Personal Statements

Design Student in Studio

Tips for Writing a Strong Personal Statement

  • Follow the prompts carefully. They may be different from one program to the next
  • Write an interesting and engaging statement, including the first sentence (versus “I’ve wanted to be a fill-in-the-blank since I was a sophomore”)
  • Include 2 or 3 specific stories that illustrate your skills and experiences
  • Touch on your intellectual learning from these experiences and highlight what else you want to learn during grad school
  • Do online or personal research so you can clearly articulate your interest in each program
  • Nearly every sentence should be personal, clearly about you. Facts about your academic topic of interest should be cited only in reference to how they inspired you, sparked your curiosity, or motivated you to action. It’s about you
  • Use strong grammar and writing skills throughout
  • Write in a clear and organized manner
  • Get feedback from your faculty or make an appointment with your career consultant

Grad School Planning