Getting a scholarship is often as stressful as getting in.
At Gurufi, we know that getting in is often only half the battle! Paying for it can be just as -if not more- stressful as applying. With the average cost of graduate school starting at nearly $50,000, getting a scholarship is an important way to defray costs and save a little money, as well as bolster your resume for the future. Writing an impressive scholarship statement is essential to your success, and keeping these tips in mind will put you on the right path.
Identify the key themes appropriately and use language that reinforces those themes. This can’t be stressed enough. Read the statement and make sure you understand exactly what they’re asking for. Most scholarship applications will explain precisely what kind of person they feel meets their qualifications, and all you have to do is interpret that correctly. While it will vary from essay question to essay question, you’ll typically see key themes related to leadership, community involvement, or milestones/successes in life. So that you don’t miss them, it’s a great idea to write these key themes on a notecard and brainstorm each one. Identify stories, successes, or key pivotal moments in your life or professional / academic journey that demonstrate these themes or attributes. Repeat the theme in your thesis statement and use it as the backbone for your whole essay.
Know your audience and cater to them. You’re not writing an essay that has to appeal to thousands of people. This is a targeted piece of writing designed to evoke a positive response from at most, a large committee, and at least, one or two individuals. This audience has a specific goal, and that goal is to find an applicant or applicants who they feel, in their completely subjective opinion, accurately and appropriately represent the organization, charity, company, group, estate, individual or other entity who will be providing the scholarship. Cater your language, your words, your stories, and your approach directly to this narrow audience. As long as you’re able to do this without pandering, your words will resonate with the committee in a positive way, and that can only help.
Make it personal. Your ultimate goal with a scholarship essay is to ask a committee of people to see you as something more than words on a page. You want them to see you as a person – a student, striving for success and overcoming burdens one at a time as you work hard and tire thanklessly to achieve your dreams. As you give examples in ways you’ve demonstrated leadership, or helped your community, or achieved certain goals in life, be specific. Show how these events impacted you emotionally and personally, and don’t be afraid to let your passion show through.
These three tips will provide you with some guidance as you tackle your scholarship essays. Remember, too, that sincerity and enthusiasm go a lot further than flattery and exaggeration, so be honest and transparent as you write. These committees don’t expect someone perfect – they want to find someone who they’ll be proud to call a scholarship recipient as you grow and succeed in life. Show them that you’re someone worth investing in.
For more help with your personal statement, check us out at Gurufi.com. Our personal statement editors and consultants have decades of experience helping clients get into top Masters and Ph.D. programs in STEM, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences. Our specialty is helping you craft compelling personal statements that move the needle in your admissions process! For questions, shoot us an email at service@gurufi.com. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Use these tips to nail your grad school personal statement!
Deciding to attend graduate school is a huge decision, and from the moment you begin this journey, it’ll be clear that your personal statement is the centerpiece of your application. More than any other single aspect, it signals your interests, describes your past, and advocates for your place and fit within the program you’re applying to. A compelling graduate school personal statement explains your intellectual journey, provides insights in your research interests, and offers a glimpse of what you aspire to do and become after completing graduate school. In this post, we address ten common questions about graduate school personal statements, offering guidance on how to craft a standout essay that effectively showcases your strengths and aspirations.
1. What is the purpose of a graduate school personal statement?
The purpose of a graduate school personal statement is to provide the admissions committee with a detailed understanding of your background, motivations, and goals. It allows you to explain why you are interested in the program, how your experiences have prepared you for graduate study, and what you hope to achieve. It is more than just a narrative version of your CV; it is the story that explains your personal and intellectual journey. This essay helps the committee assess your fit for the program and your potential for success in the field.
(note: many schools have both a personal statement and a statement of academic interest. This Essay is mostly for people applying to schools that have just the personal statement. If you want more information on tips for schools that ask for both, check this out)
2. How should I structure my graduate school personal statement?
There are many ways to do this, and so long as you cover the basics, it’s not necessarily required that you follow on particular structure. Here is one that you can use, at least as a starting point:
**Introduction:** Start with a compelling story that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the main theme of your essay. Avoid being too gimmicky or dramatic. People talk about “hooks” but to be honest, that’s high school writing. Mature writers know how to ease back and let your story do the work without all the silly fireworks and cheesy intros.
2. **Body:** Divide the body into several paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of your background, experiences, and goals. Use this section to provide detailed examples and reflections.
3. **Conclusion:** Summarize the key points of your essay and reiterate how the program will help you achieve your career aspirations. End with a strong closing statement that leaves a lasting impression.
3. What should I include in the introduction of my personal statement?
The introduction of your personal statement should provide a clear and concise overview of your motivations and goals. Start with a compelling compelling personal anecdote or a significant experience, that captures the reader’s attention. Briefly introduce the main theme of your essay and provide a roadmap for what to expect in the rest of the document. The introduction should set the stage for your narrative and engage the reader from the outset. You will eventually transition (usually in the middle third of the text) into a detailed and granular engagement with the subject matter, your thoughts on it, and the questions you hope to explore… but I’ve found that the best essays first establish that you’re passionate about the subject and excited to explore it. It should feel meaningful to you.
4. How can I highlight my research interests in my personal statement?
To highlight your research interests, discuss specific projects or topics you have worked on and how they have influenced your academic and career goals. Explain why these areas of research are important to you and how they align with the program you are applying to. Mention any relevant coursework, research experiences, or academic achievements that demonstrate your commitment and expertise in your field of interest.
5. What are common mistakes to avoid in a graduate school personal statement?
Common mistakes to avoid in a graduate school personal statement include:
1. **Being Vague:** Provide specific examples and detailed descriptions rather than broad generalizations. Remember, your readers are usually professors who work in this space, so feel free to “nerd out” on hyper-specific questions and convey how excited you are to dig into these subjects.
2. **Lack of Focus:** Ensure your essay has a clear and coherent narrative. Avoid jumping between unrelated topics.
3. **Neglecting to Proofread:** Spelling and grammatical errors can detract from your professionalism. Proofread your essay multiple times and consider having others review it.
4. **Overemphasis on Achievements:** While it’s important to highlight your achievements, balance this with reflections on your growth and areas for improvement. In the end, you’re telling the reader why you want to search for more answers in this space, so begin from the perspective that you DO NOT have all the answers, but are eager to look for them.
5. **Ignoring the Prompt:** Ensure your essay addresses the specific question or prompt provided by the application. Most personal statements are open-ended, but if they’re not, it’s because the school specifically wants to know something. Tell them.
6. How can I make my graduate school personal statement stand out?
To make your graduate school personal statement stand out, focus on authenticity, clarity, and compelling storytelling. Here are some tips:
1. **Be Yourself:** Let your unique voice and personality shine through your writing.
2. **Tell a Story:** Use a narrative structure to make your essay more engaging. Share specific anecdotes that highlight your key qualities and experiences.
3. **Show, Don’t Just Tell:** Use concrete examples to illustrate your points rather than making broad statements.
4. **Connect the Dots:** Clearly link your past experiences, present motivations, and future goals.
5. **Tailor to Each School:** Customize your personal statement for each program, highlighting why you are a great fit for their specific offerings.
7. What role do extracurricular activities play in a personal statement?
For a graduate school application, I’d mention only those activities relevant to the field you’re applying to. Unlike college applications (and to a lesser extent law, MBA, or medical), the admissions committee isn’t looking for all-around well-rounded people with diverse interests… their primary question is “are you super-interested in a relatively narrow set of questions within this field?”)
8. How do I address a lack of experience in my personal statement?
Addressing a lack of experience in your personal statement involves focusing on your potential and willingness to learn. Highlight transferable skills from other areas of your life, such as academic projects, internships, or volunteer work. Discuss any relevant coursework or independent study you have undertaken to prepare for graduate school. Emphasize your passion for the field and your commitment to gaining the necessary experience and skills.
That said… sometimes you have to recognize if you just haven’t done enough or aren’t sufficiently experienced in an area. This might mean taking on additional coursework, working in a lab or on another project, or otherwise delaying your application for a year or two so that you can acquire the relevant experience.
9. What should I include in the conclusion of my personal statement?
The conclusion of your personal statement should reinforce the key themes of your essay and leave a lasting impression. Briefly recap the main points, emphasizing how your experiences have prepared you for graduate study and how the program will help you achieve your goals. End with a strong closing statement that conveys your enthusiasm for the program and your readiness to contribute to the academic community.
Look to the future, be positive, and return to the ideas, words, stories, and themes that you had in your introduction so that you bring the essay full circle.
10. How can I convey my passion for the field in my graduate school personal statement?
To convey your passion for the field, share personal anecdotes and experiences that illustrate your dedication and enthusiasm. Discuss moments that sparked your interest in the field and how they have influenced your academic and career goals. Reflect on what excites you about the subject and how you plan to contribute to the field in the future. Be genuine and heartfelt in your writing, allowing your passion to come through naturally.
Crafting a compelling graduate school personal statement requires careful thought, reflection, and planning. By addressing these common questions and incorporating the advice provided, you can create a personal statement that authentically represents your background, highlights your strengths, and demonstrates your readiness for graduate study. Remember to be genuine, specific, and reflective in your writing, and you will create a compelling narrative that resonates with admissions committees.
For more help with your personal statement, check us out at Gurufi.com. Our personal statement editors and consultants have decades of experience helping clients get into top Masters and Ph.D. programs in STEM, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences. Our specialty is helping you craft compelling personal statements that move the needle in your admissions process! For questions, shoot us an email at service@gurufi.com. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Strong Writing is Vital for Science and Engineering Grad School Applications
At Gurufi, we help hundreds of applicants every year get into top Masters and PhD programs. If you’re applying to a STEM program, we have editor-consultants with the experience and skill to transform your personal statement or statement of purpose into a powerful piece of writing!
Many applicants for graduate programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) assume that, since they’re applying to a technical field, their personal statement or statement of purpose doesn’t have to be well-written. This is a huge mistake. Applying to any graduate program is a rigorous and competitive endeavor, requiring candidates to demonstrate not only their technical expertise in their particular field but also their ability to communicate complex ideas effectively. The blunt truth is that scientists do care about writing, and even if they profess not to, a well-written essay will always impress the reader more than a poorly-written one.
Debunking the Myth: Writing in Science Matters
There’s a prevailing misconception that in the world of STEM, the quality of writing is not as critical as in the humanities or social sciences. This could not be further from the truth. In reality, scientists and academics place a high value on writing skills. Effective communication is essential for the dissemination of research findings, the acquisition of funding, and for engaging with a broader audience. Studies have shown that well-written research papers have a higher impact and are cited more frequently, underscoring the practical benefits of strong writing in the scientific community. Moreover, though “hard evidence” does play a more significant role in STEM than in social sciences or humanities, it remains the case that effective researchers must possess the ability to explain their data, make a case for its importance, and muster an argument that their perspective is more compelling than its rivals. And while scientists may place more emphasis on hard evidence, they aren’t robots, and they do care about, and are swayed by, strong and clear writing.
The Unique Nature of Science Writing
While it shares the foundational principles of good writing found in other disciplines, science writing has its own set of standards. It emphasizes clarity, simplicity, and precision. Unlike writing for the humanities, where there might be a greater allowance for flowery language or abstract ideas, science writing demands strict adherence to what can be empirically proven and clearly communicated. This is crucial in a graduate application application, as candidates must demonstrate their ability to present complex ideas in an accessible and unambiguous manner
Persuasion Through Strong Writing
The ability to persuade and impress through writing is indispensable in any field, including STEM. A grad school application is not merely a showcase of past accomplishments or a recitation of technical skills (that’s what the CV is for); it is an opportunity to persuade the admissions committee that the candidate possesses the intellectual curiosity, the clarity of thought, and the research potential that are essential for a successful doctoral journey. Frankly, there’s no better way to demonstrate the rigor and clarity of your thinking than through a well-crafted essay. Strong writing in a grad school application can set a candidate apart in a pool of similarly qualified applicants.
Striking the Right Balance: Jargon and Accessibility
One of the most challenging aspects of writing in STEM fields is finding the right balance between using discipline-specific terminology and maintaining accessibility. Applicants must show they are conversant with the technical language of their field while ensuring that their ideas are not obfuscated by jargon. This balance is a clear indicator of a candidate’s ability to think critically and communicate effectively. A good rule of thumb is to follow the Hemingway Rules for Writing: if a simple word or sentence will do, use it. Sometimes, one cannot convey complex technical research in lay language; obviously, it’s okay to use jargon in such instances. But use it sparingly, thoughtfully, and precisely. You certainly want to ensure you’re deploying the words properly, as using jargon incorrectly is a good way to flag yourself as a novice.
Demonstrating Expertise and Vision through Writing
A well-written personal statement or statement of purpose is not just a formality in the application process; it is a critical component demonstrating an applicant’s depth of understanding in their field. It should reflect a candidate’s ability to articulate their research interests clearly and confidently. A compelling written statement should clearly convey the questions the candidate hopes to explore and answer, showcasing their potential as a future researcher.
Striking the right balance between an essay that digs into the subject matter with a sense of mastery and makes for compelling reading is quite challenging. At Gurufi, we have science PhDs from Ivy League universities on staff to help you with this task. Our personal statement editors and consultants have decades of experience assisting clients to get into top Master’s and Ph.D. programs in STEM. Our specialty is helping you craft compelling personal statements that move the needle in your admissions process! For questions, shoot us an email at service@gurufi.com. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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