Writing an essay or personal statement is an important component of your graduate/professional school application. Career Center counselors are available to assist you with these documents as well as other aspects of the application process.
Peterson’s - Your graduate school personal statement may initially get only five minutes of an admissions officer's attention. In those five minutes you have to show that you are a good pick for the school. What will you say? How will you catch and hold the reader's interest? If you know the answer, then you have a good idea of how to prepare a short but effective graduate school essay that will stand as your personal statement to a graduate school admissions committee when you apply to graduate school.
About.com - The admissions essay is a required component of all graduate school applications. Typically it is written in response to a prompt. Graduate programs will often assign specific topics that applicants must address in writing their essay. Sometimes they ask for a generic "autobiographical statement" in which the applicant discusses his or her life, experiences, and goals. The admissions essay is sometimes referred to as a personal statement. The graduate admissions essay is a critical part of the graduate application because it is through this essay that applicants can speak directly to the committee and demonstrate their unique fit to the program.
Accepted.com - It is an essay that demonstrates your qualifications for and your commitment to your chosen academic field. You do this by discussing the people, events, and experiences that have inspired you to bring you to this junction in your life. The essay should be vibrant with details and examples, and should scream to the admission’s committee readers, "This is a person worth getting to know!" That's a tall order for a 2-3 page essay!
