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Writing'a'Strong'Personal'
Statement'for'Graduate'
School'
'
UNL'Undergraduate'Psychology'Organization'&'Psi'Chi'
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What'is'a'personal'statement?'
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• H':D(9:+3%82*;/R,).*2CB23%AD(A)823%C(9J2%
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Two'types'of'personal'
statements'
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5'J2%A'(=<9A':2Cb%cV'*2d%
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Questions'to'ask'yourself'before'you'
write'your'personal'statement'
(from'Purdue'OWL)'
• Y5':f8%8A2<9'*3%D,9XD23%C98=,<=J23%',C")(%91A(2889J2%'W)D:%
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B'9,2Cb%
Questions,'cont.'
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Questions,'cont.'
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• Y5':%8R9**8%c;)(%2I'1A*23%*2'C2(859A3%<)11D,9<'=J23%','*+=<'*d%C)%
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!!"#"!$%
#%
Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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• 6),j:%W)(2%:52%'C19889),8%<)119O22n%
• @9J2*+%o%121)('W*2%
• SThe$passing$of$my$mother$and$grandmother$from$breast$cancer$
when$I$was$15$years$old$opened$my$eyes$to$a$new$perspec<ve$on$
life.$$I$became$intensely$interested$in$scien<fic$research$with$
aspira<ons$to$be@er$understand$and$possibly$find$a$cure$for$
cancer.T%%
• [598%98%?Q[%\D8:%'%8)W%8:)(+%'W)D:%*9;2%<5'**2,B28p%9:%85).8%'%C9(2<:%
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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• “I$am$a$hard$worker” $%J8F%%
• SIn$addi<on$to$my$course$load$of$18$credits$per$semester$in$my$
junior$and$senior$years,$I$work$20$hours$per$week$at$a$local$
grocery$store$and$have$helped$organize$three$service$ac<vi<es$for$
my$university’s$chapter$of$Psi$Chi.$$Through$all$of$this,$I$have$
maintained$a$3.85$overall$GPA.”$
• ^))C%)(%W'Cb%“I’ve$always$wanted$to$be$a$doctor.”$
!!"#"!$%
h%
Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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Instead(of…( Consider…(
“I was a sickly child and
had difficulty excelling in
school due to my illness.”$
“
For the first 20 years of my life, my activities—and self-
confidence—were circumscribed by the fact that I was a
chronic, allergic, asthmatic.
”
$
“I’ve had a lot of
challenges personally and
academically during my
time in school.”$
“
At first glance, the most remarkable thing about me
might seem to be the fact that I have the temerity to apply
to law school in the first place. I have a blemished
academic record that includes withdrawals and failing
grades, and by the time I receive my degree in May, I will
have spent six years as an undergraduate. Looking beyond
these statistics, however, to the circumstances of my life, it
becomes clear that what is more remarkable is the fact
that I have survived at all.”$
Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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• LI<2A=),E%4()I919:+%:)%8A2<9'*%A)AD*'=),%;)(%(282'(<5%AD(A)828%
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
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Principles'of'writing'a'good'
personal'statement'
lF%7J)9C%<*9<5m8%
• “I$want$to$become$a$school$psychologist$because$I$love$helping$
people$and$I$love$children”$
!!"#"!$%
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Personal'Statement'Do’s'
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• >82%:52%;D,,2*%'AA()'<5%r%8:'(:%W()'C%q%W2<)12%1)(2%8A2<9Z<%'8%+)D%B)%
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Personal'Statement'Don’t’s'
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6Q%?Q[%@ULnnn%
10'Characteristics'of'a'
Successful'Applicant'
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-'*',<28%1D*=A*2%A(9)(9=28%
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621),8:(':28%<*2'(%<'(22(%B)'*8%
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!!"#"!$%
$%
Really'EXCELLENT'resource'with'lots'
of'great'examples!'
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• Y(9=,B%'%8:(),B%8D11'(+%A'('B('A5%
Additional'Resources'
• 4D(CD2%QY@E%Y(9=,B%:52%42(8),'*%G:':212,:%
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Would'this'be'an'good'anecdote'for'a'
personal'statement?'
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