Graduate School Statement Template Page 5
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such essays should also still aim to engage the reader in a way that conveys your own
enthusiasm for the subject matter.
Avoid mistakes like discussing the school's rank or prestige, or simply offering generic
praise. Instead, mention faculty members by name and indicate some knowledge of
their work. Consider contacting faculty members first and discussing their current
research projects and your interest in studying under them. Then refer to these contacts
in your essay.
Why Am I Qualified?
The way to prove your qualification is not to list attributes you believe you possess but
to discuss concrete experiences that show your abilities and qualities. As always,
details are paramount. The rest of your application has already summarized your
accomplishments and your activities. Show the reader what you did in concrete terms,
and again, highlight your active roles.
The experiences that demonstrate your qualification are not necessarily distinct from
those that explain your motivation. You shouldn't plan on dividing the essay into two
separate sections for each, but rather organize the structure by topic and extrapolate
insights as they develop. It's important that you think of the essay as an integrated
whole, not as a checklist of questions you must answer.
Focus on research experience, since research will be your main job for the duration of
your studies. Be specific about what you did. If you worked for a year under a professor,
you might consider emphasizing one particular project and exploring that in depth. The
experience does not have to have been a major undertaking: Any practical experience
can be used as long as you demonstrate your enthusiasm and aptitude for the field of
study.
Remember to keep the discussion personal. Do not get bogged down in minute details
and jargon. Ultimately, the focus of the story should remain on you and your growth or
success.
TOP 10 GRADUATE SCHOOL ESSAY WRITING TIPS
1. Don't Write a Term Paper.
As a prospective graduate student, you may be tempted to try to impress your reader
with an already tight grasp of academic style. Resist this temptation! You will have
plenty of time to produce labyrinthine sentences and sophisticated vocabulary. Your
reader will have seen too many essays to appreciate bewilderingly advanced prose.
Write clearly and personably.
2. Don't Bore the Reader. Do Be Interesting.
Admissions officers have to read hundreds of essays, and they must often skim.
Abstract rumination has no place in an application essay. Admissions officers aren't
looking for a new way to view the world; they're looking for a new way to view you the
The Writing Center: Writing a Grad School Personal Statement
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