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PHD Statistics Statement of Purpose Sample

Giving my all to my projects for my classes in Statistics and Econometrics has enabled me to become adept at managing large datasets and running simulations using R and STATA. Thanks to my Computer Science classes I am now efficient in modeling data structure and algorithms using Java and Python. At Data Fest, I mastered data cleansing and sample splitting, while modeling energy consumption predictions based on numerous industrial factors. Working on a research project with Professors Tania, Trapani, and Halvorsen helped me to master the statistical analysis of given data sets of interspike-intervals based on the mathematical models suggested. I learned new methods and how to run them such as Method of Moments, Newton-Raphson Reiteration, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test. I have also cultivated perseverance and find great joy in my engagement with state-of-the-art research.

Since completing my undergraduate studies, for the past 3 years, I have been working as a PPC (pay per click) analyst. I run ads on Google for the company’s products and pay whenever users click ads. One of the most wonderful aspects of the PPC industry is almost everything is real time: cost, revenue, clicks and even customer data; millions of clicks are accompanied by millions of possible new customers and their data. Not only managing advertisements, I also deal with big data. I have honed my interpreting skills with real-world projects through SQL and Excel. One of my favorite projects was to analyze ad performance based on distance between the buyer’s shopping address and destination addresses where the purchased products would be in use. With the results, I built ad campaigns where different strategies where employed for different radii targets. In fact, the data that I am compiling has almost endless potential.

While utilizing data is a hot topic in the online marketing industry, I have been able to find only a few tools equipped with reliable technologies that can actually help marketers at deeper levels such as reading contextual signals upon which to base predictions. I look forward very much to contributing to developments in this area in the future. I am convinced that my destiny lies in data mining, machine learning and data visualization, and I hope to immerse myself in these subjects as a graduate student.

I have given countless hours to a variety of regressions models, classification methods and learning models including support vector machines. I have also made a constant effort to polish my visualization skills through Tableau, R, and Python. I have had ample opportunities to present my contributions to academic research, class projects, and workplace projects, and I increasingly appreciate how visualization is as important as the data itself since well-visualized data can be comprehended by almost any audience.

While data mining and machine learning have limitless potential in countless fields, the specific area in which I would like to make my mark, beginning with research in your doctoral program at UMass Amherst, would be to develop a tool that can diagnose diseases based on individuals’ online activities including search queries and posts on social media. Ultimately, I would like to design and develop a personalized medical assistant that tailors itself to the medical needs and resources of each individual, thus increasing and enhancing access to medical advice and treatment at a reasonable cost. With an observational study I conducted as a final project for my statistics class in college, I could see that coming from a low-income family, for example, has a more significant effect on students’ academic achievements than race or even disability. I further confirmed the notion that low-income families are more vulnerable to changes in health care systems through a project for my macroeconomics class dealing with US health care system. These prompted me to include helping the least fortunate members of society to improve their circumstances as part of my own professional goals. I aspire to build other personal tools later on as well, all of them oriented towards the noble goal of helping individuals and organizations.

Beginning my doctoral studies in Statistics will be the beginning of a new journey that will never end, and I wish I can start it at the Pioneer Valley. As a graduate of Smith, I am well aware of how much investment and support have been put in statistics and data science in the valley, providing students and researchers ample research opportunities. I have faith that I can continue to grow enormously and better myself personally, intellectually, and professionally, just like I did at Smith. I also firmly believe that my research can contribute to your university and academic community as well as millions of people who would benefit from the research. For all these reasons I am confident that University of XXXX is a great place for me to pursue a PhD. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering my application.

The Personal Statement of Purpose for Graduate Study in Statistics, Masters, PHD.

Statistics  is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. This includes the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments. A statistician is someone who is particularly well-versed in the ways of thinking necessary for the successful application of statistical analysis.

 Statisticians improve the quality of data by coming up with specific designs for experiments and surveys. Statistics itself also provides tools for prediction and forecasting the use of data and statistical models. Statistics is applicable to a wide variety of academic disciplines including both the physical and social sciences. Statistical consultants are available to provide help for organizations and companies without direct access to expertise relevant to their particular questions, issues, and challenges.

 Statistical methods can be used for summarizing or describing a collection of data. Descriptive statistics is an area that is particularly useful in research when communicating the results of experiments. Patterns in the data may be modeled in such a way as to account for randomness and uncertainty in the observations, and are then used for drawing inferences about the process or population being studied. The area of inferential statistics is particularly vital for scientific advance since it provides a means for drawing conclusions from data that are subject to random variation. Conclusions are tested in accordance with scientific method. Descriptive statistics and analysis of new data tend provide additional information with which to evaluate the truth of a proposition.

Statements of Excellence in Statistics

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Sample 1st paragraph, MS Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Chinese

I help as many people as I can in the area of Statistics, providing an eloquent and convincing voice for applicants who think analytically and are better at Mathematics than they are writing. Sometimes, applicants in Statistics and Applied Statistics have difficulty putting their thoughts into words. I want to help.

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Master's statement of purpose applied statistics.

Born and raised in China, numbers have stood at the center of my world since my childhood because Mathematics was always what I did best and still do. Since early adulthood, I have increasingly gravitated towards Applied Mathematics as a focus, especially everything having to do with Statistics. I could not be happier fully engaged in the magic world of using numbers and symbols to solve real world problems.

After I graduated from high school, my family moved to Canada, and I was able to complete my undergraduate studies in Statistics, Actuarial Science, and Mathematics at the University of XXXX. Thus, I have had the opportunity to build a solid foundation in Statistics, including Advanced Calculus, Ordinary Differential Equation, Probability, Data Analysis, Multivariate Analysis, Time Series, and Stochastic Methods, etc. I graduated from UT with honors and went on to work in the banking industry.

In my third year at UX, I completed an internship in the development of Marketing models at the Analytics Resourcing Center, and I dove in head into the fascinating world of Big Data. I conducted customer segmentation analysis with extremely large volumes and high dimension data, campaign analysis, and promotion design for retail chain stores using Machine Learning techniques. This experience opened up my horizons greatly with respect to advanced modeling techniques and also helped me understand how to abstract statistical models in accordance with business needs. After graduation, I worked as an Actuarial Analyst for the School Boards’ Co-operative Inc.

I mastered the Mixed Effect model while working on a one-year statistical collaboration project on reduction in neuron cell experiments during my last year at UX. I now appreciate how the Mixed Effect has enormous advantage over the General Linear Model. Furthermore, by applying a Gradient Decent approach, I was able to optimize the model for my purposes and I was delighted with the results and was left feely most inspired about possibilities for applications. I soon began to realize that I have a gift for statistical modeling in detail and nothing brings me greater joy. This is where my passion lies.

Currently, I work as a retail risk model developer in TD bank, using classical statistical models. Since this position requires documentation of how each statistical decision is made, I have a chance to investigate numerous details about each algorithm. The most exciting part of Statistics for me is the challenge of finding ways to harness the power of scientific data to accurately predict real-world phenomenon. I see Statistics as a science capable of overcoming all kinds of challenges in the quest to maximize the utility of information. I have experienced how advanced statistical techniques can resolve data challenges in industry.

I look forward to a long professional lifetime serving as a researcher in the statistical modeling industry, discovering and resolving statistical challenges. For my purposes, Statistics is a scientific tool which harnesses the power of numbers for solving real-world problems. My diverse work experience with multiple industries has enabled me to gain exposure to a broad variety of modeling methods including but not limited to the classical linear model, machine learning and stochastic process. I have wrestled with many different kinds of data challenges from hundreds of observations that do not fit any frequently used distribution to billions of observations in thousands of dimensions. I thrive on the challenge of finding scientific ways to making less intuitive data reflect and accurately predict real-world phenomena.

I have used multiple machine learning techniques in Python and R platforms; and observed the pros and cons of cases while comparing different modeling methods. I understand and appreciate how retail risk models are long-term, predictive power driven. Accuracy, explanatory power and conservatism are equally important. I fully understand how, within the range of linear models, scientific support for each decision is needed; coefficient analysis between triple or quadruple interactions must be conducted; and how the survival and loss model is often of great utility. Always inspired by and engaged with the latest research topics, reading myself to sleep almost every night, even under a full workload with constant pressure. I especially enjoy the quest to prove the usefulness of a methodology via statistical and mathematical methods.

Committed, enthusiastic, and dedicated to what I love, I was given to music in my early years, since I was trained to become a professional classical pianist and came close to that dream. Now, however, while I still play sometimes to destress, my music is entirely in my head, symbols, numbers, real-world dreams in big data. Most of what I play these days is Jazz, in which I am self-educated. This inspired me to begin a non-profit music media company when I was in my 2 nd year of college. I am also an accomplish programmer in R, Python and SAS. I also think of programming as part of the music that I want to make in the future.

I thank you for your consideration of my application to Applied Statistics at XXXX University.

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Syria's horrifying statistics that define the conflict.

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Statistics is a research-oriented discipline that includes a vast area of research. My country CCC needs special attention, particularly in this field. Considering this fact, I wanted to study Statistics first. I have completed my Bachelor (2009) and Masters (2010) in Applied Statistics from University of ____, CCC . I am highly interested in an MS program in Statistics at The University of ..., CANADA. Another Masters degree will widen my scope; provide strong basis and relevance to pursue my career in Statistics.

During my bachelor's, I submitted a project entitled as, "Applying Vector Autoregressive Model......." in February 2013. The project paper contains a multivariate autoregressive analysis on temperature forecasting of the (district name) district of CCC while considering the other meteorological factors. Related data are taken yearly basis from 1984 to 2012, collected from 'Database and Statistics' published on official website of CCCC Agricultural Research Council, Ministry of Agriculture, CCCC.

I also submitted a thesis report entitled as, "Analysis of Child Mortality Data....." for the partial fulfillment of my master's degree in September 2011. The thesis considered an extension of the Cox's proportional hazards model that allows for heterogeneity due to omitted covariates using frailty (random effect) approach. The covariates involve some key determinants of children's time-to-death event. The data was taken from CCCC Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2010. That's how I got involved with the research work in the field of BioStatistics.

Then I joined International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, CCCC at Emerging Vaccines under the Center for Vaccine Sciences (CVS). I was directly involved in Data Management at that international organization in various public health projects. During that job, I came to know that how village level public health data are collected and managed for future research.

My previous research compels me to continue research in either in theoretical or applied statistics.

I am highly skilled on R, SPSS. I am competent of WinBUGS, SAS, STATA, FORTRAN and MATLAB. While accomplishing my research, I had to work on R, SPSS, and WinBUGS which synchronized subjective knowledge with practical work and expanded my programming knowledge. In professional life, I had to work with Epi Info, FoxPro, Microsoft Access for data management. Apart from this, I am also an efficient user of LaTeX and Microsoft Office Suite.

Considering all the facts, what I have learned and the experience gathered, always stimulate me to dedicate myself in the field of Statistical research. Among the significant areas of Statistics, I would prefer to put more emphasis on BioStatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health Sciences, The design of Experiments, Longitudinal data Analysis, Clinical Trials, Bayesian Statistics, etc. No matter what my research concentration will be, if I would bear a fruitful conclusion and add value to my future career perspective, I will be glad to take the challenge accomplish the research. When I was browsing the internet, I found a faculty member at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, named, Dr. (Prof Name), who works on the BioStatistics collaborative program. I saw that we both have almost same research interests. So I made contact with him. He inspired me to apply for a graduate program, and if I am selected, he will be my research supervisor and possibly be discussing more on his current research.

After completion of this master's degree, my next target will be to have a Ph.D. degree in this field. Then I will return to my home country and would like to dedicate myself to the research of Statistics and apply statistical methods to real-life data to address more important issues. I would love to join the research organizations in my country, who actively work on statistical sectors. They really need manpower with strong academic and research backgrounds. I would also like to teach Statistics at the University level. There are some well-reputed government and private universities in my country, which needs faculty members for the subject 'Statistics', to teach the students and also to conduct some research on various sectors. So if I can strongly prepare myself to contribute for the people of my country, it will be like a dream come true. In the long run, both the Teaching and Research profession of me will contribute to my country.

The graduate program in Statistics at The University of ... is extremely relevant to my above future career plans. I know the university will provide a strong dynamic environment within which to improve my knowledge and skills and develop my career. I believe that the training I will receive pursuing a graduate study at (university name) and research experience will give me the expertise to function as an independent academic investigator so that I have the opportunity to pursue some of the areas of research in which I am interested.

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Maths and statistics personal statement example.

Mathematics and statistical data are fundamental to understanding the world. Being able to see how things as simple as numbers can be arranged into mathematical models that can describe everything from the stock market to the flight of a ball both excites and fascinates me. For example, how is it that mathematicians can create models and strategies to price securities and predict the market with minimal risk, and therefore make banks and hedge fund millions of pounds? The power of maths is such that where there were once shouting men on the trading floor, there are now mathematicians overlooking algorithms that perform 70% of buy/sell orders on Wall Street. The reason for this is that maths describes to us how the real world works, whether that be in the trading squares of London or in nature.

This intrigue has stemmed from a great enjoyment of studying both A level maths, further maths and physics, as well as an AS in geography and an EPQ. Whilst I have greatly enjoyed all of the modules I have tackled in maths, I particularly enjoyed the statistical module (S1 and S2), and relished in the challenge of using models, such as the normal distribution curve, to calculate the probabilities of events and then using hypothesis tests to see if this result was significant. I then used many of the techniques I learnt from stats and applied them to my geography coursework (analysing data from around groynes), using both Spearman's rank correlation and the Mann Whitney U test. I have found that what I have studied in maths also complements physics, which involves graphs and equations to model scientific ideas As my school does not teach S3 module, I have taken it upon myself to teach it to myself and am enjoying linking Poisson and Binomial into the chi squared distribution. Completing this not only demonstrates my passion and enhances my ability, but also shows great time management skills.

Whilst school teaches me the foundations of maths, TV programs and books really opened my eyes to the beauty of maths, statistics and finance. I have watched multiple episodes of Horizon on topics such as infinity and Fermat's last theorem, as well as documentaries and books on the roles Quants have played on using their mathematical skills to revolutionise Wall Street. I particularly remember a quote from Emanuel Derman's 'Life as a quant', which read: 'The capacity to wreak destruction with your models provides the ultimate respectability', which really brought home the importance of maths.

I enjoy tackling a mathematical problem and I relish in the feeling of finally succeeding. I love being able to put a value to a real life situation, such as the chance of an event occurring or the distance of an object in flight, as well as seeing how it can be used to build the world we know, such as using numerical integration to work out the area of a tunnel. I believe a degree in a mathematical field would be both enjoyable and challenging, and provide me with an excellent platform for life, teaching me a logical and efficient way of thinking, perfect in the stressful world of the city.

I also enjoy applying an analytical approach to my training, for both running and cycling. In athletics/cross country, I create training plans detailing everything up to an event, such as long run split times, recovery time, intensity of sessions and fatigue, which I then use to put into excel and create a value for form at the end of each week. This means I can attempt to peak at given events, which I used to finish a career high of 8th at this year's nationals. In cycling, this statistical obsession is used to calculate 'zones' for my power/hr as a percentage of my functional threshold power, meaning I can use the bike to compliment my running and build my cardiovascular endurance.

I would love to pursue a career in the world of mathematical finance, and I believe the choices of institutions I have made will be perfect to guide me towards my aspirations.

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Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

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Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement.

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

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• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

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Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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• Literature review
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Biostatistics Masters Degree Sample Personal Statement of Purpose

 Among other notable medical problems in Saudi Arabia, there are notably high rates of chronic preventable disease such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Many members of my own family have suffered with these conditions and this situation has fired a great determination in me to help to reduce the chances of the next generation suffering as much. If the country is ever to reduce the incidences of these conditions, it will be necessary for much work to be conducted by Medical Biostatisticians to identify causes and possible remedies and I want to be involved in doing so. I have a scholarship from the Saudi Ministry of Health for the Master’s program and have contracted to work for the Ministry at the end of my studies.

Having gained an excellent bachelor degree in Mathematics, many careers were open to me. After very carefully considering how my knowledge and skills might be most usefully applied, I decided to pursue Medical Biostatistics in which field I believe that I can make a beneficial difference to the lives of many and help to fill a real need for such specialists in Saudi Arabia. It is my goal to become one of the pioneer specialists in Saudi Arabia conducting useful research and, ultimately, pursuing a Ph.D. and passing on my knowledge, skills and passion to other future specialists in the field at a Saudi university. I have taught high school level mathematics and found great satisfaction in doing so, seeing a new concept understood, especially by a struggling student, is a special joy. I relish the thought of being able to share knowledge and skills again in my future career.

I appreciate that skills in Mathematics, though vital in the specialty, are by no means sufficient alone. I understand that it is necessary to possess almost limitless academic curiosity and to be capable of creative and original thinking about problems. It is vital to separate the superficial from the underlying and not so easily identifiable causes of apparent problems. I understand that a truly effective professional in this field must be able to relate well to others to encourage cooperation, collaboration and the sharing of insight and opinion which is so vital to excellent outcomes. I also aspire to acquire and to apply the soft ‘artistic’ skills of intuition and subtle interpretation to supplement the scientific models and techniques that I shall be using.

My special area of interest is in public health and biomedical research, particularly in the design and analysis of large and complex data, primarily in the context of epidemiological studies. I also aim to contribute to consulting and collaborative research in various other related fields in my future career. I am aware of the vital importance of statisticians maintaining independence and objectivity so that their skills are not used as a tool to ‘prove’ that what is untrue is ‘true’ or vice versa and that this ethical component is of great significance where there may be entrenched or even corrupt pressures for a pre-decided or biased outcome. These considerations are perhaps particularly relevant in the medical applications that are of special interest to me in which scandals have occurred.

I am a native Arabic speaker and have been enrolled in the Intensive English Program at the Language and Culture Institute, Blacksburg, VA. I feel confident speaking, reading and writing English. I like the French language and intend to learn the language when time permits. I have undertaken various voluntary activities in the US including holding offices in Saudi and women students’ organisations and have been involved in the ‘Feeding America’ program. I am happy to take the lead or work as a team member as required. I am a confident public speaker and event organizer.

I have a wide range of interests and hobbies. I like to write and was involved in school journalism with I should love to do again should the opportunity arise. I enjoy craftwork and art, I am a sporty and energetic person who enjoys keeping fit and believe that the health of body and mind are closely linked.

My choice of your program is made because of the close alignment between my specialist interests and those being taught, the prestigious faculty, the outstanding facilities and the successful outcomes for so many graduates. I can assure the reader of highly enthusiastic, committed and diligent participation in the program, if selected.

Thank you for considering my application.

Elizabeth Clarkson, chief statistician The trustworthiness of electronic voting systems in Kansas.

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Statements of excellence for admission to graduate school in statistics.

Sample Personal Statement of Purpose for a Second Master’s Degree, Nigerian

Additional Essay Material for Application to Master’s Degree Program in Statistics

My undergraduate degree is in Economics. My choice was partly made because, like Statistics, it can be considered to be as much ‘art’ as ‘science’ in that it calls for high levels of interpretative and intuitive skills to convert raw data into truly usable information for the final user. I believe that I have demonstrated qualities of determination, motivation, attention to detail and interpretative and intuitive skills in my academic and professional career to date and that this provides an excellent basis to excel rather than merely succeed in the program. My hobbies are the piano and rock climbing. No-one succeeds in these pastimes without showing commitment, determination and understanding the need for planning and sacrifice to reach goals.

I am highly numerate and have always loved Mathematics. I took part in Mathematics Modeling contests when they arose during my undergraduate studies and won several prizes. As a Sourcing Analyst, it has been necessary to demonstrate numeracy skills in financial math, scheduling, budgeting and accounting, data analysis and accurate estimation. I could not have been effective in my work without excellent planning and communication skills which provide a base for academic and professional effectiveness in all fields.

I have studied, worked and socialized with people of many ethnic and social backgrounds. I get on easily with others and like to share information and opinion. I look forward to sharing the fruits of my academic and professional background and benefitting from those of other students.

Women in Statistics Conference 2014.

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It’s music to our ears when we hear about women like these. They see no reason why they can’t fulfil their dreams in any field they want! Rock on!

Victoria Stodden

Victoria Stodden is an associate professor in the  School of Information Sciences  at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with affiliate appointments in the School of Law, the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Statistics, the Coordinated Science Laboratory, and the National Center for SuperComputing Applications.

She completed both her PhD in statistics and her law degree at Stanford University, and went on to be an affiliate scholar with the  Center for Internet and Society  at Stanford Law School. Stodden is also a faculty affiliate of the  Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) .

Stodden’s research focuses on the multifaceted problem of enabling reproducibility in computational science: this includes studying adequacy and robustness in replicated results, designing and implementing validation systems, developing standards of openness for data and code sharing, and resolving legal and policy barriers to disseminating reproducible research.

Stodden is also the developer of the " Reproducible Research Standard ," a suite of open licensing recommendations for the dissemination of computational results, and winner of the  Kaltura Prize for Access to Knowledge Writing .

Stodden is the founder of the open source platform  ResearchCompendia.org , designed as a pilot project to study the verification of code and data associated with published results, and enable independent and public cloud-based validation of methods and findings. She is also one of the co-founders of  RunMyCode.org , an open platform connecting data and code to published articles.

She was awarded the NSF EAGER grant " Policy Design for Reproducibility and Data Sharing in Computational Science "; she is a co-PI on the NSF grant #1541450:  CC*DNI DIBBS: Merging Science and Cyberinfrastructure Pathways: The Whole Tale ; she is the creator and curator of  SparseLab , a collaborative platform for reproducible computational research in underdetermined systems, and a nominated member of the Sigma Xi scientific research society. We admire you so much, Victoria Stodden.

Helen M. Berg

Helen M. Berg (RIP) was an  American statistician and politician, and served as the first female mayor of  Corvallis, Oregon , from 1994 until 2006. Berg was also the longest serving mayor of Corvallis to date.

She received her  master's degree  in  statistics  in 1973 from  Oregon State University . Berg was in her 40s at the time, but just two years later, in 1975, she became the director of the Survey Research Center at Oregon State; she continued to work as the center's director until her retirement in 1993.

Enid Charles

Enid Charles was a  socialist ,  feminist  and  statistician  who was a pioneer in the fields of  demography  and  population statistics until her death in 1972.

She was born Dorothy Enid Charles in  Denbigh ,  Wales , and obtained a  bachelor's degree  in  mathematics ,  economics  and  statistics  at  Newnham College ,  Cambridge University  and a Ph.D. in  physiology  from the  University of Cape Town ,  South Africa .

Charles met the  conscientious objector   Lancelot Hogben  while at Cambridge and they married in 1918. 

Out of a dozen or so socialist and feminist couples in Britain in the early 20th century, Charles was the only wife to keep her name; the couple later had two sons and two daughters.

Charles worked on  fertility rates  and  nuptiality  for the  Dominion Bureau of Statistics  in  Canada for many years. In 1934, she projected drastic decline in population of the  United Kingdom  should the fertility rates continue to fall, and the results led her to speak out against the then commonly accepted principle of  eugenics .

Charles subsequently worked as a Regional Adviser in Epidemiology and Health Statistics, and then as a Population Statistics Consultant for the  World Health Organization  in  Singapore  and  New Delhi .

Elizabeth Leonard Scott

Elizabeth Leonard Scott (1917 – 1988) was an  American   mathematician  specializing in  statistics born in  Fort Sill, Oklahoma .

Scott’s family moved to  Berkeley, California  when she was 4 years old, and she attended the  University of California, Berkeley  where she studied mathematics and  astronomy .

There were few options for further study in astronomy, as the field was largely closed to women at the time, so Scott completed her graduate studies in mathematics. She received her Ph.D. in 1949; she was offered a permanent position in the Department of Mathematics at Berkeley in 1951.

Scott wrote over 30 papers on astronomy and 30 on weather modification research analysis, incorporating and expanding the use of statistical analyses in these fields. She also used statistics to promote equal opportunities and equal pay for female academics all over the world.

In 1957, Scott noted a bias in the observation of  galaxy clusters —she noticed that for an observer to find a very distant cluster, it must contain brighter than normal galaxies and must also contain a large number of galaxies; she proposed a correction formula to adjust for (what came to be known as) the  Scott effect .

The Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies now awards a prize in her honor to female statisticians.

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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

MS Admissions FAQ

Application instructions and information about admissions requirements and procedures are available from the Graduate Admissions section of the Registrar's Office.

The information below addresses common questions about applying to the Statistics and the Data Science degree programs. Please also review the department's bulletin for details about the program's degree requirements.

TIP:   Make sure your first and last name remains consistent throughout the application process and in your correspondence with the department.

Please review the information presented below. If your question was not answered on this list or addressed by Graduate Admissions , you may send your inquiry to: stat-admissions-ms [at] lists.stanford.edu (stat-admissions-ms[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu)

Updated: February 2024

Prospective Applicants

Our office does not evaluate an applicant's qualifications.

The recommendations are guidelines to help applicants determine whether they are prepared to start either the Statistics or Data Science graduate program.

A strong mathematics background, especially in probability, statistics and linear algebra, is important in the admission process. However, it is not the only factor that determines which applicants are admitted.

Statistics prerequisites/preparatory coursework

• Multivariable calculus and linear algebra at the level of MATH 51
• Introductory programming at the level of CS 106A
• Intermediate statistics (multiple regression and ANOVA, possibly without linear algebra) at the level of STATS 191
• Introductory probability at the level of STATS 117

Data Science subplan (Statistics MS) prerequisites/preparatory coursework

• Multivariable calculus and linear algebra at the level of   MATH 51
• Programming at the level of CS 106B
• Intermediate statistics (multiple regression and ANOVA, possibly without linear algebra) at the level of   STATS 191
• Introductory probability at the level of STATS 118

No, our office does not offer evaluation of applicant's qualifications. Due to the significant demand of student services responsibilities we cannot accommodate in-person visits. The admissions committee reviews an applicant's overall attributes in the context of the entire applicant pool each year and is not based solely on high ranking test scores or GPAs.

The Graduate Application opens in September every year for admission to the following academic year.

Start Your Application

• Click the Apply Now button at the top of this page.
• Click Create Account under First-Time Users . If you are a current Stanford student or affiliate, you may use the Login with SUNet ID option and you will not need to complete the remaining steps below.
• Enter your email address, first name, last name, and birthdate. Click Continue . A temporary PIN is sent to your email address.
• Follow the instructions in the email you just received to establish your account password.
• Log in and click Start New Application .

Department of Statistics application requirements for the M.S. degree

The Graduate Admissions applications opens mid-September.

Academic credentials can be verified on the graduate admissions webpages and vary by the country in which you earned your undergraduate degree:

• International Academic Credentials

Stanford University does not accept transfer (graduate) students from other universities. Whether you are a student in another graduate degree program at Stanford, or started a graduate program elsewhere, you are considered an external applicant and are welcome to apply through Graduate Admissions .

Units from a graduate program completed at other institutions may be transferred to Stanford for those completing a doctoral degree at Stanford. However, graduate credit from other accredited institutions is not transferrable to any Masters program at Stanford.

• Student Services Graduate Residency Transfer Credit

Master’s students are not eligible for graduate residency credit. All units for the M.S. degree (45 units) must be taken at Stanford. See GAP Handbook, Residency Policy for Graduate Students .

No. The Department of Statistics does not offer an online M.S. degree. The majority of courses in statistics and related courses that provide breadth to the degree can only be completed on-campus during normal business hours. Courses offered online are those listed on the SCPD website.  

Although there are many eligible courses offered via SCPD that can be taken to fulfill the degree’s requirements, there are certain core requirements that cannot be replaced by online courses.

Applicants who have already earned a graduate degree are advised to write a compelling statement of purpose describing your motivation for graduate study, future career plans and other relevant aspects of your background and interests. Ordinarily, the committee does not admit those who already hold graduate degrees, especially those in related fields . Applying to this program ought not to duplicate a degree you currently hold or are earning elsewhere.

Choosing to enroll in Stanford courses via SCPD should be to benefit your own personal development.

Admission criteria is not based on one's enrollment in SCPD delivered courses.

Non-matriculated graduate students  in other departments at Stanford may apply as external candidates to either the Statistics or Data Science M.S. degree program.

We ask that you notify the department of your intentions to apply or upon application submission to circumvent a duplicate student record being created.

You may email the M.S. program officer, Caroline Gates with our current student status and student ID number.

Unfortunately, our faculty are unable to respond to questions about admissions or application status reports. All such solicitations will be discarded.

Individuals who are interested in taking classes online can do so through Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). Students registered in courses via SCPD are classified as non-degree option (NDO) students and are expected to complete courses entirely online. Individuals must apply before the start of the quarter. Only select courses are offered through SCPD and there are limitations as to when you can enroll.

• Stanford Online Graduate Courses & Certificates

NDO students are not part of a degree program unless they apply and have been accepted into a graduate degree program at Stanford.

Students in our graduate program gain advanced knowledge of mathematical statistics and probability; computational and applied statistics; data analysis; methods of research in statistics. (We do not track alumni job placement, company retention/promotions or salary data.)

Many students find employment in data science, research analysis, software engineering, program management within the technology sector (operations research), or finance industry (asset management, acquisitions/mergers, business analytics, commodities research) as well as various governmental services. Graduates have found employment in the Bay Area and other major cities around the world.

Most graduates are finding work in the greater Bay Area's technology sector which is increasingly expanding into new markets. Examples of job recruitment, including salary, can be found sites such as Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed.com. (Please note that this is not a department endorsement of these companies.)

The most common job titles of graduates from Statistics or Data Science may differ according to each company:

• data scientist
• research scientist
• machine learning engineer
• deep learning scientist
• software engineer
• product manager
• quantitative analyst
• statistician

Stanford hosts career fairs throughout the year where you can learn more about opportunities after graduation.

Prospective applicants are welcome to visit and tour the Stanford campus .

Due to time constraints we cannot accommodate requests to meet one-on-one with our faculty prior to submitting an application, give individual tours, or meet to provide guidance about applications, the admissions process, and career planning.

Please adhere to university recommendations concerning COVID-19 during your visit.

Applicants may apply to only one degree program per academic year with these exceptions:

• Within the Biosciences,  you may apply to up to three Ph.D. programs within your one application. Those programs are Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Informatics, Biophysics, Cancer Biology, Chemical & Systems Biology,  Developmental Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology & Immunology, Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Neurosciences, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Structural Biology.
• You may apply concurrently to one departmental program and to a professional school program (law, medicine (M.D. program) or business). For instance, it is feasible to apply to a degree program in one department and to the PhD program at the Graduate School of Business simultaneously.

Prior to final submission, the applicant attests to submitting only one application to a graduate degree program.

• I have submitted only one application for admission to graduate study at Stanford for the requested academic year indicated on this application.

Applicants who submit more than one application to multiple degree programs will have their application cancelled by the Graduate Admissions Office.

Master’s students usually finish within 5 quarters, (Year 1: Autumn, Winter, Spring; Year 2: Autumn, Winter ).

The Statistics M.S. program is a terminal degree program; completing the Master's degree does not lead to our doctoral program. Applicants with a strong mathematical background who wish to go on to a Ph.D. in Statistics should consider applying directly to the Ph.D. program.

No. External applications are accepted only once a year on the posted deadlines for autumn quarter start. Please refer to the Internal or External deadline pages.

The number of applications increases by 100+ every year, our most recent year with combined 700+ applications for both programs. The department admits a combined 40 applicants (Statistics and Data Science) for autumn quarter start.

There is no interview component of the application to the Statistics M.S. program.

Statistics & Data Science

The MS in Statistics and Data Science  (subplan) programs are considered terminal degrees intended to prepare students for careers in STEM.

It is not a direct path to the doctoral program in Statistics or any other doctoral program at Stanford.

Matriculated students may apply to any doctoral program they are eligible for within the University during their tenure at Stanford.

The Data Science subplan is a program within the Statistics department. Students earn a Master of Science degree in Statistics with the Data Science notation.

The application is the same as that of the Statistics Masters application process.

Program Selection:

 Statistics (MS)

Departmental Specialization:

  Data Science

[ Only applicants who intend to pursue the Data Science subplan should select the specialization from the drop down menu .]

Applicants will not be considered for both programs when selecting the Data Science subplan.

No. Applicants who select Data Science will only be considered for this program and NOT in addition to the Statistics M.S. degree program.

No, the Data Science subplan is not open to coterminal applicants or graduate students in other departments/programs.

Current Stanford students must apply through graduate admissions application system as an external candidate.

No, the Statistics Data Science subplan is not offered as a part-time degree (HCP).

Only the Statistics Master's degree is offered as an HCP degree.

The programs are designed to be identical. However, each program includes the opportunity to choose a focus that is either more computational or more theoretical (these are not as strict as the track designations within ICME, just an opportunity to tailor your studies a little bit to your particular research interests). The reasons you may choose one program over the other could be either: interest in working with specific faculty members, or a particular research interest that you feel is more aligned with either statistics or computational mathematics.

Please refer to ICME graduate program application page for department specifications (School of Engineering). Applicants can only apply to one program.

The Data Science subplan in Statistics is intended as a terminal degree.

Yes, both programs qualify as a STEM field.

Transcripts

Do not send transcripts to the department as part of the application process.

Official final transcripts will be required of applicants who are offered admission . The applicant will be required to transmit official transcripts (sealed envelope) or certified electronic transcripts prior to matriculation.

Transcripts are documents establishing an applicant's academic record from their previous institution for (full-time) one year or more. Students who transferred between any undergraduate institutions will need to provide a set of transcripts for each college.

Paper transcripts must be in a sealed envelope and sent either by the applicant or directly from the institution.

• Graduate Admissions: Official Transcripts & Degree Conferral Documents

In light of the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanford reaffirms its commitment to perform individualized, holistic review of each applicant to its graduate and professional programs. We recognize that students may have faced significant challenges during the period of disruption caused by the pandemic, and we will take such individual circumstances into account during application review. Importantly, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Credit/No Credit and other grading options during this unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruption, whether they are made by institutions or by individual students. Our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are excellent and encompass a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that enrich the graduate educational experience.

Transcripts are documents establishing an applicant's academic record from their previous institution for one year or more (full-time enrollment).

Please do NOT submit the following:

• Applicants may included these documents under the Additional Information: Document Uploads section on page 15 of the application.

Your uploaded transcripts should be in English.

If the institution does not issue records in English, original language records must be submitted with official English translations. We accept translations issued by the institution or a professional translating service. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records. Transcripts submitted through a credentials evaluation service will also need to be accompanied by the original documents.

• Graduate Admissions Transcripts (Academic Records)

International students do not need to submit transcripts via an evaluation service unless your institution does not offer these documents in English.

Official transcripts from Chinese universities will now be processed via CHESICC and routed through the graduate admissions application system. This service is optional, however, it is preferable to receiving hard copy transcripts by mail. If you choose to use this service, you will still need to upload your transcripts in the application and then proceed with the request to process your transcripts within the application. When your CHESICC electronic documents are processed and received by Stanford, applicants will not need to send official paper transcripts to the department.

• Graduate Admissions: Official Transcripts & Degree Conferral Documents

Tuition and Financial Aid

Unfortunately, there is no financial aid or scholarship funding for Masters students in the Statistics department.

Masters Students are expected to fund their course of study at Stanford in its entirety. Applicants are very strongly advised to apply for external fellowship support early in the application process so that the funding decision is known before the admissions process is complete.

• Financing the Degree
• HumSci: Funding Graduate Studies

The Department of Statistics does not match or supplement fellowship funding.

The Department of Statistics does NOT offer Research or Teaching Assistants (RA/TA) to master’s students. These positions are for Statistics doctoral students only as part of their training. Masters students are advised not to depend on obtaining an assistantship as significant source of financial support.

Tuition rates for the current academic year are found at the Registrar/Student Services site and in the Stanford Bulletin.

Graduate tuition increases (approximately) 3.5% each year, therefore you can calculate the cost of tuition based on the current year's rate. Minimum enrollment for graduate students is 8 units per quarter. Most students take 10 units per quarter and can finish in 5 quarters by enrolling in the 8-10 unit tuition bracket .

No. Graduate tuition rates are the same for U.S. citizens/permanent residents as it is for international graduate students. Graduate programs within the School of Humanities and Sciences (Statistics) are assessed the regular graduate tuition rate.

Please visit The Student Budget for information about the estimated cost of living on-campus as a graduate student (this is only an estimate; your actual expenses may differ).

A scholarship opportunity for any applicant who has aspirations of major impact on society. In their words, "Knight-Hennessy Scholars will prepare a new generation of leaders with a deep academic foundation and the broad skill set to develop creative solutions to effect positive change in the world." Review application criteria for the K-H program.

Any full-time graduate applicant to any graduate program at Stanford are eligible to apply for this fellowship. Applicants must apply by the K-H Scholars program deadline .

The Department does not provide assessment of an applicant's prospects of admission. The Knight-Hennessey Fellowship is a university-wide opportunity and not governed by the Statistics Department.

• Contact the Scholars Program
• Eligibility for the Scholars Program

Please note: Determination and notification of Knight-Hennessy awards is separate from department admission decisions.

The admissions committee does not consider an applicant's financial situation when deciding admission for the Statistics or Data Science program.

The department's admissions committee does not consider an applicant's financial situation when deciding admission.

Please do not send any financial documents to the department. We do not require evidence of financial support during the application process.

Admitted applicants who require a student visa will need to show proof of funding before Stanford will issue the student visa.

• 3 (academic quarters) x 11-18 unit rate
• plus living expenses for 3 quarters (9 months)
• Student Services: Tuition Rates and Fees
• Graduate Admissions: Estimated Expense Budget

Please visit Student Housing for information about campus housing at Stanford, including information on eligibility, application process, and deadlines.

• RDE: Applying for Housing

The department does not have funding to provide financial assistance to students in the Masters program. The School of H&S provides an annual award to supplement the Chapter 33 base tuition benefit; however, the amount of institutional contribution varies by school and program at the graduate level. Annual Funding chart of the breakdown by school and program . The VA matches Stanford's contribution.

• Stanford Student Services Base Benefit & Yellow Ribbon

The Post-9/11 GI Bill , also known as Chapter 33, is the most commonly used VA educational benefits program at Stanford. This program provides funding for tuition, required fees, books and housing. The level of an individual student’s Chapter 33 benefits is determined by the qualifying veteran’s length of military service since 9/11/2001. Eligible students may also receive funds through the Yellow Ribbon Provision.

Most of the VA educational benefit programs pay benefits directly to students on a monthly basis. However, under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), the VA sends tuition and fees benefits to Stanford, where the Financial Aid Office is responsible for applying the funds to the student account (university bill). Chapter 33 books and housing benefits are sent directly to students monthly. Students may need to apply the housing benefits to the university bill to pay for on-campus room and board.

Yellow Ribbon Provision

Stanford elects on a yearly basis to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Under this provision Stanford provides an annual contribution to supplement the Chapter 33 base tuition benefit. The VA matches Stanford's Yellow Ribbon contribution. For graduate and professional students, the amount of Stanford's Yellow Ribbon contribution varies by school and program; see the Yellow Ribbon information on the University Registrar's web site. Also, see the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Yellow Ribbon web site for additional information.

• Stanford Bulletin Veterans and Military Benefits

Admissions Examinations

The Statistics M.S. degree application only requires the General GRE . Please arrange to take the exam early to ensure that your scores reach us by the application deadline. If you will not have your unofficial scores by the deadline, then it will be too late for you to apply. We cannot update an applicant's scores after the application deadline.

ETS has introduced a solution for students who have been impacted by the coronavirus to take the TOEFL iBT® test and the GRE® General Test at home until test centers can reopen. For more information, please visit the ETS website .

• Graduate Admissions Required Exams
• Information on GRE/TOEFL registration, test centers and dates from ETS
• Scores must be submitted before their respective expiration dates.
• No scores are valid beyond the date that ETS will send or resend them to schools.
• Stanford University's institution code is 4704: no department code is needed, but if necessary, choose the department code for Statistics.
• ETS scores sent to the University may take 3 to 5 weeks to be matched to the applicant's submitted  application.
• For tests taken on or after July 1, 2016, scores can be reported up to 5 years following the test date: for example, scores for a test taken on July 3, 2018, can be reported through July 2, 2023.

No, it is not required for the Master's application. Most of our applicants do not take a GRE subject test. For applicants interested in taking the subject test, we recommend the engineering, math, economics, computer science or other science subject tests.

Please make sure to have your electronic scores sent to Stanford prior to their expiration date.

• GRE scores are valid for approximately five years from the exam date. Scores expire after five years and will not be available from ETS. See below for the earliest test date Stanford considers to be valid.
• TOEFL scores submitted to Stanford must be from a test taken within the last 24 months. Scores expire after two years and will not be available from ETS. See below for the earliest test date Stanford considers to be valid.

The Statistics Department does not have a minimum GPA or GRE score requirement. The evaluation of each applicant is based on all the materials in the file and is not exclusively based on exam scores.

Admission to the Statistics Department requires the GRE general exam. ETS has introduced a solution for students who have been impacted by the coronavirus to take the TOEFL iBT® test and the GRE® General Test at home until test centers can reopen. For more information, please visit the ETS website .

For those who are ineligible for the at-home testing, you may submit a request to waive the GRE exam via email to cgates [at] stanford.edu (cgates[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Please describe the circumstances preventing you from taking the GRE general exam.

The department's admissions coordinator will verify your eligibility for the test waiver and send instructions to bypass the Test information in the application.

Applicants who have earned, or will earn, a doctoral degree (or equivalent) by autumn quarter start can request to waive the GRE exam. Please email the department's admissions coordinator ( cgates [at] stanford.edu (cgates[at]stanford[dot]edu) ) to confirm eligibility for the test waiver. Instructions will be sent to bypass the Test information in the application.

Average admissions exam scores (in percentiles) of admitted applicants:

GRE: Statistics: Verbal 92% Quantitative 97% Analytical Writing 82%

Data Science: Verbal 97% Quantitative 97% Analytical Writing 82% Average TOEFL scores of admitted applicants for both programs: 110 Total, Internet-Based

Please verify that you do not have to take the TOEFL by visiting the Graduate Admissions Required Exams . Additional information will be found among the  Graduate Admissions FAQs .

• Once you have received confirmation from the Graduate Admissions Office that your TOEFL waiver request has been approved, please remember to forward this notification to stat-admissions-ms [at] lists.stanford.edu (stat-admissions-ms[at]lists[dot]stanford[dot]edu) .
• Applications checklists can only be updated with the TOEFL exemption when the application has been submitted and official transcripts have been reconciled with application.
• The TOEFL exemption can only be processed when the applicant has submitted their application and the department has received the official transcripts to verify eligibility of the exemption.
• Note: To bypass the entry of TOEFL scores in the application, enter a future exam date. You can add in the Additional Information section of the application that you have received a waiver from Graduate Admissions.
• Stanford does not accept IELTS scores.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

If your first language is not English, you are required to submit an official test score from the  Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT)

• If you score below 109 on the TOEFL and you are admitted, you will likely be required to complete additional  English placement testing prior to the start of classes.
• prior to enrollment.
• We do not accept TOEFL Essentials scores or any other English proficiency test (e.g., IELTS, PTE).

 No, we do not accept any tests in lieu of the GRE general.

Stanford's institution code for the ETS score submission 4704.  Applicants may use the code for the Statistics department if necessary.

(Please be advised, it can take up to 3 or 5 weeks for an applicant's official ETS scores to be reconciled with the submitted application.

Recommendation Letters

 You must provide three letters and evaluations from faculty or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. At least one letter and evaluation should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.

Entering the same recommender more than once will result in your application not moving forward for review. If after submitting your application you want to edit/change your recommender or change your decision on waiving the right to see the recommendation, proceed to your Activity Status page.

Individuals ought to be qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. We recommend applicants ask those who:

• Know you well through significant, direct involvement during the last three years.
• Will provide detailed anecdotes and examples to support their assertions.
• Are truly enthused to write a recommendation for you and will spend sufficient time writing a thoughtful letter.

What not to submit:

• letters verifying your employment status (past or current).
• letters supporting employment or contractual work with a company/industry.

The department only requires three letters of recommendation however, we suggest that applicants ask four recommenders to submit letters - well in advance - in case one of them is not able to submit the letter by the application deadline. The application can accommodate up to 6 letters of recommendation.

If an applicant wants to register their recommender who use Interfolio must use the  “interfolio.com" address. 

The recommendation form displayed for that recommender will not include the evaluation questions that previously prevented Interfolio submissions. These evaluation questions will continue to be displayed and required for all other recommenders.

Recommendation letters sent by the applicant are not accepted.

Waiving your right lets your recommender know that you do not intend to read the letter that he/she submits for your application. That, in turn, reassures your graduate program’s admission committee that your recommender has provided support that is candid and truthful. While you are free to respond as you wish, if you decline to waive your right, your recommender may decline to provide a letter.

If you decline to waive your right of access, you may review recommendations for your application only after you enroll as a student at Stanford, and then only to the extent that the information is maintained by the university.

Waiving Your FERPA Access Rights Once you are an enrolled student, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides you with a right of access to your education record, including letters of reference if they are retained by the school. The law also permits you to waive that right of access to your letters of reference if you so choose. Waiving your right of access to your letters of reference is optional; your decision to waive or retain that right will have no bearing on the handling of your application. The recommenders whom you notify will be able to see whether or not you have waived your FERPA right of access during the letter of reference submission process. You must waive or retain your rights of access to your letters of reference (using the online application system) before you invite recommenders to submit information for you.

Personal Statement

Please write a brief essay on the following subjects concerning you and your intended field of study:

• Your statement of purpose should identify personal and professional goals.
• It should also discuss your development to date and your intentions regarding graduate study and life beyond Stanford.

The admissions committee reads your statement of purpose with interest because, along with the letters of recommendation, it offers insight into who you are as an individual. Be sure to include your past work on relevant issues, research projects you have completed with faculty (with a faculty member who is writing a letter of reference for you), areas of research you're interested in and would like to pursue.  The statement of purpose should not exceed two pages, single-spaced.

(single or double spaced line spacing; 12pt font; 1 inch ( 2.54 cm) margins ).

Applicants can upload their resume/CV in the Experience section of the application.

If you have any academic or professional articles you've had published, including those you have recently submitted, you may wish to upload an abstract of your work in your application under the Additional Information section. For example: work on an  honors thesis, problem-sets, participation in hackathons, application innovator or developer competitions, etc.

You may use this section to provide additional information that was not covered by the questions in the application. Only one file can be uploaded at a time. To add more, click Continue below, then return to this page to see the option to add another file.

Application Submission

The online application fee is $125 for all applicants, both domestic and international. Some applicants may be eligible for an Application Fee Waiver .

The Statistics department does not have the ability to waive the application fee.

Please note that you may not edit your application after submission , with the following limited exceptions. You may update the following information on your status page after submitting your application:

• Recommenders
• Test scores
• Contact Information (email, phone, address)

By visiting the application status page , applicants may view their checklist and update the items listed above.

The admissions decisions for Statistics Masters applicants are sent out by the end of March. Notification is sent via email only. All decisions are final.

Deferrals are not granted automatically; requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Requests are never granted for more than one year.

Please contact the MS student services program officer if you have questions about requesting a deferral.

The information you provide in your application upon submission should reflect your current academic/professional standing. Supplementary documents provided after this deadline will not provide further benefit to your overall application and any requests for document upload will be denied.

Do not email, fax, or mail supplemental application materials to our office: we will not review these items. Please do not email the department administrative staff or its faculty questions or attachments. These emails will be discarded.

• copies of your passport or other visa related documents.
• financial documents; bank statements (personal or familial accounts)
• government documents pledging financial aid/support.
• photos of yourself.
• personal webpages.
• letters verifying your employment status.
• letters supporting/verifying employment or contractual work with a company/industry.

We are not able to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Yes, you must submit a complete application, pay the application fee, and submit new letters of recommendation and official copies of transcripts.

• ETS scores are kept on file for 5 years for the GRE and 20 months for the TOEFL.
• Graduate Admissions FAQs

Application materials, once submitted as part of your application, become the property of Stanford University. Materials will not be returned and copies will not be provided for applicants nor released to other institutions. For these reasons, it is a best practice to keep copies of submitted materials for your records.

Start your application at Stanford Graduate Admissions

• FindAMasters
• 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.

Find a Masters in Data Science

If you're interested in a studying Data Science, then why don't you check out our regularly updated catalogue of available Data Science Masters courses .

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

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 106,924 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

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

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.  

Related Articles:

How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation for Students (10 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Financial Aid Appeal Letter (13 PDF Sample Examples).

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

How To Write A Good Motivation Letter For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample LOI Example).

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How to Write an Outstanding Graduate School Personal Statement

Crafting a compelling graduate school personal statement can be challenging, but with these tips, you can create a strong, memorable application. Here's a structured guide to help you integrate these tips effectively into your personal statement:

Tips Before You Start Writing

1. Reflect on Your Experiences

• Spend some time thinking about your life, academic journey, and career goals.
• Identify the unique aspects of your background that have shaped your aspirations.

2. Authenticity

• Be genuine and honest in your writing.
• Highlight what makes you unique and how your experiences have influenced your decision to pursue this program.

3. Showcase Motivation

• Clearly articulate why you are passionate about your chosen field.
• Explain how the graduate program aligns with your long-term goals.

Structure of the Personal Statement

Introduction

• Start with a powerful anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a striking statement to capture the reader’s attention.
• Provide a glimpse of your personality and motivations.

Academic Journey

• Share your academic history, highlighting key achievements.
• Discuss how your background has led you to apply for this specific program.

Motivation and Goals

• Explain your reasons for pursuing the graduate program.
• Outline your short-term and long-term goals, showing how the program fits into your career plans.

Relevance of Experience

• Highlight the experiences, internships, or research projects relevant to the program.
• Connect these to the skills and knowledge you will bring to the graduate program.

Unique Qualities

• Discuss the unique qualities, skills, or attributes that set you apart from other applicants.
• Showcase what makes you a valuable addition to the program.
• Summarize your key points and reiterate your passion for the program.
• Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity and leave the reader with a memorable impression.

Tips for Writing

• Ensure your statement is well-structured, free of grammatical errors, and logically flowing.
• Seek feedback from peers or writing centers to enhance its quality.

Make an Impression

• Craft an engaging introduction and a strong conclusion to make a lasting impression.
• Admissions committees read numerous applications, so standing out from the beginning is crucial.

Final Thoughts

Authenticity and Motivation

Be true to yourself and showcase your genuine interest in the field.

Highlight Experiences

Connect your experiences to your future goals, showing you are well-prepared.

Convey Skills

Demonstrate your writing abilities and ensure your statement is polished.

Make your personal statement memorable from the start to the end.

By following this structured approach and incorporating these tips, you can craft a personal statement that effectively communicates your readiness and enthusiasm for graduate studies.

This article was created in partnership with UK Online.

Statistics personal statement example

• Reading time: 3 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 3rd July 2019
• Word count: 656 words
• File format: Text

A recently graduated student conducted a survey UCAS applicants and found that, on average it took a prospective student over 5 hours to write the first draft of their personal statement. A student’s personal statement has on average 850 words, 1 word every 21 seconds.

This link between statistics, humans and language is something that inspires me, I want to be 1 second faster on each word, to be only 4 hours for my draft, to be the best. 28 minutes 12 seconds.

In short I love structure and analysis. I appreciate working through problems and relating them to circumstances and situations in my life. This has encouraged many to suggest a career in law , where my strengths in debating and communication would allow me to fight with words. However this failed to acknowledge that law is the production of arguments relating to substantial evidence and precision.

Whereas I revel in the element of unpredictability of humans, with one student taking 12 hours staring blankly at their screen to complete their first draft whilst another finishes it in one sitting.

1 hour 3 minutes 19 seconds

These separate entities spiralling into confusion coexist in a fashion of uncertainty where the complexity of the human mind and the fabric of life create a puzzle of exactness. Each piece fitting together to create a picture of beauty and structure. This has driven me away from scientific principles and formulaic answers towards trying to understand society from a different perspective. I appreciate Sociology is not an exact science but the concepts are can still structured, analysed and argued in a formal manner.

Although my list of hobbies has become more focused with age their demands on my time has only grown. Despite my short stature rugby now dominants my free time with hours spent on the pitch and in the gym. Time management and organisation skills have become steadfast characteristics of my personality. Rugby has driven me to become a more determined, resilient and powerful person with the constant struggles of being the smallest only pushing me further.

2 hours 1 minute 4 seconds

The matter of build is not only a genetic one for me, my age is also an issue. I was born in Belgium and migrated to the Highlands, creating complications because of variances in the education system. I was thrown into primary education at the tender age of 4 and this small decision has completely altered me as a person. I started off on the back foot and I have grown up constantly tackling the adversity. It has made me become an independent and mature individual and motivate me to prove myself beyond my years.

My age however is a factor of life I cannot change. Although at a suitable educational standard for university I am very young compared to many of my peers and would like to begin my university life on an even par. Hence the reason for the deferred entry request.

Yet this time spent away from formal education will not be ill spent. I have the opportunity to join the Rugby coaching team and have the chance to participate in a course based around rugby at the University of the Highlands and Islands which will give me an insight into university life and keep my body and mind active.

3 hours 2 minutes 55 seconds

I consider myself to be an advanced communicator. Debating and Head Boy duties offered me many opportunities to speak throughout Scotland, even in Holyrood itself. I appreciate the importance of language and thought, understanding that used correctly language can persuade, anger a reader and illustrate many problems in our society.

3 hours 45 minutes 33 seconds

My analytical ability combined with strong language skills has assisted with the development of my mathematical prowess and stimulated my intellectual curiosity. I am proud of who I am as a person and how I conduct myself throughout life, I hold myself to high standards and strive to work to the best of my ability.

Thus 4 hours 18 minutes, 1 word every 18 seconds.

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Program Information

On this page, you will find information on how to apply for the Applied Statistics Master's program. For further information on the program, including funding, eligibility, and curriculum, please visit the Applied Statistics Master's Program page.

How To Apply

Rackham Graduate School and individual graduate programs work as a team to manage the application review process. Learn more about the process and admissions requirements, along with information on preparing your application here .

Applications must be submitted  online . Instructions are included on the  application website . If an applicant or recommender experiences technical difficulties while using the application or recommendation system, please contact  [email protected]  (allow 24 hours for a response).

Please review our  Frequently Asked Questions Page  for answers to specific questions regarding the application process. If you still have questions, you can submit questions to the  Rackham Admission Office.

Program code to use in the application:

• Code 00064 — Applied Statistics M.S.

Applications  for Fall admissions are due January 15 for the Applied Statistics Master's program. We do not accept applications for Winter admission. A completed application form and all supporting materials must be submitted by 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on January 15 to be considered for admission.

Application Checklist

• Application form
• Recommender names and email addresses
• Transcripts (scan of official or unofficial transcript)

Statement of Purpose

Personal statement.

• Resume or CV
• English Proficiency Exam scores (if applicable)

For additional details, please see Rackham's Checklist for Completing the Application Process . Do not send anything to the Department of Statistics. Materials sent directly to the Department by regular mail or email will not be reviewed with your application.

Application Requirements

Eligibility and background.

Applicants from various academic backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply. Applicants who have not completed an undergraduate major in statistics will not be penalized, but may need to enroll in some extra classes before taking the core courses necessary for a Master’s degree.

It is strongly recommended that prospective students have a good background in calculus and linear algebra and have taken at least one course each in: probability; theoretical statistics; and applied statistics, computational statistics, or machine learning. There is no formal GPA requirement; we use a holistic analysis of an applicant’s records.

You can review the University of Michigan’s course offerings at the LSA Course Catalog. To see the graduate level course offerings for the current (or previous) term, use the credit type drop down menu at the top of the page. 

Please also review Rackham Graduate School's minimum requirements to apply , and if relevant the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions . 

The  Graduate Record Examination  (GRE) is no longer required to apply for admission. Students who have taken the GRE may include the test result as additional information in their application if they wish. The GRE scores that we do receive play a minor and supporting role in a holistic evaluation of the application. If you wish to submit your GRE score, submit a request to ETS to send it directly to the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan code is 1839.  

Dates and places to take the examination may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service by creating a GRE account. The University of Michigan code for the GRE is 1839. The GRE scores are automatically added to applicant records as long as name and birth date can be matched. Applicants must request that their scores be sent to the University of Michigan using the code above, on the GRE website.

English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants who have completed all of their undergraduate education and earned an undergraduate degree at an institution where the language of instruction is English only are exempt from submitting English proficiency score reports. All current University of Michigan students are also exempt. 

Students from non-English speaking countries are required to demonstrate proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL exam). Please see Rackham’s English Proficiency Requirements for more information about tests that are accepted, minimum scores, how to submit your scores, and full details on exemptions.

Transcripts

All applicants should report their Grade Point Average (GPA) on page 5 of the online application. The GPA should be reported using a standard U.S. four point scale. Applicants who attended an institution outside the United States should follow the instructions to convert their international average grade point to a U.S. four point GPA (see "How to Convert Grades to a U.S. GPA" here ). All students are responsible for reporting their GPA using a standard U.S. four point scale. 

A scanned/electronic copy of the official transcript will be used for initial review by our admissions committee.  You will be required to have your official transcript sent to the Rackham Graduate School only if you are recommended for admission; please see  Instructions for Submitting Transcripts .  Be sure to include your  University of Michigan ID number  on all documents.  If there is anything you wish to explain about your transcript, please do so in the Statement of Purpose.

Letters of Recommendation (3 Required)

Three (3) letters of recommendation in support of the student's application must be submitted. The admissions committee puts great weight on concrete letters of recommendation from people who are in a position to judge your potential for successfully completing graduate studies in statistics. To write the letters, you should select people who can tell us about your training and abilities, and about any special talents you might have. Recommenders must complete their recommendations online. When the applicant registers the recommenders' names in CollegeNet, an email is automatically sent with a link to enter the recommendation online. Please see  Instructions for Submitting Online Letters of Recommendations .

The Statement of Purpose gives you an opportunity to tell us about yourself and your reasons for wishing to pursue a graduate degree in statistics at Michigan. You should tell us about your background, motivating influences for studying statistics, and your career goals and objectives. If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program elsewhere, you should tell us why you wish to change institutions or degree programs.

How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. The personal statement has a 500 word limit and should be different from your academic statement of purpose.

Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Submit your curriculum vitae or resume that describes your education, work experience, research and teaching experience, professional affiliations, volunteer activity and community engagements, honors and awards.

• Application Fee

There is a non-refundable application fee, subject to change:

• United States citizens and those with permanent resident visa status — $75
• Non-U.S. Citizens — $90

Applications received without fees will not be processed. The application fee is paid online with a credit card before the application is submitted. 

Applicants who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents or have DACA status may be eligible for a fee waiver. First, please  review the options through our Rackham Graduate School . If you do not qualify for any of these programs but need financial assistance in order to apply, please complete this form . There may be a limited number of fee waivers available through the department. Requests for fee waivers must be received by January 5. Waivers must be granted prior to submission of application; applicants cannot be reimbursed if they have already paid the fee. Unfortunately, application fee waivers are not available for international students. 

Financial Considerations

Cost of the MS in Applied Statistics is the student’s responsibility. You will be responsible for tuition at in-state or out-of-state rates, living expenses, and health care. See the Rackham Graduate School’s website for funding available to Masters students.

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• Other Helpful Information about Funding
• General Information for International Students

How to Check Your Application Status

You can check your application status on the University of Michigan  Wolverine Access  website. If you are new to the university, do not create your friend account until you submit your application and are notified through email confirming your submission and U-M ID number. Enter your email address into the  Friend Account Request Form . Follow the instructions in the confirmation email to log into  Wolverine Access  > New and Prospective Student Business to create your Friend Account. You will need to enter your UMID and birthdate. For more instructions, see the  Information and Technology Services website.

Current University of Michigan Rackham Graduate Students

The Master’s of Science in Applied Statistics dual degree program is restricted to students who are already enrolled in a Rackham graduate program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It is a dual degree earned while a student is working towards a graduate degree in another field. Applicants must have completed one term of a Rackham graduate program and should have a reasonable background in calculus, linear algebra, introductory probability, and introductory statistics. Evaluation of the applications will be made relative to the other applications to the Master’s of Applied Statistics program.

To apply, applicants should complete Rackham's online dual admission application, found  here . The program code for the MS in Statistics is 00064. Please note that applicants must complete the  Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission  and obtain a signature of approval from the authorized signer in their current graduate program before they apply. Applicants will be required to upload the completed and signed Pre-Approval Form in the online application. For more information on the process and requirements to apply for dual admission, please visit  https://rackham.umich.edu/admissions/current-and-former-rackham-students/ .

Required Application Components

• A curriculum vitae or resume, an academic statement of purpose, and undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Applicants should upload these items to the online application.
• The  completed Pre-Approval Form for Dual Admission . Applicants will be required to upload this form to the online application.
• A letter of recommendation from the applicant's home program director. A letter of recommendation should be submitted by the recommender using  this form . Letters submitted by students will not be accepted. Note: the letter of recommendation should support the student's application and certify that the student is making good progress with their home Master's program.

The deadline for Winter admission to the Applied Statistics dual Master’s program is December 1. The deadline for Fall admission to the Applied Statistics dual Master’s program is April 1. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

Students interested in a Master’s degree in Statistics who are currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan, and whose Ph.D. thesis at Michigan involves a significant statistical component, should apply to the  Master of Arts in Statistics degree program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please review our FAQ for Prospective Students page  to learn more about other criteria, including the academic background recommended to be successful in this program. If you have further questions, contact the Applied Masters Program Coordinator at [email protected].

Rackham Student Life Website

Rackham's graduate student life website  has information about housing, health care, transportation, child care, and so on.

Note: All credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of the University of Michigan and will not be returned in original or copy form.

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I invite you to fill out my I nterview Form at this link. Even if you have a draft, the information on the interview form is often helpful and serves as the basis for me to make creative improvements to the statement. I spend more time with the statement for my premium service customers at US$299.00 ; this is especially true when it comes to making major contributions to creative ideas. My standard service at US$199.00 is for clients who already have a well-developed draft that they need to have tweaked. My premium service is for those clients who want my ultimate effort and further revision after making changes. 

All samples publshed on this website are anonymous and at least two years old.

• Sep 28, 2021

Statistics Master's Personal Purpose Statement Example

Updated: Apr 17

I am applying to the Master’s Degree Program in Statistics at XXXX University. I hope to make research in Statistics the focus of my career because I enjoy modeling real-world situations with math and interpreting data to make rational decisions that enhance efficiency. I want to be a data scientist at the service of the business community because I very much enjoy how data drives decision-making. I appreciate the certainty and honesty of data, which helps compensate, as I see it, for the uncertainty associated with human behavior. My undergraduate projects, experience as a volunteer, and my great passion for this field confirm this interest.

Data analysis is attractive because it is like an adventure, where hidden treasure maps await my discovery. I I adore Statistics because it is a powerful tool that enables me to dig deep in search of information and patterns. One of the projects I conducted was establishing a regression model to predict SAT scores for fifty states in the U.S. Alaska has the highest leverage because it has the highest state values for income and expenditures. Furthermore, because of the tremendous importance of the studentized residual and cook’s distance, Alaska is quite different from the other states. Therefore, I considered Alaska an outlier and removed it from the data set. However, even with Alaska removed, the plot for residuals versus leverage indicated that the states Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oregon are also outliers. The project also involves Mallow’s Cp and adjusted R square to determine the best model. However, these methods only reveal a corner of the data set depending on the questions. I want to be equipped with a more advanced capacity for exploration.

I see Statistics as a vehicle for making a human contribution – and to as many people as possible simultaneously. I have been volunteering with Matheo as a data analyst. My team was assigned to investigate whether our program influenced students' math test performance. We wanted to establish a model to predict their scores with a given norm and compare them with their actual scores. However, I realized the limitations of my current statistics knowledge and data analysis skills to solve these problems; both the linear regression model and the interpolation methods I have learned from the numerical analysis courses were excessively extrapolated. Even though the issue has been resolved by the conditional growth index provided by the test institution, it would have been more effective and efficient if I could analyze such a large amount of semi-structured or unstructured data with my current knowledge of statistics and data science.

Since finishing my undergraduate studies, I have continued to mature professionally and prepare myself for graduate school. I have learned SQL and became certified in Google Analytics in this area. I am also taking an online course at Udemy on machine learning data analysis. These experiences have enhanced my interest in data mining and machine learning, especially concerning their relevance to Statistics. I look forward to studying in your program: the core theoretical courses, Probability Theory, Statistical Methods and Research, Big Data, and High-Performance Statistical Computing. I will find my most complete fulfillment in helping others by sharing the analytical skills that I hope to gain because of completing your program. I am convinced that the most significant contribution I can make to my society is in Statistics.

If admitted to the program, it would be a special honor to study under Dr. XXXX, an expert in statistical programming, who would help me appreciate how much technology changes our lives. Since my goal is education, Dr. XXXX is also most qualified in statistical education to represent my ideal mentor.

I am committed to success in the master's program in Statistics at the University of California, XXXX. While I love business and profoundly enjoy helping small businesses prosper, I will always hold a fondness in my heart for academic applications of data science. I may decide to put this aspect of my studies at the center of my career. Upon obtaining my master’s degree, I want to use my knowledge to help organizations and cities become more prepared and effective, eventually devoting myself entirely to education or educational analysis.

Thank you for considering my application to Statistics at the University of California, XXXX.

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• Graduate Studies

Applications

Applications for Autumn 2025 may be submitted online at the Graduate School Application website. We ONLY accept applications for Autumn quarter. Application instructions, including how to apply electronically, are posted at  Application for Graduate Admission . 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Department of Statistics believes diversity is integral to the well-being of our programs in particular and the field of statistics in general.

We welcome applicants with varied cultural and personal experiences, from varying socio-economic and academic backgrounds, and of differing racial identities, ages, gender identities and sexual orientations.

We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that combines academic rigor with hands-on training in a supportive, socially responsible and inclusive environment that offers access and opportunity for all.

As part of our commitment to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession, students and postdocs in the Department of Statistics offer a Pre-Application Review Service (PARS) to help applicants to Ph.D. programs (either at UW or any other programs) develop more competitive applications.  This program is separate from our Ph.D. admission process.  You can find more information about PARS here .

Important Dates

• *Please be aware that our application system operates on the US Eastern Time Zone, which means the time displayed in your application may be 3 hours later than the current time in Seattle/Pacific Standard Time). All applications submitted by the deadline and marked as received by the following day at 2:59 a.m. Eastern Time will be considered acceptable.
• December 16, 2024 (11:59 p.m. U.S. Pacific Standard Time) - Letters of recommendation have a two-week grace period beyond the application deadline for submission. Kindly urge your recommenders to submit the letters at their earliest convenience to ensure the completeness of your application.
• March 1, 2024 - Accepted Ph.D. applicants will be invited to attend the Department's Visit Day. This will provide an opportunity to learn about the campus, meet the faculty, staff, and students, learn more about the academic program, and about living in Seattle, by interacting with students, staff and faculty.
• April 15, 2025 - Part-time and Concurrent M.S. applications deadline for Autumn 2025. 
• December 30, 2024- Full-time fee-based Statistics Master's applications deadline for Autumn 2025 admissions.

Applying as an M.S. or Ph.D. student

The following materials are required for applications to both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs:

• Online application and payment of $90 non-refundable application fee. A limited number of waivers , typically aimed at facilitating applications from low income students, are available
• Online submission of resume/vitae
• Online submission of Statement of Purpose
• Online submission of unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Online submission of three letters of recommendation

The following materials are required for all international and immigrant status applicants - including transfer applicants - whose native language is not English:

• Online submission of official TOEFL score or IELTS (7.0 minimum) score (institution code 4854). Further details of which applicants need to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores can be found under the English Language Requirements section below

The following materials are optional for all applications to both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs:

• Optional: online submission of Personal History Statement
• Optional: GRE Mathematics Subject Test .  Please note that the Department of Statistics does not use the GRE General Test in its admissions process.

The following materials are optional for all applications to the Ph.D. program only:

• Optional: online submission of Funding Needs Survey, if financial assistance is desired.

ALL MATERIALS (INCLUDING TRANSCRIPTS) SHOULD BE SUBMITTED ONLINE. Please do NOT mail any materials to the department unless you are unable to submit them online.

If you would like to be considered for the Ph.D. and the full-time M.S. program, please submit separate applications by the respective application deadlines.

If you have further questions, the  Stat admissions FAQ  may be of help, or your questions may be answered below.

Special instructions for applicants to the part-time/concurrent M.S. program

Students interested in the part-time/concurrent M.S. should contact the department advising office at  [email protected] before submitting an application through the Graduate School portal.

Students applying to the part-time M.S. program are expected to have previously enrolled in the Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM program),  completed STAT 512 and STAT 513, and taken the M.S. Theory Exam before their application to the M.S. program is considered. If accepted into the M.S. programs, the credits for STAT 512 and STAT 513 taken under the GNM can be transferred.

Students applying to the concurrent M.S. program are expected to have taken STAT 512, STAT 513, and the M.S. Theory Exam before their application to the M.S. program is considered.  Typically, only students whose main program is a terminal graduate degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) are considered for the concurrent Statistics M.S.

Details on the Components of an Application

Statement of purpose.

The Statement of Purpose is an opportunity to share information with the Admissions Committee that supplements and contextualizes your other application materials. The Statement of Purpose should be a concise, well-written essay briefly discussing:

• Reasons you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in Statistics
• Reasons you may have for applying to our program specifically
• Your preparation for the field of study in Statistics
• What area(s) of research interests you
• Any research experience you have actively participated in that has influenced your career choice
• Your career plans
• Any other information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and qualifications for graduate study in our department

The information in the Statement of Purpose should supplement rather than repeat the information that is in your resume / vitae and in your transcripts. The best Statements of Purpose tell a coherent story about who you are and who you want to be as a professional.

The recommended length for the Statement of Purpose is one to two pages.

Letters of recommendation

All applicants should arrange to have three letters of recommendation submitted online.  Letters of recommendation provide insight into abilities, strengths, and weaknesses that cannot be reflected in grades and test scores alone. You should select referees who know your work well and will write a frank and detailed letter of appraisal of you and of your likely success in our graduate statistics program. Letters that speak to your mathematical or statistical abilities, any special experience that you might have (in statistical applications, for example), or your potential for research are particularly welcome.

Choose the people who will write letters of recommendation for you with care and observe the protocols of courtesy by letting them know that you will submit their contact information with their permission.  Please also remember to inform your recommenders that the department's deadline to receive supplemental materials is the same as the application deadline.  After you submit their contact information, your referees will receive an email including the recommendation deadline, information pertaining to your right of access to view recommendations, and a link for submitting a recommendation.

Personal History Statement

The University of Washington is invested in recruiting a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. The Personal History Statement is an optional opportunity to provide additional context about your experiences as they relate to diversity, inclusion, and equity. For example, this statement might discuss your experience(s) as an individual from a traditionally underrepresented group in higher education; your perspective on issues related to diversity, inclusion, and equity; or any topics related to these themes. The Personal History Statement also provides an opportunity for you to discuss any personal hardships that you might have faced and overcome during your academic journey, to explain any aspect of your application that you might wish to elucidate, and to provide any additional details about your background and interests that might help the committee evaluate your application.

Please note that the Personal History Statement is not required. Also, the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose. The Admissions Committee understands that it might be hard to separate your personal history from other factors that might affect your career plans and/or research interests that you are expected to cover in the Statement of Purpose. When writing your statements, please keep in mind that the Committee will be reading both documents in parallel and will be using the information in them to understand you as a person, as well as the context of your application. The information in the Personal History Statement may also be used in aggregate to report to funding agencies and in applications for funding opportunities for eligible students.

The recommended length for the Personal History Statement is one page.

The department does not require the submission of any GRE test scores.  Scores in the GRE General Test are not used at all by our department in making admission decisions to our programs.  GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores are optional, and can be used by students to demonstrate a level of skill in mathematics that exceeds what could be inferred from other application materials.  However, not submitting GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores does not have a negative effect on an applicant's chances of being admitted into our graduate programs.

Official Transcripts

International applicants.

When you receive notification that you have been recommended for admission by our graduate program, you must then submit official transcripts and additional application materials to the Graduate School.  Please refer to the Official Transcript Requirements page for details.

Domestic Applicants

When you accept your formal offer of admission, you must then provide an official final degree transcript to the Graduate School.  Please refer to the Official Transcript Requirements page for details.

English Language Requirements

To be admitted into the program, all international and immigrant status applicants - including transfer applicants - whose native language is not English are required by the Graduate School to take the  Test of English as a Foreign Language  (TOEFL).  Please review the Graduate School's Policy 3.2  for more details about the UW's English language proficiency requirements.  Students who want to be considered for Teaching Assistantships (TA) also need to satisfy the requirements of the Graduate School's Policy 5.2 , which are more stringent than those for admission.

Recommendation: Each year, our program can only accept an extremely limited number of Ph.D. students who do not meet the TA eligibility requirements laid out in the Graduate School's Policy 5.2  at the time of their application. A minimum score of 26 on the speaking section of the TOEFL is one of them. Therefore, to enhance your prospects of admission, it is advisable to ensure TA eligibility before applying. We recommend that those planning to apply start preparing for the TOEFL test, especially the Speaking section, at least nine months prior to the Ph.D. admissions deadline. It's also suggested to complete the TOEFL test by July of the year you intend to apply.

Application Fee Waiver

The University of Washington can waive application fees under some circumstances .  Eligibility for this waiver is determined based on financial need or by participation in the McNair Scholars or PPIA Fellows program.  Unfortunately, applicants studying on F or J visas are not eligible for these application fee waivers.

Ph.D. applicants who do not qualify for a waiver from the university can request an application fee waiver from the Department of Statistics. An application fee waiver request should be submitted to the department at least (14) days before the posted application deadline. To apply for a Ph.D. application fee waiver, please submit your request to  [email protected] . The request should include a brief justification, a discussion of whether a waiver request was previously submitted to the university (and its outcome), and an unofficial transcript.  Your request will be reviewed by the Statistics Graduate Program. A notification will be sent to you via email.

If you have any further questions, or if you intend to visit the campus, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to meet with you and to answer your questions. The  Stat admissions FAQ  may answer some questions you have about the application process. Otherwise please address them to the following:

• Ph.D. inquiries –  [email protected]
• M.S. (full-time) inquiries –  [email protected]
• M.S. (part-time/concurrent) inquiries –  [email protected]

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• Mathematics personal statements

Mathematics with statistics degree personal statement example (1a)

Mathematics and Statistics have interested me all my life and the latter in particular is a large part of my life and my way of thinking. I think mathematics is a most interesting subject. It is amazing that a series of simple numeric characters represent most of the problems in the world. I fell in love with mathematics when I was a young pupil, I selected the right formula and did some simple computational processes and I arrived at the correct answer. I have chosen to study mathematics and statistics at university because I am really addicted to it. I can use mathematics to solve a variety of difficult problems by dividing the problem into smaller parts, then solving each part one by one using logical processes, to achieve the final solution. I think this mode of mathematical thinking is very useful in real life as well, because it can be used to simplify challenging problems.

Statistics as a subject is needed in order to analyse, organise and research data. We can use statistics to work out and analyse if a proposal is going to be successful or not. Statistics is another reason why I am so interested in mathematics. If pure math is abstract, statistics is much closer to our life. We use data to enable an analysis of different views which is likely to lead to an informed decision. Thus important decisions can be made from statistical research. For example a doctor may consider using a new drug instead of an older one, having set up null and alternative hypotheses and testing a sample statistic doctors can make an informed choice based on statistical analysis. If I use statistics, to arrive at a decision it is achieved in a more logical way. I like to explore football statistics and analyse the different player’s performance. For example, what percentage of shots on target does Rooney manage each match?

When I have free time, I like to research the formulae in my school syllabus and explore the historical roots of how someone came up with these. For example, the ‘Stirling formula’, in which Stirling discovered how to work out the natural logarithm of a huge factorial number.

During my work experience for a charity organisation last summer, I had to develop my communication skills when collecting money from people on the street. In addition I was asked to visit the elderly and housebound in their homes, particularly in a situation, when there were few members of their own family. I am able to maintain a good work-life balance by regularly playing sport; football and badminton. The social and physical challenges have helped me to improve my communication skills.

I also enjoy the team aspects of sport, while keeping fit. I am a keen member of a table tennis club and played in the Suffolk tournaments. This experience enables me to meet many professional players, which gives me a breadth of insight into life outside school. Life at school offers me many opportunities which I am able to take up, such as being a member of the Maths Challenge competition. This requires fast mental skills for working out the different questions. It trains my brain and I can put into practice some aspects of A Level Statistics. In addition, I was chosen to be a boarding prefect this year. I am required to share the pastoral responsibility for the male boarders, alongside staff members. This involves me in meeting numerous boarders, who regularly share concerns and joyful events in their lives. Through this experience I have grown more tolerant of people and different cultures.

I hope to use the statistical knowledge for my future as a statistics researcher, where I may work in a survey company which collects data and interprets it. By analysing the mixed data I would enable the company to improve its profit. My aim would be to make the data more organised and reach a satisfactory conclusion. I am really looking forward to university life and to contributing and participating in many aspects of life there, in addition to developing my knowledge and engaging in lively discussions.

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Tips for Writing Your Master of Legal Studies Personal Statement

By Miami Law Blog Contributor 07-25-2024

Applying to a Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) program is an excellent first step in advancing your legal knowledge in your respective field. Each M.L.S. program sets its own requirements for application and admittance—yet for any graduate-level program, it is common for a personal statement to be required as part of any application.

Read on for practical tips to integrate into your statement, along with common mistakes to avoid.

Understanding the Importance of Your Personal Statement

A personal statement refers to an essay that is typically required as part of a college or graduate program application (most often for advanced degree programs).

The Role of the   Personal Statement   in Your Application

Personal statements give applicants a unique opportunity to share additional information about themselves that may not already be reflected in their academic transcripts, resumes, or other application materials. In advanced degree programs where spots may be limited, a personal statement could make or break an application.

Preparing to Write Your M.L.S. Personal Statement

As you prepare to write your personal statement, there are a few steps that can make the writing process as easy as possible.

Gathering Necessary Information and Resources

Start by collecting any specific information, resources, or documents you may need to write your M.L.S. personal statement accurately. This is especially essential if you plan on referring to your academic transcripts, awards received, or other formal documents in your text.

Identifying Your Unique Qualities and Experiences

Compelling personal statements tend to be ones that communicate an applicant's distinct experiences and qualities. With this in mind, it is useful to set aside time for self-reflection before you start writing. Specifically, consider the personality traits you have that might make you a good fit for the program. In addition, think about any examples of life experiences that you may want to incorporate into your essay.

Tips for a Successful Personal Statement for Legal Studies

As you begin crafting your Master of Legal Studies personal statement, keep in mind some best practices to help your essay stand out from the dozens (or hundreds) of essays your admissions committee will be reading.

Start With an Outline

When writing any kind of important document, it is wise to start with a  detailed outline  that includes your thesis, your main points, and any supporting evidence (such as real-world examples or stories). Once you have a solid outline, you may find it considerably easier to start writing.

Be Authentic and Honest

One of the most crucial characteristics of any successful personal statement is authenticity. While there iss nothing wrong with highlighting your strengths and even bragging a bit, you want to avoid dishonesty or anything that might come off as less than genuine.

Highlight Your Interest in Legal Studies

One of the main reasons many M.L.S. programs require a personal statement is because in the first place, the admissions committee wants to truly get to know applicants and what interests them in a legal studies program. Therefore, it is critical to clearly communicate why you want to pursue an M.L.S. degree, whether it is to expand your knowledge in a specific area or advance your career.

Demonstrate Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills

Completing an M.L.S. program requires a great deal of critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You can demonstrate how you possess these skills in your personal statement by sharing specific stories or examples of situations where you have been required to think outside of the box or make an important, calculated decision.

Avoid Common Pitfalls and Cliches

There are certain phrases and tropes that M.L.S. admissions committees have probably seen in personal statements hundreds of times already, so it is ideal to avoid these in your writing. Try to ensure every sentence is truly unique and not something you would find in other essays—or that could be easily upstaged by other applicants. A few examples of content and cliches to avoid could include:

• Discussing legal topics or issues that might be controversial.
• Focusing too much on the external world or other people instead of your own goals and experiences.
• Starting with a quote, statistic, abstract question, or anything else that directs the attention away from you .
• Leaning too heavily into sharing personal hardships (particularly cliches like a sports injury) to prove how you have overcome struggles.
• Pulling from scenarios in the distant past (such as how you learned to be a team player in high school extracurriculars or opening with, “My passion for legal matters began at a young age…”)

Showcase Your Unique Experience

Everybody has something different to bring to the table, but your admissions committee will not understand the scope of your personal experience unless you address it in your personal statement. If you have relevant work experience, a background in legal education, or something else that sets you apart, be sure to weave it into your M.L.S. personal statement.

Emphasize Your Motivation for Pursuing a Master of Legal Studies

People have various motivations for obtaining an M.L.S. degree. Your personal statement is your chance to highlight your own reasons for wanting to pursue this degree. Remember that your reasoning should not be all about  you , so it can be useful to consider how earning your M.L.S. might help others or even contribute to the field as a whole.

Highlight Your Academic Achievements

Even if your academic achievements are already covered in an academic transcript, resume, or other application materials, your M.L.S. personal statement can be an opportunity to succinctly call out anything noteworthy or particularly relevant that might not be immediately apparent in those documents. Ideally, you can connect these achievements to a personal story or anecdote in your essay.

Incorporate Your Future Goals

Take time to reflect on your short- and long-term goals as well as how obtaining an M.L.S. degree may help you pursue those goals. This is something you'll also want to cover in your personal statement, most likely toward the end of the document.

Be Open to Feedback from Peers

One of the best things you can do when creating your personal statement is to get feedback from peers. After you have finished your first draft, do not hesitate to ask family members, mentors, or trusted friends to read through your essay and make comments. This can be an excellent way to gain and incorporate valuable feedback that could strengthen your essay even more.

Take the Time to Proofread

Even with built-in spell checkers in most word processing software today, it is still crucial to actually read through your essay and do your own proofreading before submitting your personal statement. A helpful rule of thumb is to read through the document twice: The first time, read it out loud to check for flow and grammatical errors. The second time,  read it backwards  to better spot typos and misspellings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you work on your personal statement for your M.L.S., you’ll also want to make note of some errors to avoid.

Being Too Vague or Generic

In many cases, your personal statement is your one opportunity to really make your application stand out—so make sure to avoid language that is overly vague or generic. Instead, refer to specific life experiences and the unique qualities you would carry into a graduate-level program.

Overloading on Legal Jargon

As tempting as it may be to flaunt your knowledge of legal jargon in your Master of Legal Studies personal statement, remember that the admissions committee members reading your essay might  not  be in the legal field. With this in mind, it is best to stick with simple language regarding the law. There is nothing wrong with incorporating a few common legal terms here and there, but this is not the time to overdo it with the terminology.

Ignoring the Prompt or Instructions

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make when crafting a personal statement is ignoring the prompt and going in their own direction. Oftentimes, writing prompts will include specific questions to answer or topics to address. Failing to closely adhere to the prompt may demonstrate to your admissions committee that you are not detail-oriented or do not follow directions carefully.

How Long Should My Personal Statement Be?

Generally speaking, most personal statements should be at least a page or 500 words long, but this will all depend on your program's specific guidelines regarding word counts, page limits, spacing, and font sizes.

How Do I Start My Personal Statement?

The best way to start a personal statement is with a "hook," or something that will capture your readers' attention and interest. Many applicants find success beginning their essays with a personal anecdote, a question, or even a surprising fact.

What Topics Should I Avoid in My Personal Statement?

Try to steer clear of any taboo topics that might stir up controversy (e.g., politics and religion), as you never know who might be reading your essay. Additionally, avoid discussing personal struggles that lack a clear, relevant resolution or lesson. Lastly, do not include information that is redundant with skills, accomplishments, or credentials already clearly listed on your resume or transcripts; put a spin on it so you are sharing a personal story, insight, or competency that the reader could not glean from your application elsewhere.

How Can I Make My Personal Statement Stand Out?

There are plenty of ways to set your personal statement apart from other essays, such as incorporating personal anecdotes and experiences while tying them back to your motivation for applying. The more creative yet authentic you remain, the more memorable and compelling your essay will be to the admissions committee reading it.

Ready to Apply for a Master of Legal Studies Program?

Ultimately, writing an M.L.S. personal statement is all about reflecting upon why you are interested in the program and what might set you apart from other applicants. By following the above tips and best practices, you will be in better shape when it comes time to write your personal statement for legal studies.

Are you seeking the right  online Master of Legal Studies  degree program for you? Learn more about the University of Miami School of Law's  online M.L.S. curriculum  with tracks in human resources, cybersecurity, finance, and more—then get started with your online  application  today.

https://admissions.law.miami.edu/academics/mls/

https://admissions.law.miami.edu/academics/mls/curriculum/

https://lifehacker.com/think-backwards-when-proofreading-your-writing-for-spel-1793189994

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