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 400-word limit personal statement that was admitted to top programs in the US and Canada.

400 Word Personal Statement Example

Every day, when I made the arduous journey to college, I abhorred my decision to choose this as my undergrad institution. I had to change three buses and walk a considerable distance to commute to college. One day, as my mind was busy detesting its privileged fortitude of problems, I saw a man holding a sign that woke me up from my elitist delusion. It read: “Homeless, Hungry, Jobless and HIV infected.”

For the first time, I felt someone’s enduring vulnerability. I realized how his unfortunate circumstances are closing in on him while I wallow in my privilege. I realized that our brain has a way of pushing away people it perceives to be different than its idea of the norm, making us insensitive.

“The problem isn’t the problem itself. It’s how people rationalize the emotional aspect of such dilemmas.”

Bearing this motto in mind, a self-cultivated activist was born within me. A college project gave me a chance to raise awareness on this issue. I led a team to seek out the homeless, talk to them, and document their stories. My aim wasn’t just raising awareness on a factual scale. It was more about projecting their emotions to eliminate the ‘us’ and ‘them’ and replace it with perceptions like ‘all,’ ‘every,’ and ‘human.’ Consequently, I saw myself evolve and become more receptive to frail human emotions.

Leading a team gave me renewed confidence in my leadership skills. I learned to handle differences of opinion, meet deadlines, schedule meetings, and organize donations. As a result, my effort to emotionalize the sufferings of the homeless took flight. But it didn’t seem enough. So, I continued my effort. I formed a Donors club, which raised awareness and collected donations. I volunteered at different hospitals where I worked with HIV patients, changing bed sheets, refilling oxygen tanks, and fetching food. I realized how it shattered the walls I had been living in. It made me realize the true meaning of privilege.

I don’t want to eliminate the concept of homelessness. To be fair, with the growing number of refugees worldwide, it’s impossible, but it’s even more necessary that we try. I know just because I have started early and have grown from the raw person that I was, I have the potential to do way more, granted I avail opportunities offered by the graduate program in Social Work offered by Boston University.