Are you planning to study abroad? Are you tired of writing Personal Statement for university admissions? Then you are at the right page. Here we will discuss in detail about Personal Statement which will help you craft your impressive Personal Statement for admission.
By Reading this Blog Completely, you will understand:
- What is a personal statement?
- Easy methods to write your personal statement
- Mistakes you should avoid by glancing through some Personal Statement samples
What is Personal Statement?
A Personal Statement is an important document you submit for your university admissions explaining your interest in the subject and passion to pursue the course. It is an important element of university admissions in many European countries, the USA etc.
Types of Personal Statements
There are two types of Personal Statement, they are:
- Comprehensive Personal Statement: Here you write about yourself and have the freedom on what you write.
- Responses Personal Statement: Here you answer the questions asked in an application.
Why do you need a Personal Statement?
Personal Statement is your trump card, be it for university admissions or for a job. It is a reflection of your personality and your chance to express your interest and passion for the subject or job.
It is essential:
- To get admission in a university
- To apply for a job
- As a mean to express yourself
- Tell more about you than a CV
- You can express your interest or passion for the subject or job
- Create an impression about you
- Sets you apart from other candidates
What does the admission committee expect from a personal statement?
Understanding what an Admission Committee demands from a Personal Statement, will help you draft excellent copy of your Personal Statements. Below are the few pointers that are usually demanded from a Personal Statements.
- Course Motivation
- Interest and passion for the chosen subject
- Relevant skills and accomplishments
- Your familiarity with the course chosen
- Your understanding of the university
- Your uniqueness
What to include in a personal statement?
A Personal Statement must include:
- An attractive introduction that describes your course motivation.
- Academic and professional history.
- Glimpse about your extracurricular activities.
- Your career plans.
- An appealing conclusion.
How to Write a Personal Statement?
Writing a Personal Statement requires a lot of things to be taken care of and includes a lot of things. Here are the steps to be followed to write your best personal Statement.
Start Early
Always start early to write your Personal Statement and never keep it for last minute rush as it will affect the quality of your content.
Brainstorm your ideas
Brainstorm and gather all your ideas. Contemplate on what all you have to include in your Personal Statement.
Outline your structure
Outline your Personal Statement and structure your document. Think about how to structure your Personal Statement including all the relevant details.
The process of writing
Start writing your first draft and include all points you brainstormed. Revise your document and add or delete the details.
Proofread the Personal Statement
Don’t forget to check for any errors and proofread the documents. You can use apps like Grammarly, Hemmingway etc for proofreading.
Seek feedback
Never forget to show your Personal Statement to the experts and seek their feedback.
How long should a personal statement be?
The length of a Personal Statement is of about 4000 characters, which is approximately 550 – 1000 words.
How to format a personal statement?
Formatting a Personal Statement is a vital element of your writing the document. Always use a standard font style and 12 font size. Never forget to add the name and contact info of yours and the Dean’s. Start with a greeting and end greatly.
Do personal statement characters include spaces?
Yes. It must be of 4000 characters including spaces.
Should personal statements be double spaced?
Depending upon the instructions your Personal Statement can be single or double spaced with a standard cover letter spacing.
Personal Statement Sample for your Reference
Glancing at several Personal Statements will give you an idea on how to structure and tone your document. Here is a sample that will help you understand how to write an impressive Personal Statement.
Fellowship Personal Statement Examples
There’s no denying that my inquisitive mind intrigued me to embrace a career in experimental science. The eagerness to explore deeper motivated me to channelize my creativity and hard work, knowing the scope of failure in my pursuits. It’s my passion in science that fuels my tenacity to sustain all the hardship and move towards experimental excellence. The fascinating attitude to know the ‘how’ and ‘why’ beyond the superficiality of facts has helped me craft a happening career for myself. As a part of my undergraduate studies, I have nurtured my scientific temper. I have also been bestowed to share my knowledge with others. Given that I would like to pursue a research-oriented career, I want to obtain a doctoral degree in chemistry and establish myself as a professor.
While pursuing my Master’s in Chemistry from Delhi University, I got a valuable exposure to the world of chemistry that surrounds us. It was a great learning experience, where our professors loved to share their interests and passion for chemistry with the students. I benefitted significantly from their guidance, that nurtured my interests in science. I was fortunate to get a chance to intern at Bharat Chemicals. This practical exposure helped me grasp the idea of how gratifying a career in chemistry can be. I spent my time engrossed with questions that remained to be answered. Besides, research appealed to my intellect, and I found it stimulating enough. Naturally, I decided to channelize my intellectual resources and creativity to craft a happening career in chemistry.
During my projects, I got the opportunity to master the fundamentals of organic chemistry. I also gained first-hand experience in setting up reactions, running columns, and presenting concepts on PowerPoint. At the same time, I imbibed my critical thinking abilities, and planned my research work. During my course work at Delhi University, I worked on two other projects. I have already submitted both the manuscripts, which will be published in the next few months. I was glad to be awarded a fellowship, by virtue of which I could assist my teachers with their work in the laboratory. It was a pleasure for me to supplement the students with additional instructions about their courses. It was a kind of intellectual blessing for me, as I cherished teaching and learning science.
All these experiences have enabled me to shape my professional goals. I hunt for scientific excellence, and have been able to refine my knowledge with inputs for chemistry while I was teaching the subject. As a result, I decided to go for a doctoral degree, studying under the mentorship of Dr. William Stone. It would be a gratifying experience for me to balance my life as a researcher, student, teaching assistant, and a valuable community member of your university. Presently, I have integrated myself into Engineers Without Borders. I am working in Panama on a project that aims to provide clean water for public use. I feel motivated here, as I can use my existing knowledge to help the community for a social cause. Besides, I have volunteered myself at different NGOs and missionaries all these years, visiting countries like Uganda, Ecuador, and Indonesia. Working at orphanages and missionaries has also strengthened my leadership skills. I find immense pleasure in making a difference in the lives of other people.
After completing this program from your revered university in the US, I would go for academic research. A happening career in this domain awaits me, where I can get the opportunity to work at one of the research institutions. At the same time, I would love my profession as a teacher or educator, making a direct impact on the lifestyle of students. Organic chemistry and science have always motivated me to explore the subjects deeper. In the coming years, I would like to complete my postdoctoral research and lead a lab, working with international scientists. Presently, I am prioritizing academic research, as I would be able to provide proper mentorship to graduate and undergraduate students. Fostering an enriched learning environment, I wish to enhance the academic environment at global institutions.
How to Structure a Personal Statement?
Structure of your Personal Statement matters to create a good impression of your document. There are certain formats for Personal Statements and one must take care and adhere to. It should be noted that personal Statements are written in a paragraph style. You don’t need to sign your Personal Statement as it is submitted digitally. But be careful to check the same by looking at the university and course requirements.
Below are the pointers on how to structure a Personal Statements.
| Introduction | Start with an eye catchy introduction. You can either start with a famous quote or extended version of your career plan. |
| Academic and professional details | Following the introductory paragraph, you can add details about your academic background and professional history if you have any. You can also add details regarding your achievements here. |
| Extracurricular activities | Here you can add details regarding your extracurricular activities and volunteering work. |
| Short and long term goals | You can discuss your short and long term goals, and also about how this chosen course will help you accomplish your goals. |
| Course motivation | Here you can discuss in detail about your course motivation and how this course will help you in achieving your future career goals. |
| Why this country and university | You can state your reason for the choice of this particular country and university and what attracted you to this country and university. |
| Conclusion | End with a powerful conclusion expressing your hope to get admitted to the university. |
Pro Tips for writing a Strong Personal Statement
- Be unique in your approach
- It is recommended to keep it personal
- Always use simple words and language
- Maintain a positive tone throughout the Personal Statement
- Always be careful to use active voice
Why Should You Hire a Personal Statement Writer?
Writing a Personal Statement require lot of patience, hard work and determination. If you are exhausted after your attempts to write an excellent Personal Statement for your admissions or job applications, then it will be a best choice to hire an experienced Personal Statement Writer to write an attractive and excellent Personal Statement which is customized to your needs. An experienced writer can help you address all your strong areas and draft a Personal Statement which meets all the university requirements. If you hire a Personal Statement writer, then you don’t have to take the risk to proofread the document and seek feedback, as all these are included in their package.
Why you should avoid using Personal Statement Builder?
It is always better to write Personal Statement on your own and avoid using personal statement builders or any other tools that are available online as it may look artificial and fake and might not reflect you and these may sometimes lead to rejection.
Pro Tip: Care must be taken while drafting a Personal Statement as a single mistake can lead to instant rejection of your application.
Top Reasons Why your Personal Statement gets Rejected
A single mistake from your side can shatter your dream to study abroad. Below are the few common mistakes which have to be taken care of.
- Being not specific
- Spelling and grammar mistakes
- Using clichés in your personal statement
- No course motivation
- Lack of understanding of the course
Phrases to avoid in a personal statement
Below are the few clichéd phrases which are very common in every Personal Statements. So make sure you don’t use these phrases in your Personal Statement.
- Passionate
- Team Player
- Extensive
- Also
- Watching TV
- Puns or joke
- Expert
List of Courses Which Require Personal Statement
Graduate School
Below is the list of undergraduate courses which require a Personal Statement for university admissions.
| Zoology Biochemistry Chemistry Chemical Engineering Criminology Environmental Science English Literature Fine Art | Marketing Philosophy Photography Business Studies Digital Marketing Nursing School Graphic Design Media and Communication |
Masters
Writing a Personal Statement is necessary for university admission for below mentioned postgraduate courses.
| Cyber Security Data Science MBA Interior Design Social Work Economics | Education Public Health (MPH) Computer Sciences Psychology Engineering & Technology Accounting and Finance |
PHD
Personal Statement for Ph.D admission is an important element for admission and it must be well crafted describing your research interest and goals.
UCAS v/s Common App Personal Statement
While UCAS is required to apply for Universities in the UK, Common App is used for admission to US Universities and sometimes includes universities outside the US. We have already covered how to write a Personal Statement for UCAS and Common App. So if you wish to know more, you can go through it.
University Personal Statement – Top Universities which ask for Personal Statement
University Personal Statement is an official document you submit to the University explaining your interest and passion to pursue the chosen course. It is one of the important elements of university admission. Below are some of the best universities in the world where you have to submit a Personal Statement.
| Harvard University National University of Singapore (NUS) London’s Global University (UCL) Imperial College | University of Hong Kong (HKU) New York University (NYU) Stanford University University of California, Berkeley |
Personal Statement for Job
A Personal Statement for a job explains how you are a right fit for the job and what interests you to apply for the job. A Personal Statement is required for below mentioned jobs.
| Personal Assistant | Teaching | Midwifery |
Is it necessary to mention Career Break or Career Change in a personal Statement?
It is always recommendable to mention any gap, career break or career change in your Personal Statement and don’t forget to provide the reason for the same.
Conclusion
We have come to the end of the blog. We have discussed exclusively on how to write a Personal Statement and tips to make your Personal Statement attractive. Hope you found this blog useful. If you have got any queries regarding the content of the blog, feel free to contact us for more details. Also post your comments and feedback in the comment section below.
Frequently Asked Question [FAQ]
How long does it take to write a personal statement?
It depends upon each person and how fast you wish to finish your writing. It is always better to start writing your Personal Statement early so that you get enough time to recheck, edit and seek feedback for your Personal Statement.
What happens if I copy a personal statement?
If you copy in a Personal Statement, it will be caught by a plagiarism detection software and if it is above the limit, there are chances for your application to get rejected.
Can I reuse a personal statement?
It is always recommended to write fresh Personal Statement for each application. Even if you are using the same Personal Statement, care must be taken to tailor made it addressing each university’s requirements.
Can personal statements be informal?
A Personal Statement can be a bit informal and you are allowed to use a conversational tone to ensure your thoughts reach the readers.
Should I include a personal statement on CV?
Writing a Personal Statement on CV can help you to make your application stand out.
| How to write an LOR | How to write an SOP | SOP for Canada |
| SOP for Canada Study Visa | SOP for Australia | SOP for Germany |
| SOP for UK |
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