Introduction

Importance of a Strong Personal Statement

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

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

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

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

Purpose of This Blog Post

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

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

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

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

Personal Statement Basics

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

Length and Format

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

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

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

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

Tone and Style

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

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

General Tips for Success

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

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

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

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

Grad School Personal Statement Examples by Field of Study

Computer Science and Engineering

1. Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Oxford with Low GPA)
2. Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Stanford)
3. Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Cambridge PhD)
4. Example Personal Statement Artificial Intelligence (Admitted to UCLA)
5. Example Personal Statement Machine Learning (Admitted to Duke)
6. Example Personal Statement Data Science and Analytics (Admitted to CMU)
7. Example Personal Statement Data Analytics (Admitted to Georgia Tech)
8. Example Personal Statement Advanced Analytics (Admitted to NCSU)
9. Example Personal Statement Mechanical Engineering (Admitted to USC, Imperial)

Economics and Finance

1. Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to LSE)
2. Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to Oxbridge)
3. Example Personal Statement Finance (Admitted to MIT Sloan)
4. Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UC Berkeley)
5. Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UCLA)
6. Example Personal Statement Accounting & Finance (Admitted to Michigan University)
7. Example Personal Statement Investment Banking (Admitted to UPenn)

Law

1. Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Georgetown)
2. Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Harvard LLM)
3. Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Northwestern)
4. Example Personal Statement (Admitted to NYU, Duke)

Management and Business

1. 8 MBA Personal Statements (All IVY LEAGUES)
2. Example BA Essays (INSEAD)
3. Example MBA Essays (Kellogg Northwestern)
4. Example Personal Statement Operations Management (Admitted to MIT PHD)
5. Example Personal Statement Management (Admitted to Duke)
6. Example Personal Statement Marketing (Admitted to NYU, Cornell)
7. Example Personal Statement Business Analytics (Admitted to MIT, CMU)
8. Example Personal Statement Management & Analytics (Admitted to LBS)
9. Example Personal Statement Project Management (Admitted to UT Austin)
10. Example Personal Statement Logistics & Supply Chain (Admitted to Boston. Penn State)
11. Example Personal Statement Supply Chain Management (Admitted to MIT)

Education

1. Example Personal Statement Teaching (Scholarship US State Department)
2. Example Education Personal Statement (Admitted to UPenn, NYU, UCLA)
3. Example Personal Statement Education Policy (Admitted to USC)
4. Example Personal Statement Special Education Teacher (Admitted to TUFTS)
5. Example Personal Statement of an Aspiring Teacher (Admitted to American University)

Healthcare and Medicine

1. Example Personal Statement Residency in Internal Medicine (Admitted to ASU)
2. Example Personal Statement Counseling (Admitted to Harvard, Yale)
3. Example Personal Statement Psychology (Admitted to NYU Steinhardt)
4. Example Personal Statement Nursing (Admitted to Duke, Ohio)
5. Example Personal Statement Public Health (MPH) (Admitted to Columbia, Emory)
6. Example Personal Statement Social Work (MSW) (Admitted to Columbia)
7. Example Personal Statement Veterinary (Admitted to UC Davis, CSU, Edinburgh)

Science

1. Example Personal Statement Biochemistry (Admitted to Johns Hopkins)
2. Example Personal Statement Biology (Admitted to JHU)
3. Example Personal Statement Anthropology (Admitted to Stanford)

Environment and Sustainability

1. Example Personal Statement Environment and Sustainability (admitted to Stanford, CALTECH)
2. Example Personal Statement Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management (Admitted to Yale, Duke)

Public Affairs, International Relations and Politics

1. Example Personal Statement International Relations (Admitted to Columbia, Cornell)
2. Example Personal Statement Political Science (Admitted to Duke, UCLA, NYU)
3. Example Personal Statement Public Administration MPA (Admitted to Columbia, Harvard)
4. Example Personal Statement Public Policy MPP (Admitted to Harvard, Brown, Erasmus Mundus Scholarship)

Architecture

1. Example Personal Statement Architecture (Admitted to Cambridge, Cornell, Yale)

Arts and Film

1. Example Personal Statement MFA (Admitted to New School and Rhode Island)
2. Example Personal Statement in Filmmaking (Admitted to New York Film Academy)
3. Example Personal Statement Fashion and Textile (Admitted to Parsons, Royal College of Arts)

Mathematics and Statistics

1. Example Personal Statement Math (Admitted to Oxbridge)
2. Example Personal Statement Statistics (Admitted to NCSU, Cornell)

Religion and Philosophy

1. Example Personal Statement Religious Studies (Admitted to Columbia, Harvard)

PHD Personal Statement Examples

1. Example Personal Statement 1 (Admitted to MIT)
2. Example Personal Statement 2 (Admitted to Cambridge)
3. Example Research Statement (Admitted to JHU)
4. Example Statement of Research Interests (Admitted to Scripps)
5. Example Statement of Objectives (Admitted to MIT)
6. Example Personal StatemenT MS leading to Ph.D. (Admitted to Notre Dame)

Scholarship & Fellowship Personal Statements

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

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

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

1. Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won $250,000 Scholarship)
2. Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won Erasmus Mundus Scholarship)
3. Fellowship Personal Statement Example (Won MIT Sloan Fellowship)
4. Scholarship Personal Statement Example 1 (Won Fulbright Scholarship)
5. Scholarship Personal Statement Example 2 (Won Fulbright Scholarship)

Word Count-Specific Personal Statements

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

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

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

1. 100 Word Personal Statement Example
2. 150 Word Personal Statement Example
3. 200 Word Personal Statement Example
4. 250 Word Personal Statement Example
5. 300 Word Personal Statement Example
6. 400 Word Personal Statement Example
7. 500 Word Personal Statement Example
8. 600 Word Personal Statement Example
9. 700 Word Personal Statement Example
10. 750 Word Personal Statement Example
11. 800 Word Personal Statement Example
12. 1000 Word Personal Statement Example

Prompt-Specific Grad School Personal Statements Examples

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

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

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

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

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

Addressing Common Personal Statement Components

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

Academic Achievements and Experiences

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

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

Research Experiences

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

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

Work and Internship Experiences

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

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

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

Volunteer and Community Service

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

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

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

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

Personal Growth and Overcoming Challenges

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

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

Future Goals and Career Aspirations

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

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

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

Tailoring your Personal Statement for Specific Schools

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

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

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

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

Research the Program and Faculty

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

Emphasize Alignment with Program Objectives

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

Highlight Unique Program Offerings

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

Personal Statement Pitfalls to Avoid

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

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

Here are some critical pitfalls to avoid:

Overused Phrases and Clichés 

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

Excessive Self-praise

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

Lack of Focus or Organization

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

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

Seeking Feedback and Revising Your Personal Statement

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

Consulting Mentors, and Advisors

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

Incorporating Feedback and Refine

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

Wrap-up

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