V- The Personal Statement
Applicants generally spend way too much time on the personal statement at the expense of more important components of the application (such as the research proposal). Most importantly, the personal statement needs not to be overly creative or artistic. You want it to be memorable and unique but don't try to be something you are not. Too many students spend weeks stressing about that perfect opening sentence, when in fact, the personal statement's introduction is probably the last thing you should write in your entire application to ensure it properly introduces your "application package". The easiest way to tackle this essay (especially if you don't feel like you have an incredible life story) is to just write. Write as many pages as you can and then edit. Let me repeat myself: just write. Never say "Oh this is a boring detail." If you think it, write it. The rule #1 of creativity is you need lots of ideas to get a good idea. So start writing.
What makes a great personal statement
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Applicants generally spend way too much time on the personal statement at the expense of more important components of the application (such as the research proposal). Most importantly, the personal statement needs not to be overly creative or artistic. You want it to be memorable and unique but don't try to be something you are not. Too many students spend weeks stressing about that perfect opening sentence, when in fact, the personal statement's introduction is probably the last thing you should write in your entire application to ensure it properly introduces your "application package". The easiest way to tackle this essay (especially if you don't feel like you have an incredible life story) is to just write. Write as many pages as you can and then edit. Let me repeat myself: just write. Never say "Oh this is a boring detail." If you think it, write it. The rule #1 of creativity is you need lots of ideas to get a good idea. So start writing.
What makes a great personal statement
- Genuine. Nothing worst than cliche filled personal statement. I can't tell you how many times I found myself rolling my eyes because of cliche overload. Why do you want to go to graduate school? Why did you chose your line of research? Don't tell me it's because your parents expected you to get a doctorate or that you just magically loved doing research since you are 5 (unless you truly do, more on that next). It takes time to write something genuine about oneself. You must write for long enough for yourself to be comfortable enough to be transparent on the page (see my just write comment above). That's what you should aim for.
- Keep the personal short. While you want to write about life experiences that make you unique. Don't dwell on them for more than a sentence or two. You just want the reviewer to remember you in case (s)he needs to argue why you should win the fellowship. Dedicate the rest of the essay showing how your life experiences prepared you for a value-adding research career.
- Don't tell, demonstrate. The majority of applications will state many honorable things such as wanting to help the poor and increase diversity. But unless you can demonstrate it (and back it up with letters of recommendation) it's all hearsay. If you are passionate about diversifying the academy show that you have a track record of diversity-related initiatives. If you are passionate about teaching, show some of the creative teaching methods you used to get people excited about something (this can be math or how to hula hoop).
- What are your credentials? This follows up on the pervious point. You want to use this essay to show the reviewer you have the basic aptitudes to be a value-adding academic. Think about your intellectual and extracurricular backgrounds that provide additional evidence that you would be a good colleague to have. Do you speak multiple languages? Did you take interesting out-of-major classes? Do you have an unusual hobby? Don't overlook any experience that might set you appart and could tie into your other essays.
- Diversity. This tends to be a delicate subject. Especially for whites. People might think that if you are from a historically underrepresented group you are all set. Just mentioning that you are of an underrepresented group does not show how you will enhance the diversity of the academy. Diversity is a committed effort, you don't diversify an institution just by showing up. You must specifically address the ways in which you will diversify academia and research instituions. This can be through your appreciation and pursuit of diversity; because you have access to certain communities that are underrepresented; or through your diverse undergraduate training relative to your graduate degree (i.e. English major going for a physics Ph.D.)
- Honesty. It goes without saying you shouldn't fabricate your life story. But more importantly, if you have never been involved in diversity initiatives, you shouldn't try to be someone you are not. Instead, mention how applying for this fellowship has really made you appreciate diversity as an integral component for a vibrant academy and you want to become more involved in the future.
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Interesting tips. Although I will disagree with you on the 1st paragraph. A professor of engineering I know whose been on the panel for many years and currently has 1/2 of her research team NSF funded told me that too many students actually spend too much time on their research statement and not enough time on their personal one.
ReplyDeleteShe says that most grads expect the panel to review the research statement more critically but in reality, the research statement has less weight. This is because the panelists understand that most graduates will have considerable help from the advisers in formulating the research statement whereas the personal statement is really the only indicator, other than the prev. research statement, of true individuality amongst all the applicants.
She says that research proposals change all the time and the NSF panelists don't expect the research proposal to perfectly describe what you will be doing 2 years later in a lab. It's just an indicator that you are capable of doing worthwhile research that makes sense.
Then again, as I understand it, it may also depend on the field you apply to.