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Physics Personal Statement Examples

"Where have we come from and where are we going?" It was definitely a Eureka moment when a simple question directed by my Physics Professor at high school triggered in me the need to explore and led me to discover my aptitude for Astrophysics...

• FindAMasters
• Physics Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Hannah Slack

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Physics. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

Physics has long been a fascinating subject for me. I have always been interested in how things work in the world around us. Ever since a school trip to CERN in 2014, Physics became a passion. I was inspired by the work that went into creating both the CMS and ATLAS detectors. The talk we received on the LHC was equally interesting and sparked my curiosity in Particle Physics. Now, eight years later, I am applying for this Masters course with the intention to progress to a PhD afterwards. I then hope to go on to work as a researcher on a large-scale experiment, such as those conducted at CERN or Fermilab.

I am currently in the final year of my undergraduate degree, where I have had the opportunity take some specialist modules on Particle Physics. These modules greatly appealed to my need to understand the world and I have enjoyed learning more about the intricacies involved with the Standard Model. The possibility of finding new particles is also a large contributor to my fascination. Since my school visit, I have continued to follow the work conducted at CERN and other major Particle Physics research centres.

In addition to the numerical and data analyst skills gained throughout my undergraduate degree, I partook a summer project to help develop my skillset and explore other areas of research. The project was with a teaching laboratory where I worked towards developing a laser experiment for a spectroscopy study. This opportunity allowed me to gain more experience working in a lab environment as a researcher, which I can continue to build upon throughout the Masters.

In my free time I enjoy creating open-source flash games. This hobby has enabled me to build upon my programming ability, particularly in ActionScript 3.0. In addition, my GCSE in Computing introduced me to Python which I have also continued to learn and practice. Although I do not yet have a strong grasp on C++ coding, I believe my background in these other languages will help me pick up the basics quickly.

Aside from dedicating much of my life to physics, I am an avid runner. Having now completed the London Marathon twice, running has taught me that dedication and hard work pay off, even if there are bumps along the road.

My passion and skillset would make me an excellent fit for the Masters programme. As I am projected to graduate with a first, I believe that my undergraduate degree and summer project work has introduced me to the knowledge and research skills needed to perform will in a Masters. Additionally, the dedication that I have gained through running and the enjoyment I get through coding has given me a drive to succeed.

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Applying to Graduate School

Applying to graduate school can be confusing and overwhelming (and no one ever tells you how damn expensive it all is). SPS is here to help deobfuscate the messy application process.

Disclaimer : A lot of this advice is based on personal experience from a limited set of perspectives. If something in here doesn’t resonate with you, that’s absolutely fine and you should follow your own path. If you flat out disagree with what’s written here, you can bring up your issue here and we can change the content of this page to reflect what advice is most agreed upon.

What does an application consist of?

Pretty much any application to a physics PhD program will consist of four things: a statement of purpose (frequently called the personal statement), a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), letters of recommendation, transcripts, standardized test scores, and for some applications a diversity statement (sometimes confusingly also called a personal statement). Unforuntunately there is no “Common App” for physics gradaute schools (although please make one), so each physics department has its own application and process, requiring you to submit essentially the same biograpihcal information and documents to each and every program. What follows is some advice on tackling each part of the application.

Statement of Purpose / Personal Statement

The Statement of Purpose (SoP) is a 1 - 2 page essay written by you that outlines your intentions in applying to a certain graduate program. You usually discuss your prior research experience and the specific research interests you wish to pursue in graduate school. This is also a place for you to write about any parts of your application that you’d like to clarify for the admissions committee (e.g. a few bad grades in one semester, low physics GRE scores, etc.). Many dismiss the SoP as having little use, as people generally don’t really know what they’re going to study in graduate school, and people in STEM tend to not be the most eloquent writers (i.e. most SoPs are trash). However, the SoP really is the ONLY portion of your application that you have complete control over , and this is what makes it important. If you are a good writer (or you put enough time into your SoP), you have an opportunity to really impress admission committees with your ability to professionally present yourself. When reviewing applications, faculty are looking for future colleagues , which they would prefer would be mature and able to present themselves. A well-written SoP can get this exact message across, which is why it is an important part of your application.

The SoP needs to be contrasted and separated from the Personal Statement (or diversity statement). The Personal Statement is a 1 - 2 page essay that clarifies your personal history and provides you with a space to discuss challenges that you’ve faced in reaching the current stage of your career. The Personal Statement is really the only area of an application where you as a person enters into play. These statements exist because physics graduate admissions tends to favor those with an abundance of opportunities (i.e. rich kids at prestigious universities), and the statement allows admission committees to place your application in the context of your own life. If you’ve found yourself pretty advantaged throughout your life, you might be at a loss to talk about disadvantages you’ve faced. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t write anything. In these statements, admission committees are also looking for you to show how you can improve the state of their own community . For example, do you have a passion for teaching or outreach? You can discuss those passions in your statement and talk about how you focus on bringing opportunities to communities other than your own.

In general, both your SoP and Personal Statement will be different for each school you apply to. A SoP needs to provide specific detail about why you are applying to each program, and is thus inherently unique for each application. As discussed earlier, you generally want to emphasize how you can enhance a program’s community in your Personal Statement, so each statement needs to be customized for each application as well. Further, schools may request specific information in your SoP or Personal Statement that other schools do not require, which further complicates the writing process. However, this does not mean you need to write a new statement from scratch for each program you apply to.

A SoP will generally have the following structure:

• Paragraph 1: Introduce who you are and talk about your interests. Not like your name, but talk about your specific work interests, what your skills are, and what your interests in physics are. Make it interesting and make yourself sound appealing. You can talk about the specific parts of physics that fascinate you as they apply to the program you are applying to (e.g. it’s fine to talk about how dark matter fascinates if you want to work on cosmology projects in the program, but not if you’re interested in condensed matter theory). You can also use this space to quickly in 1 - 2 sentences explain away parts of your application that are weak (e.g. a semester of bad grades). In these sentences, try to take responsibility for the parts of your application that are weak and emphasize your growth as a student. For example, someone might say to explain away a low GPA, “Despite my rough start in the beginning of my academic career, resulting in a 3.0 total GPA, I was able to maintain a 3.7 GPA in my last two years of study in my physics and math courses, reflecting my commitment to obtaining a physics degree and continuing my studies.
• Paragraph 2: Now is when you start name dropping. Name at least 3 specific professors you would like to work with. Discuss why their work intrigues you and what you can bring to the table when working with them. This is where you can talk in specifics about the work you imagine yourself doing in graduate school. At minimum, this is the only area you need to change between the Statements of Purpose that you write for each applcation.
• Paragraph 3+: Talk about your research experience. Talk about the specific contributions you have made to the research you have been involved in. For each experience, mention who you worked with and where the work was performed. Each of these experiences you talk about will probably be written about in one of your letters of recommendations (some even underline the names of their letter writers as a cue that readers should cross reference what you wrote with your letters of recommendation), so you should write in a way to supplement what they may be writing about you.
• Conclusion: Wrap everything up. Discuss again, now that your reader knows more about your experience and intentions, why exactly you are applying to this program and what you want to do there.

You don’t have to follow this structure, but this outline provides a nice starting point for writting a succinct essay that gets the point across that you have skills the professors want and you have specific ideas about what you want to do. If you find it difficult to write in this manner, try a different essay structure that feels more natural to you. No matter what you end up writing and no matter what structure your essay has, just make sure you follow these two rules:

DO NOT WASTE MY TIME

This should be the golden rule of all writing. Write with purpose and clarity so that the admission committee gets a clear understanding of your intentions in applying. This will also show them that you are smart and mature, which are good attributes to have in a grad student. Also keep in mind that admissions committees have to read hundreds of applications. If you’re wasting their time with your writing, it’s more reason to just glance over what you write which might weaken your application.

Every sentence and paragraph should serve some purpose in constructing an ideal image of you as a grad student in the reader’s mind. Try to actively think about what the image the reader constructs of you is as you write your SoP.

DO NOT WRITE ABOUT YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD

This is a big faux pas, and some still make the mistake of starting their application with their memories of falling in love with physics as a kid. Some applications will go so far as to explicitly request that you do not talk about this. If you start talking about how you’ve loved science ever since you used a chemistry set when you were 9, you’re already breaking rule number 1.

Resume / CV

Resumes and curriculum vitaes (CVs) are pretty standard. To get an idea of the expectation for how your resume should be formatted, take a look at the CVs of the professors you want to work with at the various schools you are applying to. In generally, they should list the following information:

Biographical and contact information

Your name, address, phone number, email, etc.

Your educational history

The universities you have attended and your dates of attendence (no high schools), your majors, and your GPA

Your research/work experience

List each of the research projects you have worked on and what your contribution was. If you don’t have enough research experience, supplement with relevant work experience.

A list of your publications/posters/talks

If you have publications (most don’t, but if you do - great!), you should list them with a full reference. Also list any posters and talks you’ve given on your work.

(Optional) Scholarships and awards

List all of the scholarships and awards you have received in college. Don’t be shy, make it seem like a bigger deal than it is.

(Optional) Teaching experience

This can be listed under work experience as well, but it’s good to include any TAing experience you have, as TAing is a core part of many graduate careers. If you have enough experience, this can be an entire portion of your resume.

(Optional) Leadership and involvement

If you have relevant leadership experience (on an exec board of a club) or outreach experience, it’s good to list these on your resume

(Optional) Technical skills

You can also advertise special skills on your resume. If you program a lot, you can mention the useful languages you know. If you have a lot of experience in the lab, you can write down your lab skills and what special software you are adept with.

Your resume should be either exactly 1 or 2 pages. It might look weird to make it 1.5 pages or something like that (use your own judgement). There is generally a 2 page limit that prevents it from being too long. To make formatting easier, you should use LaTeX to write up your CV. Word is fine, but using LaTeX produces a more professional looking document. You can use a template to make it easier. This one is pretty good.

Letters of Recommendation

Generally, you’ll need three letters of recommendation for your applications. For some applications, they will accept more than three letters, but three is all that is necessary. Well in advance of your application deadlines, you should begin reaching out to people who you’d like to write your letters of recommendation. Generally, professors are happy to write a few good words about their students. However, some might just not have much to say, or they might be too busy, so provide room for (and prepare for) refusal when you ask.

In each of your letters, admission committees are looking for good qualities, such as tenacity, intelligence, work ethic, and resolve, that their colleagues have identified in you. In general, you want to receive good letters of recommendation, so you should seek out people who will write great things about you in each of these areas. Primarily, you should be asking for letters from people you have worked under, either professors or post-docs, in a research experience or a work experience of some sort. These should be people that you’ve worked with closely and have a solid understanding of and high regard for the impact you’ve had on their research. If you don’t have three people who you’ve worked with, your next best bet is a professor who has taught you in a course. In this case, you should seek out a professor who knows you well and who has high regard for you. You may have visited them many times in office hours and impressed them with your work ethic. It’s not necessary that you were the best student in their class, but it is necessary that you impressed them and that they have something unique to say about you and your qualities as a person.

Your letter writers may ask that you send them your CV, so make sure you have one prepared for them. Along with your CV, send them a draft Statement of Purpose so they can understand your motivations for applying to your chosen schools and tailor their writing towards your goals. If you don’t have a draft SoP, then at least in your request to them let them know explicitly what you hope they can write about you (e.g. you might say “I was hoping you could highlight X, Y, and Z about our work/time together” when you talk to them). Providing some guidance on what should be in the letter is a much appreciated step when requesting a letter. Finally, send each of your letter writers a well formatted spreadsheet that contains information about all of the schools you’re applying to and a link to where they should submit their letter. Make it as easy as possible for them to not mess up when submitting your letter!

Transcripts

You will either need to send an official or unofficial transcript in with each of your applications. You can get an unofficial transcript easily through SIS, and you can get an official UVA transcript ordered through UVA .

Standardized Test Scores

In general, programs will require that you send BOTH your scores for the general GRE and the physics GRE to them through ETS’s official score sending website. You will want to do this in advance of the submission deadline for each application, so that you can ensure your application is complete by the deadline. Some programs may not ask for you general GRE exam scores or your physics GRE exam scores.

General Advice

It’s a good idea to keep a spreadsheet with all of the schools you want to apply to along with information about which information you’ve sent them (transcript, letters, etc.), and which standardized test scores they require.

How do I pick a program to apply to?

This is probably the hardest part to give specific advice on as which programs you should apply to depends on a lot of different factors, and is inherently a personal choice. In general though, you should go to the school where you will have the most opportunities to do what you want to do . “Most opportunities” can mean a lot. It can mean the school has a lot of funding and allows you to explore research freely. It can also mean that there is simply the largest number of faculty who’s research intrigues you. It can also mean that that school has a nice science facility (e.g. an accelerator) where you can do your research. “What you want to do” is also vague, and is up to each person. Perhaps you are hyper-focused on research, and you want to go to a school where everyone else is like that. Perhaps you find the people you are with is more important to your happiness than the work you are doing, in which case you would want to ensure the faculty and students in your chosen department are friendly and have similar personalities to you. Perhaps you are more interested in the city you will be living in or the hiking opportunities available to you in the surrounding area of the school. These are all valid perspectives to have on what you want out of your graduate program, and they will all enter into your choice of schools that you apply to.

To get an idea of where different schools lie in how “good” they are, you can take a look at rankings, like the US News rankings or other rankings which use other objective factors . GradSchoolShopper is also an excellent place to find schools to apply to, and also provides information about acceptance rates at various schools. Pick a few school off these lists (don’t automatically rule out MIT!), and look at their websites for more information. Go through their faculty pages and read up on their research. Write down in a notepad or document all the people who have research that stands out to you. Look for buzz words that you think sound cool , as that tends to be a good indicator of you’re own interests when you’re unsure of what you want to do. You can use this as a starting point to narrow down which schools actually have science that sounds interesting to you.

Finally, just ask around! Ask your friends who have graduated which programs they applied to and why. Ask the grad students in the physics and astronomy departments about their experience with graduate admissions as well, as they will be able to have a much more specific and tailored conversation about your thoughts in applying to graduate school than this website can provide.

Personal experiences

Below you can find some advice from previous SPS members who have been through this process and wanted to share some words of wisdom to make your life easier.

Understand your profile as an applicant. But you should shoot for the stars too because you’re worth it!

Every professor in the department has gone through this process. Ask them about the program they went to. If you’re interested in potentially going to an international program, talk to Baessler.

Be sure that the research falls in line with your interests. However, your individual happiness is more important than anything, so be sure it’s somewhere you can flourish. When you visit, be sure to talk to the older graduate students about how they’re doing. Also try to get a sense of the community in the program. Grad school can take a toll on your physical and mental health, so it’s important that your superiors and colleagues are invested in you as a person.

As much as we don’t want to make money an issue, if the program doesn’t offer very much of it you should maybe consider another. Also look into the cost of living in the area.

Try to select a school that will make you happy in terms of every aspect, cause you don’t want to end up in a crappy situation for your life (which surprisingly exists beyond physics).

Online resources

• APS’s guide to choosing a grad program
• US News physics department rankings
• The Chronical astronomy department rankings
• GradSchoolShopper

How much will this all cost?

A lot. In total, one can expect to spend $1413 - $1921 on graduate school applications. One SPS student tallied up their own costs when applying to 12 schools, using fee waivers for applications, and spent a total of $1,141. So, make sure you have $1,000 - $2,000 saved up before applying to graduate schools!

Applications

Each application will cost you between $50 and $150 each to even submit them. Fee waivers can generally be obtained for applications if you qualify, and you should try to take advantage of those if money is an issue. Students usually apply to somewhere between 8 and 12 schools, which makes application costs ~$800 - $1200.

Standardized Tests

Taking the general GRE costs $205 each time you take it and taking the physics GRE costs $150 for each test . Considering many take the general GRE once and the physics GRE twice, you’re looking at a cost of $505 to just take the tests. Again, there are fee waivers for the GRE, however you can only claim one fee waiver for one test. The process for obtaining a fee waiver is needlessly complex and time consuming (including mailing a form !), so plan ahead and apply for a fee waiver well in advance of registering for one of the GRE exams.

Actually sending your scores to your schools is the last part of the financial burden. ETS charges $27 for each score report you send to a school (includes both general GRE and physics GRE). When actually taking a test, you will be able to send your scores to four schools for free . Take advantage of this to save $108! Again, using a figure of 8 - 12 schools, you are looking at a cost of $108 - $216 to send your scores.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

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Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

Graduate School Personal Statement

Criteria for success.

• Your personal statement convinces a faculty committee that you are qualified for their program.
• It convinces them that you a good fit for their program’s focus and goals.
• You show a select group of skills and experiences that convey your scientific accomplishments and interests.
• Your experiences are concrete and quantitative.
• Your personal statement is no more than 3 pages.

Structure Diagram

The graduate school personal statement tells your story and demonstrates that you are a good match for a particular department or program. Matching goes both ways: they should be interested in you, and you should be interested in them. Your personal statement should make this match clear.

Analyze Your Audience

Your personal statement will be ready by a graduate committee, a handful of faculty from your program. They’re trying to determine if you will be a successful graduate student in their department, a positive force in the department’s intellectual life, and a successful scientist after you graduate. They are therefore interested in your qualifications as a researcher, your career goals, and how your personality matches their labs and department.

The graduate committee probably reads hundreds of applications a year. To make it easy for them to figure out that you are a good fit, make direct, concrete statements about your accomplishments and qualifications. To make it easy for them to remember you, create a narrative that “brands” you.

Create a personal narrative

PhD programs invest in the professional and scientific growth of their students. Get the committee excited about investing in you by opening your essay with a brief portrait of what drives you as a scientist. What research directions are you passionate about, and why? What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years?

Close your essay with a 2-3 sentence discussion of your career interests. No one will hold you to this; this just helps your committee visualize your potential trajectory.

Describe your experiences

Experiences are the “what” of your essay. What experiences led you to develop your skill set and passions? Where have you demonstrated accomplishment, leadership, and collaboration? Include research, teaching, and relevant extracurriculars. State concrete achievements and outcomes like awards, discoveries, or publications.

Quantify your experiences to show concrete impact. How many people were on your team? How many protocols did you develop? How many people were in competition for an award? As a TA, how often did you meet with your students?

Describe actions, not just changes in your internal mental or emotional state. A personal statement is a way to make a narrative out of your CV. It is not a diary entry.

Explain the meaning of your experiences

Meaning is the “why” or “so what” of the document. Why was this experience important to your growth as a scientist? What does it say about your abilities and potential? It feels obvious to you, but you need to be explicit with your audience. Your descriptions of meaning should also act as transition statements between experiences: try to “wrap” meaning around your experiences.

Demonstrate match to your target program

Demonstrate an understanding of the program to which you’re applying and about how you will be successful in that program. To do this:

• Read the program’s website. See what language they use to describe themselves, and echo that language in your essay. For example, MIT Chemical Engineering’s website points out innovative research areas and interdisciplinary opportunities.
• Get in contact with faculty (or students) in your target program. If you have had a positive discussion with someone at the department, describe how those interactions made you think that you and the department may be well-matched.
• State which professors in the program you would be interested in working with. Show how their research areas align with your background and your goals. You can even describe potential research directions or projects.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

These 2021 short answer responses are from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 237 KB

Annotated Example 2

This is the personal statement from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 121 KB

Annotated Example 3

This is the personal statement from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 361 KB

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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLES Physics personal statements

Discover personal statement examples written by students accepted onto physics and related courses. Read through the examples to help shape your own personal statement.

Physics Personal Statements

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Successful Personal Statement For Physics At Oxford

Last Updated: 6th April 2022

Author: Rob Needleman

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Physics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Physics Course at Oxford is concerned with the study of the universe from the smallest to the largest scale.

Read on to see how this strong Personal Statement covers such a broad range of intricate topics. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement (the applicant uses most of the 4,000 characters available):

SUCCESSFUL?

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Physics Personal Statement

An incessant curiosity about the laws of the cosmos has always attracted me to the study of physics. I am especially intrigued by theoretical physics and how its concepts are the foundations of all visible reactions one witnesses daily. My fascination with physics has led me to pursue my subject beyond the school curriculum and I have had a range of experiences which have confirmed my desire to study physics at university.

This summer I was selected for the Senior Physics Challenge at Cambridge University which enabled me to experience the level and pace of undergraduate classical mechanics, quantum mechanics and lab-work. In preparation for the course, I studied a quantum mechanics primer and familiarised myself with previously untaught mathematics. During the week, we tackled the Schrodinger equation, square well potential problems, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and learnt new aspects of mathematics such as eigenstates and SHM. The course was demanding thus highly engaging, and this encounter with higher-level physics has made me eager to extend my knowledge of quantum mechanics.

Selected to visit CERN with school on the basis of an essay competition on dark matter and dark energy, I attended lectures on particle physics and saw the LHCb experiment. The highlight of the trip being the coding activity organised by Liverpool University where, using real LHC data of a decaying kaon, we chose cuts to make in the data to improve the efficiency and purity of the signal. Gaining an insight into aspects of the research work undertaken by particle physicists was inspiring. Likewise, at a “Particle Physics Day” at Birmingham University, I had the opportunity to use computer software to identify different particles and collisions in detectors. Last summer, I attended the “Physics Experience Week” organised by Birmingham University that combined lectures, lab-work and a rocket-building session. I was fascinated by an experiment where, collaborating in a team with pupils from different schools, we counted cosmic ray muons using a scintillation detector and took down readings together.

Having chosen to study GCSE Astronomy independently, I learnt to use the Faulkes Telescopes to take photographs of Messier objects in order to determine the ages of 3 planetary nebulae. My interest in space has been enhanced by a 2-week trip to NASA with ‘Space Education Adventures’, visiting the Johnson and Kennedy Space Centres. I was astounded by the immensity of the space projects and their contribution to science and history. A work experience placement in a hospital Medical Physics department demonstrated to me the application of physics in medical diagnostic imaging and the importance of physics research for advances in medicine. The Engineering Education Scheme (year 12) enabled me to work with 3 other girls to design a hypothetical football training academy with engineer mentors from ARUP. We researched and presented a business case and technical plan to a panel of engineers from other companies, gaining the Gold Crest Award in Engineering as well as valuable presentation skills.

In complete contrast, this summer I attended the Joint Association of Classical Teachers’ Greek Summer School. In addition to intensive lessons, we performed Aeschylus’ Agamemnon in the original text; I was cast as Cassandra. This term I am giving a talk on Ancient Greek mathematics at my school’s Classical Society, having researched the topic over the summer. I enjoy performing arts: I belong to the Birmingham Young REP Theatre and I have performed in the Symphony Orchestra, a chamber music group and the Choral Society at school. Balancing academic work with other activities requires organisation and discipline. Physics is a demanding and highly rewarding field. The prospect of an unsolved problem which may not have an immediate answer is captivating. My wish to understand nature and the academic challenge this poses is the reason I aspire to study physics.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is a very well written, structured and excellent statement. The student has a clear motivation for physics and has achieved many things through extra hard work. The statement is easy to read, and the student describes their achievements yet does not brag. All points and experiences are expanded on and clearly explained. The final paragraph adds individuality to the statement, and all non-physics related interests are kept within this paragraph which is very good.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The student uses the word ‘I’ a lot. Whilst it is important to emphasise personal achievements, using the same words over and over again makes the statement sound repetitive. The student mentions learning mathematics beyond the A-level syllabus prior to the Senior Physics Challenge at Cambridge University, however, does not expand on what this involved. The student has missed an opportunity to describe how they gained mathematical skills independently. The student does this again by failing to describe what they learned through writing their essay on dark matter. A sentence on each of these points would have added yet more value to this excellent statement.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

This is an excellent statement. It is easy to read, well-structured and the student comes across as a very likeable individual.

This Personal Statement for Physics is a great example of a well written and effectively-structured Statement. The candidate’s interest and achievements are clearly shown which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Oxford, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

There are plenty more successful personal statements and expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Oxford Physics application.

With our  Oxford Physics Premium Programme, we help you craft the perfect Personal   Statement , score highly on the PAT and teach you how to  Interview effectively .

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of Physics

• Graduate Program

Applications

Applications for Admission and Financial Aid are made to the UConn Graduate School .

Apply online:

• UConn Graduate School online application
• graduate school admission FAQ
• graduate school admission requirements

GRE scores are not required for admission consideration for the Fall 2025 cycle. Three letters of recommendation and a personal statement should be submitted with the application. A personal statement can provide biographical background information, describe the applicant’s motivation for pursuing graduate studies in Physics, or recount any research experience the applicant may have. Any other information that helps the Admissions Committee to get to know the applicant is also welcome.

International applicants from non-English speaking countries should also include evidence of proficiency in the English language. You may submit results from the following as the UConn Graduate School admission requirements :

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• The test administered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• Pearson PTE Academic or PTE Academic Online test
• Duolingo test

Please note that a minimum score of 22 (TOEFL), 7.0 (IELTS), or 75 (PTE) on the speaking portion of these exams is required for financial support as a teaching assistant. See UConn’s English Proficiency Policy for TAs and Testing Procedures for details.

Applicants are advised to have their application complete by January 10 for admission in the following Fall semester. Although applications are accepted year-round, practically all decisions concerning admission and financial aid are made early in the spring semester.

International students for whom it is not possible to obtain the U.S. currency required for the application fee, may apply informally by sending all application materials, including the application form and all official transcripts, recommendation letters, test scores, and personal statement of research interests, to the Physics Department: [email protected].

In exceptional cases, the application fee may be waived, depending on available funds and the discretion of the Department Head and Graduate Admissions Committee.

Graduate admissions questions: [email protected]

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Personal statement resources.

The personal statement is an important part of the graduate school application. This document allows the admission committee to get to know the applicant better and to directly connect the applicant’s interests and pursuits to our department. The applicant is free to address a wide range of topics. There are no rules or specific requirements. The personal statement is generally 2-3 pages in length. As guidance, personal statements often address the following questions:

• What motivates you to pursue a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics? What field(s) of astronomy/astrophysics excites you?
• What are your interests and goals?
• What skills, experience, personal characteristics do you have that will help you succeed in graduate school (e.g. coursework, leadership roles, teaching/mentoring experience computer programming, employment, research experience, etc.)?
• What challenges have you overcome in your path toward applying to graduate school?
• Why would the University of Chicago in particular be a good fit for you?

These questions are intended to serve as guidance. They should not prevent the applicant from sharing other information or highlighting other experiences or aspects of their application.

How to Write a Strong Personal Statement for Graduate School

• by Heidi Kerr and Paul David Terry
• November 10, 2020

You’ve made the exciting decision to pursue a graduate degree. Congratulations! There are a wide range of graduate programs to explore , and once you’ve selected the right program for you, it’s time to begin the graduate application process. 

The statement of purpose and personal history statement are key components of the UC Davis graduate school application . With fewer than 4,000 characters allowed for each essay, these statements can seem particularly daunting. However, each one has a specific purpose for showcasing your academic journey and creating a holistic application.

Below, we’ve analyzed the differences between the statement of purpose and personal history statement and provided tips for writing these graduate school admissions essays. 

Statement of Purpose and Personal History: What’s the Difference?

The statement of purpose shares your academic objectives with the admissions committee and explains why you want to obtain a graduate degree. The personal history statement provides background about who you are and how your experiences have shaped your interests and ability to overcome challenges. Each essay has specific goals to showcase your experience, passion and story. 

How to Write a Strong Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should highlight your academic preparation , motivation and interests, along with any specializations and career goals that contribute to your program of study. As you write your statement of purpose, it should encompass some of the following:

• Academic and research experiences - Include any relevant academic studies or research pursuits, internships or employment, presentations, publications, teaching, and travel or study abroad experiences that prepare you for this graduate program. Explain your motivation or passion for these experiences and how they can enrich your graduate study.
• Interests, specializations, and career goals - Highlight your research interests, disciplinary subfields, area(s) of specialization, and professional objectives.
• Fit - Explain how your preparation, experiences, and interests match the specific resources and characteristics of your graduate program at UC Davis. Identify specific faculty within your desired graduate program with whom you would like to work and how their interests match your own.

The statement of purpose should also address why you want to pursue the particular graduate degree program at the university and what your goals are in pursuing a degree. Remember, the statement of purpose should explain exactly that, your purpose for becoming a graduate student. This is the primary way it stands apart from your personal history statement. 

What to Include in Your Personal History Statement

The personal history statement helps the reader learn more about you as an individual and potential graduate student. Use this opportunity to describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Tell a story that  includes any experiences, challenges or opportunities relevant to your academic journey. Consider how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual, or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field.

A strong personal history statement begins with an authentic voice and personal narrative. This can reflect your journey to graduate school, any obstacles you’ve encountered, and how you've overcome challenges. Talk about your personal goals and dreams. Explain what motivates and drives you toward this degree. The more your personal statement tells your school about you as an individual, the more it will stand out. Don't write something to impress someone else. This includes language, style and tone. Authenticity is important and resonates well. Tell the truth, in your voice, from your perspective. Use your story to connect.

More Tips and Resources for Applying to Graduate School

Applying to graduate school may be daunting to some, but UC Davis has a variety of resources to help you create a strong graduate school application. Check out the Applying to Graduate School: A Guide and Handbook for ideas and worksheets on how to construct your essays. Or visit our Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services website for more graduate school prep resources. 

Paul David Terry is the assistant director of special interest and affinity networks and alumni diversity lead at the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. He oversees the UC Davis Health Improving OUTcomes blog and enjoys cycling and brewing ginger beer.

Heidi Kerr works as the content and media manager at UC Davis’ Graduate Studies. She has worked as a communications professional at multiple higher education institutions and is passionate about promoting student success.

The authors acknowledge current and former leaders from Pre-Graduate/Law Advising in Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services, especially Annalisa Teixeira, Ph.D. and Cloe Le Gall-Scoville, Ph.D., who granted us permission to reference Applying to Graduate School: A Guide and Workbook .

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/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="grad school personal statement physics"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Personal statement, overview .

There are two types of statements included in the Graduate School’s online application, (1) the Academic Statement of Purpose and (2) the Personal Statement, both of which are required for all graduate degree programs. 

What Should the Personal Statement Include?

Your Personal Statement should provide the admissions committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, it should provide insights into your potential to contribute to Cornell University’s core value to provide a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together. Within your Personal Statement, you may also share details on lessons learned from any of your lived experiences including but not limited to

• being a first-generation college student or graduate (no parent/guardian completed a baccalaureate degree)
• racial, ethnic, and/or cultural background(s)
• managing a disability or chronic health condition
• experiencing housing, food, economic, and/or other forms of significant insecurity
• being a solo parent
• gender identity and/or sexual orientation 
• having served in the military
• holding DACA, refugee, TPS, or asylee status

Your Personal Statement provides you with an opportunity to share experiences that provide insights on how your personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate your ability to be both persistent and resilient, especially when navigating challenging circumstances. It also gives you an opportunity to provide examples of how you engage with others and have facilitated and/or participated in productive collaborative endeavors. Additionally, it is a place, where if necessary, you can (and should) address any blemishes, gaps, or weaknesses in your academic record. In these situations, you will want to be honest, but brief. It is best to turn negatives into positives by focusing on how you overcame obstacles, remained persistent in the pursuit of your goals, and showed resilience. Share what you learned from the particular experience, and how it led you to become a better researcher/scholar/person, etc.

Content in the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content contained within the Academic Statement of Purpose, which should focus explicitly on your academic interests, previous research and/or relevant professional experience, and intended area of academic focus during your graduate studies.

Why should you consider Cornell?

Accessibility Tools

Highlight links, change contrast, increase text size, increase letter spacing, readability bar, dyslexia friendly font, increase cursor size, information for prospective graduate students, welcome to the department of physics and astronomy graduate program application website. information about applications and the process can be found below - the deadline for applying for the graduate program with a start in fall semester of 2025 is december 15, 2024..

check out our  Graduate Program Brochures  with information about opportunities in the Department of physics & Astronomy

Link to the application portal - instructions below 

General information

• Deadlines and timeline
• Application review process
• Application fee waivers
• Assistantships and fellowships

Application details and instructions

The department of physics and astronomy hosts a variety of Ph.D. programs. If you are interested in applying for a Ph.D. in Astronomy/Astrophysics , please refer to its separate application information page . This site is primarily meant for the Ph.D. program in Physics and for the new Master's Degree in Accelerator Science.

Broadening and Supporting Participation in Our Graduate Programs.

Over the past years, we have implemented a holistic recruiting rubric with the goal to consider more carefully the diverse backgrounds and experiences that applicants bring to the program. While academic and research achievements are important, we also consider many other factors, such as leadership experiences, contributions to the community, work experiences, a wide range of career skills, and personal experiences (for details, see Young et al., published in Physical Review PER ). We strongly encourage applicants to address their broad range of qualifications in their applications.  

In Academic Year 2022-23, the Physics Ph.D. program was changed significantly. The primary goal of the changes was to ensure that students with different backgrounds, and different learning and assessment strengths and weaknesses can thrive in the Ph.D. program. The mentoring structures for students were enhanced and more support is provided for the initial course-intensive period of the Ph.D. program, for example through an exam helpdesk and summer tutorials. The core graduate courses are now more interactive and the path towards candidacy provides flexibility. Overall, there is more emphasis on learning through research activities and somewhat less emphasis on learning through formal course work. We have also removed the placement/qualifying exam and provide individualized guidance for initial coursework based on coursework taken at the undergraduate level and an advising conversation with each student.  

Program Information

Information about the research activities in the department of physics and astronomy can be found at the following site:  https://pa.msu.edu/research/ . Detailed information about our programs and their degree requirements can be found here . The Physics and Astronomy Graduate Student Handbook is the authoritative document on all programs and requirements.

Wondering whether MSU is the school for you - check out:  Is MSU the School for Me?  More information about what makes our program unique can be found at:  What makes MSU unique?  You can also find information about the careers that our graduates have pursued at the Careers of Alumni page.

Information about how graduate students are supported when pursuing a graduate degree in the Department of Physics and Astronomy can be found at  Financial Support . Information about housing is available at  Housing Information

In addition to the many facilities for education and research on campus, the Department of Physics and Astronomy has its own specialized facilities. Information about these facilities can be found at:  Specialized Facilities .

DEADLINES & TIMELINE

Deadline for all applications to be submitted is December 26 , 2 023.  Letters of reference should also be uploaded by that deadline. Only in exceptional circumstances will applications that arrive later be reviewed. The department does not usually process admissions to students during the spring or summer semesters.  Please apply for fall.

If you want to be considered for  University Fellowships  (for more information see below) please submit your application by  December 15, 2023 .  

We start making offers in late January/early February and continue until our positions are filled, which is usually in April. In recent years, about ~35 students join our program . Domestic students who are made an offer will be invited for a campus visit. We also plan for a virtual recruiting event that U.S. and non-U.S. based students can attend. 

MSU adheres to the April 15 Resolution  regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

Your application will be reviewed in a holistic manner by a recruiting committee with membership from all research areas in the department. The review will consider all documents provided and be based on a rubric that includes the components focusing on academic preparation and accomplishments, research preparation and experience, non-cognitive competencies (e.g. initiative, perseverance, conscientiousness), and fit to the graduate program in our department, in a broad sense. There are no minimum GPA requirements. More information about important items to include are in the detailed instructions below. T he submission of GRE scores is optional.  Not submitting GRE scores will not negatively impact your application.

WAIVER INFORMATION

Domestic applicants for our Ph.D. programs can apply for a fee waiver using the  FreeApp  program. Your chances are best if you apply for the waiver by the priority deadline of November 15. We cannot guarantee that you will receive a waiver, but our experience is that most students who apply, and meet the requirements and goals of the program do indeed receive the requested waiver. 

To be eligible for this fee waiver, you must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and be a US citizen or permanent resident. Unfortunately, we cannot offer fee waivers to international applications.

In addition to FreeApp program, there are waiver programs for McNair Scholars (apply here ) and for students who participated in targeted conferences and events, such as SACNAS, ABRCMS, AISES, ERN, SROP, NSBP, etc. (apply here ).

An overview of the waiver programs can be found at:  https://grad.msu.edu/application-fee-waiver . 

Students who participated in the MSU Physics and Astronomy REU program and wish to request a waiver should contact the people listed at the bottom of this page. 

Once a student has received a waiver and have completed their application and reached the point in the application where the payment is required (see step 14 below), they should contact the MSU graduate school at: [email protected] with the waiver information. The graduate school will then apply the waiver to the application. 

ASSISTANTSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS

Graduate students in the Ph.D. program in Physics and Astronomy are usually supported through teaching and research assistantships. These assistantships are provided pending the availability of funding and require that the student continues to make good progress in the program. Details about assistantships can be found at: https://pa.msu.edu/academics/graduate-program/prospective-grad-students/financial-support/ .

There are a variety of merit-based fellowships available for students. The deadline for most of these is early in January and  to be eligible, we must receive your application by December 15, 2024 . The fellowships are competitive across the College of Natural Science and the University. We will submit your application for these fellowships as soon as it is complete and based on merit. In formation about what information to include in your application to enhance your chances for a Fellowship can be found in the detailed application instructions below.  For more information about these fellowships, please visit  https://grad.msu.edu/recruitment-awards . Links to some non-MSU Fellowship opportunities can be found at: https://pa.msu.edu/academics/graduate-program/prospective-grad-students/financial-support/ .

Applications for the Physics Ph.D. program must be submitted through MSU's application portal at: http://explore.msu.edu/apply/ . When first starting an application, you must create an account. 

After creating the account and starting a new application:

• Select "Graduate" when asked for the application type
• In the "Personal Background" and "Personal Background - Continued" sections, enter the requested information
• Select "Fall Semester 2023" as the first semester to enroll
• Select "Physics (doctoral)", "Astrophysics and Astronomy (doctoral)" or "Accelerator Science and Engineering (Masters)" as the Major Preference. Please note that we do not accept students in Physics and Astrophysics and Astronomy Masters programs. 
• Fill out the questions about Communications and Financial Aid. As mentioned above, we usually support our students through assistantships unless they have MSU or external fellowships. Most applicants should indicate that they want to be considered for financial support, unless the education is sponsored otherwise.
• If an applicant is international, a section called "Financial Support" will appear after the "Conduct Questions" (see below). Note that teaching and research assistantships provided through the Department are sufficient to meet the requirements, but you can contact us if you have questions about this section.
• (Optional) Under "COVID-19", you can provide information about COVID-19 induced circumstances that have affected your education or academic records 
• Fill out the information under "Other" if applicable.
• Complete the section "Conduct Questions" 
• For International students: complete the section "Financial Support".  Note that teaching and research assistantships provided through the Department are sufficient to meet the requirements, but you can contact us if you have questions about this section.
• In the "Academic History" section, enter your academic record, including GPAs
• International students are required to demonstrate their English language proficiency. Graduate school English Language requirements can be found at this  webpage , including information about alternative tests available due to COVID-19 circumstances. For TOEFL, Institution Code is 1465, and the Department Codes are 76 for Physics and 61 for Astronomy. Note that the Department of Physics and Astronomy generally requires higher scores than the University.  For example, we suggest a total average score of 100 or better on the iBT, but may accept slightly lower scores for exceptional cases.
• If a student is international a section called "ELP Waiver" will appear after the "Test Scores" section. It is possible to request a waiver for the language test, and supporting materials can be submitted here. For details about the waivers, check  here.  Automatic waivers can be provided for students with a BS from a U.S. (or other english speaking) institution, BS from MSU (while on campus), or M.S. degree from an AAU institution  on a U.S. Campus. For detailed requirements and for information about non-automatic waivers, please check  here .
• For the Physics Ph.D. program, submission of physics or general GRE scores is optional - students can choose to submit GRE scores if they believe it adds to their application. There is no disadvantage if you do not submit your GRE scores. For the astronomy and astrophysics Ph.D. program, general GRE scores are not accepted, and if submitted, will  not  be considered in the evaluation of your application.
• You can skip the "Employment" section of the application, but you must upload a Curriculum Vitae with your application (see below).   Having a complete CV is usually very helpful, for example when making College and University Fellowship nominations by the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
• You can skip the "Activities" section of the application. Please list activities in your CV (See below).
• Michigan State University requires at least three letters of recommendation, so you must list at least list three people who will submit letters of recommendation in support of your application in the "References" section. Please request letters from people who can speak to your accomplishments that are relevant for your application. We certainly welcome input on a wide range of issues, similar to the topics for the personal and academic statements. Note that once you entered the details of a recommender, and press the "send to recommender" button, you can no longer revoke the request for a letter. Note that the applicant will be able to see which recommenders have submitted a letter and which recommenders have not responded. The applicant can send a reminder message via the applicant portal or enter a different recommender, if desired.
• Leadership experiences and other experiences that demonstrate your potential for distinctive professional or scholarly contributions. Such experiences can be academic, community-focused, or professional,
• Contributions to a diverse (educational) community: these could relate to your personal history and experiences, research goals, and/or the promotion of understanding among persons of different backgrounds and ideas
• Record of overcoming obstacles: these could be academic, social, economic, personal.  There is no need to share detailed personal information and you shouldn't share anything on your application that you wouldn't be comfortable sharing with someone otherwise.    
• Motivate the subfield(s) you wish to focus on in graduate school (accelerator science and engineering, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, high-energy physics, physics education research, biophysics, astrophysics, astronomy, or other) Are you interested in theoretical research or experimental research, or both? Are you interested in computational aspects of research?
• How are your research interest related to opportunities in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at MSU? Motivate which research groups you are interested in working in? Be specific, but do not limit yourself to the research group of one faculty member. You want to show you have really thought about this, but not constrain yourself to one group which might not have many openings in a given year.
• What are you research experiences? Included duration and type (e.g. REU) of experience and include products (a paper, presentations/posters, report etc). How have these experiences shaped your decision to apply to MSU? If you do not have many research experiences, explain what has shaped your decision to apply to MSU and perhaps why it was hard to perform research.
• What is your overall academic record? Since you will submit your transcripts, you do not have to give detailed information about grades and GPA, but you can certainly highlight specific accomplishments (awards, prizes, fellowships) or explanations of your academic record.
• Please note that there are strict rules about transferring credits from other institutions or using lifelong learning credits towards a graduate degree. In addition, using transfer and lifelong learning credits obtained prior to entering the graduate program affect the date by which a degree needs to be completed. If you plan to transfer credits or use lifelong learning credits towards your graduate degree, we strongly encourage you to provide us with details in your application and/or to ask us prior to submitting your application by using the contact information below.
• (Optional) List specific faculty members whom you might be interested in working with. You do not have to provide names here and not listing specific faculty does not exclude the potential opportunity to work with other faculty. Listing some names makes it easier for us to identify your research interests. Note that not all faculty are seeking for students to join their groups every year, so being flexible is also important. You can refer to the graduate brochures linked to at the top of page for 1-page overviews of research by our faculty.
• Indicate whether you will (likely) have obtained a M.S. degree by Fall of 2023 .
• Also select your research area(s) of interest. This is important, as it help us make sure your application is reviewed by faculty in the relevant research area(s). You can select more than one. If you select other, please detail what other interests you have in your academic statement. 
• Finally, you can provide some details about external fellowships you have been awarded or applied for, if any.
• Complete the "Signature" Section
• Use the "Review" Section to review the completeness of your application and complete/fix the application where needed. Note that the review doesn't check for optional entries that might be required by the department. Hence, please make sure to double check to all sections are complete.
• Once all application sections are complete, you can submit the application. You must pay the application fee. For information about fee waivers, see the "Waiver Information" above.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial copy of your most up-to-date transcripts
• Unofficial copy of your test scores, if relevant (GRE (general/subject) and Language test)
• You are welcome to upload additional materials if you believe they benefit our ability to assess your application

On the page where you can upload documents, you can also check what the status of the submission of other documents is, including the requested letters of recommendation.

If you receive an offer and accept it, you should arrange for your College or University to send your  Official Transcripts  electronically to Kim Crosslan ( [email protected] ).  If this is not possible they should be mailed directly to the Department in a sealed envelope. The address is:

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy Michigan State University Attn: Mrs. Kim Crosslan 567 Wilson Road, Room 1312 East Lansing, MI 48824 USA

If you have fewer lines in your form, you can use:

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, M.S.U. Attn: Mrs. Kim Crosslan 567 Wilson Road, Room 1312 East Lansing, MI 48824 USA

For questions about your application, please contact:

Remco Zegers, Associate Chair and Graduate Program Director [email protected] +1-517-908-7473

Kim Crosslan, Graduate Secretary [email protected] tel: +1 517-884-5531

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field | personal statements samples by university.

In this Article

Importance of a Strong Personal Statement

Purpose of this blog post, length and format, tone and style, general tips for success, computer science and engineering, economics and finance, management and business, healthcare and medicine, environment and sustainability, public affairs, international relations and politics, architecture, arts and film, mathematics and statistics, religion and philosophy, phd personal statement examples, scholarship & fellowship personal statements, word count-specific personal statements, prompt-specific grad school personal statements examples, academic achievements and experiences, research experiences, work and internship experiences, volunteer and community service, personal growth and overcoming challenges, future goals and career aspirations, research the program and faculty, emphasize alignment with program objectives, highlight unique program offerings, overused phrases and clichés , excessive self-praise, lack of focus or organization, consulting mentors, and advisors, incorporating feedback and refine, introduction.

A personal statement is essential in the graduate school application process, as it plays a significant role in shaping the admissions committee’s perception of you. In fact, a survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools revealed that 64% of graduate admissions officers consider the personal statement to be the most crucial factor in the admissions process. Furthermore, according to a study by Kaplan Test Prep, a well-crafted personal statement can boost an applicant’s chances of acceptance by up to 50%.

The personal statement’s importance stems from its ability to create a lasting impression on the admissions committee. 

Consider this: the admissions committee (adcom) does not know you personally. They have never met or spoken to you, nor have they ever interviewed you. They only know you through quantifiable aspects such as your GPA, test scores, and work experience. However, they lack insight into your thought processes, aspirations, background, and personal experiences. In essence, they need to connect with you on a personal level. The personal statement serves as a bridge, enabling the adcom, who are human beings themselves, to gain insight into your personality, motivations, and aspirations beyond your grades and test scores.

Time and again, adcoms at top universities emphasize the critical role of personal statements in their decision-making process. Drafting a personal statement is your opportunity to market yourself, showcasing your unique qualities and demonstrating your genuine interest in their program. By investing time and effort into creating a powerful personal statement, you can significantly enhance your chances of securing a place in your desired graduate program.

In this blog post, I will be sharing over 100 authentic graduate school personal statement examples from successful applicants across the globe who have secured admission to prestigious programs in the United States and across the world.

These samples encompass a wide range of fields, including MBA, Law, Medicine, Engineering, and Social Work, and originate from esteemed institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. You will find examples of personal statements for various degrees, including MSc, MA, LLM, Residency, MBA, and PhD programs. You will also find examples of statements written by applicants who obtained fellowships, and scholarships. By sharing these diverse examples, I aim to achieve the following goals:

• Inspiration and guidance: I want to provide you guys with a wide range of personal statement examples to serve as inspiration and offer guidance for making your own statements.
• Addressing common topics: These samples will cover all the common personal statement elements, helping you understand how to effectively discuss your academic achievements, research experiences, work history, volunteer work, personal growth, and future goals.
• Tips for success: The post will also provide helpful tips on tailoring personal statements to specific graduate programs, avoiding common pitfalls, and seeking feedback to improve the final draft.
• Empowerment: Ultimately, the goal of sharing these for free is to empower you guys to create compelling and unique personal statements that will increase your chances of being accepted into your dream graduate program.

By providing this comprehensive resource, I hope to demystify the personal statement writing process and equip you with the tools and inspiration necessary to craft a captivating narrative that reflects your unique journey and aspirations. 

Personal Statement Basics

When writing your personal statement, it’s crucial to pay attention to three key areas: length and format, tone and style, and general tips for success.

It’s important to create a well-structured personal statement that adheres to the specified word count and follows proper formatting guidelines. Some programs, particularly MBA programs, might not request a single personal statement. Instead, they may pose several questions and require you to write a brief essay for each one. Such programs typically break down a personal statement into multiple short questions, expecting essay responses tailored to each query. 

As a result, it’s crucial to carefully read the guidelines before you start writing, as students often mistakenly create a single personal statement and try to tweak it for various programs without realizing that different requirements exist. By doing so, they lose time and waste considerable effort and energy. 

Adhering to instructions and responding appropriately will leave a positive impression on the admissions committee. To accomplish this, consider these key aspects:

• Word count: Most graduate programs provide guidelines on the desired length of personal statements, typically ranging from 500 to 2,000 words.Adhere to these limits to show that you can follow instructions and communicate concisely.
• Formatting: Use a clear and easy-to-read font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial) at a standard size (e.g., 11 or 12 points) with 1-inch margins. Ensure your document is well-organized with paragraphs and headings where appropriate.
• Structure: Start with a strong opening paragraph that hooks the reader, followed by body paragraphs addressing the key topics, and conclude with a memorable closing paragraph that reinforces your main points. This structure will ensure a cohesive and engaging narrative that effectively communicates your experiences and aspirations to the admissions committee.

In terms of tone and style, your personal statement should strike a balance between professionalism and authenticity to effectively convey your unique experiences and perspective. To accomplish this, consider the following aspects:

• Professional and confident: Adopt a professional tone in your writing, using clear, concise language. Be confident in presenting your accomplishments without being overly boastful.
• Authentic and personal: Avoid overly formal or academic language that may make your writing feel impersonal. Showcasing your authentic self will help the admissions committee connect with you on a personal level.
• Engaging storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to make your personal statement more engaging and memorable. This can include anecdotes, vivid descriptions, and a strong narrative structure. Starting with a quote that is relevant to your story is also a good way to begin your personal statement.

Lastly, adhering to tried and tested tips can greatly improve your personal statement, ensuring you present a polished and compelling narrative that effectively showcases your strengths and aspirations to the admissions committee. Some general advice is as follows::

• Start early: Give yourself ample time to brainstorm, write, revise, and seek feedback on your personal statement. On average. Grad school applicants spend 20+ hours in perfecting a personal statement of 1000 words. Moreover, they have their personal statement reviewed and redrafted 5 times on average.  
• Be focused and organized: Clearly structure your personal statement, addressing the main topics and ensuring your narrative flows logically from one point to the next. A well-organized statement will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and coherently.
• Proofread and edit: Carefully review your personal statement for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Use free tools like grammarly to remove any unwanted errors in your writing.
• Seek feedback: Share your personal statement with your mentors, or peers, to gather valuable feedback. I especially recommend that you show your essay to someone who has already gone through the process successfully as they know the ins and outs well. Then, incorporate this feedback to refine and strengthen your final draft.

To help you get started and see everything that I just discussed in action, here is a list of 100+ personal statement examples from successful graduate school applicants.

Grad School Personal Statement Examples by Field of Study

• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Oxford with Low GPA )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Cambridge PhD )
• Example Personal Statement Artificial Intelligence (Admitted to UCLA)
• Example Personal Statement Machine Learning (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Data Science and Analytics (Admitted to CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Data Analytics (Admitted to Georgia Tech )
• Example Personal Statement Advanced Analytics (Admitted to NCSU )
• Example Personal Statement Mechanical Engineering (Admitted to USC , Imperial )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to LSE )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Finance (Admitted to MIT Sloan )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UC Berkeley )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Accounting & Finance (Admitted to Michigan University)
• Example Personal Statement Investment Banking (Admitted to UPenn )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Georgetown )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Harvard LLM )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to NYU , Duke )
• 8 MBA Personal Statements (All IVY LEAGUES )
• Example BA Essays ( INSEAD )
• Example MBA Essays ( Kellogg Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement Operations Management (Admitted to MIT PHD)
• Example Personal Statement Management (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Marketing (Admitted to NYU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Business Analytics (Admitted to MIT , CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Management & Analytics (Admitted to LBS )
• Example Personal Statement Project Management (Admitted to UT Austin )
• Example Personal Statement Logistics & Supply Chain (Admitted to Boston . Penn State )
• Example Personal Statement Supply Chain Management (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement Teaching ( Scholarship US State Department)
• Example Education Personal Statement (Admitted to UPenn , NYU , UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Education Policy (Admitted to USC )
• Example Personal Statement Special Education Teacher (Admitted to TUFTS )
• Example Personal Statement of an Aspiring Teacher (Admitted to American University )
• Example Personal Statement Residency in Internal Medicine (Admitted to ASU )
• Example Personal Statement Counseling (Admitted to Harvard , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement Psychology (Admitted to NYU Steinhardt)
• Example Personal Statement Nursing (Admitted to Duke , Ohio)
• Example Personal Statement Public Health (MPH) (Admitted to Columbia , Emory)
• Example Personal Statement Social Work (MSW) (Admitted to Columbia )
• Example Personal Statement Veterinary (Admitted to UC Davis , CSU , Edinburgh)
• Example Personal Statement Biochemistry (Admitted to Johns Hopkins )
• Example Personal Statement Biology (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Personal Statement Anthropology (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Environment and Sustainability (admitted to Stanford , CALTECH )
• Example Personal Statement Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management (Admitted to Yale , Duke )
• Example Personal Statement International Relations (Admitted to Columbia , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Political Science (Admitted to Duke , UCLA , NYU )
• Example Personal Statement Public Administration MPA (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement Public Policy MPP (Admitted to Harvard , Brown , Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Example Personal Statement Architecture (Admitted to Cambridge , Cornell , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement MFA (Admitted to New School and Rhode Island )
• Example Personal Statement in Filmmaking (Admitted to New York Film Academy )
• Example Personal Statement Fashion and Textile (Admitted to Parsons , Royal College of Arts )
• Example Personal Statement Math (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Statistics (Admitted to NCSU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Religious Studies (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement 1 (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement 2 (Admitted to Cambridge )
• Example Research Statement (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Statement of Research Interests (Admitted to Scripps )
• Example Statement of Objectives (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal StatemenT MS leading to Ph.D. (Admitted to Notre Dame )

These essays are written by applicants who are seeking financial aid or funding to support their graduate studies. In most cases, the program does not require a separate essay or application for the scholarship or fellowship, but in a few cases they do.

Most external donors do require a separate application such as the Fulbright program.

The purpose of these essays is to convince the selection committee that the applicant is the best candidate for the scholarship or fellowship.

• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won $250,000 Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Fellowship Personal Statement Example (Won MIT Sloan Fellowship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 1 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 2 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )

Word Count-Specific Personal Statements have a specific word count limit, which must be adhered to by the applicant. These are often required as part of graduate school applications, where the admissions committee wants to ensure that all applicants are providing the same amount of information and not exceeding or falling short of the specified word count.

Writing a word count-specific personal statement can be challenging, as applicants must balance providing enough detail to adequately convey their story and goals, while also being concise and staying within the specified limit. However, meeting the word count requirement is essential for demonstrating an applicant’s ability to communicate effectively, follow instructions, and prioritize information.

Here are a few examples of word-count specific personal statements.

• 100 Word Personal Statement Example
• 150 Word Personal Statement Example
• 200 Word Personal Statement Example
• 250 Word Personal Statement Example
• 300 Word Personal Statement Example
• 400 Word Personal Statement Example
• 500 Word Personal Statement Example
• 600 Word Personal Statement Example
• 700 Word Personal Statement Example
• 750 Word Personal Statement Example
• 800 Word Personal Statement Example
• 1000 Word Personal Statement Example

Prompt specific personal statements are statements that are tailored to answer a specific question or prompt in a personal statement. These statements are typically used in graduate school applications, especially MBA apps. These essays usually have a word-limit as well.

The purpose of a question specific personal statement is to demonstrate to the admissions committee that the applicant has the skills, knowledge, and experience required to succeed in the program. By directly addressing the prompt or question, the applicant can provide a focused and coherent response that highlights their relevant qualities and accomplishments.

For example, if a prompt asks an applicant to discuss their leadership experience, a question specific personal statement would focus on describing specific instances where the applicant demonstrated leadership skills and qualities, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and effective communication.

Here are some samples on Question or Prompt Specific Personal Statements.

• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Career Goals
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Values that have Influenced You
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Leadership
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Describe a Challenge you Faced and How you Overcame it?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on My Passion in Life
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Why do you want to become a doctor?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 1 ( Responses to 6 Prompts for Fellowship)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 2 ( Responses to 5 Prompts for Duke)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 3 ( Responses to 3 Prompts for MIT)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 4 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for LBS)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 5 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for UC Berkeley)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 6 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for MIT)

Addressing Common Personal Statement Components

In this section, I will explore the various components that commonly make up a well-rounded personal statement.I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that show how you can put these components in an essay form. Furthermore, that blog post also introduces an 8-point framework designed to assist you in evaluating and rating your personal statement draft.

When applying for graduate programs that are academic in nature, such as PhD, Master of Science, or Master of Arts, it’s essential to emphasize your academic achievements and experiences in your personal statement. To effectively showcase your educational background, you can do the following:

• Highlight relevant coursework: Discuss courses that have prepared you for graduate study and demonstrate your passion for the subject.
• Showcase your academic accomplishments: Mention awards, honors, high GPA, or scholarships you’ve received, and explain their significance.
• Share influential academic experiences: Describe any conferences, workshops, or seminars you’ve attended, and explain how they’ve shaped your understanding of your field.

When applying for research-oriented programs such as PhD, post-doc, or research-based masters, it’s crucial to emphasize your research background, experiences, and achievements in your personal statement. To effectively highlight your research accomplishments, consider including the following in your personal statement:

• Describe your research projects: Outline the relevant research you’ve conducted, including the objectives, methodology, and results.
• Emphasize your role: Detail your specific contributions (co-contributor, co-author, lead researcher) to the research project, highlighting your skills and expertise.
• Discuss the impact: Explain how your research has contributed to the field (maybe you got published in a journal, got a patent or published a white paper). You can also discuss how it influenced your career goals.

When composing your personal statement, it’s a good idea to show your work and internship experiences, as they highlight your practical skills and dedication to your chosen field. These experiences are especially significant for those applying to professional programs such as MBA, Project Management, and Masters in Engineering. 

However, they can also add considerable value to applications for academic or research-based programs. To effectively emphasize your work experiences and their relevance to your graduate studies, take into account the following aspects:

• Detail relevant experiences: Discuss any internships, part-time jobs, or full-time positions related to your field, highlighting the skills you’ve gained.
• Demonstrate transferable skills: Show how your work experience has equipped you with valuable skills (e.g., teamwork, leadership, problem-solving) that can be applied to your graduate studies.
• Share meaningful moments: Describe any significant projects, accomplishments, or challenges you’ve encountered during your work experience that have shaped your perspective or goals.

In your personal statement, highlighting your volunteer and community service experiences can be a valuable addition, particularly for programs that emphasize social impact or community engagement, such as social work, public health, or education.

These experiences demonstrate your commitment to making a difference, and they showcase your ability to apply the skills and knowledge gained in real-world situations. Additionally, they reflect your extroverted nature, openness to new ideas, and willingness to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. 

Emphasizing your involvement in volunteer work and community service not only reveals your personal growth and alignment with your field of study but also highlights your ability to work collaboratively, appreciate different perspectives, and contribute positively to society. To give you some idea, you can demonstrate your service to the community by doing the following in your personal statement:

• Showcase your involvement: Discuss volunteer work, community service, or extracurricular activities you’ve participated in that are relevant to your field of study or personal growth.
• Emphasize personal growth: Describe the impact of these experiences on your personal development, such as gaining empathy, cultural competence, or leadership skills.
• Connect to your field: Explain how your volunteer or community service experiences relate to your graduate studies and future career aspirations.

By sharing the obstacles you’ve faced and the lessons you’ve learned from them, you demonstrate your resilience, adaptability, and motivation. Connecting these experiences to your academic and career goals will further emphasize your determination to succeed in your chosen field and your readiness for the rigors of graduate study. Here are some ideas to get you started with this:

• Share your story: Discuss any personal challenges or obstacles you’ve faced and how they’ve shaped your character, values, or motivations.
• Demonstrate resilience: Explain how you’ve overcome these challenges and what you’ve learned from the experience.
• Relate to your academic and career goals: Show how your personal growth and experiences have influenced your decision to pursue graduate studies and your future career aspirations.

Your personal statement should also address your future goals and career aspirations. You should discuss both your short-term (3-5 year) and long-term (10-15 year) goals in your grad school personal statement. 

Explain the motivation behind them, and connect these goals to the graduate program you’re applying to. This will show that you have a clear plan for your academic and professional journey, and that the program is an essential stepping stone toward achieving your goals. Here is a helping hand that will assist you include this element in your essay.

• Outline your short-term and long-term goals: Discuss your objectives for both your graduate studies and your future career, demonstrating a clear vision of your path.
• Explain your passion and motivation: Share the driving forces behind your goals, showcasing your enthusiasm and dedication to your field of study.
• Connect your goals to the graduate program: Illustrate how the specific graduate program you’re applying to will help you achieve your academic and career objectives.

Tailoring your Personal Statement for Specific Schools

One common mistake that applicants make is submitting a generic personal statement to multiple programs. This can significantly reduce their chances of admission. 

Universities appreciate when applicants have taken the time to research the specific program, courses, faculty, and research facilities, demonstrating genuine interest and effort. 

While it’s acceptable to have a core personal statement that outlines your personal story, achievements, and interests, it’s crucial to tailor part of the essay to the particular program you are applying to. By customizing your personal statement, you show the admissions committee that you’ve done your homework.

Here I have some suggestions for you that you can use to tailor your personal statement for the specific program.

To tailor your personal statement for specific schools, it’s essential to thoroughly research the program and faculty at each institution. This involves exploring the program’s curriculum, core and optional course offerings, summer internship placement opportunities, industry-affiliated projects that are available, faculty research interests, and the school’s overall reputation in your field. By understanding these aspects, you can demonstrate your genuine interest in the program and highlight how your background and goals align with the faculty and coursework offered.

Once you have a solid understanding of the program and faculty, emphasize the alignment between your own values, objectives, and the program’s values and objectives in your personal statement. This can include showcasing your commitment to the program’s core principles, highlighting your passion for the program’s focus areas, and demonstrating your enthusiasm for working with particular faculty members on research or projects that align with your interests.

Each graduate program may have unique offerings that set it apart from others, such as specialized courses, research centers, or industry partnerships. In your personal statement, highlight these distinctive features and explain how they will benefit you. By doing this, you show the admissions committee that you have carefully considered the program’s offerings and have a clear understanding of how they will contribute to your academic and professional growth.

Personal Statement Pitfalls to Avoid

When writing your personal statement, you should be watchful of common traps that can diminish the impact of your narrative. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a nice, well-rounded and unique story that will stand out to the adcom.

I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that avoid these traps and some that fall for them.

Here are some critical pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid relying on common phrases or clichés in your personal statement. Nearly all the personal statement templates use clichés like, such as “I’ve always known that I wanted to…”, “I have a thirst for knowledge.”, “I want to give back to society.”, “Ever since I can remember…”. These can make your writing appear as copy paste, dull and boring. Instead, you should try to be creative and unique and use expressions that genuinely reflect your own individual experiences and motivations.

While it’s essential to showcase your achievements and strengths, be cautious not to overdo self-promotion. Overly boastful or self-aggrandizing language can be off-putting to the reader and you could come across as arrogant and self-conceited. Focus on presenting your accomplishments and experiences in a balanced and authentic manner, highlighting the impact and the lessons learned from them. In short, stay humble.

A disorganized or unfocused personal statement can make it difficult for the admissions committee to grasp your main points or understand your narrative. Ensure your personal statement is well-structured, with clear coherence between paragraphs and a logical progression of ideas. Stay focused on only talking about experiences that are relevant to your field of study. However, if you want to talk about something that you feel is important for the application but is not relevant to the chosen program, just touch upon it in your essay.

Again, I would recommend you to go through this post where I have delved deeper into the things you should avoid. Additionally, in that post I have also provided you with a 7-point framework that you can use to circumvent the common pitfalls often encountered in personal statements.

Seeking Feedback and Revising Your Personal Statement

Before submitting your personal statement, it’s essential to seek and incorporate feedback. Applicants who create successful personal statements spend 20 hours on average on creating the perfect essay. You should consult mentors, advisors, and peers, to refine your narrative. This section will guide you through the process of seeking feedback and making revisions to optimize your personal statement.

Seek input from individuals who know you well and have experience with the application process. I would also recommend that you should ask feedback from people who have successfully gone through the process in the past. Their feedback can help you identify areas for improvement, and ensure your narrative aligns properly.

After receiving feedback from various sources, take the time to thoughtfully consider their suggestions and incorporate them into your personal statement. Remember that not all feedback may be applicable or useful, so use your judgment to determine which revisions will enhance your narrative. Continue refining your personal statement through multiple drafts, ensuring your final version presents a polished and compelling story that showcases your strengths and aspirations.

I hope that these 100+ personal statement examples for graduate school and all the associated tips will provide you with the inspiration, guidance, and ideas you need to create a captivating narrative of your own. As you embark on this journey, remember that dedication, self-reflection, and resilience are key to putting up a persuasive narrative. Remember, there is no short-cut to success. Good luck, and we can’t wait to see where your academic journey takes you!

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Physics personal statements

Scroll down this page to find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study economics and related courses at university.

Plus, over on The Uni Guide, we've also got advice from universities on what they want to see in a physics personal statement . 

Among the tips shared by these admissions experts: how to craft an introduction that stands out; why you need to make your statement easy to read; why you should really shout about your achievements; how to show off a genuine interest in physics.

Examples of real physics personal statements

These physics personal statements are written by real students. Among them you will find personal statements that have formed part of successful applications to universities such as Leeds, Cambridge and Nottingham.

Bear in mind, these personal statements are presented in exactly the way they were originally submitted to Ucas. Don't expect them all to be perfect! But by reading through a few of these samples, you'll be able to get some ideas and inspiration for your own personal statement. 

More help with your personal statement

You can find personal statement examples for other courses by using this subject list, or by returning to our personal statements by subject page.

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Personal statement advice: physics

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Motivation and honesty

Try to give tutors evidence in your personal statement that demonstrates why you are genuinely inspired by physics. What is it that motivates you about the subject personally? Write about this in an interesting and reflective way – and be honest, too. Our guide to studying physics at university may offer some useful pointers .

As an admissions tutor from Lancaster University puts it, 'if the Big Bang theory sparked your interest in physics, explain why.' Likewise, guidance on the University of St Andrews website says: 'we do expect you to know clearly why you wish to follow a degree programme in physics (and astronomy)… use your personal statement to tell us.'

Remember, if you’re invited to an interview, your statement is sure to form the basis of at least one or two of the questions. This could also be the case if you're invited to an applicants’ open day, where your personal statement may act as an ice-breaker in an informal interview or discussion with staff. Keep this in mind, and don’t write anything that you wouldn’t be happy to talk about in more detail if you were asked.

Wider reading

What will always go down well is if you give an example of an interest in physics you've explored for yourself, outside your school or college syllabus, and especially any wider reading you’ve done.

Be selective in your choice – admissions tutors often tell us that they read about the same books over and over again in personal statements. So either choose something that’s slightly more unusual or obscure or, if it’s one of the more popular science books, then make sure you give your own personal take on it, or write about it in a reflective way that reveals something about what it was that inspired you specifically.

Whatever you do, don’t just say 'I read New Scientist.’ All the other applicants probably read it too. So either be specific, like picking out one article and explaining how it impacted on you, or choose something you’ve read that’s a little more obscure.

Roddy Vann, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics at University of York, went a step further when he told us that he is unimpressed by applicants who just say things like ‘I have read A Brief History of Time.’ He would prefer you to express your opinion on a contemporary issue, like your views on whether we should build more nuclear power stations. It’s not so much what you read, it’s what you think that matters.

More physics personal statement pointers

Individual university websites are a great resource for advice. Durham University says it looks for 'a genuine interest in science and technology,’ so here’s where your evidence needs to come in. If you designed a water bottle rocket-launcher, and subsequently learned it was Newton’s second and third laws that made it work, then selectors will probably be very interested to read a short, reflective paragraph about this. They’ll remember you for it too. Tutors at the University of Bath, meanwhile, want to see something that:

• is honest, original, to the point, grammatically sound, and not too quirky
• gives them some evidence of your interest, motivation, and commitment to the subject, including your wider reading or any events you’ve attended, and your extra-curricular activities and interests

They also say that they 'rarely reject a student because of a personal statement' but that 'in the case of a student who has narrowly missed their offer grades, we may look to the statement for signs of something special.' The University of Bristol is looking for evidence that you appreciate the importance of maths in a physics degree, as well as explaining why you want to pursue a degree in physics.

Don't forget your other extra-curricular interests and perhaps devote a short paragraph to these – whether it’s sport, the creative arts, a part-time job, or something you do that helps others. For more advice on drafting your personal statement, see our article on how to get writing your personal statement .

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Physics Grad School Personal Statement: comments/suggestions?

What follows is a wall of text of a personal statement, but I'm looking for critiques for my personal statement. Open to any and all suggestsions. Looking to start fall of 2013 with ideal schools: University of Colorado: Colorado Springs, Colorado State, University of Southern California, or University of Illinois: Chicago. Thanks!

. edit1: proposed restructure of childhood experience (should I eliminate mention all together?)

Ohio State had a fun game of "tag" called Humans Vs Zombies that involved everything from NERF warfare, to sock balls, to thousands of "zombies" in swarms running around campus. Wanting to always have the upper hand, it seemed logically that my roommate and I make an automated NERF sentry gun to guard locations. With my physics background and love of light, naturally I dove into the mechanics of the imaging system. Writing my own code in Mathematica, the system can pick up two distinct targets and relay the information to the arduino micro processor. This side project solidified the lifelong ambition and love of physics that started at an early age.

I remember well my time in Mr. Fischer's eight grade science class. This was the first time I had really been introduced to light's wave-particle duality and I was awestruck with the topic. I continued to ask my teacher question after question about light dragging the topic well beyond the intended curriculum. Mr. Fischer then encouraged me to forge my own path and start researching the topic on my own time, even excusing me from some assignments in lieu of presentations on what I was studying. I was hooked.

I remember well my time in Mr. Fischer's eight grade science class. I had always enjoyed, and had a passion for the sciences but this class struck a different note, specifically when dealing with light. This was the first time I had really been introduced to the wave-particle duality and I was awestruck with the topic. I continued to ask my teacher question after question about light dragging the topic well beyond the intended curriculum. Mr. Fischer then encouraged me to forge my own path and start researching the topic on my own time, even excusing me from some assignments in lieu of presentations on the current aspect of light I was studying. I can't fully explain why I was drawn to this topic, but I knew I was hooked. I knew I wanted to study physics and specifically light with all of its capabilities.

The passion to study light forged my academic path from there on. Coming from a smaller, farm-town high school I knew that I had to get to a university setting as soon as possible to explore this potential. With that, I set myself up for taking every class that required me to physically be at my high school by my sophomore year. I then attended my first year at college at age sixteen as a junior in high school utilizing the Post Secondary Education Option at the University of Cincinnati. The educational path I had chosen was none other than physics. The summer after my first year, I spent some time doing research under Dr. David Mast using Raman Spectroscopy to identify mineral contents of deposits built up in pipe lines and the latter part of the summer simulating temperature changes of minerals using piezo resistors to drive vibrations. My senior year I moved and transferred to The Ohio State University, where I would ultimately graduate.

While at Ohio State, I helped a Dr. John Wilkins with one of his graduate students research on symmetric silicone structures while having additional atoms introduced into their structure and simulating the response when placed in different temperature levels. Through the course of my time at Ohio State, I started pursuing simultaneously a degree in Math (B.S.) to help supplement and refine the tools at my disposal within the physics world. As well as a degree in Political Science (B.A.) which helped mold an understanding of how progress in the scientific world shapes and defines progress in the social sense. During my time studying physics, I continued and greatly developed this passion for light. As soon as I was able I took an optics specific class learning more about the math and actual physics behind the wave-particle duality that I had been fascinated with at an early age. The lab courses I took largely revolved around optics as well performing Young's Double Slit Experiment as well as many experiments looking at diffusion and diffraction of light. Ready to put my passion to use, I graduated with all three degrees in 2009, three years after my high school graduation.

Following graduation, I looked to getting started in utilizing what I had learned in applying for and pursuing positions in research and development. Though showing promise, this did not satiate my thirst for knowledge and a desire to continue learning. As such it is my current goal to continue this advancement of education towards a better understanding and grasp of the optical world.

. major edit: Alright; childhood is gone. Seems to make sense and added a sentence after each research topic explaining what it provided to me; updated entire statement below .

The passion to study light forged my academic path from early on. Coming from a smaller, farm-town high school I knew that I had to get to a university setting as soon as possible to explore this potential. With that, I set myself up for taking every class that required me to physically be at my high school by my sophomore year. I then attended my first year at college at age sixteen as a junior in high school utilizing the Post Secondary Education Option at the University of Cincinnati. The educational path I had chosen was none other than physics. The summer after my first year, I spent some time doing research under Dr. David Mast using Raman Spectroscopy to identify mineral contents of deposits built up in pipe lines and the latter part of the summer simulating temperature changes of minerals using piezo resistors to drive vibrations. I am thankful for the time spend setting up experiments, learning lab techniques and procedures, and especially the documentation aspect of lab work. My senior year I moved and transferred to The Ohio State University, where I would ultimately graduate.

While at Ohio State, I helped a Dr. John Wilkins with one of his graduate students research on symmetric silicone structures while having additional atoms introduced into their structure and simulating the response when placed in different temperature levels. I learned a lot about the simulations of physical systems and the coding that goes into them, coding experience that has benefited me in more than my physics life. Through the course of my time at Ohio State, I started pursuing simultaneously a degree in Math (B.S.) to help supplement and refine the tools at my disposal within the physics world. As well as a degree in Political Science (B.A.) which helped mold an understanding of how progress in the scientific world shapes and defines progress in the social sense. During my time studying physics, I continued and greatly developed this passion for light. As soon as I was able I took an optics specific class learning more about the math and actual physics behind the wave-particle duality that I had been fascinated with at an early age. The lab courses I took largely revolved around optics as well performing Young's Double Slit Experiment as well as many experiments looking at diffusion and diffraction of light. Ready to put my passion to use, I graduated with all three degrees in 2009, three years after my high school graduation.

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Graduate School Personal Statement

• Thread starter oliviam212
• Start date Dec 16, 2014
• Tags Graduate Graduate application Graduate school Graduate school admissions Personal statement School
• Dec 16, 2014

A PF Electron

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A PF Singularity

Read this post: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...sicist-discussion.710175/page-10#post-4875490 Zz.  

Related to Graduate School Personal Statement

What is a graduate school personal statement.

A graduate school personal statement is a written essay or statement that applicants submit as part of their graduate school application. It is typically a few pages long and serves as an opportunity for applicants to showcase their qualities, experiences, and goals that make them a strong candidate for the program.

What should I include in my graduate school personal statement?

In your personal statement, you should include information about your academic background, relevant experiences, career goals, and why you are interested in the specific program you are applying to. It is also important to highlight any unique qualities or achievements that make you stand out as an applicant.

How important is the graduate school personal statement in the admissions process?

The importance of the graduate school personal statement varies from program to program. In some cases, it may be the deciding factor in an applicant's acceptance, while in others it may be weighed less heavily. However, it is always important to put effort into your personal statement as it is your chance to make a strong impression on the admissions committee.

How long should my graduate school personal statement be?

The length of a graduate school personal statement can vary, but it is typically around 2-3 pages. It is important to follow any specific guidelines or word limits provided by the program, as exceeding these limits may reflect negatively on your application.

When should I start working on my graduate school personal statement?

It is recommended to start working on your graduate school personal statement at least a few months before the application deadline. This will allow you enough time to brainstorm, write multiple drafts, and have others review and provide feedback on your statement before submitting it.

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How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Grad School

Posted by Luke Dane | Aug 13, 2024 | Master's Programs

Graduate school is an educational endeavor that requires hard work, dedication, and standing out from the crowd. In addition to submitting undergraduate transcripts, GRE test results, and letters of recommendation, graduate school applicants must write a statement of purpose. 

A statement of purpose, also known as a personal statement, allows applicants to explain what they want to get out of graduate school and why they’re a good fit. 

“Your statement of purpose is your one opportunity to showcase your unique experiences, future goals, and how the graduate program will help you achieve those goals. Your statement should be authentic, relevant, concise, and professional,” said Precious Jordan-Talley , SDSU Global Campus Admissions Supervisor. 

Writing your first statement of purpose may feel daunting, but these tips and tricks will help you get the ball rolling. 

Understand the Prompt 

While the outline is similar, each grad school has its own prompt. Regardless of the specific prompt, your statement should answer: 

• What do you want to study and why
• What experiences do you have in your field
• What do you plan to do with your graduate degree 

Admissions committees seek out applicants who provide clear responses to these questions and demonstrate their plans and interests based on their expertise. Overall, Your statement of purpose should answer why you chose your field of study and why you have the background to excel in it. 

Show Your Best Self 

Including additional skills on your statement of purpose can help strengthen your application, but be selective about which skills you choose to add. 

Instead of adding all the skills in your pocket, hone in on the ones you can apply to your degree. Weave in personal anecdotes that showcase your skills to upgrade your statement of purpose from an application to a story. 

For example, many graduate students get to teach undergraduate classes. Therefore, including skills like teaching, public speaking, or communication would be beneficial skills to add. 

Stand Out From Others 

As of fall 2020, graduate school applications rose 7.3% , making it more crucial than ever to stand out from the crowd of applicants. 

Making your statement of purpose a story is a great way to set yourself apart from others. Simply put, describe how your skills, experiences, and backgrounds shaped you into who you are today.

Let’s say you’re applying for our master’s in meeting and event management. Instead of listing your experience in this industry, provide a story of how you developed an interest in this field through exploring and honing different skills. 

Listen to Feedback 

Receiving feedback from a trusted mentor, preferably a professor writing your letter of recommendation, is crucial before submitting your statement of purpose. Having another expert edit your paper can help with content, spelling, grammar, and word choice. 

Editors can also give you a new perspective. Since they have a fresh set of eyes, they can see your topics from another angle and offer suggestions to improve the quality of your statement. They can help you develop new perspectives to incorporate into your writing. 

“You’ll want to strive for depth by highlighting key experiences that can attest to your qualifications, problem-solving skills, and achievements,” said Precious Jordan-Talley . “Make sure there is a smooth and logical flow throughout your essay and solicit feedback from professors or colleagues to gain different perspectives and make improvements. I recommend exploring courses with Ed2Go to brush up on your writing skills.”

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Walter A. Harrison, solid state physicist, has died

Known for his simple explanations of complex concepts, Harrison significantly advanced our understanding of solid state physics, semiconductors, and electronic structure. Many of his books and papers are still widely used today.

Walter A. Harrison, a professor of applied physics, emeritus, in the  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences , known for his research on solid state physics, the theory of metals, semiconductors, and electronic structure, died March 6. He was 93.

A leading scholar who strove to find the simplest explanations for complex phenomena, Harrison earned a reputation for an honest, no-nonsense approach to solid-state physics. This approach informed his namesake discovery, the Harrison Construction—a simplified way of constructing Fermi surfaces—an abstract interface that describes the state of electrons at zero temperature. In a 2018 memoir, Harrison wrote with characteristic wit that “I realized that you don’t get famous by doing something complicated.”

“Walt was an ideal thesis adviser for me,” said Richard A. Meserve, president emeritus of the Carnegie Institution for Science, who earned his doctorate in applied physics from Stanford.

“At a time when many condensed matter theorists applied extensive computer codes in research, Walt sought to assure real understanding of phenomena by developing simpler models that served to reveal the underlying physics. His approach was not necessarily fashionable, but he was respected by the community for the deep understanding that his work provided.” 

Journeys abroad, joyful memories at home

Already an established physicist thanks to his work for General Electric after earning a doctorate from the University of Illinois, he was recruited to Stanford as a professor of applied physics in 1965. He remained a professor for 36 years and continued researching and teaching after his retirement in 2001.

In addition to mentoring doctoral students, he wrote books that remain in high regard thanks to his direct and honest approach. These books include  Solid State Theory (Dover, 1980),  Electronic Structure and the Properties of Solids: the Physics of the Chemical Bond (Dover, 1989), and  Applied Quantum Mechanics (World Scientific Publishing, 2000). 

Many of Harrison’s future colleagues first encountered his name through these works, including Hari Manoharan, an associate professor of physics who studied under Harrison and eventually became his colleague at Stanford.

“I am grateful to have known Walt through several formative stages of my own life,” Manoharan said. “I came to Stanford for one year as a graduate student and sought Walt out to take his class on electronic structure. Many years later, I returned to Stanford as a new faculty member and my office was across the hall from Walt in the  Geballe Laboratory , where we would debate what should be put in quantum mechanics courses and go to seminars and meals together.”

Harrison earned a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1970 and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship in 1982, and his leadership positions include chairing his department from 1989 to 1993. He also traveled extensively for his work in the 1970s, visiting the Soviet Union, China, and East Germany. 

Proving his teacher wrong

Harrison was born on April 26, 1930, in Flushing Meadows, New York, to Charles and Gertrude Harrison. Raised in Toledo, Ohio, Harrison developed an interest in physics at a young age, even receiving honorable mention in a talent search for a project in which he argued, essentially, that his teacher was wrong about a fundamental concept regarding momentum. (It turned out Harrison was right.)

He went on to earn his bachelor’s in engineering physics in 1953 from Cornell University, where he also met his college sweetheart, Lucille (Lucky) Carley, whom he married in 1954. Lucky became a docent at  Cantor Arts Center and at the  Windhover Contemplative Center . Their Eichler home on the Stanford campus became a center for memorable gatherings of colleagues, friends, and family alike. 

After retirement, Harrison published his final book on physics, Theoretical Alchemy: Modeling Matter (World Scientific, 2010), and his reflections on his career and life,  Practical Alchemy: A Memoir  (World Scientific, 2018). The journal Contemporary Physics called his memoir “both a fascinating personal account of his life and work as a physicist, but also an ode to science.”

“I would walk by his house on the way to the local school and stop in to hear his stories or play croquet with his kids,” said Manoharan. “It is from those precious interactions that I truly understood not only what a colorful and impactful professional life Walt had led, but also the depth of love and support he had provided to his wife and children during his lifetime.”

Harrison is preceded in death by his wife, Lucky, who died in 2019. He is survived by his sons, Rick, John, Bill, and Bob; six grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

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