A personal statement is an integral part of any university application. Some programs have strict word limits in place, while others do not have any word limits. Here is an example of a 250-word limit personal statement that was admitted to top programs in the US and Canada.

250 Word Personal Statement Example

When I was ten, my eight-year-old cousin went through a tragedy. She was trapped for 3 hours in her burning house. As a result of the trauma, she began experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I saw her torment, oscillating between sudden lapse of amnesia to complete withdrawal. She couldn’t sleep, often waking up in the middle of the night with night sweats and nightmares.

Nothing has etched itself deeper into my memory than watching her lose control of her mind. Her road to recovery was made possible only due to regular visits to the psychiatrist. She showed improvement, albeit slowly. I often wondered what special abilities the psychiatrist possessed that enabled him to remove her misery when no one couldn’t.

Later, in high school, I frequently volunteered at a mental health institute. Here, I came across patients who were suffering from PTSD. These patients’ history charts displayed a variety of symptoms. The following year, I wrote a report about PTSD and conducted extensive research. My work raised many questions regarding the individuality of people’s symptoms.

For hours, I read literature to answer my questions. However, these questions inevitably lead to new ones, creating a cycle. Finally, I realized that our mind is a complex entity that responds to extreme stress by deranging its standard response mechanism to cope. To find holistic answers, I wish to pursue a master’s degree in psychiatry, studying the human mind’s intricacies and removing patients from the misery they have no control over.