Grad School Application Personal Statement?

Question

Ok, I did mine and I think I did a great job, but u never know... Program I am applying to takes till April to get back to us.

How impt do you think it is? And how long do you think they should be?

Answer 1

The personal statement is crucial, but it is only one of many factors considered in graduate admissions.

The required or suggested length of a personal statement varies from program to program. My program requires a minimum of 250 words, but we usually receive statements of 2-4 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font.

In the statement, we are looking for focused research interests, for strong writing ability, for familiarity and facility with current scholarship in the field, and for evidence of excellent "fit" with our particular faculty's areas of expertise.

So, if you tailored your statements to each program to which you applied, being careful to specify why you chose that program and showing familiarity with the faculty's areas of specialization, if you were clear about your planned research area, if you described your methodological preferences, showing familiarity with current theory, and if you wrote a literate and organized narrative, then you should be fine.

Best wishes to you.

Answer 2

I've "advised" on a number of these... with success, I might add. Given the caliber -- and number -- of students hoping to gain entry to a good grad school nowadays, what distinguishes you from the other applicants will be your essay and other factors (eg, pertinent activities, jobs, etc.). This can give you a distinct advantage where, from a grade point of view, you are on a par with the other candidates.

Here is what I recommend.....

A) State your case clearly and succinctly. As the reader, I'd be looking to see how you think, and how well you convey that thinking when you state your case, far more than the actual content of what you have to say (although this does weigh in). Conveying one's coherence of thought is especially important for business and law school applicants.

B) Work and rework the essay so that you use the most impactful words -- without resorting to hyperbole -- to state your case. Economy rules here.... use fewer, more effective words thereby adhering to the "less is more" principle.

C) This might seem picky-picky, but it's important: Ensure you have no awkward grammar or sentence structures. Your reader lives in the world of academe and will probably know good form from bad more than most. If you distract the reader from the content and flow of your essay, you are only doing yourself a disservice. The period (.) is your friend -- use it to avoid long, rambling sentences!

E) To my knowledge, most application essays come with a stated page or word limit. Even if you're not provided with one, you should be able to state your case effectively in 2 pages or less. Again, this requires coherence of thought and effective word usage, but that is what the reader is looking to see.

F) Break up your text with paragraphs: It is terribly daunting for even the most enthusiastic reader to be faced with a page without any "air".

The impact of much of what I've outlined is subliminal, but it is no less important for being so.

I hope some of this addresses your question, is of value, and provides reassurance.

Answer 3

The personal statement is extremely important because it shows two things- your writing ability and what you are choosing to go to graduate school. It should be 1 -2 pages, but it may vary across schools so make sure to check the admissions criteria of the respected schools.

Answer 4

Ur Personal Statement play very imp role in getting application. It states your school performance, any awards, future plans and job profile if any.

I think they will take atleast 2 mnths to get back to u.

Best Luck.

Answer 5

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