Writing Graduate Application Essay
Tips to Writing a Successful Personal Statement
Writing a successful personal statement is all about conveying your interests, your goals, and why the program you are applying to is the perfect fit to meet both of these. Also, you are trying to present an essay that will stand out to someone who reads 70-100 of these things a day without being cliche or too over the top.
After you have done research on the schools and programs and you have brainstormed ideas about your experiences, goals, and possible essay topics, you are ready to write.
Tips for Writing a Graduate Essay
Start writing early. Three to four months before your applications are due is a good time to write a first draft.
Express yourself clearly. Use precise language to convey your message. Throwing around the newest GRE word you learned while studying is not going to impress people if it does not fit with the rest of the essay. The clearer the writing the better. This essay is as much about you as it is about your ability to convey ideas in a cogent manor.
Don't say too much or too little. This is a tough balance to find, but you want to go for an essay that is distinctive and not necessarily comprehensive. You are not writing an autobiography, just a tight essay that conveys the essence of you.
Personal history. Include personal experiences that have led you to make the decision to continue on with your education. If you are going right out of undergrad, write about why you want to continue going to school. If you have been working, write about why you want to go back to school.
Why do you want to go to grad school. After going through the brainstorming process you should have plenty of justification. You need to clearly explain why this is the next logical step based on your experience and goals.
Why this program in particular. This part of your essay should be different for each school you apply to. Use the information you found while doing research for this essay to explain why this program is the perfect fit to meet your goals and interests. You may even need to slightly modify some of the other parts of your essay to ensure this section fits well.
Tone. You want to be confident in your ability to fit into a higher education environment, but you do not want to come off as pompous or arrogant.
Gimmicks. It is possible to write a more creative essay. This is a high risk high return manuver that could pay off well if done properly. It could also fall flat on its face. Different readers will be impressed by different things and you can never predict what people will like.
Stay neutral. Avoid any topic that could be seen as controversial. You may get a right-wing nut or a bleeding-heart hippie reading your essay, but you cannot predict which it will be.
Because personal statements balance the line between confidence and arrogance, explanatory and personal, long and short, etc. it is important to have this document edited over and over and over.
Remember: Take your time and keep breathing.
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