data science masters personal statement example

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• Data Science Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Ben Taylor

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Data Science. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

The emergence of big data over the past decade as a power for good – and, dare I say it, evil – has convinced me of the importance of developing and honing my skills in this arena. I’m keen to ‘future-proof’ my career and I believe that your MSc Data Science degree is the programme to help me achieve my goals.

Although I don’t come from a traditional STEM background, having studied a Bachelors degree in Linguistics, the professional experience I’ve gained since graduating has given me a solid foundation in the principles associated with data analytics. I’ve worked for two years as an SEO and PPC Executive for a major e-commerce agency, helping to provide insight into website traffic trends and advert effectiveness, and suggesting ways to boost online performance. I’ve used tools like Semrush and Moz, as well as Google Analytics and Search Console, and crave the opportunity to delve even deeper into the world of data outside of an e-commerce agency.

The potential applications of machine learning and natural language processing are particularly fascinating to me. I’ve watched with interest the arrival of deep learning software that purports to generate unique content based on user prompts. Although the end-product of these programmes is sometimes crude, I think they’re incredibly promising.

The coronavirus pandemic has also shown the value of big data in a healthcare setting, with large-scale modelling a vital source of information and guidance for policy-makers across the globe. The pandemic has also illustrated the importance of presenting this data in a clear and responsible manner and I’ve been impressed by the development of the UK’s own coronavirus statistics dashboard, which I think should be seen as a benchmark standard.

I think that your conversion course is perfectly tailored for my skillset, as someone with an amateur, self-taught background in coding (including the basics of Python). I’m looking for a rigorous degree that will challenge me and ultimately equip me with the knowledge to make a meaningful contribution in the private or public sector in the coming years. I hope to apply my new-found expertise in a company with a start-up culture, perhaps in the fin-tech sector where algorithmic know-how is in high demand.

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• Data Science

Data Science Personal Statement Sample and Examples

Home Blog Data Science Data Science Personal Statement Sample and Examples

Data science is one of the most popular career options for students, especially those pursuing a Bachelor's degree. It is also one of the most sought-after courses in universities today. If you just want some ideas on how to write a personal statement for data science, then this article is for you. Also, if you’re someone who is willing to secure a career in the field of data science, then it is recommended that you pursue Data Science Courses that will enable you to learn all aspe that will enable you to learn all aspects and principles of data science. 

What is a Data Science Personal Statement?

In a nutshell, the personal statement for data science is a document that you write to explain why you are interested in pursuing the subject and what you can bring to the table. It should be written in a way that shows your interest in the subject and why you want to study it. You may want to include information about the following in your data science personal statement.  

• What led up to your decision to pursue this field? 
• Why do data scientists matter? What problems need solving by them? What value do they provide society as well as individuals? 
• How will studying this specific field help prepare you for future careers or additional educational opportunities (e-learning programs, etc.)?

You can also include the following:  

• What are your goals for this degree?  
• How will it benefit you?  
• What do you hope to achieve from studying data science?  
• Why is this field important in today’s society?  
• What are the challenges that you see in this field?  
• How will you address those challenges?  
• What do you think the future of data science is?  
• How do you plan on staying relevant as technologies and trends change?

The Importance of Creating a Data Science Personal Statement

Data science personal statement is a formal document that will be used by the company to evaluate your skills. If you are applying for a Data Science job and want to impress the hiring manager, then you must write a strong data science personal statement.

A good personal statement for a master's in data science must be unique, creative, informative and interesting to read. It should describe not only your skills and experience but also showcase your ability to think critically and creatively.

A well-written data science personal statement will help you stand out from other applicants and make yourself an ideal candidate for the job that you want. Here are some useful tips for writing a strong data science personal statement: 

• Be honest and straightforward in your personal statement. 
• Don’t exaggerate or lie about your skills, experience and achievements. If you don’t have any relevant work experience, then focus on other areas where you can showcase your skills, such as volunteering or community projects. 
• Know the company that you are applying to and tailor your personal statement accordingly. A generic resume won’t help if you are applying for a specific job position. Instead, write a customized letter that shows how well-suited you are for this role. 
• Keep it short and sweet. The best personal statements are between a few hundred to a few thousand words long. Don’t try to cram everything in one big paragraph; break it up into smaller sections that will make it easier for readers to digest. 

So now you might have understood how important data analytics personal statements are. To learn how to create a personal statement, it is recommended that you enroll in the Best Data Science Bootcamps . 

Data Science Personal Statement Sample

I am writing this Data Science Personal Statement for the MS in Data Science program at UC Berkeley. My goal is to explain why I want to pursue a career in data science and how my experience as an undergraduate student has prepared me for graduate school. As you can see from my resume, I have had many opportunities to work with large amounts of data through internships and research projects over the course of my academic career. These experiences have given me valuable insight into how large-scale computational problems can be tackled by applying statistical methods under tight deadlines while still maintaining quality control over your results. 

In addition, I have taken classes such as AI/ML Systems Design & Implementation and Machine Learning Algorithms. These classes have helped me develop new ways of approaching problems while also providing an understanding of why certain algorithms work better than others when applied in specific situations. 

I am a Data Science Major at UC Berkeley and have been for two years. In order to graduate with a major in Data Science, you must complete four required classes, one of which is an independent study project. 

I have chosen to take this independent study project in order to gain hands-on experience with a data science problem of my choosing and to learn how to effectively apply machine learning algorithms in the real world. My goal is to create an application that can accurately predict where students need tutoring based on their past grades. This project will require me to use various classes of statistical models, such as regression, decision trees, and neural networks. 

How to Write a Personal Statement for Masters Programme in Data Science?

If you are looking for the best way to write a sample personal statement for a master in data science, you should follow these steps: 

• Step 1: The first step is to find out what courses are available in your area and how long it takes to complete them. You can find this information on websites online. 
• Step 2: Once you have this information, you need to think about how much time you will have available each day. It is important that you do not leave your studies until you finish all of your courses because once you finish your degree program, there will be no more work available for you. Your ability to continue working will depend upon how well your personal statement for data science courses was received by universities and whether or not they offer scholarships for those who want to study abroad or online. 
• Step 3: In order to write a good personal statement for M.Sc data science, you will need to think about why you want to continue your education after completing your bachelor's degree program. This could be because of what happened during college or because of something else entirely (such as family obligations). If it is something that happened during college, then you will need to explain what that event was and how it has affected your desire to continue your education. If it is something that happened outside of college, then you should talk about how that event impacted your academic performance and why you want to continue studying.

Data Science Personal Statement Example 

Following is a data science personal statement example. You can refer to this data science statement of purpose example and keep in mind the necessary points.

Source: personal-statement-examples.com

Tips to Write an Effective Data Science Personal Statement

The following tips will help you write an effective personal statement for a master in data science: 

1. Use a Template

It's best to use a template that has been created by experienced admissions officers and other professionals in the field. This means you can skip the writing process entirely since they've already done most of it for you. 

2. Keep Your Sentences Short and Simple

Your goal should be no more than one or two paragraphs per section (including your application summary), which means keeping your sentences as short as possible without compromising clarity or coherence. If there are too many adjectives or numbers used in an otherwise simple sentence, try replacing them with action verbs like "ran" instead of "ran fast." 

3. Avoid Clichés

In your data science personal statement sample, instead of saying things like "I am dynamic," try saying something more descriptive such as “I am highly dynamic” instead because this shows off how creative your mind works while also showing off how well-rounded personas are important traits needed by anyone working at companies when writing an M.Sc data science personal statement.  

Do’s and Don’ts While Writing Personal Statement

Data science is a booming field with a lot of opportunities. You can work anywhere and make a good salary with this skill. If you think that it’s not for you, then it’s time to think again. The world has changed and so have our needs as individuals. Data science professionals will be needed in the future because of their role in shaping our lives as we know them today. In order to pursue a career in this broad field of data science, it is recommended that you pursue KnowledgeHut to learn its principal aspects and gain in-depth knowledge about data science. Data Science Courses to learn its principal aspects and gain in-depth knowledge about data science.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Find out what diploma courses are available in your area and how long it takes to complete them. Once you have this information, you need to think about how much time you will have available each day. After evaluating all these things, start writing your personal statement using templates. 

• The reason(s) why you selected this subject(s) 
• Your chosen area of study and how it relates to the current studies 
• Your experiences in relation to your chosen subject(s) 
• What are your interests and responsibilities in relation to the subject you are studying? 
• After university, what's next? 
• A summary of why you will make an excellent student 
• Don’t use quotes 
• Don’t let spelling and grammatical errors spoil your statement. 
• Don’t copy and paste 

During the writing of the letter of intent for the MS in Data Science course, it is important to take into account the basic questions asked by the institution, including what kind of ambitions the prospective candidate has and the inspiration behind those ambitions. If the students do not want to sound conversational in their essays, then they should keep in mind that the tone should be formal instead of informal.

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Sample Personal Statement Data Science and Analytics

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

The demand for data science experts is increasing in every industry, not just in technology. Moreover, it is a high-paying job with a guaranteed placement even before graduation. Hence, the competition is also increasing, and with every passing year, the ease of getting into a top data analytics program keeps getting harder. So, start early with your application and make sure you put good time into drafting your perfect application essays.

Here is a sample personal statement of data science professional with two years of experience working in a big data consulting firm. This candidate was able to secure admission into top data science programs like Vanderbilt and CMU. He has graciously shared his successful essay so that prospective applicants can benefit from it.

Related Personal Statements 1) Sample Personal Statement Business Analytics 2) Sample Personal Statement in Advanced Analytics (admitted to NCSU) 3) Sample Personal Statement in Analytics (admitted to Georgia Tech) 4) Sample Personal Statement in Management and Analytics (admitted to LBS)

Sample Personal Statement for Big Data/Data Science/Data Analytics

I want to play a critical role as a big data architect who translates business problems into solvable analytics. In the short run, I want to work for a leading FMCG firm like Unilever, P&G, or Nestle and define procedures and models to determine what IT systems gather and remove information silos across different departments. In the long run, however, I want to extend my expertise in the public sector and advise corporates and governments alike across the globe to solve several social and business problems through big data.

My undergraduate has equipped me with extensive quantitative knowledge and technical experience around different themes in Computer Engineering. I’ve focused most of my studies on GUI in C++, apps and game development, and intensive numerical analysis. This was further honed when I joined Afiniti Experience Ltd as Software Engineer.

I have written scripts using MySQL and MSSQL to process large datasets and troubleshoot and configure the company’s operations. At Afiniti, I have developed a strong skillset in collecting, storing and managing big data. I plan to translate business problems into analytics-driven solutions, which I would embed into business operations. However, I must first curate my leadership skills and polish my skillset in designing computational pipelines for high-dimensional and large-scale complex data.

At Vanderbilt, I want to develop my theoretical basis of operations and decision technologies which ideally dovetails with my career interests of applying quantitative techniques in business operations. Beyond the classroom, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with Vanderbilt’s influential faculty. The Data Science Institute will allow me to learn data-driven research and train me as a future leader.

In particular, the techniques of Gautam Biswas on learner modeling and adaptivity are foundational for my current work. Moreover, Jeffrey D. Blume’s expertise in statistical inference and methodology for analyzing and interpreting receiver operating characteristic curves will equip me with tools through which I can excel in my future career.

My future aspirations require strong leadership qualities recognized in a data-driven world. For this purpose, I would greatly benefit from Data Science Institute’s capstone development and lead a project from scratch. This will mold my personality into a global leader’s persona.

Lastly, I will exploit the locational advantage of living at Vanderbilt and gain access to multiple fortune 500 companies where I can seek pro bono consulting opportunities and enhance my problem-solving acumen. I am also confident in acquiring the necessary communication skills to present solutions to Product Managers, Sales Associates, Engineers, and Marketing Teams.

To sum up, owing to my aspirations and professional expertise in big data synthesis, I am confident of using the vibrant opportunities at Vanderbilt’s master’s in data science and converting it into an ideal segue for my future career aspirations.

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Data Science Personal Statement Samples with Examples

A data science personal statement is crucial for pursuing a career in the field as it allows individuals to showcase their qualifications, experiences, and aspirations.

It serves as a platform to express their passions and highlight their academic backgrounds, technical skills, and practical experiences. The statement enables individuals to articulate career goals, research interests, and potential contributions. 

In that sense, a personal statement examples are valuable as it offers guidance and examples of successful statements, providing insights into key elements, structure, and content. Samples also inspire and motivate by showcasing possibilities and achievements in the data science field. They help individuals understand how to express their passion, highlight relevant skills, and align career goals. 

If you are a data science enthusiast, consider enrolling in an Advanced Certificate Programme in Data Science to boost your resume.

What is a Data Science Personal Statement?

Data science personal statements are written statements or essays by individuals aiming to pursue courses like a Master of Science in Data Science from LJMU or aspiring to pursue a career in data science. These statements allow applicants to showcase their passion, skills, and experiences related to data science. Personal statements must be submitted as a part of the application process. 

They typically highlight the individual’s motivation for choosing data science, their relevant academic background, technical skills, and any practical experience they have gained. Personal statements also allow applicants to express their career goals, research interests, and how they envision contributing to the field of data science. 

As a student or professional in this field, referring to a data science personal statement sample is crucial in conveying your suitability and enthusiasm to the admissions committee or potential employers.

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Key Elements of a Strong Data Science Personal Statement

The essential components of a compelling personal statement for data science comprise:

• Genuine Passion and Drive: Demonstrating a deep-rooted enthusiasm for data science and a solid motivation to pursue a career in this field.
• Academic Background: Showcasing academic accomplishments relevant to data science, such as degrees, coursework, or research projects in quantitative disciplines.
• Technical Proficiency: Exhibiting expertise in programming languages (like Python or R), statistical analysis, machine learning techniques, data manipulation, and visualisation tools.
• Practical Exposure: Highlighting practical experiences, such as internships, projects, or industry engagements that have honed data science skills.
• Areas of Interest in Research: Creatively ideating your areas of interest in data science, like computer vision, predictive modelling, and natural language processing and discussing research contributions or projects in these domains.
• Analytical Problem-Solving: Demonstrating skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and applying appropriate data science methods to real-world challenges.
• Efficient Collaboration and Communication: Emphasising efficient communication skills, teamwork capabilities, and the ability to convey complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Future Aspirations: Outlining long-term career goals in data science and how one envisions utilising this field to impact the industry or domain of their choice.

Example 1: Personal Statement for an Entry-Level Data Science Position

I am eager to apply for this role as I have a degree in Computer Science and a course concentration on statistics and machine learning. Along with a strong base in data analytics, I have commendable analytical skills and an aptitude for problem-solving. I have also taken an active part in multiple relevant projects in which I was required to work with algorithms to derive insights from numerous datasets. 

Additionally, my internship experience exposed me to real-world challenges, refining my expertise in data cleansing and preprocessing for effective modelling. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to a dynamic team, leveraging my technical skills and enthusiasm to drive data-informed decision-making and deliver impactful solutions. I believe I am a potential candidate for an entry-level data science role. 

Example 2: Personal Statement for a Data Analyst Role

As an ambitious individual aiming for a data analyst role, I am enthusiastic about applying my analytical abilities and dedication to data-driven insights within a vibrant organisation. Equipped with a degree in statistics and hands-on involvement in data manipulation and visualisation, I have established a strong foundation in data analysis. 

Throughout my academic endeavours, I have refined my aptitude for extracting valuable insights and effectively communicating them to key stakeholders. Moreover, my internship at a well-known company allowed me to apply statistical methodologies to extensive datasets, further augmenting my analytical proficiencies. 

I eagerly look forward to applying my technical acumen and problem-solving prowess to unearth meaningful insights, facilitate data-led decision-making, and contribute to the organisation’s triumphs.

Example 3: Personal Statement for a Data Scientist Position

I am enthusiastic about data science and am beyond elated by its potential to take my area of interest to greater heights. I have cultivated a profound understanding of statistical modelling, machine learning algorithms, and the art of data visualisation required to fulfil my role as a data scientist. I have upskilled myself with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, a Master’s in Data Science and hands-on experience in research projects. 

Throughout my academic trajectory, I actively participated in endeavours that harnessed advanced analytics to extract profound insights from expansive datasets. Furthermore, my professional background has honed my collaborative acumen, bolstered my contributions to data-driven initiatives, and engendered actionable recommendations. 

I eagerly anticipate harnessing my expertise in data analysis, programming prowess, and problem-solving aptitude to propel innovation, facilitate data-driven decision-making, and profoundly contribute to the organisation’s achievements as a data scientist.

Example 4: Personal Statement for a Data Engineer Role

As a dedicated advocate of harnessing the transformative potential of data, I am thrilled to pursue a data engineer role where I can utilise my technical aptitude and drive impactful solutions. 

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and professional experience in database management, ETL processes, and data pipeline development. I have established a strong foundation in data engineering principles. Proficient in SQL, Python, and cloud platforms, I can efficiently transform raw data into valuable insights. Throughout my academic journey, I actively participated in projects that involved designing and implementing robust data architectures, optimising query performance, and ensuring data integrity. 

I am eager to contribute my expertise and collaborate with cross-functional teams to construct scalable and reliable data infrastructure that empowers data-driven decision-making.

Example 5: Personal Statement for a Machine Learning Engineer Position

As a passionate advocate of leveraging machine learning to drive innovation, I am excited to pursue a position as a machine learning engineer where I can apply my technical expertise and problem-solving skills to develop cutting-edge solutions. 

I have gained a solid understanding of the field with a strong academic background in computer science and a focus on machine learning algorithms and model development. I have honed my data preprocessing, feature engineering, and model evaluation skills through my project work and internships.

I am eager to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, apply my knowledge in practical settings, and contribute to creating intelligent systems that positively impact industries and society.

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Tips for Writing an Effective Data Science Personal Statement

Here are some tried and tested tips for writing an impactful data science personal statement:

• Clearly express your deep enthusiasm for the field of data science: Begin your statement by articulating your genuine passion and excitement for data science. Elucidate what captivates you about data analysis, machine learning, or any particular aspect of data science that ignites your motivation.
• Emphasise your pertinent academic background: Highlight your educational qualifications, such as degrees, coursework, or certifications, that directly relate to data science. Discuss specific subjects you have studied, projects you have engaged in, and any research experience you have gained.
• Showcase your technical proficiencies: Outline the technical skills you have acquired, including programming languages (Python, R, SQL), statistical analysis, machine learning algorithms, data visualisation, or frameworks for big data processing. Offer concrete and quantifiable examples of how you have applied these skills in practical projects or academic assignments.
• Share your practical experiences: Discuss any internships, industry projects, or research opportunities where you have gained hands-on experience with real-world data and problem-solving. Highlight notable achievements, challenges you have confronted, and strategies to overcome them.
• Demonstrate your problem-solving capabilities: Elaborate on your approach to resolving intricate problems through data-driven methodologies. Expound upon how you analyse data, formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and assess results to extract meaningful insights and make well-informed decisions.
• Establish a connection between your goals and the field: Articulate your career aspirations clearly and explain how embarking on a data science career aligns with those ambitions. Discuss specific areas or industries that interest you, and elucidate how your skills and expertise can contribute to tackling challenges in those domains.
• Highlight your communication and teamwork skills: Acknowledge that data science entails effective communication and collaboration. Showcase instances where you have adeptly conveyed complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders or collaborated within multidisciplinary teams to achieve project objectives.
• Tailor your statement to the specific role or programme: Customise your statement to match the requirements and expectations of the data science position or programme for which you are applying. Conduct thorough research on the organisation or university to grasp their focal points, projects, or faculty expertise, and integrate pertinent details to demonstrate your suitability and alignment.
• Strive for concise and well-structured content: Maintain focus and conciseness throughout your statement, ensuring each sentence contributes value and reinforces your overall message. Employ a logical structure, commencing with an engaging introduction, developing well-articulated body paragraphs, and culminating in a firm conclusion.
• Carefully review and edit: Before submission, meticulously review your personal statement for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Verify consistency in tone, smoothness of flow, and compelling content. Seek feedback from reliable sources, such as mentors or professors, to obtain valuable insights and recommendations for refinement.

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Data science personal statement samples provide invaluable guidance and inspiration for aspiring data scientists. They catalyse self-reflection and help applicants align their own experiences and aspirations with the dynamic field of data science. By studying successful personal statements, you can gain insights into the key elements, structure, and content required to create a compelling personal statement. 

Armed with a professional certification like an Executive PG Programme in Data Science from IIIT Bangalore , you can craft personal statements that effectively convey your unique qualities, setting you apart and increasing your chances of securing admission or job opportunities in the competitive field of data science.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The statement of purpose for data science should encompass the reasons for selecting data science as a specialisation, aspirations for a career in the field, and a strategic plan outlining how the acquired data science education will be utilised to attain those goals.

It is advisable to share pertinent details of employment, internships, work experience, or voluntary engagements, particularly those relevant to the chosen course of study. Establishing a connection between the experiences and the skills or qualities that contribute to a candidate's potential for success is crucial.

The introduction of a personal statement should commence with an explanation of the rationale behind choosing the field of study, summarised in one or two sentences. Be original and avoid clichéd opening sentences, quotes, or overused expressions to maintain a fresh and engaging introduction.

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Data science personal statement example.

Ever since the commencement of high school studies, I was keen to know application of mathematics in factuality. Its abstract nature intrigued me to question my teachers about relevance and usefulness to mankind. I wanted to apply my learning and understanding invariably in real world circumstances.

It was until the introduction of Operations Research, while studying at college, which satiated my yearning to a certain extent. The problem solving and analytical techniques in Operations Research fostered the logic and decision making, which I believe, is one key component for developing models in real world or an approach towards mathematical modeling.

The process of creating mathematical representation of a real-world scenario to make predictions or provide insights captivated my interest. Although real world problems are often open ended and require iterative methods, but would also promote problem solving skills, creativity and innovation.

Besides Math, my interest in computing initiated right while coding the first program in C++ during bachelors. The backend scripting while using mobile phone, social media, scanning barcode at grocery or making online transactions, escalated my enthusiasm. I believed in the vigorous nature of programming and its effectiveness to engage world dynamically.

Also the symbiotic relation of computing and mathematics led me towards researching pathways blending the two disciplines, to evolve more powerful outcomes which would inherit the scientific and analytic approaches. While discussing it with a friend last year, I got introduced to the big data world and the interdisciplinary field of Data Science, combining aspects of statistics, mathematics, programming and domain expertise to address real problems. I was looking forward to traverse a similar realm and hence Data Science receives preference.

My previous studies helped to gain essential strategic and adaptive reasoning in the study of Algebra, Geometry, Statistics and Calculus. Integration of mathematics with computing widens the scopes and facilitates challenging yet interesting opportunities. This has instilled passion in me to explore computing specializations like Algorithms, Data structures and Programming fundamentals.

For the past six months I have been working diligently, enrolled in several courses to learn programming fundamentals with Python, SQL basics, Foundations of Data Science, k-Means clustering in Python and also Machine Learning concepts on self-learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Simplilearn and Youtube. Successful execution of programs like Conversion scales, time zones, board game and DNA processing using Python, exhilarated me and imparted encouragement. Although this helped me immensely to acquire foundational understanding of the subject. However, I needed more holistic education to gain mastery by pursuing formal studies and enrolling in university.

I started looking for reputed universities to pursue masters in Data science or related computer science streams. I figured that the role of data scientist is one of the most in-demand jobs currently in UK and US. Most likely its demand will originate in other regions of the world. My preference towards UK was obvious for couple of reasons. One year master’s program itself is an advantage from an international student perspective. Ever since inception, British universities are known for quality education and accreditation across the world. Many prominent world personalities from all walks of life, have graduated from English universities.

Joining on campus program at foreign land is much more than just universities. It is about the place, environment, people and also the facilities prevailing. As an expatriate living in Saudi Arabia, for about ten years, I have learnt this significantly. Cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds provide residence to several expatriate communities exhibiting diverse vibrant cultures.

The world has reached a stage when every conceivable organization is becoming data-driven. Like the vast and ever-expanding universe, the big data fields are in a perpetual expansion mode, both fascinate me. Data is becoming more valuable in fast-paced life and this is creating a plethora of opportunities for data-centric roles in reputed organizations. It is no exaggeration to state that Data Science is making astonishing progress in the multiple domains of technology, economy, commerce and medicine.

After completing masters, I look forward to join established organization to acquire mastery and gain hands on experience in Data Science. However, time ahead, I would like to start a company where I can design advance models with the acquired knowledge and expertise from all the domains. For instance model like – ‘Accident free zones’ by collecting information from traffic flow, speed, regulations to make informed decisions regarding public safety or a ‘model school’ to be implemented by combining the best from several curriculums, adaptable for future generations.

For the past ten years I have been in the field of education, gaining expertise in teaching mathematics, designing curriculums and mentoring learning community. Although teaching-learning is my passion, and would definitely continue it as a hobby, however I am also a kind of person who believe in constant change and progress in life. This instinct supports me to accept demanding expeditions. My future endeavors would be to take slight detour from my current profession to establish myself in another exciting province, to leverage my knowledge, skills and career.

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BUILDING STELLAR PROFILES FOR DREAM ADMITS

Personal Statement that got selected to MS in Data Science, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

Penn’s Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Data Science prepares students for a wide range of data-centric careers, whether in technology and engineering, consulting, science, policy-making, or understanding patterns in literature, art or communications.

It blends leading-edge courses in core topics such as machine learning, big data analytics, and statistics, with a variety of electives and an opportunity to apply these techniques in a domain specialisation – a depth area – of choice.

So, what does it take to get into one of the top 15 programs of the USA in Data Science? I mean, look at it! Wouldn’t you want to spend 2 years here?

So, let’s look at the ‘Personal Statement’ requirements what the UPenn lists out in its Admission Requirements:

• No more than two pages in a readable font/size:
• Why are you interested in this program?
• What have you done that makes you a great candidate?
• How will you benefit from the program?
• How do you plan to contribute to the student community in SEAS while you’re here?
• Why will you succeed in the program?
• What will you do/accomplish once you have completed the program?

As it is amply clear, the AdCom doesn’t want the details of EVERYTHING that you have done in your academic projects. You should answer only these 6 questions, in a way that best justifies your interest in this program. Right?

Here is where the Mridul got it wrong.

About Mridul

Mridul grew up in Mumbai, went to KJ Somaiya College Of Engineering in Mumbai, and had a GPA of 8.46.

He had a GRE score of 322 (167 Q 155 V) and a TOEFL score of 103.

His academic projects reasonably aligned with the research work at UPenn, one of his dream schools.

When he sent us the first draft, it was his entire story of all the things he has done till now. In total, it was 4 PAGES LONG!

So, our first revision was to cut short the massive piece of self-appreciation, to a workable draft of around 1000 words.

Then, we cherry picked some of the most notable projects of Mridul, and tried to address the questions that the AdCom was really looking for.

After 3 rounds of revision, we arrived at the final draft which looked like this:

As it can be seen, each paragraph of Mridul’s Personal Statement, tries to address a question which helps the AdCom to decide if you are the ‘RIGHT FIT’ for the class.

Since there was no hard limitation on the number of words, we stuck to around 1100 words to clearly and concisely tell Mridul’s story to the AdCom.

Mridul was accepted to three graduate programs – University of Pennsylvania (MS in Data Science), University of California Irvine (MS in Computer Science), and CMU (MS in Data Science)

We couldn’t be happier! Like this happy puppy.

Read Shrishti’s application journey to MS in Computer Science, University of Southern California (USC)

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How To Write An Appealing Personal Statement For Masters Programme In Data Science

Illustration by How To Write An Appealing Personal Statement For Masters Programme In Data Science

• Published on July 31, 2020
• by Sejuti Das

Besides submitting test scores, recommendation letters, and an undergraduate transcript, one essential requirement of applying to a data science masters programme is the application essay — aka personal statement. The personal statement is where applicants need to convince the professors their ability and worth of getting selected in the master programme . 

In fact, many a time, a personal statement acts as a deciding factor for getting chosen for a prestigious masters programme in the field of data science . Thus, one needs to be extremely cautious while writing a personal statement for their master’s application. Not only does it help the university authorities determine the sincere interest of the applicant to enrol for the course, but also provide a chance to the students to stand out of the crowd highlighting their skills and relevancy.

Having said that, data scientists are experts in mathematics, but writing might not always be their expertise , and a personal statement is usually longer than you think and requires to be well crafted in order to grab the attention of professors and administrators. So, if decided to pursue higher studies in the data science field and have narrowed down universities to apply, this article can help you write a winning personal statement required to apply for the data science masters’ programme.

Also Read: The 10 Most Promising Data Science Masters Programs In US

Planning Is The Key: Highlight The Reason To Study Data Science Masters

Although it is stated as ‘personal,’ a personal statement doesn’t require applicants to share the intimate details of their life; instead, it needs to highlight the intention of the applicant for the particular master’s programme. To avoid any confusion or mistakes, the first step to write a personal statement for a data science masters programme is to brainstorm around it and plan it before actually starting to write. It is critical to make notes and use bullet points when planning, which can later be referred to while writing the personal statement. One should research thoroughly about the course requirements and the university, and prepare a list of their achievements and goals that can come handy while writing the essay. 

Most universities expect their applicants to adhere to a specific word limit for the personal statement, and thus a good brainstorming will help applicants to keep their essay relevant and to the point. Planning will help in setting the context, creating a structure and forming a narrative of the piece that is critical for drafting a compelling statement.

Also Read: What Not To Include In Your Data Science Resume

Have A Killer Intro & A Concise Conclusion: Relevant To The Passion For The Field

An attention-grabbing intro and a hard-hitting conclusion are again critical for writing a compelling personal statement. The first paragraph can create the first impression of the applicant in front of the professors, and a sharp end will help them remember that candidate among the crowd. The readers of the personal statement are the experts from the data science industry and academics; thus, they expect the writeup to be extremely intriguing in terms of content. 

Personal statements are usually lengthy but require to be extremely clear in sending out the message. Rather than starting the essay with some cliches, data science applicants should begin their personal statement highlighting their passion for the stream and their domain proficiency. And to have a definite ending, these data scientists must ensure to convey their genuine interest in pursuing the master’s programme, and how their skills are relevant to the stream.

Also Read: Tips And Templates For A Data Scientist Resume

Be A Good Story Teller: Highlight Experiences & Skill Sets

Thirdly, data science applicants must showcase their skill sets and experience in their personal statements without repeating the information that is already mentioned in their application form. And that’s why it is critical to be a good storyteller with their statement, where applicants can highlight their skills by talking about a particular data science research project that helped in solving real-life problems. One can also point out their experiences, knowledge, and quantify their expertise in the field that can help them in pursuing further studies.

The job of the personal statement is to let the administrators and professors know the abilities of the applicants to be qualified for the master’s programme. Data scientists can also mention their thesis, publications, journals or any relevant activities that can help them in getting selected. A well crafted personal statement avoids clichés, jargons, and too many details, and should be presented formally with a clear narrative.

Also Read: How To Create A Compelling Cover Letter To Land A Data Science Job

Focus On Your Domain & The Programme

Unlike undergraduate courses, masters programmes are more specific as well as require applicants to understand the domain they are pursuing. Consequently, while writing a personal statement, one needs to sync their interest according to the requirement of the programme and emphasise on the specific skills that match the area of expertise. One can also network with relevant faculty members and seniors to get a better understanding of the requirements of the program.

Many universities are also working on several ongoing data science projects, citing one of them corresponding to the interest, can also be a great addition to the personal statement. Furthermore, applicants can also write about what inspired them to pursue this particular domain and how their work will contribute to the field. One can also share their personal experiences and how that has helped in pursuing this course.

Also Read: What Data Science Graduates Need To Do To Get Hired During Covid-19

Don’t Be Generic: Customise The Write Up For The Course

Lastly, it is critical that the essay is unique and thus requires to be customised according to the university and its requirements. Applicants don’t have to start from scratch every time they are applying to a university, but they must ensure that they still provide a unique draft personal statement to each application. Professors and administrators read thousands of personal statements in a day, and therefore to be unique, applicants cannot pick up generic content to build their essay.

Applicants can also make the personal statement unique by adding up personal experiences relevant to the field, which will not only make the read interesting but also will allow the readers to empathise with the applicant. One can also add up a few of their failures to make it sound genuine as well as relatable. Usually, masters programmes don’t conduct face to face interviews; thus, personal statement plays a vital role in the applicants’ admission process.

Also Read: 10 Commonly Asked Puzzles In A Data Science Interview

Other Things To Keep In Mind

• Personal statements are not university applications, so don’t be repetitive.
• Highlight why this university is the right choice for the career you are planning to pursue.
• Although it’s the life experiences one shares in their personal statements, it indeed requires to be professional and to the point. 
• Avoid grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

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Data Science MSc personal statement

• Reading time: 3 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 13th September 2019
• Word count: 616 words
• File format: Text

Like the vast and ever-expanding universe, the big data fields are in a perpetual expansion mode. Both fascinate me. The sheer volume and complexity of data being generated in today’s world present unprecedented opportunities for exploration and analysis. Harnessing the power of data can lead to groundbreaking discoveries, transformative insights, and innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges we face.

My education has provided me with a strong foundation to navigate this data-driven landscape. Through my coursework in computer science, I have gained a deep understanding of algorithms, data structures, and programming languages, all of which are crucial components in extracting meaningful information from large datasets. This knowledge has not only enabled me to work comfortably with computers and numbers but has also fostered my passion for leveraging data to uncover valuable insights.

Building on my educational foundation, my work experience in the field of technology and business management has allowed me to put theory into practice. I have had the opportunity to work on large-scale, data-intensive projects that have exposed me to the challenges faced by various industries and governments. The experience has strengthened my ability to analyze complex datasets, identify patterns, and derive actionable intelligence that can drive informed decision-making.

In this era of big data, organizations have come to realize the importance of transitioning from traditional methods to data-driven approaches. It is now essential to understand and process all aspects of data and analyze it effectively to arrive at optimal choices for decision-making. This realization has sparked a surge in demand for professionals who possess the skills and expertise to transform raw data into meaningful insights. I have been fortunate enough to develop hands-on experience with programming languages like SQL and JSON, as well as data visualization tools like Excel and Tableau. These practical experiences have allowed me to deepen my understanding of data analysis techniques and strengthen my ability to communicate complex information visually.

Furthermore, my passion for big data extends beyond technical proficiency. I am captivated by the immense potential of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). The ability to leverage advanced algorithms and machine learning models to uncover hidden patterns, forecast trends, and make data-driven predictions holds tremendous promise for addressing complex challenges across industries. By exploring these fields, I aim to contribute to the development and application of AI techniques that can empower organizations and individuals to make informed decisions and drive positive change.

As I look ahead, my goal is to be a Data Scientist and contribute to an organization’s data-driven decision-making processes. I am particularly excited about the prospect of applying my skills and knowledge to real-world scenarios, where I can utilize data to uncover insights and create innovative solutions. Ultimately, I envision establishing my own enterprise that focuses on mentoring and guiding the next generation of data scientists, fostering a community of individuals dedicated to using data for social good and addressing pressing challenges.

The MSc Data Science program with an industry placement at Essex University aligns perfectly with my aspirations. Its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical application will provide me with the theoretical foundation and hands-on experience necessary to excel in the field. I am eager to immerse myself in an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and critical thinking, where I can learn from esteemed faculty and engage with like-minded peers.

In conclusion, my passion for big data, combined with my educational background and industry experience, fuels my desire to pursue the MSc Data Science program at Essex University. By expanding my knowledge, developing advanced analytical skills, and immersing myself in real-world applications, I am confident that I will be well-prepared to make a meaningful impact in the world of data science .

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Home / Data Science Programs / Best Master’s in Data Science Programs / Statement of Purpose

How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Master’s in Data Science

Many colleges and universities require a statement of purpose for master’s in data science student applications. The statement of purpose can play an important role in your application, as it allows admissions staff to learn about your goals, experience and education outside of scores and grades. This guide will cover what a statement of purpose is, what needs to be included in it, frequently asked questions and tips to help craft your own.

What Is a Statement of Purpose for Master’s in Data Science?

A statement of purpose is a short essay written by master’s of data science applicants discussing their work and educational history, goals for the program and future career interests. A statement of purpose for master’s in data science programs may also detail any deficiencies in an application such as an employment gap, low GRE or GMAT test scores or grades and information about independent study in lieu of other relevant coursework. The statement of purpose provides a space to highlight your specific life experiences and goals in your own words.

What Is the Admissions Committee Looking for in Your Application?

Admissions committees typically look for the following information:

• Who is applying?  What about the student’s academic or personal background, work experience or extracurricular activities stands out? Does the applicant show a history of demonstrated interest in data science? What will they be able to add to a graduate program environment?
• Does the applicant have analytical skills or experience?  Data science requires a person to deeply analyze large and complex data sets. While some core capacities, like mathematics, may be taught, a statement of purpose provides a space to demonstrate analytical skills or relevant experience.

Statement of Purpose Format Requirements

While every school has different requirements, the general format for a data science master’s statement of purpose may include:

• Length: 1-2 pages; school will specify length.
• Word Count: 250-500 words; some schools allow up to 1,000 words.
• Spacing: Double or single spaced
• Font: Times New Roman in 12-point font
• Margins: No less than 1 inch
• Format: Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or PDF format

Refer to the college or university’s requirements before submitting, particularly if you are sending out multiple statements of purpose to different schools.

Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement

Master’s in data science programs may ask for a statement of purpose or a personal statement—some may ask for both. While these might seem like the same thing, there are a few distinctions.

A statement of purpose typically is focused on academic and analytical information. A school requesting a statement of purpose may request information about reasons for applying for graduate study as well as relevant professional interests and goals. A personal statement might be a broader essay asking about life experiences and interests—though still as they relate to the program.

It’s important to read admissions requirements carefully to determine what information each school wants from either a statement of purpose or a personal statement.

10 Tips for Statement of Purpose for Data Science Programs

A statement of purpose may be daunting for master’s in data science applicants, but there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re delivering a good effort. The tips below can help guide you while writing your statements of purpose for data science programs.

Read Examples of Statements of Purpose for Data Science

Read samples of statements of purpose. If you have access to successful applicants’ essays, read them. If not, read a wide variety of statements of purpose and notice what does and does not work. Be sure not to plagiarize as it could be grounds to deny your application.

Brainstorm Topics and Decide on a Structure

As mentioned above, a statement of purpose should highlight who you are and how you work analytically. Take time to brainstorm relevant topics that showcase experience as well as signs of interest in the data science field. After you have your bullet points set, focus on a structure that best highlights you as an applicant. Make an outline before you start writing.

Pick One or Two Narrow Topics and Stay Focused

A statement of purpose should be clear and to the point. It’s not a recap of your entire life or resume. Avoid covering too much information in your statement of purpose. Stay focused on one or two key topics and provide plenty of supporting information to showcase your analytical skills as it relates to those points.

Make Your First Paragraph Interesting

Admissions committees read hundreds of applications. A focused and interesting introductory paragraph can grab the attention of the reader and keep them from putting your statement down. A personal anecdote, a thought-provoking question or an emotionally compelling story at the beginning of your statement of purpose can all grab a reader’s attention.

Highlight Information That Sets You Apart

Write about any activity that highlights your strengths as a data scientist. If you have relevant experience on a resume or affiliations with a professional organization, make sure you highlight that. A statement of purpose, in part, is about what makes you qualified to  become a data scientist .

Keep the Focus on YOU

A statement of purpose is about how your experience, culture and background has helped prepare you for a career in data science. This is not the time to write at length about your professor’s career or general concepts of data science. A statement of purpose often requires a limited amount of space. Make sure you are using it effectively to highlight your own strengths.

Be Yourself and Don’t Fake Experience

Take the truthful approach and recall your experiences and accomplishments with complete honesty and authenticity. While it may be tempting to inflate your experience or accomplishments in data science or analysis, misrepresenting data—or outright lying—will hurt more than it will help.

Keep Language Concise and Tone Positive

Data science is used to draw information from raw data sets and as such, those working in data science may need to be able to explain their findings. A statement of purpose is the first place you can showcase an ability to effectively communicate. Avoid rambling, vague or repetitive language and keep the tone positive and outcome-focused.

Double Check Schools’ Instructions

Read and re-read the school’s instructions for submitting a statement of purpose. Data science requires attention to detail. You don’t want to disqualify yourself by not following basic instructions. Make sure you meet all the stated requirements, and don’t make mistakes like exceeding word count or incorrectly formatting a document.

Proofread, Proofread and Proofread

Check your essay for any grammatical errors. While data scientists often deal with numbers more than writing, it’s still important to proofread because it will show the admissions committee you pay attention to details.

FAQs About Data Science Statements of Purpose

Before beginning your master’s in data science application, get answers to any final questions about statements of purpose. If you’re still unsure about the process, consider asking your admissions counselor.

Take the statement of purpose seriously. Often, it is the only part of your application where the admissions committee gets to hear directly from you. A well-crafted statement of purpose can help provide context around low test scores or grades as well as highlight how your experience has helped prepare you for the program.

Whether applying to a campus-based or  online master’s in data science , it’s better to start working on your statement of purpose earlier to ensure you have sufficient time to think and prepare. Since some master’s in data science programs may have rolling application and start dates, it’s best to double check admissions deadlines and make sure you have plenty of time to write and edit your statement of purpose.

Schools may have different requirements for statement of purpose submissions. Check directly with your school of interest. In general, keep statements of purpose concise—word counts may range from 250 to 1,000 words—and focused on academic and professional achievements that may help you succeed in a data science program.

Different schools have different word count requirements. Some schools will specify the length, but others do not. In general, a statement of purpose is between 300 and 500 words. Some schools allow up to 1,000 words. If word count isn’t explicitly stated, try to be concise. These are short essays. Writing a statement of purpose is one of the first steps toward studying and working in data science. If you want to better prepare for your application, it’s best to start searching for programs early to understand their requirements. Students can either look at  data science programs by state  or consider  data science scholarships available  for students.

Last updated: March 2022

Free PDF: The 4 questions every SOP must answer → Master’s or PhD

The Data Science Statement of Purpose: A Guide with Examples

• By Jordan Dotson
• Updated: April 28, 2023

Ready to start writing your Data Science statement of purpose? Well, it’s your lucky day. This article isn’t just a “how to” guide — it’s an object lesson in so many of the common anxieties grad applicants face every year:

• How do I write about overcoming obstacles (health, low grades, family death) as an undergraduate?
• How do I describe my career path (I’ve been away from school for awhile)?
• Should I mention MOOCs in my SOP?
• Can I get admitted with no research experience?
• Can I get admitted if I wasn’t a Data Science or CS major in undergrad?

The sample essay you’re about to read and model is a perfect answer to these questions. Why? Because the applicant, despite his circuitous background and previous academic struggles, earned admission to 6 of the best MSDS programs in the US .

To protect the author’s privacy, we won’t name the schools. But rest assured, it’s a “Who’s Who” list of sterling, fancy-pants universities that you’re definitely also considering. Thus, this isn’t just a brilliant data science statement of purpose — it’s a brilliant SOP in general. The author employed this framework successfully for both DS and CS programs, and honestly, ANY applicant in ANY field can use this essay as inspiration…

…and hopefully achieve the same wild success as my fascinating friend, Bennett.

The Student

As an applicant, Bennett ticked a lot of boxes:

• First-gen college student and child of immigrants;
• Undergrad Cognitive Science major at elite state university;
• Modest, less-than-perfect GPA;
• Multiple DS certifications with supplemental CS coursework (essentially self-taught);
• Online Executive MBA graduate;
• 4 years of post-undergrad work experience;
• Extensive work experience during undergrad;
• ZERO research experience

Some aspects of Bennett’s profile were fascinating. (He was an NSA analyst in undergrad!) Other parts were fairly normal. (No research, average GPA.)

What then made Bennett and his SOP so special? What made top MSDS programs excited to admit him?

The Structure of a Successful Data Science SOP

It goes without saying that Bennett used the SOP Starter Kit to outline his essay. That means he structured the paragraphs as follows:

• Introduction Frame Narrative – 1 paragraph (12% of word count)
• Why This Program – 2 paragraphs (23% of word count)
• Why I’m Qualified – 4 paragraphs (58% of word count…extremely long, but more on this later)
• Concluding Frame Narrative – 1 paragraph (7% of word count)

Before we read the actual essay, let’s examine these sections and see how you can mirror Bennett’s example in your own SOP.

1. Introduction Frame Narrative

In the intro, Bennett describes his work as a software engineer. He gets specific. He tells us exactly what he does, and the company he does it for. Most importantly, he describes a moment when he discovered a new intellectual purpose at work:

“Thus, for the first time, I was able to personalize parameters in the pipeline for unaccounted customers. Learning the importance of context for efficient yet equitable automation, I found myself incredibly curious about data-modeling methodologies that can truly represent real-world situations .”

You should do the same as Bennett. Your intro should have some color, some life. It should allow us to see a real human being in there. But it MUST also introduce the sub-niche intellectual problems you hope to tackle in grad school. Chances are, these problems and this sub-niche will define your professional career afterward. They’re the hinge of your whole candidacy.

Common Question #1: “What if I don’t know which sub-niche I want to specialize in?”

Find one. (The SOP Starter Kit has an exercise that will help you figure this out.) Otherwise, you won’t be as competitive as you could be.

Common Question #2: “What if I don’t have an interesting moment (or moments) to write about?”

Stop lying to yourself. No matter where you are, no matter what you’ve done, there was a moment when you decided you needed a graduate degree. There is absolutely a subfield of data science that’s most interesting to you. There are undoubtedly specific applications, in specific industries, you want to work on in the future. How did you discover them?

Bennett wants to study representation of data minorities in ML models for the healthcare industry. That’s the work he wants to do in the future. What kind of work do you want to do in the future? When did you realize this?

That’s the story you tell in your Introduction.

2. Why This Program

Either at the end of your introduction, or in the beginning of this new section, you’re going to include a Sentence of Purpose . It’s a thesis statement for your essay. Bennett’s looks like this:

“Through Gotham University’s Master’s program in Data Science, I hope to further explore how to enhance representation of data minorities in ML models, and thus ensure inclusive healthcare access for the customers I serve.”

The “Why This Program” section of your SOP provides all the evidence for how you’ll pursue this goal in grad school. It should take about 2 paragraphs. Which classes will you take? Which professors do you hope to work with? What will you study in your capstone project?

Let’s make this easy. Just complete the exercise in this article: How to Dominate Your SOP’s Why This Program Section . Trust me, it’s that easy! Then, you’re halfway done with your essay.

3. Why I’m Qualified

This section of your SOP is the easiest to write. It’s your “greatest hits” list – all the proof that you’re a smart student. Everything you write here should support the argument that you’re going to succeed in grad school: your GPA, advanced classes you’ve taken, research experience, etc. It doesn’t have to be long, and shouldn’t include every menial detail of every project you’ve ever done. (That’s what the CV is for .)

Yet, if it shouldn’t be long…why did Bennett write 4 paragraphs?!

Typically, I’d yell and scream at an applicant who spends half the SOP talking about his past credentials. That’s what most applicants do, and why most get rejected .

But Bennett had a unique situation.

His career was wild and fascinating. He’d never formally studied Data Science. He’d even done an MBA. But he had taken lots of MOOCS and online certification courses (seriously, like 10+), he did have amazing experience as a software engineer, and he also had one bad undergrad semester he felt he needed to explain. Thus, he’s a very atypical applicant, and his background required a lot of explaining.

Unless you too have an MBA, 10+ MOOCs, and a completely unrelated major, then I suggest you keep your “Why I’m Qualified” section much shorter – 2 paragraphs is enough.

4. Concluding Frame Narrative

If you have the previous sections in order, this final paragraph should write itself. Make sure to reemphasize the topical problem (your hopeful subfield) from the Intro Frame Narrative. Consider including a career goals statement . But in the end, this section should be easy to write.

That’s it. Four sections, tightly interwoven, all supporting the argument that you are going to be an A+ data science grad student. Now, let’s see how Bennett brought it altogether, so you can attempt to do the same.

A Brilliant Data Science Statement of Purpose

As a software engineer with WayneHealth Group, I maintain data pipelines and batch processing in the modernization team. In 2020, following a health check on existing infrastructure, I discovered that pipelines were delivering data too slowly to clients. After comparing our runtimes to industry standards, I pitched a project using open-source Apache Airflow to help automate pipelines and centralize patient data into a single workflow. However, when considering how to automate 35% of the data, I learned from the billing team how frequently bills are refinanced in our long-term elderly care programs. Thus, for the first time, I was able to personalize parameters in the pipeline for unaccounted customers. Learning the importance of context for efficient yet equitable automation, I found myself incredibly curious about data-modeling methodologies that can truly represent real-world situations.

Through Gotham University’s Master’s program in Data Science, I hope to further explore how to enhance representation of data minorities in ML models, and thus ensure inclusive healthcare access for the customers I serve. Earning my MBA at Metropolis University taught me how to coordinate the need for quantitative reasoning and human intuition through A/B testing, and I believe the MSDS program will build on that foundation. Mathematical Foundations in Computer Science , for example, will help me build real-time analytics dashboards that account for insurance claim data-entry errors through discrete probabilistic models. In the same vein, elective offerings such as Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence will enable me to choose predictive models and evaluate their accuracy when applied to large data sets — particularly useful when predicting whether an insurance claim will necessitate revisions.

Resources like the IGNITE competition will also offer opportunities to collaborate on flexible models that solve real-world situations. Having worked on Apache Airflow implementation in WayneHealth, I understand how collaboration can play a key role in implementing a new idea. Having my IGNITE team’s project evaluated by MSDS professors, with their expertise in modular design and user experience, will only help me evaluate my own performance as I translate my education into functional healthcare applications. Thus, I am certain that Gotham’s MSDS program will prepare me to succeed in a team setting that balances many developer roles, while equipping me to better deliver sales pitches to investors.

Upon graduating, I endeavor to apply my education toward applied healthcare projects that focus on providing easy access to preventative care. Transparency is an integral part of healthcare access because it reduces the expenses and time necessary to find patient care. To help facilitate this transparency, I plan to transition into a Senior Data Scientist role in the Emerging Technologies Collaborative (ETC) at WayneHealth, hopefully working on projects that implement data-driven recommendations for our automated batch processes and servers. When storing vast amounts of patient data across different platforms, vulnerability patches and triage alerts often lead to reactive outcomes that can create downtime for end users. As a result, I seek to implement agentless server monitoring to, first, predict unscheduled outages for our billing and medical coverage systems, and second, recognize patterns in server behavior. Helping recognize outage patterns will not only help me identify problems beforehand, but also decipher the causes of live servers crashing. However, projects outside of WayneHealth excite me as well, including Amgen’s Crystal Bone algorithm which uses AI and machine-learning models to detect bones at risk for osteoporotic fractures. This project was the first tool I have ever seen that uses diagnostic codes sourced from WayneHealth electronic health records, and it inspired me to create my own model using EHR data. In the future, I hope to use EHR diagnostic codes to predict the cost of treatment for those prone to risk, as indicated by the algorithm.

Not only has my position as a software engineer equipped me with strong technical skills, but it has also given me the discipline to continuously learn what I do not yet know. On a project named Karra, an optical-character recognition engine which scans personal information from faxed hospital claim forms, I learned how to develop my own algorithms to calculate the coordinates of form fields to parse data. The technical skills I have gained, in tandem with the unwavering tenacity I developed in this position, will allow me to face any challenge that arises during the MSDS program.

To further prepare for the rigors of the MSDS program, I completed University of Pennsylvania Engineering MOOCs on Coursera, including the Introduction to Python and Java specialization taught by Brandon Krakowsky and the course Computational Thinking for Problem Solving by Susan Davidson. These MOOCs helped me comprehend important programming paradigms such as unit testing and debugging, which will help me test edge cases in MSDS course projects. Also, MOOCs from UC San Diego, such as Python for Data Science and Probability and Statistics in Data Science Using Python , enabled me to optimize data-cleansing techniques for better runtimes. The MCDS program’s Big Data Analytics course will culminate this self-learning effort, providing a solid theoretical understanding of the tools and techniques used to extract insights from large datasets.

While I have taken on a breadth of challenging problems in computer science and implemented solutions at WayneHealth, my prior undergraduate performance did not always reflect my best ability. Between Spring 2016 and Spring 2017, I experienced a personal health challenge that required substantial time away from the UC Coast City campus. I was further distracted by the realities of personally financing my education – working full-time for the National Security Agency (NSA) – while also suffering the loss of a close family member. Even as I struggled I knew the importance of higher education, and, advocating for my own success, I persisted. To strengthen my educational background, I enrolled in online courses and built coping mechanisms, such as managing my time between online courses and on-campus courses efficiently. In the end, these efforts helped me graduate early in the fall of 2018, and I plan to apply the same level of resilience throughout the rest of my academic and professional career.

As I grow increasingly aware of the intersection between ML and social computing, I am determined to study learning techniques such as principal component analysis, and to perform research in data organization/completeness. With my strong self-guided background in applied computer science, and my professional experience with ML and software development in the healthcare insurance industry, the practical knowledge I build at Gotham will help me make voices heard in the data we interact with in our daily lives.

What Makes This SOP Truly Special?

Some might argue that Bennett’s essay doesn’t fit the template described in the SOP Starter Kit. I disagree. The virtuosity of Bennett’s writing shows that the model is adaptable to all kinds of intellectual demands.

(In fact, he’s pointed out himself that the framework helped beautifully with his Computer Science SOPs, which should give confidence to anyone who may be still deciding between DS and CS.)

Personally, I love how Bennett began his Why I’m Qualified section with an expanded Career Goals Statement. It shows us, in painstaking detail, exactly what he’s going to achieve if the school admits him:

“Upon graduating, I endeavor to apply my education toward applied healthcare projects that focus on providing easy access to preventative care.”

There are real data problems in the healthcare insurance industry. Bennett is all-too-familiar with them. Few if any other applicants will ever be able to solve these problems the way he will. We know this because he tells us exactly what he’s going to do in his career afterward :

• Pursue a Senior Data Scientist role in his company;
• Automate batch processes and servers to predict unscheduled outages medical coverage systems;
• And use EHR diagnostic codes to predict treatment costs for high-risk patients.

In this way, Bennett’s expansive, thoughtful SOP makes certain that he isn’t just a boring applicant looking to acquire base knowledge in data science. He already has it! He got it for free from Coursera!

Instead, it shows that he’s deadly focused on his unique sub-niche — solving real data problems in the healthcare insurance industry — and will do everything it takes to succeed. Thus, when Bennett discusses the many obstacles he overcame in the past, we don’t worry about them. We have tremendous confidence in Bennett because he’s already succeeded. He’s already acquired great expertise. And he knows exactly what he needs to do to make an impact in the future.

Though the middle paragraphs are somewhat long, they never feel boring or clunky. They feel intelligent and interesting. Finally, when we get to the last paragraph, we can’t help feeling certain of one thing: “Wow, this guy is unstoppable.”

As you start planning your own data science statement of purpose, there’s one aspect of Bennett’s essay you should mimic. It’s not the MOOCs , his atypical background, or the obstacles he overcame. It’s this:

Bennett mapped out the intellectual problems he wants to study in grad school, and how he will address them pragmatically in his career afterward. It’s not a complex argument:

• In the last few years, I’ve grown fascinated with Problem X in Industry Z;
• At Gotham University, I plan to study Problem X in these specific ways;
• After graduating, I will be able to solve Problem X for companies in Industry Z;
• I know I’m capable of this because of my skills and record of success;
• Admission to Gotham is my immediate and necessary next step, so I hope we can begin solving these problems together.

I offer endless gratitude to Bennett for allowing me to share his story, his brilliant essay, and his resounding success. Data Science, Analytics, and Applied Statistics have become insanely competitive. But if you take the time to follow his example, you too can become a champion in the field, and start your journey toward solving unique problems that the world desperately needs you to solve.

Still need help structuring your own data science statement of purpose? The SOP Starter Kit will help, or, I’d love to hear from you !

Which data science problems do you plan to solve in grad school and beyond?

Need advice on other application essays? Check out our free guides!

• Structure is Magic: A Guide to the Graduate SOP
• Statement of Purpose for PhD Admission: A Universal Formula
• Diversity Statements 101: A Guide to All Personal Essays

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How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 104,268 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

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Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

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How to Write a Good Personal Statement for a Scholarship ( 7 PDF Sample Examples).

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School: Computer Science

Crafting a Standout Computer Science Personal Statement

Crafting a compelling personal statement is crucial for graduate school acceptance. Successful statements showcase your academic and professional accomplishments. They also put a spotlight on your personality, goals, and motivations. When you master this process can make your application stand out and secure your place in graduate school. That’s where our expertise comes into play. Our expertise is here to guide you through the graduate application complexities, providing insights, guidance, and feedback to enhance your writing and engage admissions committees.

Successful Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

In this post, we’re excited to open our collection of personal statement examples for graduate school. We’re sharing two that students just like you used to get into graduate Computer Science programs:

Both essays, while strong in their current form, nevertheless offer learning opportunities on how further refinement can enhance clarity, coherence, and impact. Our commentary on these pieces provides actionable advice on how to approach revisions, ensuring that each paragraph serves a clear purpose and contributes to the overall narrative effectively.

Explore our graduate school personal statement examples and feedback to grasp the detailed analysis and attention that perfects a statement. Whether starting your draft or finalizing revisions, our insights will help you showcase your strengths, improve weaknesses, and express your future vision.

Finally, remember that a great personal statement does not just happen—it is crafted. Let us guide you through this process, offering the expertise and feedback necessary to turn a good personal statement into an outstanding one. Explore our blog for more tips, examples , and professional guidance on making your graduate application journey a success.

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Guide to Writing Data Science Personal Statements

Table of Contents

A  data science personal statement  is an integral part of the application process for aspiring data scientists. It provides recruiters and admissions board representatives insight into a candidate’s motivations, skills, and abilities related to their chosen field of study. 

The statement should demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts and practices that make up the data science discipline. It showcases an applicant’s technical aptitude and professional experience. A successful personal statement will convey passion for the profession through emotionally resonant language and examples. 

Personal statements are everyday encounters in job applications as well as applications to special programs and postgraduate studies.

While personal statements and resumes both demonstrate an applicant’s qualifications, the former does so in paragraph form. This is crucial because it allows applicants a reasonable degree of creativity to create vivid depictions and powerful messages.

This allows them to not only create a good impression on readers but also to evoke emotions.

The Importance of a Personal Statement

The primary function of a personal statement is to give insight into the type of person you are. It provides recruiters and admissions board officers a glimpse into your qualifications . 

The actual value of a personal statement lies in its exposition. While resumes and summaries give readers the information they need pertaining to your qualifications, personal statements have a more intimate feel.

They read like stories. They take readers on a journey that helps them fully appreciate an applicant’s skills, experience, and character. Personal statements are particularly beneficial because they encourage recruiters and admissions board members to see candidates as more than just their qualifications. They are a way to show evaluators the person behind the application.

But, as good as all these sound, you can reap these benefits only through a compelling personal statement. If you’re unsure of how to write your data science personal statement, heed the following tips.

Tips for Writing a Data Science Personal Statement

Highlight Your Most Relevant Experience

Demonstrate your skills and accomplishments in data science by including concrete examples. Include experiences such as projects you have worked on or organizations/industries in which you have experience. Doing so will help to demonstrate that you possess the necessary qualifications for a successful career in data science. 

Showcase Personal Passion

Showcasing your passion for data science. You can do this by highlighting the personal challenges, successes, and motivations which led to your interest in the field. Explain what inspired you and how this has driven you to pursue further education and, ultimately, a career in data science. 

Be Specific

Make sure that when describing both experiences and achievements, they are as specific as possible.

Doing so will allow an admissions panel to better understand the nature of your work and its relevance to data science. Providing evidence to support statements (e.g., screenshots, code snippets, sample analyses) is also beneficial. 

Use Clear Language

Being clear and concise is essential when writing about complex topics like data science.

Aim to use language which conveys your points without overcomplicating them with jargon or technical terms. This will make it easier for an admissions panel to understand your application, increasing the chances of being accepted onto their program. 

Leverage Emotional Writing

The tone of your statement should reflect a human quality, using emotions and speaking authentically about why data science excites you. If appropriate, include colloquial language throughout; while ensuring it does not detract from the overall clarity of your essay.

Data Science Personal Statement Example

I have been deeply invested in the burgeoning field of data science for almost a decade. My expertise has allowed me to explore its nuances and applications with avid enthusiasm. I utilized my specialized knowledge to contribute significantly to many successful projects. As a result, I have accrued an immense portfolio of experience. My experience ranges from predictive analytics to natural language processing. This sets me apart as a leader in a rapidly-evolving industry.

From analyzing complex datasets to constructing scalable machine learning systems, my tenaciousness drives me to continually seek out dynamic challenges. Although I am thoroughly versed in all theoretical aspects of data science, I thrive on uncovering new possibilities through experimentation and creative problem-solving. I pride myself on being able to translate technical jargon into actionable solutions. 

A personal statement is a short paragraph that outlines a candidate’s skills, experiences, and motivation . It is an essential document because it allows applicants to connect with readers and establish a good impression. Remember our simple tips. While they won’t make you an expert overnight, they will help you cement good writing habits that will serve you well in the future.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Personal Statement

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A personal statement is a vital component of college and job application . It showcases an individual’s unique experiences, skills , and aspirations, providing a narrative that highlights their strengths and goals. Crafting a compelling personal statement allows applicants to express their personality and motivations, helping them stand out in a competitive field. It’s an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and outline future ambitions, making a memorable impression on selection committees.

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a crucial part of college and job applications, allowing individuals to highlight their unique experiences, skills, and aspirations. It serves as a narrative that showcases strengths and goals, helping applicants stand out. By reflecting on past achievements and outlining future ambitions, a well-crafted personal statement makes a lasting impression on selection committees.

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Personal statement format

A personal statement is a crucial component of applications for college, graduate school, scholarships, or jobs. It is your opportunity to highlight your achievements, experiences, and goals. Here is a format for writing an effective personal statement:

• Begin with a strong opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention.
• Introduce yourself and state the purpose of your personal statement.
• Mention what you are applying for (e.g., a specific program, scholarship, job).
• Discuss your academic achievements and experiences.
• Mention relevant courses, projects, or research that have prepared you for the program or job.
• Highlight any honors or awards you have received.
• Detail your work experience, internships, or volunteer work.
• Focus on experiences that are relevant to the program or position.
• Emphasize any skills or knowledge you have gained.
• Include any extracurricular activities, hobbies, or interests that demonstrate your well-rounded character.
• Mention leadership roles, community service, or other achievements.
• Show how these experiences have shaped you and your aspirations.
• Clearly state your short-term and long-term goals.
• Explain how the program or job aligns with your career aspirations.
• Describe what you hope to achieve and how you plan to contribute to the field.
• Summarize the key points you have made.
• Reiterate your enthusiasm and readiness for the program or position.
• Thank the reader for considering your application .

Example Personal Statement

Personal Statement for University Introduction : I am excited to apply for the Master’s program in Environmental Science at XYZ University. With a strong academic background in biology and a passion for environmental conservation, I am eager to contribute to cutting-edge research in sustainability and climate change mitigation. Academic Background : I graduated with honors from ABC University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. During my undergraduate studies, I completed a research project on the impact of urbanization on local wildlife, which sparked my interest in environmental science. I have taken courses in ecology, environmental policy, and data analysis, providing me with a solid foundation for advanced study. Professional Experience : Over the past two years, I have interned at the Green Earth Organization, where I assisted in conducting field surveys and analyzing data on endangered species. This experience has honed my skills in data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing. Additionally, I volunteered with Clean Water Initiative, where I led a team to organize community clean-up events and educate the public on water conservation. Personal Achievements and Extracurricular Activities : Outside of academics and professional work, I am an avid hiker and nature photographer. I have also been a member of the university’s environmental club, where I served as president and organized several successful campus-wide sustainability events. These activities have strengthened my leadership and teamwork skills. Goals and Aspirations : My short-term goal is to gain in-depth knowledge and research experience in environmental science through the Master’s program at XYZ University. In the long term, I aspire to work as an environmental consultant, helping businesses and communities implement sustainable practices. I am particularly interested in developing innovative solutions to reduce carbon footprints and protect natural habitats. Conclusion : In conclusion, I am confident that my academic background, professional experience, and passion for environmental conservation make me a strong candidate for the Master’s program in Environmental Science at XYZ University. I am eager to contribute to your esteemed program and am grateful for your consideration. Thank you for taking the time to review my application.

Personal Statement Examples

Personal statement for resume.

• Personal Statement for Job

Personal Statement for University

Personal statement for college, personal statement for financial aid.

Personal Statement for Jobs

More Examples for Personal Statement

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10. Law School Personal Statement

Tips for an Effective Personal Statement

When writing a personal statement, always bear in mind that you write to impress. So we have outlined for you some tips for an effective personal statement.

• Understand Your Goal. Bear in mind what your goal is in writing a personal statement . Remember that you are not the only one who is trying to grab that position or admission, so make it a point to put your best foot forward. This is what you do when you have a goal. It keeps your steps solid and for sure you won’t lose your track.
• Create an Outline. Like a college essay, your personal income statement should have a layout. Use the funneling technique on this one. Start from the most general points and narrow it down to the specific ones. It also helps you organize your thoughts better so your words will not jumble.
• Be Genuine. This is not the hardest thing to do in the world. All you need to do is tell honestly what your skills and accomplishments are. A personal statement is an overview about your personality. Even if it is a written letter, an employer or a supervisor will know if you are telling the truth or not.
• Be Specific. Some schools or business statement establishments would send a list of questions that they need you to answer and include on your personal statement. Answer those questions concretely and with substance. Do not veer away from your main point. Focus on your answer and be straightforward.
• Maintain a Positive Tone. A personal statement is not the place for you to vent out your frustrations in life nor an opportunity to show your weaknesses and appeal for emotions. Make your words sound positive. Provide energy and liveliness when sharing about a certain lesson you learned or an obstacle in your life and how you were able to overcome it.
• Check and Revise. Sometimes when we are writing, we often misspell things or use inappropriate words especially when we are in our deep thoughts. So before you put your letter in an envelope and put it in your mailbox, be sure to proofread your work. Check your spelling, choice of words and arrangement of thoughts.

How Important Is a Personal Statement?

University admissions hold interviews based on the applications they receive. How you write your personal vision statement will be a determining factor for you to land in an interview and consequently get into college. So if you are planning to write a personal letter of poor quality, you better think twice. Here are the reasons why you need to write a compelling personal letter.

1.  It gives you a better shot.

Whether you are aiming for a university admission or landing a job at a prominent income statement for company , an effective personal letter gives you a better shot compared to others. Remember that you are not the only participant in the race. In order for you to win, you need to give it with an undivided attention.

2.  It gets your name on the list.

Yes, it does. The truth is your personal letter is your only key to have your name on the master list. Some universities are a little picky when it comes to admitting new applicants. They do filtering to ensure that they choose the right students for the right program. Not only that. They are very selective because the applicant they choose will soon become a fruit of their own tree and they certainly don’t want it to be a bad one.

3.  It boosts your confidence.

A personal statement is always given a head of time during an application examples or admission process. This gives the school or a company an overview of who to select from the many applicants. Writing a bold and convincing personal letter could get you ahead of others. You get picked from the basket of people longing for that post. Then in the process you get called for an interview.

You know that your personal statement caught the attention of the school board or the employer and so you are confident that you are just a few steps away from landing that position you always hoped for.

A personal statement need not be a novel-long narrative of yourself. Just as long as the important words and details are there, that’s fine. However, never settle for less. Always aim for the best. Have you ever seen an advertising brochure?

It usually comes as a single sheet example in pdf , a cardboard or a photo paper maybe, folded into half or a quarter, but contains all the necessary information you want to know about a certain product. That is how your personal statement should be, brief, concise, and effective.

What should be included in a Personal Statement

A personal statement is a critical component of many applications, providing an opportunity to showcase your qualifications, experiences, and motivations. Here is a comprehensive guide on what should be included in a personal statement:

1. Introduction

• Compelling Opening : Start with an engaging story, quote, or anecdote to capture the reader’s attention.
• Brief Overview : Introduce yourself and state your purpose for writing the personal statement. Mention the program or position you are applying for.

2. Academic Background

• Educational Qualifications : Detail your academic achievements, including your degree(s), GPA, and any honors or awards.
• Relevant Coursework : Highlight specific courses that are pertinent to the program or role.
• Research Projects or Theses : Discuss any significant research projects, theses, or academic papers, emphasizing their relevance to your field.

3. Professional Experience

• Internships and Jobs : Describe your professional experiences, focusing on internships, jobs, or volunteer work that relate to your application.
• Responsibilities and Achievements : Outline your roles, responsibilities, and key accomplishments in these positions.
• Skills Gained : Highlight the skills and knowledge you acquired, and how they prepared you for the role or program.

4. Personal Qualities and Skills

• Key Attributes : Mention personal qualities that make you a strong candidate, such as dedication, motivation, and resilience.
• Technical and Soft Skills : List relevant technical skills (e.g., programming languages, lab techniques) and soft skills (e.g., leadership, communication).

5. Motivations

• Passion for the Field : Explain why you are passionate about the field or profession. Share any personal experiences or events that sparked your interest.
• Career Aspirations : Discuss your long-term career goals and how the program or role fits into your career plan.

6. Future Goals

• Short-term Objectives : Describe what you hope to achieve in the immediate future, such as completing a degree or gaining specific experience.
• Long-term Vision : Outline your long-term professional aspirations and how the program or role will help you achieve them.

7. Conclusion

• Recap Main Points : Summarize the key points of your statement, reinforcing your enthusiasm and readiness for the opportunity.
• Thank You : Express gratitude for considering your application and indicate your eagerness to discuss your application further.

How to Write a Personal Statement.

Writing a personal statement can be a challenging task, but it’s an essential part of many applications. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft a compelling and effective personal statement:

Step 1: Understand the Purpose

• Purpose : A personal statement is a narrative that highlights your background, achievements, motivations, and goals. It aims to show why you are a suitable candidate for the program or position you are applying for.
• Audience : Consider who will be reading your statement and what they are looking for in a candidate. Tailor your content to meet their expectations.

Step 2: Brainstorm and Outline

• Self-Reflection : Think about your experiences, achievements, and goals. Identify key themes and stories that showcase your strengths and motivations.
• Outline : Create an outline to organize your thoughts. A typical personal statement includes an introduction, academic background, professional experience, personal qualities, motivations, future goals, and a conclusion.

Step 3: Write the Introduction

• Hook : Start with a compelling opening that grabs the reader’s attention. This could be a personal anecdote, a quote, or a unique experience related to your field.
• Overview : Briefly introduce yourself and state the purpose of your statement. Mention the program or position you are applying for.

Step 4: Discuss Your Academic Background

• Education : Detail your academic achievements, including your degree(s), GPA, and any honors or awards.
• Research Projects : Mention any significant research projects, theses, or academic papers, emphasizing their relevance to your field.

Step 5: Describe Your Professional Experience

Step 6: highlight personal qualities and skills, step 7: explain your motivations, step 8: outline your future goals, step 9: conclude your statement, step 10: revise and edit.

• Proofread : Carefully proofread your statement for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
• Feedback : Seek feedback from mentors, professors, or colleagues to improve the clarity and impact of your statement.
• Polish : Make necessary revisions to ensure your statement is concise, coherent, and compelling.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a written description of your achievements, skills, interests, and goals, typically used for university or job applications.

How long should a personal statement be?

Generally, a personal statement should be 500-800 words, but always check the specific guidelines of the application.

What should be included in a personal statement?

Include your introduction, academic background, professional experience, personal qualities, motivations, future goals, and conclusion.

How should I start my personal statement?

Start with a compelling hook, such as an anecdote, quote, or personal experience, to grab the reader’s attention.

How personal should my personal statement be?

Be personal enough to reflect your unique experiences and motivations but maintain a professional tone throughout.

Can I use the same personal statement for different applications?

Tailor each personal statement to the specific program or job to address their unique requirements and expectations.

Should I mention weaknesses in my personal statement?

If relevant, briefly mention weaknesses, but focus on how you have addressed and overcome them.

How do I make my personal statement stand out?

Highlight unique experiences, demonstrate passion for the field, and provide specific examples of your achievements and skills.

Is it okay to use quotes in a personal statement?

Yes, but use them sparingly and ensure they are relevant to your narrative and add value to your statement.

How do I conclude my personal statement?

Summarize your key points, reiterate your enthusiasm for the opportunity, and thank the reader for considering your application.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

Reference Examples

More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual . Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual .

To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., journal article ) and follow the relevant example.

When selecting a category, use the webpages and websites category only when a work does not fit better within another category. For example, a report from a government website would use the reports category, whereas a page on a government website that is not a report or other work would use the webpages and websites category.

Also note that print and electronic references are largely the same. For example, to cite both print books and ebooks, use the books and reference works category and then choose the appropriate type of work (i.e., book ) and follow the relevant example (e.g., whole authored book ).

Examples on these pages illustrate the details of reference formats. We make every attempt to show examples that are in keeping with APA Style’s guiding principles of inclusivity and bias-free language. These examples are presented out of context only to demonstrate formatting issues (e.g., which elements to italicize, where punctuation is needed, placement of parentheses). References, including these examples, are not inherently endorsements for the ideas or content of the works themselves. An author may cite a work to support a statement or an idea, to critique that work, or for many other reasons. For more examples, see our sample papers .

Reference examples are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 10 and the Concise Guide Chapter 10

Related handouts

• Common Reference Examples Guide (PDF, 147KB)
• Reference Quick Guide (PDF, 225KB)

Textual Works

Textual works are covered in Sections 10.1–10.8 of the Publication Manual . The most common categories and examples are presented here. For the reviews of other works category, see Section 10.7.

• Journal Article References
• Magazine Article References
• Newspaper Article References
• Blog Post and Blog Comment References
• UpToDate Article References
• Book/Ebook References
• Diagnostic Manual References
• Children’s Book or Other Illustrated Book References
• Classroom Course Pack Material References
• Religious Work References
• Chapter in an Edited Book/Ebook References
• Dictionary Entry References
• Wikipedia Entry References
• Report by a Government Agency References
• Report with Individual Authors References
• Brochure References
• Ethics Code References
• Fact Sheet References
• ISO Standard References
• Press Release References
• White Paper References
• Conference Presentation References
• Conference Proceeding References
• Published Dissertation or Thesis References
• Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis References
• ERIC Database References
• Preprint Article References

Data and Assessments

Data sets are covered in Section 10.9 of the Publication Manual . For the software and tests categories, see Sections 10.10 and 10.11.

• Data Set References
• Toolbox References

Audiovisual Media

Audiovisual media are covered in Sections 10.12–10.14 of the Publication Manual . The most common examples are presented together here. In the manual, these examples and more are separated into categories for audiovisual, audio, and visual media.

• Artwork References
• Clip Art or Stock Image References
• Film and Television References
• Musical Score References
• Online Course or MOOC References
• Podcast References
• PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References
• Radio Broadcast References
• TED Talk References
• Transcript of an Audiovisual Work References
• YouTube Video References

Online Media

Online media are covered in Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Publication Manual . Please note that blog posts are part of the periodicals category.

• Facebook References
• Instagram References
• LinkedIn References
• Online Forum (e.g., Reddit) References
• TikTok References
• X References
• Webpage on a Website References
• Clinical Practice References
• Open Educational Resource References
• Whole Website References

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CRediT author statement

CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) was introduced with the intention of recognizing individual author contributions, reducing authorship disputes and facilitating collaboration. The idea came about following a 2012 collaborative workshop led by Harvard University and the Wellcome Trust, with input from researchers, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and publishers, including Elsevier, represented by Cell Press.

CRediT offers authors the opportunity to share an accurate and detailed description of their diverse contributions to the published work.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the descriptions are accurate and agreed by all authors

The role(s) of all authors should be listed, using the relevant above categories

Authors may have contributed in multiple roles

CRediT in no way changes the journal’s criteria to qualify for authorship

CRediT statements should be provided during the submission process and will appear above the acknowledgment section of the published paper as shown further below.

*Reproduced from Brand et al. (2015), Learned Publishing 28(2), with permission of the authors.

Sample CRediT author statement

Zhang San:  Conceptualization, Methodology, Software  Priya Singh. : Data curation, Writing- Original draft preparation.  Wang Wu : Visualization, Investigation.  Jan Jansen :  Supervision. : Ajay Kumar : Software, Validation.:  Sun Qi:  Writing- Reviewing and Editing,

Read more about CRediT  here opens in new tab/window  or check out this  article from  Authors' Updat e:  CRediT where credit's due .

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