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• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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Crafting an Outstanding UCL Personal Statement: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

Dirghayu Kaushik

29 August 2024

Gaining admission to University College London (UCL) is a dream for many, but achieving this goal requires more than just academic excellence.

Your UCL personal statement plays a pivotal role in your application, serving as a unique opportunity to showcase your aspirations, achievements, and individuality.

This article provides essential insights and examples to assist you in creating a personal statement that captures the essence of your academic and personal journey, tailored to resonate with UCL’s admissions committee.

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• The Role of a Personal Statement in Your UCL Application

Understanding the Significance

Your personal statement is a critical element of your UCAS application to UCL. It’s your chance to convey your enthusiasm, experiences, and suitability for your chosen course.

This narrative helps the admissions team to understand who you are beyond your grades and test scores. It’s about making a compelling case for why you are an ideal candidate for UCL and how the university fits into your academic and career aspirations.

What UCL Looks For

UCL, being a prestigious and competitive institution, seeks candidates who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a commitment to their field of study, and the potential to contribute meaningfully to the university community.

Your personal statement should reflect these qualities, showcasing your passion for learning, your understanding of the course content, and your readiness for the challenges of university life.

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• Crafting a Winning Personal Statement for UCL

Creating a personal statement for University College London (UCL) is a crucial step in your application process. Your statement should stand out, reflecting your unique qualifications and enthusiasm for your chosen course. Here are key points to help you craft a winning personal statement for UCL:

• Understand UCL’s Values and Course Requirements : Before you begin, research UCL’s ethos, values, and specific requirements for your chosen course. Understanding what UCL looks for in its students can help tailor your statement to resonate with the admissions committee.
• Start with a Compelling Introduction : Your opening lines should grab the reader’s attention. Start with a personal anecdote, a provocative question, or a statement that clearly expresses your passion for the subject.
• Showcase Your Academic Strengths : Highlight your academic achievements that are relevant to the course. Include any awards, high grades in related subjects, or participation in relevant academic competitions or projects.
• Demonstrate Interest and Knowledge in the Subject : Show that you have a deep understanding of and a genuine interest in the field. Discuss any books, articles, or research that have inspired you and shaped your desire to study this subject at UCL.
• Reflect on Relevant Experiences : Include work experience, internships, volunteering, or extracurricular activities that have helped develop skills and qualities relevant to the course. Explain what you learned from these experiences and how they have prepared you for university-level study.
• Discuss Your Career Aspirations : Clearly articulate how the course at UCL fits into your long-term career goals. This shows admissions tutors that you have a clear direction and motivation for your studies.
• Exhibit Your Skills and Qualities : Highlight personal skills and qualities that make you a suitable candidate for the course. These might include problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, or communication skills.
• Explain Why UCL Is the Right Choice for You : Discuss specific aspects of UCL and its course offerings that appeal to you. This could be particular modules, the teaching methodology, research opportunities, or the campus environment.
• Make It Personal and Authentic : Your statement should be personal and reflect your true self. Avoid clichés and generic statements. Admissions tutors want to hear your voice and understand who you are.
• Conclude with a Strong Closing Statement : End your personal statement on a high note, reemphasizing your enthusiasm and readiness for the course and how you look forward to contributing to the UCL community.
• Proofread and Edit : Ensure your statement is free of grammatical errors and typos. A well-written, error-free statement demonstrates your attention to detail and commitment to excellence.
• Seek Feedback : Before finalizing, get feedback from teachers, mentors, or those who know you well. They can provide valuable insights and help you refine your statement.

By following these points, you can craft a personal statement that not only meets the standards of UCL but also truly represents your academic ambitions and personal journey, significantly boosting your chances of admission.

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• Personal Statement Examples for Different UCL Courses

Example of UCL Medicine Program

Medicine applicants need to demonstrate a passion for the field, empathy, and a strong academic background in sciences. An effective personal statement for a UCL medicine course might begin with a personal anecdote or experience that sparked your interest in medicine.

Follow this with details of your academic journey in sciences, any relevant work experience, and extracurricular activities. Conclude by discussing your career aspirations in medicine and how UCL’s program aligns with these goals.

Example for UCL Economics Program

For an economics course, your statement should reflect your understanding of economic principles and your ability to think critically about economic issues. Start by explaining why you are interested in economics, possibly by citing a current issue or personal experience.

Include your academic achievements in mathematics and related subjects, and any relevant extracurricular activities, like participating in economics clubs or competitions. Finally, express how UCL’s economics program will help you achieve your career objectives.

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Key Dos and Don’ts in Writing Your Personal Statement

• Final Steps Before Submission

Review and Feedback

Before submitting your personal statement, it’s crucial to review it thoroughly. Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or peers who can provide constructive criticism. Their insights can help refine your statement, ensuring it’s compelling and error-free.

Aligning Your Statement with UCL’s Values

Research UCL’s values and ethos, and subtly align your statement with these. Show how you embody qualities valued by UCL, such as intellectual curiosity, global perspective, and a commitment to impact society positively. This alignment demonstrates that you are not only a good fit academically but also culturally for UCL.

Your UCL personal statement is a vital part of your application. It’s an opportunity to showcase your unique qualifications, experiences, and aspirations.

By following the guidelines and examples provided in this guide, you can create a statement that captures your individuality and suitability for UCL.

Remember, this is your chance to make a lasting impression on the admissions committee, so take the time to craft a personal statement that truly reflects who you are and why you are the perfect candidate for UCL.

Q1: How important is it to relate my personal statement to my future career goals?

It’s very important. Relating your course of study to your future career goals shows foresight and a clear understanding of how UCL will help you achieve your aspirations.

Q2: Can I include quotes in my personal statement?

While a well-chosen quote can be impactful, it’s generally better to use your own words to ensure your personal statement is truly personal and unique.

Q3: How can I ensure that my personal statement stands out?

To make your personal statement stand out, focus on unique experiences, present your content in a structured and coherent manner, and infuse your personal voice and enthusiasm throughout the text.

Q4: Is it okay to share personal challenges in my statement?

Yes, sharing personal challenges can be powerful, especially if you can demonstrate how they have shaped your character and academic journey. However, ensure that the overall tone remains positive and forward-looking.

• Key Dos and Don'ts in Writing Your Personal Statement

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Table of Contents

• • The Role of a Personal Statement in Your UCL Application
• • Crafting a Winning Personal Statement for UCL
• • Personal Statement Examples for Different UCL Courses
• • Key Dos and Don'ts in Writing Your Personal Statement
• • Final Steps Before Submission
• • Conclusion

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How To Write a Personal Statement For a Master’s Degree

Learn how to write a compelling personal statement for your master’s degree application. Follow these tips and examples so that you can stand out from the crowd.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a crucial component of your master’s degree application. It allows admissions officers to get a clear picture of who you are – beyond the basic, factual information on your CV. This is a prime opportunity to make a good impression and convey what makes you stand out as a candidate for postgraduate study. The personal statement is your chance to tell your story and provide context to your academic and professional achievements.

What is the purpose of a personal statement?

Admissions officers use the personal statement to determine if you are a good fit for the course you’re applying for. They want to see a genuine interest and commitment to the subject, along with the necessary skills and qualifications. They will be asking themselves three key questions when reading your statement:

• Can you demonstrate a keen interest in the subject?
• Do you have the necessary skills and qualifications?
• Have you shown how this course is relevant to your long-term goals?

Before writing your personal statement, it’s essential to answer these three questions yourself by creating a bullet point list for each one. It’s important to consider at this stage how you would provide evidence of your interest, capabilities, and aspirations to someone who doesn’t know you.

Give yourself plenty of time to sit and think about the answers to these questions and try to list as many solid examples as you can. It’s not enough to simply tell the admissions officer that you’re passionate about the subject – they will assume that this is the case for anyone who applies! You need to actually provide evidence of your interest.

Your answers to these questions will guide you and keep you focused as you write the bulk of your statement. Reflecting on these questions will also help you to understand your own motivations and ensure that you are making the right choice for your future. If you are clear in your own mind about what you want to study and why, it will be much easier to convince someone else of the same.

In addition to answering these questions, it’s a good idea to check if there are any personal statement how-to guides or tips on how to write a personal statement provided by the institution and specific department you’re applying to. These will provide a helpful starting point with reliable information on how to craft your master’s application .

How to structure a personal statement

First paragraph.

Begin with a brief introduction. Get straight to the point: who you are and why you’re applying.

• Who : Mention what you’re currently studying or doing and where. This sets the context and gives the admissions officers a snapshot of your current status.
• Why : Refer back to your answers to the three key questions—your interest, capability, and motivations. This will lay the foundation for the rest of your statement.

For example, you might say: “ I am studying Politics at University College London, where my coursework and debate society involvement have fueled my interest in international relations. I am applying to this Master’s program to pursue a career in global policy development.”

Next, explain why you’re interested in this course at this particular institution. Be specific and show you’ve researched the course and university extensively.

You should mention specific modules that have caught your eye and particular academics you’re interested in working with. Find out their areas of interest and read some of their published work. Demonstrating that you’ve done your homework shows your commitment and genuine interest in the program.

For example, if you are applying for a Master’s in Environmental Science, you might mention a particular module on climate change policy that aligns with your career goals or a professor whose research on sustainable agriculture has inspired you. This level of detail can make your statement stand out and show that you are a thoughtful and informed candidate.

This is the time to address each of those three key questions in detail.

Demonstrate a keen interest in the subject

• Share what sparked your initial desire to pursue a Master’s in this subject. Was it a particular experience, an undergraduate module, or a personal passion that led you to this field? Providing a narrative can make your statement more engaging.
• Explain how you’ve pursued your interest outside of academia. This could be through clubs and societies you’ve joined, books and articles you’ve read, or even podcasts you enjoy listening to. Highlighting your extracurricular activities shows that your interest goes beyond the classroom and that you are proactive in seeking knowledge.
• Show your knowledge of the relevant issues in the field. Discuss any current events, trends, or challenges in the field that you are passionate about. This demonstrates that you are well informed and engaged with the subject matter.

For instance, if you are applying for a Master’s in International Relations, you could discuss your participation in a Model United Nations club, your internship at a foreign embassy, or your avid reading of international policy journals. These examples illustrate your active engagement with the field.

Evidence of necessary skills and qualifications

• Academic Career : Avoid simply stating results. Instead, highlight specific skills you acquired. Mention relevant essays and projects. If you’ve never received any Bachelor’s qualifications, it is still possible to apply for a Master’s without a Bachelor’s .
• Experience : Discuss extracurricular activities, work experience, internships, professional achievements, life experiences, hobbies, and interests. Highlight specific relevant experiences that showcase your capabilities.

For example, if you are applying for a Master’s in Business Administration, you could discuss your role in a student business club, your internship at a marketing firm, and a successful project you led that demonstrates your leadership and analytical skills. Providing concrete examples of your achievements and experiences makes your statement more compelling and credible.

Relevance to your long-term goals

By this point, you should have painted a vivid picture of your journey so far and why it has brought you here, applying for this course. Make it clear that this course is a stepping stone to your future, the next phase in a journey that you’ve already mapped out for yourself.

Discuss your long-term career goals and how this course will help you achieve them. Be specific about the skills and knowledge you hope to gain and how they will be applied in your future career. This shows that you have a clear vision and that this program is an integral part of your career path.

For example, if you are applying for a Master’s in Public Health, you might discuss your goal to work in global health policy, how the program’s focus on epidemiology will provide you with the necessary skills, and your aspiration to work with international health organisations to combat infectious diseases. This demonstrates that you have a well-thought-out plan and that the program is a crucial part of your career trajectory.

You don’t want the admissions officer reading your application to think you’ve applied simply because you weren’t sure what else to do after graduating .

End with a short paragraph that provides a succinct summary of your statement. Highlight why you would be an excellent student and an asset to their institution in a sentence or two. This final impression should reinforce your enthusiasm and suitability for the program.

For instance, you could say: “With my background in environmental science, my passion for sustainable development, and my proven research skills, I am confident that I will contribute significantly to your program and thrive in the academic environment at [University Name].”

Top tips on how to write a personal statement for a master’s degree

Before you submit, be sure to do the following:

• Check spelling and grammar meticulously. Errors can detract from your professionalism and attention to detail.
• Ask a friend or family member to read over your statement. A fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes and provide valuable feedback.
• Ensure it meets any specific criteria mentioned in the application form. Tailoring your statement to each institution’s requirements shows that you are diligent and attentive.

What to avoid

• Exceeding the Word Limit : Never go over the word limit. If unspecified, aim for no longer than one page of A4 or around 500 words, unless they ask for more. Being concise and to the point is crucial.
• Clichés : Avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…”, as these can make your statement sound generic and insincere. Instead of overused words like passionate , try “keen interest” or “strong affinity”.
• Using AI : It’s okay for guidance, but remember it’s supposed to be personal. Authenticity is key.
• Repeating Your CV : Avoid reiterating what’s already in other parts of your application. Your personal statement should add depth and context, not duplicate information.
• Using the Same Statement for Different Applications : Each statement should be specifically tailored to each institution, even if the content may be similar.

Final thoughts on how to write a personal statement for a master’s degree

You should now have a clear idea on how to write a personal statement for a masters degree. By following this guide, taking the time to carefully craft your personal statement will pay off by providing admissions officers with a vivid picture of who you are and why you are the ideal candidate for their program.

Further advice and tips on how to plan your future and navigate your career after graduating can be found on the Graduate Coach blog . If you’re uncertain about the next steps and feel that you need further guidance, they offer comprehensive career coaching services aimed at ensuring you reach your full potential after university.

Featured photo by Katerina Holmes from Pexels

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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 .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

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

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Medicine Personal Statement Inspiration – James (UCL)

Home » Application Guide » Medicine Personal Statement Inspiration – James (UCL)

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This is part of a series of blog posts wherein members of the 6med team attach and comment on their own medicine personal statements. James shares his personal statement that helped him successfully gain an offer from UCL to study Medicine. 

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

Successful UCL Medicine Personal Statement

First, take a read through this successful UCL personal statement and then we will break down each section and analyse it.

“For several months this year, I volunteered at a school for children with mental and physical disabilities. One particular student caught my attention, a violent and withdrawn boy. By patiently encouraging him to engage in activities through a toy caterpillar, I found a way to connect with him. The experience highlighted the importance and value of every human life, of having compassion for others, and of being aware of other people’s needs and problems aside from our own. Medicine is a lifelong endeavour; it is an opportunity for me to contribute to an expanding scientific field, as well as confront the physical, social and emotional challenges that face humanity.

As a naturally inquisitive person, my fascination with science has led to a profound interest in the human body. My wider reading included “The Music of Life” by Denis Noble, which gave me a better understanding of the physiological functions within the body and the interaction of genes with the environment, cells and organs. Further study of the applications of genetic engineering resulted in me writing a paper on the use of nanotechnology in Medicine. This discussed the relation of current scientific research to the management of various pathologies; the task required me to scrutinize secondary sources and gave me stronger analytical skills. Realising that this combination of science and practical undertaking appealed hugely, I sought some real world experiences to confirm my career choice.

Earlier this year, I undertook work experience in a Renal Unit of my local hospital. This gave me the opportunity to attend ward rounds and clinics, as well as observe dialysis and venous catheter insertion. Through talking to patients, the physical, and at times, mental fragility of some individuals surprised me. The empathy shown by the doctors inspired me deeply. A junior doctor recounted her tough experiences; there were instances where she was confined to a desk organising paperwork, and occasions where she didn’t get any sleep. However, her involvement with patients was satisfying, and seeing them progressively improve motivated her. From these experience, I appreciate how being a doctor can be gruelling, but also very gratifying. Above all, I realise the importance in having moral fibre, perseverance and humility.

Every Wednesday for four months I shadowed my local GP. Watching him give both medical and social advice with such understanding and clinical skill to people from every race, culture and faith made me realise the importance of primary care, good communication and careful allocation of resources.

As a concert pianist, I have gained experience in handling stress and performance anxiety. I perform at a local hospice every week and through successful piano competitions, I had the honour of playing at the Jacqueline De Pre Hall in Oxford. I enjoy conveying the emotion of a piece of music in a beautiful and hopefully profound way. As a school mentor and piano teacher for younger students, I developed skills in passing on information effectively and in listening to others with patience and respect. My experience in representing the school in badminton and hockey has given my stronger teamwork abilities, which I was able to apply in helping organise the school charity week, in which we raised £16,000. I hold positions of responsibility as a school prefect and founder of two societies, where I teach students musical theory and philosophy. Having also been a St John first aider for three years, I gained experience in making others feel comfortable in times of close contact and in assessing situations quickly and effectively. I also enjoy helping out at community events. Finally, I enjoy acting, and also performing magic; being able to instil wonder and joy in others is priceless.

I believe I have the humility, scientific acuity and empathy to become a committed doctor and to face the challenges ahead in my chosen career.”

Now, we’re going to take apart this personal statement and have a look at what makes it work.

Remember, though, we’re not going to teach a set formula, but instead, instil some general principles you can use when you’re writing your own.

Personal statements are ‘personal’ after all, so try not to put across things that don’t faithfully reflect your own experiences, understanding and individuality.

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UCL Medicine Personal Statement Analysis

“For several months this year, I volunteered at a school for children with mental and physical disabilities. One particular student caught my attention, a violent and withdrawn boy. By patiently encouraging him to engage in activities through a toy caterpillar, I found a way to connect with him.”

The first paragraph is often the hardest the write, and there are a number of ways you can go about it.

Whatever you write, always try to captivate the reader – although sometimes unavoidable, the first few sentences run a high risk of being clichéd. One possible way to sound more gripping is by richly conveying a personal experience, either as a volunteer or during your work experience.

Of course, this isn’t the only way: if you have a strong personal reason for studying medicine (which is actually quite rare among students) or just a strong interest in the sciences, make sure it comes across in the first paragraph, phrasing it in a more interesting and unique manner if possible; remember though, it’s important to always favour a more introspective and honest account of your experiences instead of something unrealistic and unnecessarily flamboyant.

“The experience highlighted the importance and value of every human life, of having compassion for others, and of being aware of other people’s needs and problems aside from our own.”

Following the purely descriptive account of the boy, the model statement goes on to reveal what the writer learnt from the experience.

This is an important point: it’s never about what you did, it’s about what you gained from the experience . Many students make the mistake of simply describing all the things they did during their hospital placement or whilst volunteering.

Instead, medical schools are looking for students that are able to reflect upon their experiences , and you’ll be doing this for the rest of your career as you input reflections onto your NHS ePortfolio.

“Medicine is a lifelong endeavour; it is an opportunity for me to contribute to an expanding scientific field, as well as confront the physical, social and emotional challenges that face humanity.”

Throughout the application process, medical schools are looking not just for an understanding of the medical course, but medicine as a career.

The writer here shows an awareness of medicine as a profession that requires continuous learning and growth, as well as an opportunity to do good in the world. Of course, there is some flowery language here, but the writer carefully chose this sentence to offer a convincing ending to the opening paragraph.

“As a naturally inquisitive person, my fascination with science has led to a profound interest in the human body.”

The next paragraph begins with one aspect of the writer’s desire to study medicine: scientific interest. Ultimately, no matter how much you want to care for people, studying medicine requires some degree of interest in the biological sciences, otherwise, you may as well serve people through a number of other fulfilling career paths, as a social worker, for example.

Note how this opening sentence sets the scene for the paragraph to come – it clearly marks a scientific theme. The language used is also richly descriptive, with words and phrases such as ‘naturally inquisitive’, ‘fascination’, and ‘profound’ adding colour to the sentence. Too often students fail to pick up a thesaurus and can end up sounding grey, unexciting and almost apathetic towards the things they talk about in some areas of their statement.

Never underestimate how the careful choice of language can add a new dimension to your personal statement.

“My wider reading included “The Music of Life” by Denis Noble, which gave me a better understanding of the physiological functions within the body and the interaction of genes with the environment, cells and organs. Further study of the applications of genetic engineering resulted in me writing a paper on the use of nanotechnology in Medicine. This discussed the relation of current scientific research to the management of various pathologies; the task required me to scrutinize secondary sources and gave me stronger analytical skills.”

The next few sentences provide support for the natural inquisitiveness and scientific interest the writer claimed to have.

Wider reading isn’t always necessary, but rather a nice addition to more academic personal statements. It’s usually the case that students applying to the more traditional and research-orientated universities (Oxbridge, UCL, Imperial, etc.) offer a few sentences showcasing their interest in scientific research and topics outside of their science curriculum.

If do you want to include a book you’ve read, make sure you know what it’s about so that you can write a concise, perceptive description about it in your PS, just like the writer has done here. We would advise against emphasising A-level choices too much and focus on things you’ve read or done outside the curriculum; certainly avoid talking about how high your grades are as this is a prerequisite for studying medicine anyway.

If scientific research plays a lesser role in your reasons for applying to medicine, then dedicate more space for work experience, volunteering and extra-curricular activities.

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Graduate Medicine Personal Statement Example – Barts Medical School

“Realising that this combination of science and practical undertaking appealed hugely, I sought some real world experiences to confirm my career choice.”

Flow is important when it comes to writing your personal statement – don’t make the mistake of making the act of writing your personal statement a listing exercise, like you would for a curriculum vitae.

There should be some hint of an underlying narrative or flow to your writing; in terms of structure, each paragraph should have some theme – in this model statement, the writer has a paragraph on science, hospital work experience and volunteering, for example.

If you’re a fantastic writer (and most of us aren’t), then you may have already put together a beautiful story of how you discovered your passion for medicine and feel comfortable not sticking with a more conventional structure. If you’re not a strong writer, then we recommend you make your personal statement very thematic and simply use nice ‘linking sentences’ that bring together different themes between paragraphs. For example, the writer here draws the scientific paragraph to a close and links to the next paragraph, which talks about work experience.

“Earlier this year, I undertook work experience in a Renal Unit of my local hospital.”

Your description of where and when you did work experience should be short and snappy. There’s no need to give the full name of the hospital, and as a quick writing tip, try to avoid starting sentences with ‘I’.

“This gave me the opportunity to attend ward rounds and clinics, as well as observe dialysis and venous catheter insertion.”

You should then move on to what you actually did, keeping the descriptions as concise as possible.

Remember, medical schools don’t care how many ward rounds you’ve been on or that you’ve even worked at a hospital (although hospital experience is rather important). What is important is that you explain the things you’ve picked up and realized as a result of your experience.

“Through talking to patients, the physical, and at times, mental fragility of some individuals surprised me.”

The writer here first demonstrates they took opportunities to speak to patients, which is one of the most important things you can take away from a hospital placement.

Medical schools want to know you’re able to communicate with real patients and reflect upon your conversations with them. In this case, the writer succinctly reveals a first-hand experience of how patients can be weak, fragile and utterly dependent on doctors and others to support them.

“The empathy shown by the doctors inspired me deeply.”

The writer then goes on to reflect on how the doctors treated these patients and offers one of the most important qualities needed in all doctors , that is empathy .

Note again how this sentence is phrased – it sounds more genuine and meaningful than a sentence such as ‘Empathy is important in doctors’, which is something a lot of students would write.

Always write about what you learnt and realized through your experiences in an authentic manner, it’s much more powerful than phrasing things in a way that suggests you’re just saying it to earn points.

“A junior doctor recounted her tough experiences; there were instances where she was confined to a desk organising paperwork, and occasions where she didn’t get any sleep. However, her involvement with patients was satisfying, and seeing them progressively improve motivated her. From these experiences, I appreciate how being a doctor can be gruelling, but also very gratifying.”

At the same time, you should also be aware that personal statements can be a checklist exercise, with medical schools scrutinizing every sentence you write in order to determine whether you understand what being a doctor is about.

One of the important things you should include is the realities of being a doctor. All too often doctors are over-glamourized by students in their personal statements, with some going as far as saying doctors are trained to deal with all complications, which clearly isn’t true.

Instead, dedicate one or two sentences to the less attractive side of medicine, as the writer has done here. Examples of areas you could talk about may include the stress of long hours or having to break bad news to patients . Of course, you don’t want to leave any negative sentences hanging, so tactfully counter them by adding on positives that more than make up for some of the downsides of being a doctor.

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“Above all, I realise the importance in having moral fibre, perseverance and humility.”

As you’ll come to realize when writing your personal statement, fitting everything you want to mention into 4,000 characters isn’t easy.

This model statement clearly makes sacrifices with the content it includes – in this hospital placement paragraph, only two main qualities are covered: empathy and the realities of being a doctor.

There is no doubt that the writer could have included much more – but it’s more effective to go into detail on one or two of the most significant themes, and then just list or briefly talk about other things that the writer picked up from his experiences. In a nutshell, you should sit down and have a think about which of the most important qualities you can and want to portray through your work experience, and sacrifice the less powerful content.

In terms of writing tips here, the writer uses the rule of three (and this technique is used throughout this model statement) when listing: this is a way of making things sound nicer, but also allows the writer to include more high-yield content.

“Every Wednesday for four months I shadowed my local GP.”

The writer starts a new and shorter paragraph here, and this is purely for the sake of clarity. Do avoid writing long paragraphs and aim to split them into organized chunks if possible.

“Watching him give both medical and social advice with such understanding and clinical skill to people from every race, culture and faith made me realise the importance of primary care, good communication and careful allocation of resources.”

Again, the writer doesn’t give much of a description of what he did at the GP surgery, and neither is there much space to do so. Instead, it is more important to reflect on what you learnt and realized through whatever experiences you have undertaken.

“As a concert pianist, I have gained experience in handling stress and performance anxiety. I perform at a local hospice every week and through successful piano competitions, I had the honour of playing at the Jacqueline De Pre Hall in Oxford. I enjoy conveying the emotion of a piece of music in a beautiful and hopefully profound way.”

The penultimate paragraph talks about the writer’s extra-curricular skills and qualities developed through such activities. Never just list a bunch of hobbies you do – instead, always reflect on how you’ve developed your skills, making sure the qualities and skills you talk about are relevant to a future career in medicine.

The writer here uses the word ‘profound’ again – as a writing tip, it is good practice to avoid using the same adjectives or verbs again or close to each other in a piece of prose; ‘powerful’ may be a more suitable word here.

“As a school mentor and piano teacher for younger students, I developed skills in passing on information effectively and in listening to others with patience and respect. My experience in representing the school in badminton and hockey has given my stronger teamwork abilities, which I was able to apply in helping organise the school charity week, in which we raised £16,000. I hold positions of responsibility as a school prefect and founder of two societies, where I teach students musical theory and philosophy. Having also been a St John first aider for three years, I gained experience in making others feel comfortable in times of close contact and in assessing situations quickly and effectively. I also enjoy helping out at community events. Finally, I enjoy acting, and also performing magic; being able to instil wonder and joy in others is priceless.”

It’s important to watch out in this section of the personal statement: many extremely talented students apply for medical school, and it’s easy to run the risk of sounding arrogant if the way you phrase things isn’t carefully considered. In fact, this is a risk for all stages of the application !

One way to avoid sounding arrogant is to talk about how you ‘developed’ your skills, opposed to you already possessing them. For example, there’s a subtle difference between ‘I was given the responsibility to be a school mentor due to my strong communication skills’ and ‘I’ve developed strong communication skills through being a school mentor’.

Although the difference is certainly subtle, it can give you a sense of being humble, especially if you have impressive traits.

“I believe I have the humility, scientific acuity and empathy to become a committed doctor and to face the challenges ahead in my chosen career.”

The ending of this model statement isn’t particularly novel and many personal statements finish with something similar. It is important though to have a closing paragraph that links together your principal themes and affirms your suitability for medicine: in this case, the writer chooses scientific acuity, empathy and humility to be his big three qualities; moreover, the writer also slips in a few other qualities expected in medics, emphasising a commitment and readiness to overcome the challenges that are sure to come in the future.

Although simple, short and nothing original, the content in the closing paragraph was carefully chosen – it does the job and most importantly leaves a positive impression, which is the aim of the game.

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UCL Medicine Personal Statement Examples

If you’re in the midst of building your application for UCL Medicine, reviewing UCL Medicine personal statement examples can help inspire the content of this critical document. The problem many applicants have with the personal statement is that they don’t know how to distil personal and clinical experiences to show how they pertain to the medical program. UCL Medicine is one of the most competitive and distinguished medical schools in the UK ; reading medical school personal statement examples can help you capture and organise the most compelling aspects of your candidacy.

In this article, we go over some UCL Medicine personal statement examples to show you what an effective essay looks like.

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Article Contents 10 min read

Ucl medicine personal statement example 1.

On my first day working at a long-term care facility, after getting acquainted with the residents, most of whom were sociable and excited to see a new face, I met a man named Frank. He was an emaciated, sick man with no family who had suffered a stroke a few weeks before I arrived. I met Frank in the dining hall, hunched over a chess board, not touching the pieces. The other nurses told me that his stroke severely affected his speech. He never spoke to the other residents or the nurses and doctors who cared for him, and he never had any visitors. I made my way over to the table and introduced myself. His ability to move was also severely restricted. I slid a pawn to C4; he slid his to E5. He glanced up at me with a glimmer in his eye – internally, he was smiling. I started working with an occupational therapist named Vicky; we took Frank to his doctor’s appointments and on field trips to the park. Sadly, he passed away from complications a few weeks later.

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I took the puck from past the red line, split the defenseman, and wound up for a shot – suddenly, the thunderous roar of the crowd came to a halt. Everything went dark. I woke up in a daze, my teammates standing over me, offering puzzled, anxious stares. Two paramedics rolled me onto a stretcher, asking how many fingers they were holding up. I had no idea. The adrenaline in my system numbed the pain until I made it to the hospital where I was told that my leg was broken. The first person I saw was the doctor, who, as soon as he noticed I was awake, told me to take it easy and lay my head back. Bewildered, I asked him what had happened – he explained that I’d taken ‘quite the fall’ during the game.

The injury ended my dream of becoming a professional hockey player, not that it was all that likely to begin with. This was in Year 11 of secondary education. There was a silver lining, however. Because I was on crutches for six weeks, I returned to an old hobby I’d been neglecting: reading non-fiction. I’d read a book written by a surgeon documenting some of his most interesting patient cases and what he remembered about the procedures; it was surprisingly emotional. I noticed that as I was reading, I started to imagine myself in the position of the surgeon; that was when I began thinking about the possibility of pursuing a career in medicine.

Being injured also gave me the freedom to explore other interests and passions. One of those activities was joining the big brother program – I made a friend in Harry, a 10-year-old boy with autism who came from an impoverished home. He was a kind, thoughtful kid. Although this experience shaped my desire to work with a younger patient population, I have to say my most meaningful endeavour was going on a round trip to Italy, Spain, and Portugal for a shadowing expedition.

The hospital in Rome had a very diverse specialisation group; I shadowed a cardiologist, a neurologist, and a surgeon. What took me by surprise was the precise communication maintained in each network; for instance, the cardiologists communicate with general practitioners, sometimes surgeons, the orthopaedists also liaison with surgery and pathology departments, and so on.

The clinic in Spain was in a destitute community, where some of the burdens in the health care system were made apparent by extremely long wait times and underfunding, a major concern for the region reporting an increase in mental health concerns. As a volunteer, I met some patients who said they’d been on the waitlist for surgery for months. I had to reflect on my situation living in a community not burdened by the same issues in our health care system – the fact that I was given immediate treatment for my broken leg and concussion gave me the advantage of a faster recovery.

When I returned to the UK, I felt inspired to make a difference in my own community, so I volunteered at a mass vaccination clinic. My job was to assist clients with accessibility needs, such as those who were mobility, sight, or hearing impaired; I also cleaned surfaces and greeted and answered client questions about the vaccination. In the waiting area, I spoke casually with patrons, some of whom were understandably anxious about needles, or about the side effects of the vaccine. I aimed to dispel some of their concerns or engage in conversation about unrelated topics; for the younger groups, we offered candy and a high-five after they were vaccinated.

I’ve not settled on an exact patient population whom I’d prefer to work with just yet. This is why the prospect of working in a variety of patient domains, including child and family health, women’s and men’s health, and care of the older person is something that I’m eager to explore. Based on my volunteer and traveling experience which underscored the fluctuations in medical care accessibility across communities and nations, I want to preserve the awareness of the social determinants of health – this is one of the building blocks of what I would consider an effective health care system. Working in the heart of London at some of the major teaching hospitals offers unlimited clinical experience, and I think that the gradual and customisable curriculum with Student Selection Components makes a reasonable compromise between dependence and freedom.

UCL Medicine Personal Statement Example 3

Growing up, my parents were very strict and traditionalist, which, I acknowledge, can be a euphemism for irrational projected anger – a subconscious revolt against that which they were unfairly subjected to as children. My younger brother and I were both playing the piano at the age of six, performing in concerts and bands with other docile children. Every day after school starting in first grade, we had piano lessons, then tutoring where we would complete homework that we weren’t assigned in class, with more advanced material we weren’t supposed to be learning yet. I started writing short stories and having them published in prestigious literary journals at the age of 14. I was at the top of my class in every major subject, including biology, chemistry, physics, and English. And yet, I never felt like those accomplishments meant anything.

I was miserable. Being forced to commit to a life of painstaking discipline was no way to live, and in my senior year of high school, it all came crashing down. I told my parents that I was going to take a year off to travel and think about what I wanted to do with my life. Luckily, and to my surprise, they fully supported my decision to travel abroad and discover the virtue of experiencing new cultures and embodying new values. Initially, I thought it was a ploy to get me to develop ‘gratitude’, which I’m sure they thought I lacked. But truly, I wanted freedom. No, I needed it.

UCL Medicine applicants will be assessed on the following factors: predicted and actual grades; attributes, skills, behaviours, and values needed to work within the health care service; BMAT scores.

UCL Medicine looks for evidence of academic curiosity; motivation for a career in medicine; problem-solving capability; professional attitudes and values; teamwork and leadership; and communication skills.

You should structure your personal statement to reflect on how your skills and experiences have helped prepare you for a career in medicine. Focus on research experience, volunteer experience, and work experiences, ideally in a clinical setting.

Show enthusiasm for the research being conducted at UCL Medicine and demonstrate how your own interests align with theirs. Read some of their most recent publications to get an idea of what’s being worked on.

Remember, the personal statement is a formal essay. You need to have a clear introduction, body and conclusion with an identifiable thesis statement. Your introduction can include relevant background information, and your body should discuss relevant experiences. The conclusion should summarise and confirm that UCL Medicine is right for you.

The acceptance rate of UCL Medicine is 8.7%, making it a highly competitive program.

Avoid showing a lack of empathy or personality. The purpose of the personal statement is to show the admissions committee who you are as a person and as a prospective medical professional; don’t discuss experiences unrelated to either of those things.

A qualified admissions specialist or medical school personal statement editing service can help you craft a compelling essay that can increase your chances of getting accepted.

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A reminder to check and update your personal details on Inside UCL

10 September 2024

As we get ready for the new academic year, please take a few minutes to make sure all your personal information is correct using Inside UCL, UCL’s staff app.

We’re asking all staff with MyHR access to ensure that their personal details are up to date by logging into Inside UCL and checking under the ‘My Details’ tile. 

Details include: 

• Contact/emergency contact details; 
• Equality, Diversity and Equality (EDI) monitoring information; 
• Disability status. 

You can find more information about EDI monitoring information and why it’s important on UCL’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion website .  

The process should only take a couple of minutes – thank you all in advance.