{"id":6839,"date":"2012-08-28T13:55:08","date_gmt":"2012-08-28T18:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/?page_id=6839"},"modified":"2024-04-23T19:29:16","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T19:29:16","slug":"personal-statement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/grad\/personal-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Personal Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>General Advice<\/h2>\n<p>Think of the personal statement as a chance for you to introduce yourself &#8211; your background, experiences, knowledge of the field, goals and personality &#8211; to the selection committee.\u00a0 It also affords you the opportunity to explain any irregularities or shortcomings of your candidacy. The personal statement can mean the difference between rejection and acceptance.\u00a0 A well-crafted statement can tip the admission scale in your favor; a poorly written one can leave you out of the running.<\/p>\n<p>Some programs will ask you to write one statement covering a number of areas.\u00a0 Others require a brief response to a series of essay questions. Your best writing comes when you have an actual audience in mind and specific questions.<\/p>\n<p>Advice for writing the personal statement:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Start by writing a statement for your first choice or first deadline program\n<ul>\n<li>It might be tempting to write a generic statement, but it actually creates more work for you as each school will have different requirements for their statement<\/li>\n<li>On the other hand, once you have some major sections written for one program, they can be borrowed for other programs that ask the same question.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Take care to answer each question in the prompt<\/li>\n<li>Show your strengths by telling stories of your life that are appropriate to the prompt<\/li>\n<li>Be sure to include some sense of why that particular program will be a good place for you to be, whether that is because they have a research focus that matches yours, a particular member of the faculty that you would want to work with, or because of resources available at the institution or nearby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Resources<\/h2>\n<h3>WRITING THE STATEMENT<\/h3>\n<p>by Carla Trujillo, Ph.D., Director, Graduate Opportunity Program, University of California Berkeley<\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>Remember that they read between the lines: motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student, knowledge of the field or subfield and fit with the department should all be apparent.<\/li>\n<li>Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive, voice.<\/li>\n<li>Tailor your response to the particular question being asked, the specific department and program.\u00a0 Avoid sending generic statements.<\/li>\n<li>Demonstrate everything by example. Don\u2019t say directly, for example, that you\u2019re a persistent person; you must demonstrate it.<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t want to make excuses, but you can talk about the mistakes you\u2019ve made as a learning experience.<\/li>\n<li>If there is something important that happened which affected your grades (poverty, illness, excessive work, etc.) go ahead and state it, but write it affirmatively, that is, in a way that shows your perseverance.<\/li>\n<li>Write with authority like a fellow colleague.<\/li>\n<li>Stick to the word limit guidelines.<\/li>\n<li>Single space statement, unless told otherwise.<\/li>\n<li>Understand that writing an effective, flawless statement takes considerable time and several sets of eyes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>GENERAL OUTLINE<\/h3>\n<p>How you arrange your statement and what you include ultimately will be up to you.\u00a0 The following outline, based on one written by Carla Trujilo, provides a clear sense of the kinds of things to cover and a logical means of organizing that information.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1: Introduction<\/h4>\n<p>This is where you tell them what you want to study.\u00a0 For example, \u201cI wish to pursue an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in controls\u201d.\u00a0 Some applicants begin with a personal story.\u00a0 Make your opening sufficiently interesting, enticing the committee to read on.\u00a0 One Augsburg student applying to grad school in physics started his statement, \u201cWhen I first enrolled in college I wanted to study Asian religions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 This path is probably atypical for doctoral candidates in physics and thus draws the reader in.\u00a0 Another began, \u201cI was eighteen years old when I saw my first computer.\u00a0 Five years later I am applying to the doctoral program in Computer Science at\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 These lines astound the reader while opening the door for the student to talk about being an immigrant, how his interest and aptitude in computer science developed and what goals he has for the future.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 2:\u00a0Summarize what you did as an undergraduate<\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>Important class or classes you took which stimulated your desire for graduate study, such as a specific project for a class.\u00a0 Maybe conversations with a professor or a study abroad experience piqued your interest for graduate study.<\/li>\n<li>Research you might have done.\u00a0 Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, the outcome and any poster or oral presentations you might have given.\u00a0 Again, it\u2019s important not to simply list what you did but the impact it had on you:\u00a0 what you learned about the field, yourself or the research process, how the experience shaped your decision to pursue graduate work in this particular field, etc.\u00a0 Write technically; professors are the people who read these statements.<\/li>\n<li>Work experience if it relates to your field of study or more generally, demonstrates preparation for graduate school.\u00a0 Tutoring or classroom teaching experience, for example, is often relevant, since it shows a more firm grasp of subject matter, and that you might be a good candidate for a teaching assistantship.\u00a0 Similarly, describe any kind of responsibility you\u2019ve had for testing, designing, researching, extensive writing, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4>Part 3<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>If you graduated and worked for a while and are returning to grad school, indicate what you\u2019ve been doing while working: company, work\/design team, responsibilities, what you learned.\u00a0 You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your intent to do graduate studies.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 4<\/h4>\n<p>Here you indicate what you want to study in graduate school in greater detail.\u00a0 This is a greater elaboration of your opening paragraph.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Indicate area of interest, then state questions you might have which are associated with the topic, i.e., what you might be interested in studying or researching.\u00a0 You should have an area of emphasis selected before you write the statement.\u00a0 If you have no idea, talk to a professor about possible areas of interest or current questions in the field.<\/li>\n<li>Look on the web for information about the professors and their research.\u00a0 Are there professors whose interests match yours?\u00a0 If so, indicate this, as it shows that you have done your homework and are highly motivated.\u00a0 (Be sincere, however; don\u2019t make up something bogus just to impress people.)\u00a0 Ideally you have read some of the professors\u2019 work and have been in contact with them prior to making application and can make reference to that exchange.\u00a0 Having a faculty member pulling for you from the inside is a winning strategy.<\/li>\n<li>Talk about what draws you to this particular program.\u00a0 Show that you are familiar with the unique features, focus, field experiences, or faculty, etc. of this program.<\/li>\n<li>End your statement in a positive and confident manner with a readiness for the challenges of graduate study.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>HOW TO WRITE A PERSONAL STATEMENT<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>by Dal Liddle, Augsburg\u00a0University English Department<\/p>\n<p>Everything that follows is an elaboration of this one main issue: graduate school is specific career training and apprenticeship for the the profession of academic teaching and scholarship. If you are the sort of person who should be a professional academic. and can say honestly and clearly how you know that your essay will probably succeed. If you aren&#8217;t your essay will probably reveal that-saving you and your readers much wasted time and needless sorrow. either way, everybody wins.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Although the application process seems cold and impersonal, the human readers who pick up your essay and read it will probably feel hopeful, not hostile, as they start to read. Their goal is to build a good graduate class out of the stack of apps before them, and to bring in students who will enrich their own intellectual lives and lives of their classmates. Despite its high-stakes nature, the, the personal statements should be written sincerely and openly, not defensively.<\/li>\n<li>While a personal statement is written\u00a0<em>to<\/em> an admissions committee-a group of future colleagues who ideally will like you and want to meet you-it is not really written <em>for <\/em> the committee. The committee should never have the sense that you are saying what you think they want to hear. The writing should therefore start with the most specified information that you can nail down about yourself, your reason to believe that your vocation and fitness lie in this area, and your choice of this particular school.<\/li>\n<li>The personal statement should show the reader\/committee four things that are unique to you. These are your individual:\n<ol>\n<li>Qualifications (of intellect, will, and intestinal fortitude)<\/li>\n<li>Commitment (motivation and sense of vocation-this is really what you want to do)<\/li>\n<li>Personality and Backstory (those part relevant to this choice of career)<\/li>\n<li>Comprehension (of what grad school is and does; what the life and duties of a grad student are; what this particular school-teachers, library-offers you.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>The statements need not do any of these four things exhaustively-it can suggest some while developing others. It need not separate them in the arbitrary way I have, or invoke them in my arbitrary order. But none of them can e obviously missing of inadequate.<\/li>\n<li>Despite their optimism, grad admissions readers know very well what can (and very often does) go wrong in grad school, and the following questions will be inescapably present to them. Every essay implicitly offers an answer too them, for better or worse:\n<ol>\n<li>&#8220;Should this person be in grad school at all (or has he\/she perhaps been placed on this earth for some other good and noble purpose)?&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Has this person chosen the right grad school for the right reasons? Do we have what he she wants-not just reputation, but resources? A bad fit to our program will drop out,transfer,or be miserable and spread misery.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Will this person be an asset to our program-will he\/she add diversity, collegiality, and intelligent ideas to our classes? Will he\/she finish course work on time, write a good dissertation, get a good job, and ass to our reputation in the profession and among our peer colleges?&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Will this person be interesting and enjoyable to work with and even mentor?&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Finally, every admissions reader watches for\u00a0 &#8220;red flags&#8221; that signal an unqualified candidate, such as:\n<ol>\n<li>Lack of basic necessary skill to succeed in the field (to write coherently, to do research)<\/li>\n<li>Lack of sophistication in the specialty field<\/li>\n<li>Mainly negative rather than positive motives for choosing grad school (e.g., wanting to escape the &#8220;real world&#8221; or an unpleasant job, wanting to stay in college)<\/li>\n<li>Emotional instability and\/or security<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>OTHER RESOURCES FOR WRITING THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE<\/h3>\n<h3>Links<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/purdue_owl.html\">Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)<\/a> for general writing guidelines and advice<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mitcommlab.mit.edu\/cee\/commkit\/statement-of-purpose\/\">MIT Communication Lab<\/a>\u00a0for statement of purpose guidelines<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/WritingthePersonalStatement\">Writing the Personal Statement\/Statement of Purpose<\/a> by Dixie Shafer, Director of URGO<\/p>\n<h3>Books<\/h3>\n<h4>How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School<\/h4>\n<p>by Richard J. Stelzer<\/p>\n<h4>Graduate Admissions Essays:\u00a0 Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice<\/h4>\n<p>by Donald Asher<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>General Advice Think of the personal statement as a chance for you to introduce yourself &#8211; your background, experiences, knowledge of the field, goals and personality &#8211; to the selection committee.\u00a0 It also affords you the opportunity to explain any irregularities or shortcomings of your candidacy. The personal statement can mean the difference between rejection &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":6832,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6839","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6839"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49017,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6839\/revisions\/49017"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}