. My Wesleyan intramural basketball team raised $23,000 before I left. I was able to purchase new science and math textbooks for primary school with this money.
Although the smiles of students were an amazing reward, I still want to do more. I want education to be able to help students escape poverty, just like it helped me. I gained a new perspective on life and was able to create a new social stratum. While teaching has been satisfying, I want to make an impact on educational policy both at a national and international level to benefit all students. This is why I am going to Columbia University’s Teachers College to pursue a master’s degree in educational policy.
Information is power. It is my belief that people can make positive changes by organizing and presenting information in a way that makes an impact. Data Analysis & Research Methods are the most important area of my research. International Perspectives on Early Childhood Policy is a wonderful class. The Federal Policy Institute is also something I am excited about. This is where my teaching and data analysis skills can be applied to local change.
Through new policies and new textbooks, I am determined to help students overcome poverty. My goal in graduate school and beyond is to use hard data for fundamental, positive education changes and to learn from the existing body.
Example 2: A master’s degree in music education therapy
Music is good for the soul. Music was the main source of my family’s sustenance. Music is my only hope for a brighter future.
I still remember the Gershwin and Sondheim that my mother performed for us small Minnesota theater group. My father was the high school orchestra director. As he mows the grass, he used a boombox for Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”. My older brother was also a member of a rock band. It was located in my garage and was the marching band at school. My mother was the accompanist and I was part of the church choir.
It wasn’t until my 20s that I realized the power and potential of music. As a college student, I discovered a church community in Minneapolis. The summer prior to my senior years, I worked as a volunteer in one of the ministries. It was a girls’ centre that served the Somalia immigrant community in the city.
Safia was a special girl who took an interest in music and my stories about my musical heritage. With permission from my church, I started a small music program at the girls’ center. I bought a used keyboard and taught Safia and her friend basic piano theory. In two years, I had twelve students who I taught piano to and a choir of 24 elementary school girls.
I realized that music was much more than entertainment for these girls, which drove me to return weekend after weekend to teach music again. They found joy only through music. As they shared their horror stories with me, they became closer to me. After sharing their stories, they felt lighter and began singing more joyously. They found music a way to release their sorrows and joys.
As a teenager, music and healing were a part my future. That is why I am applying for the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis’ Master of Arts, Music Education-Music Therapy Master’s Equivalency Track. This program will allow for me to continue my ministry and research in this area. I want to help teenagers with their problems using the degree that I have. Music can be used to connect people all over the globe.