How do I write a personal statement?

Question

Personal statements are often required on graduate school applications and doctoral applications. Even those who are proficient writers have a hard time writing about themselves.

Answer 1

Writing about yourself is a challenge, especially in how to start. One technique is to start with a quotation that is personally meaningful to you. Why is that quote important to you? How does it reflect your life? Telling a few anecdotes about how that quote has guided your decisions in life says a lot about who you are. This can get you going on your statement, and you can then tie this description of who you are to why you have chosen that school or a particular major, etc. Don't forget to describe your intended contributions to the profession you are pursuing. That should enable you to produce a rough draft.

Answer 2

While writing about one's self can be a daunting task, once you get a starting point and start heading in a certain direction, it can be much easier to get something going. You will want to create a strong topic paragraph that is going to lead your paper. You will want to continue to connect themes of your paper back to this paragraph. The paragraph can include a quote that has guided you through your life experiences, a large event that has helped you grow into the person you are today (ex. Becoming a leader in an organization to help overcome public speaking and has broken you out of your shell). Somewhere in your paper, I would bring in at least one large life event either related or unrelated to the school you are applying to, your particular major, etc. The reason for this is that you are trying to relate aspects of your life to applicable areas such as teamwork, perseverance, resilience, your ability as a leader, etc. Regardless, make sure to include why you are qualified to go where you want to go in life. Sell yourself to your audience. Mention positions you have held that relate to the profession you are pursuing, volunteer experiences that correspond to your path, etc. I hope this helps you create a first draft of your personal statement!