research statement vs personal statement

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

Gre prep online guides and tips, statement of purpose vs personal statement: the 2 big differences.

Applying to grad school means having to write a killer statement. This statement can be either a statement of purpose or a personal statement (or both, as we’ll explain later). But what exactly is the difference between these two types of essays?

In this guide to the statement of purpose vs personal statement, we take an in-depth look at the unique purposes of the grad school statement of purpose and personal statement, how the two essays are different and alike, and what you can do to ensure you produce an essay that’s guaranteed to get you into grad school.

What’s the Difference Between a Personal Statement and a Statement of Purpose?

First off, what is the main difference between a statement of purpose and a personal statement for grad school?

The short answer is that a statement of purpose is about what you want to do, while a personal statement is about who you are. Each essay has its own goals in what it’s supposed to do for you and the program you’re applying to.

Whereas the statement of purpose showcases your academic strengths and background, career goals, research interests, and fit with the program, the personal statement highlights your personal motivations for applying to the program and any major accomplishments you’ve had or challenges you’ve faced along the way.

In spite of these big differences, both statements essentially serve the same overarching purpose: to make the admissions committee think you are a good fit and will be successful in the program to which you’re applying.

Here’s a brief overview of the biggest differences between a personal statement and a statement of purpose:

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

Statement of Purpose vs Personal Statement: Which Do You Need to Write?

Now that you know the main difference between a personal statement and a statement of purpose, which one will you have to actually write for your grad school applications?

The answer to this question depends on what documents your school requires and how it defines the two types of essays.

While some grad schools, such as  Michigan State University and the UC system , clearly distinguish between the two essays and require two separate statements for admission, other schools don’t distinguish at all between the personal statement and statement of purpose. In fact, many grad programs use the terms interchangeably!

Meanwhile, some grad schools combine qualities from both statements into one comprehensive statement.  Notre Dame’s Creative Writing MFA program , for instance, requires an essay that’s really a combination of the personal statement and statement of purpose: it asks applicants to talk about their future academic and professional goals as well as any personal aspects of their identity that influence their writing.

Generally, most grad programs will require at least one essay. For research-based programs, this will likely be the more academic, more formal statement of purpose.

To figure out which essay you’ll need to write for your program (and whether you’ll need to write more than one), check the program’s official website. You should be able to find details on either the program’s application requirements page or the application itself.  I also advise checking the FAQ page to see whether anyone has asked a question about the program’s essay requirements.

If you’re still confused about what your grad school admissions essay should focus on and/or what type of essay you’re required to write for your application, contact the program directly by email or phone.

How to Approach the Statement of Purpose vs Personal Statement: 11 Tips

In light of these major differences between the personal statement and statement of purpose, it’s important that you also know the differences in how you approach each essay.

In this section, we give you our top tips for how to write a truly effective and compelling personal statement and statement of purpose for grad school. We also give you some general tips you can use for both essays.

How to Write a Statement of Purpose

We’ll start with the statement of purpose—the more formal, more academic essay.

Tip 1: Consider Your Future Goals

Most statements of purpose will require you to introduce your future goals (academic, professional, or both) and describe how this particular program will help you achieve these goals. Therefore, it’s important that you clearly lay out in your essay the ambitions you have, and explain how these relate to the field you want to enter and the program to which you’re applying.

Think deeply about what you hope this grad program will do for you, academically and/or professionally. For example, if you’re applying for a master’s program in computer science, you could talk about how you plan to leave your career as a real estate agent to become a freelance web developer.

Make sure that you also explain why this program in particular will help you. Perhaps you enjoy the grad program’s emphasis on internships and believe these will let you more easily enter the professional world upon graduation, for example.

Tip 2: Research the Program and Its Professors

You likely already did some research on the program—why else would you be applying?—but it’s important to dig even deeper so you can write about specific aspects of the program that interest you.

Here are some examples of features you could write about:

• Professors with whom you wish to work
• Certain classes you hope to take
• Internships, networking events, and/or other professionally oriented events offered by the program or school
• The program’s emphasis on a certain topic, idea, or skill
• Any other attributes of the program, such as its small class sizes, its emphasis on group projects, its contests or competitions in your field, etc.

Note that it’s best NOT to mention these things in your essay:

• The program’s selectivity or acceptance rate
• The program’s ranking

The best way to begin research on your program is to simply look at the program’s official website. This should give you all the information you need on what the program requires, what it focuses on, what types of students it’s geared toward, and so on.

I also recommend visiting websites such as The Grad Cafe and Reddit . With these websites, you can get the inside scoop by reading what real students have to say about the program you’re applying to.

Tip 3: Explain How You’re a Good Match

Grad programs must make sure that the applicants they admit will be able to study what they want to research and will fit well with the program’s overall focus and its faculty members’ areas of expertise.

This point is especially important for those applying to doctoral programs, since you’re most likely going to be working one-on-one with a specific faculty member on a major research project or dissertation.

Here are some things you can write about in your statement of purpose to highlight your “fit” with the program:

• A professor whose research areas and expertise align with your research interests, background, and/or skills
• The academic or professional focus of the program and how this matches your future goals (see Tip 1)

For example, maybe you hope to work with a professor whose research areas match the general topic you want to write about for your dissertation.

Tip 4: Emphasize Your Accomplishments

The statement of purpose isn’t just for explaining your goals and fit but also for talking about your (relevant) academic and professional accomplishments.

You don’t want to repeat what’s already on your undergraduate transcript or CV/resume, so try to be extremely specific  here about what you’ve done and how this achievement has influenced your decision to get a graduate degree in this field.

How to Write a Personal Statement

Now that we’ve covered how to write a statement of purpose, let’s look at how your approach might differ for the personal statement.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

Tip 5: Tell a Story

Since the personal statement is less formal and more personal, you’ll want to ensure you’re telling a compelling story. In other words, you have more free rein to be creative with the personal statement than you do with the statement of purpose.

The personal statement is the one part of your grad school application where you can really flex your creative muscles. For instance, you don’t need to stick with the conventional chronological format (though there’s nothing wrong with this, of course).

A good way to show off your creativity is to use a variety of literary techniques , from imagery and metaphors to dialogue and colloquialisms. It’s also OK to write a little less formally than you would in a statement of purpose. So go ahead and tell that joke, or share that eccentric story!

Just be careful to not go overboard with informalities,  and make sure you’re still clearly presenting yourself as a serious applicant who is an ideal fit for the program.

Tip 6: Focus On Your Personal Motivations

Since the personal statement allows you to be a bit more personal than the statement of purpose does, it’s best to use this space to focus more on your own personal reasons for developing an interest in this field and applying to this grad program specifically.

Take time to consider what motivated you to apply to grad school and to continue schooling in this particular field. Don’t just focus on grad school in general but on the specific program you are applying to. What initially drew you to this program and at this time?

Tip 7: Explain Any Weaknesses/Challenges You’ve Overcome

You can also use your grad school personal statement to discuss any major weaknesses in your application or any challenges or barriers you’ve overcome in recent years. These can be personal struggles with things such as your career, school, health, money, etc.

For example, maybe your undergraduate GPA wasn’t that high your freshman year because you struggled with living away from home and not knowing anyone at your college. In your personal statement, you could discuss how joining your school’s badminton team helped you make friends and more easily adjust to college life.

Regardless of the challenge you write about,  put a positive spin on it. This will prove to the grad admissions committee that you’re able to overcome challenges on your own and can push forward to be successful.

General Tips for Both the Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement

In this final section, we give you some general tips you can use for both grad school statements.

Tip 8: Read the Instructions Carefully

The #1 most important rule for any statement for grad school is that you follow all the instructions for the essay.  Specifically, this means you should do the following:

• Answer the prompt and all the questions in it —some prompts won’t require you to answer every single question it asks, though it’s best to answer most if you can
• Adhere to the length requirements —most grad school essays will give you either a word limit (e.g., 500 words) or a page limit (e.g., two to three double-spaced pages), so don’t go over this!
• Include any information the program requires you to put on each page of your essay —this will most likely be your full name and might also include the document type, page number, etc.

If you have any questions about the requirements for your personal statement or statement of purpose, contact the grad program directly to ask.

Tip 9: Use Specific Details

In any essay you write, it’s important to be as specific as possible. And in a grad school personal statement and statement of purpose, it’s critical that you  include the names of people and places, as well as vivid descriptions of people, ideas, events, and emotions.  Doing this will make your essay not only more realistic but also more relatable to the admissions committee.

Moreover,  try to touch on specific aspects of the grad program, including your research interests and what drew you to this field of study. Don’t just write, “I developed an interest in psychology after taking an introductory psychology class in college.” Tell us who taught the class, the topics you studied that were most fascinating to you, and why you initially decided to enroll in this class.

Tip 10: Be Authentic

While a statement of purpose is more formal than a personal statement is, you still want to sound authentic in both essays. So  make an effort to write in your real, honest voice.  Don’t feel the need to grab a thesaurus to look up difficult vocab words to include in your essay—the admissions committee will be able to tell you’re just trying to sound smart!

Ultimately, you want to write in a sophisticated yet natural-sounding voice that shows off your personality while also highlighting your intelligence and maturity.

Tip 11: Edit and Proofread

Finally, give yourself plenty of time to edit and proofread your essays for your grad school applications. A big part of the personal statement and statement of purpose is showing off your superior, grad-level writing skills, so take your time to craft a compelling (and technically correct!) statement.

Once you’ve got a rough draft completed, look it over for any typos; errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation; and awkward or irrelevant areas. After you’ve done your own edit, give your essay to someone else to read, such as a former professor (if he or she has agreed to look at it   for you),   and ask for some feedback on what you could improve or change.

Conclusion: The Critical Difference Between a Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement

When it comes down to the statement of purpose vs personal statement for grad school, how exactly are the two different—and how are they alike? While both essays are meant to make the grad admissions committee want to admit you, they each contain pretty different information.

The statement of purpose is the more formal of the two, highlighting your academic/professional background and accomplishments, your future goals, and how you see yourself fitting with the program you’re applying to.

By contrast, the personal statement is less formal and focuses more on who you are as a person, including what motivated you to apply to grad school (and this program) and what kinds of obstacles you’ve faced in life.

Most grad programs require at least one statement; this could be either a personal statement, a statement of purpose, or a statement that’s some sort of combination of the two. And some programs require both essays.

Because a statement of purpose differs from a personal statement, the way you approach each statement is also different.

Here’s what you want to do for a statement of purpose:

• Consider your future goals
• Research the program and professors
• Explain how you’re a good match
• Emphasize your accomplishments

For a personal statement, on the other hand, you’ll want to do the following:

• Tell a story
• Focus on your personal motivations
• Explain any weaknesses or challenges you’ve overcome

Finally, for both statements, be sure to take these four steps:

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

• Read the instructions carefully
• Use specific details
• Be authentic
• Edit and proofread

Now that you understand the major difference between a statement of purpose and personal statement, you can get started on writing an amazing grad school admissions essay!

What’s Next?

Still not sure how to approach the grad school statement? Then check out our collections of real examples of statements of purpose and personal statements .

For even more tips on how to write a killer grad school essay, take a look at our expert guides to how to write the statement of purpose and how to write the personal statement .

What does a grad school application look like? Learn more about grad school application requirements , and get tips on how to find acceptance rates for the grad programs you’re applying to .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Writing Personal and Research Statements for Grad School

If you are applying to graduate programs, we highly encourage you to watch this video from OITE Director, Dr. Sharon Milgram . In this talk, she details many aspects to help you draft a compelling and successful statement.

Many programs are now asking for different types of statements. You could be asked to submit any or all of the following: research, personal statement, statement of purpose, diversity, Covid-19, resilience. Sometimes the title is unclear and different schools may use different titles/labels. Due to this variability, be sure to read the prompt carefully and answer any of the question(s) asked of you.

We have seen that most programs usually ask for either one statement focusing on both career and research (as a statement of purpose) or a separate personal statement and research statement . However, just to make it confusing – we have also seen some programs ask for all three!

• Statement of Purpose = Career & Research
• Personal Statement = Experience + Career Goals
• Research Statement = Research Goals
• Diversity Statement
• Covid Statement

Some notes on the main statements requested: Personal Statement  - In this statement you should discuss your academic and career objectives and you should be specific on your reasons for focusing on this area of study and X University.  Look to the prompt for guidance on this, but if you are submitting this document in conjunction with a research statement and/or statement of purpose, then you can use this document to elaborate on your life experiences.  This could mean detailing influences, values, etc. that surrounds your purpose for seeking this degree. This document could also be an opportunity to write more about your journey through this process, your motivation, and any challenges or obstacles along the way that have helped you grow as a scientist/person ultimately making you a stronger candidate. Remember: this is still your chance to sell yourself for this program.

Research Statement  - Please provide a description of your research experience(s), including the goals of each project, approaches used, results obtained, and implications of the findings for the project and the field at large. You may choose to describe a single research experience in depth or several experiences. It is important to focus on what you did, the skills you learned, and how you would be able to add value to a research group at X University.

Statement of Purpose – What is the purpose you are pursuing ABC degree in XYZ field? What are your relevant experiences (research, clinical, courses, etc) that propel you to this graduate degree? In this statement, you should delineate your reasons for applying to the proposed program at X University and your preparation for this field of study which often means detailing your research and study interests.  Future career plans and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study should also be noted.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE! If any of this guidance conflicts with what you see instructed on a prompt from a school, follow the directions of the prompt. These terms are often used interchangeably and might mean something very different for each program for which you are applying.

Related posts:

Latest information about COVID-19

Writing Your Personal Statements

Your personal statement must demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have considered graduate school and their specific program seriously. It’s your opportunity to summarize your academic and research experiences. You must also communicate how your experiences are relevant to preparing you for the graduate degree that you will be pursuing and explain why a given program is the right one for you.

The personal statement is where you highlight your strengths. Make your strengths absolutely clear to the reviewers, because they will often be reading many other statements. Your self-assessments and honest conversations with peers and advisors should have also revealed your strengths. But you must also address (not blame others for) weaknesses or unusual aspects of your application or academic background.

Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment.

1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many statements, it’s important to start off with your strengths and not “bury your lede.” Consider traits of successful graduate students from your informational interviews, and identify which of these traits you have. These traits could involve research skills and experiences, expertise in working with techniques or instruments, familiarity with professional networks and resources in your field, etc.

• Check your responses from the exercises in the self-assessment section. You may wish to consult notes from your informational interviews and your Seven Stories . Write concise summaries and stories that demonstrate your strengths, e.g. how your strengths helped you to achieve certain goals or overcome obstacles.
• Summarize your research experience(s). What were the main project goals and the “big picture” questions? What was your role in this project? What did you accomplish? What did you learn, and how did you grow as a result of the experience(s)?

My research examines the interplay between U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy during the Cold War. As a native New Yorker, I saw firsthand how dramatically my city changed after 9/11, which prompted my early interest in U.S. policy at home and abroad. As an undergraduate at the City College of New York, I planned to study international relations with a focus on U.S. foreign affairs. I also quickly became involved in student activist groups that focused on raising awareness about a wide range of human rights issues, from the Syrian refugee crisis to asylum seekers from Central America.

The more I learned about the crises in the present, the more I realized that I needed a deeper understanding of the past to fully grasp them. I decided to pursue a PhD in history in order to gain a clearer understanding of human rights issues in the present and to empower young student-activists like myself.

— Vannessa Velez, PhD candidate in History

Addressing weaknesses or unusual aspects

• Identify weaknesses or unusual aspects in your application—e.g., a significant drop in your GPA during a term; weak GRE scores; changes in your academic trajectory, etc. Don’t ignore them, because ignoring them might be interpreted as blind spots for you. If you’re unsure if a particular issue is significant enough to address, seek advice from faculty mentors.
• Explain how you’ll improve and strengthen those areas or work around your weakness. Determine how you will address them in a positive light, e.g., by discussing how you overcame obstacles through persistence, what you learned from challenges, and how you grew from failures. Focusing on a growth mindset  or grit  and this blog on weaknesses might also help.
• Deal with any significant unusual aspects later in the statement to allow a positive impression to develop first.
• Explain, rather than provide excuses—i.e., address the issue directly and don’t blame others (even if you believe someone else is responsible). Draft it and get feedback from others to see if the explanation is working as you want it to.
• Provide supporting empirical evidence if possible. For example, “Adjusting to college was a major step for me, coming from a small high school and as a first-generation college student. My freshman GPA was not up to par with my typical achievements, as demonstrated by my improved  GPA of 3.8 during my second and third years in college."
• Be concise (don’t dwell on the issues), but also be complete (don’t lead to other potentially unanswered questions). For example, if a drop in grades during a term was due to a health issue, explain whether the health issue is recurring, managed now with medication, resolved, etc.

2. Explain your commitment to research and their graduate program, including your motivation for why you are applying to this graduate program at this university. Be as specific as possible. Identify several faculty members with whom you are interested in working, and explain why their research interests you.

• Descriptions of your commitment should explain why you’re passionate about this particular academic field and provide demonstrations of your commitment with stories (e.g., working long hours to solve a problem, overcoming challenges in research, resilience in pursuing problems). Don’t merely assert your commitment.
• Explain why you are applying to graduate school, as opposed to seeking a professional degree or a job. Discuss your interest and motivation for grad school, along with your future career aspirations.

I am definitely not your traditional graduate student. As a biracial (Native American and white), first-generation PhD student from a military family, I had very limited guidance on how best to pursue my education, especially when I decided that graduate school was a good idea. I ended up coming to this PhD in a very circuitous manner, stopping first to get a JD and, later, an MFA in Young Adult Literature. With each degree, I took time to work and apply what I’d learned, as a lawyer and as an educator. Each time, I realized that I was circling around questions that I couldn’t let go of—not just because I found them to be fascinating, but because I did (and still do!) feel that my research could help to bridge a gap that desperately needs bridging. Because my work is quite interdisciplinary, I strongly feel that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of research without the degrees and life experience I gained before coming to this program.

— Jamie Fine, PhD candidate in Modern Thought and Literature

Statement of Purpose: subtle aspects

• Think in terms of engaging faculty in a conversation rather than pleading with them that you should be admitted. Ask reviewers to read drafts with this concern in mind.
• With later drafts, try developing an overall narrative theme. See if one emerges as you work.
• Write at least 10 drafts and expect your thinking and the essay to change quite a bit over time.
• Read drafts out loud to help you catch errors.
• Expect the "you' that emerges in your essay to be incomplete. . . that’s OK.
• You’re sharing a professional/scholarly slice of "you."
• Avoid humor (do you really know what senior academics find funny?) and flashy openings and closings. Think of pitching the essay to an educated person in the field, but not necessarily in your specialty. Avoid emotionally laden words (such as "love" or "passion"). Remember, your audience is a group of professors! Overly emotional appeals might make them uncomfortable. They are looking for scholarly colleagues.

© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• 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.

Urban Planning Psychology History

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.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Graduate School Applications: Writing a Research Statement

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The research statement is a common component of a potential candidate’s application for post-undergraduate study. This may include applications for graduate programs, post-doctoral fellowships, or faculty positions. The research statement is often the primary way that a committee determines if a candidate’s interests and past experience make them a good fit for their program/institution.

What is a Research Statement?

A research statement is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience, the current state of your research, and the future work you intend to complete.

What Should It Look Like?

Research statements are generally one to two single-spaced pages. You should be sure to thoroughly read and follow the length and content requirements for each individual application.

Your research statement should situate your work within the larger context of your field and show how your works contributes to, complicates, or counters other work being done. It should be written for an audience of other professionals in your field.

What Should It Include?

Your statement should start by articulating the broader field that you are working within and the larger question or questions that you are interested in answering. It should then move to articulate your specific interest.

The body of your statement should include a brief history of your past research . What questions did you initially set out to answer in your research project? What did you find? How did it contribute to your field? (i.e. did it lead to academic publications, conferences, or collaborations?). How did your past research propel you forward?

It should also address your present research . What questions are you actively trying to solve? What have you found so far? How are you connecting your research to the larger academic conversation? (i.e. do you have any publications under review, upcoming conferences, or other professional engagements?) What are the larger implications of your work?

Finally, it should describe the future trajectory on which you intend to take your research. What further questions do you want to solve? How do you intend to find answers to these questions? How can the institution to which you are applying help you in that process? What are the broader implications of your potential results?

Note: Make sure that the research project that you propose can be completed at the institution to which you are applying.

Other Considerations:

• What is the primary question that you have tried to address over the course of your academic career? Why is this question important to the field? How has each stage of your work related to that question?
• Include a few specific examples that show your success. What tangible solutions have you found to the question that you were trying to answer? How have your solutions impacted the larger field? Examples can include references to published findings, conference presentations, or other professional involvement.
• Be confident about your skills and abilities. The research statement is your opportunity to sell yourself to an institution. Show that you are self-motivated and passionate about your project.

Statement of purpose vs. personal statement: knowing the difference

If you’re applying to graduate school, then you might remember the headaches of that application process that you encountered many years ago. Maybe you struggled to decide on a topic for the personal statement, maybe you debated which extracurriculars were worth listing, or maybe you were torn between taking the ACT or SAT. But for all the anxieties induced by college applications, at least those applications (especially, if you remember, those sent through the Common App) spoke the same language: that is, most schools needed the same essential materials, asked the same kinds of questions, and expected the same kinds of answers.

Graduate school applications, by contrast, are far less universal. Since many programs are highly specialized, you may be applying to several programs that each require their own unique statements and supporting materials. Even if you are applying to seemingly identical programs, one school may ask for a one-page statement while another asks for three pages, one school may ask for five recommendations while another asks for three; the variations are endless! Just wrapping your head around the different application requirements can be tiring. 

In this post, I want to de-mystify one difference that I found particularly disorienting when I applied to graduate school: the distinction between the “statement of purpose” and the “personal statement.” Most graduate schools will ask for a statement of purpose, and only some will ask for a personal statement, so in the majority of cases, the statement of purpose is considerably more important. But pointing out the difference between the two statements also emphasizes what exactly a statement of purpose is (and what it is not!).

As I mentioned earlier, the confusing lack of common terms across graduate school applications means that the following distinction might not even hold for all applications. You may, for example, come across a program that asks for a “personal statement,” but the actual essay prompt essentially describes the more standard “statement of purpose.” Or you might encounter a request for a very specific kind of personal statement--one that, for example, only focuses on your ethnic background. Be sure to fully read each application and any accompanying resources so that you address exactly what each application requires. With that important caveat aside, here are the distinctions for what are most commonly called the “statement of purpose” and the “personal statement:”

Statement of Purpose

Think of the statement of purpose like a cover letter. You might start off with something autobiographical or anecdotal, but most of the essay should be about your relevant training and technical career goals.

A strong statement of purpose should:

• Focus on your specific research interests within a particular field
• Detail how your academic and professional experiences have developed those research interests and prepared you to pursue them at a higher academic level
• Explain how those research interests can be pursued at this particular institution in this particular program

Here are some tips for writing an effective statement of purpose:

• Spend at least a paragraph discussing your interest in the specific program to which you’re applying. List specific professors whose work aligns with your own academic experience or research interests (and explain that connection). List specific institutions, programs, and opportunities associated with the program and explain how you would utilize them.
• Be as specific as possible about your research interests. This doesn’t mean you should know exactly what your dissertation topic will be in five years, but you should be able to identify a specific field within the department and professors who work in that field. Often admissions decisions are based on specialties (an English department probably doesn’t want an entire class studying Victorian literature and a biology department probably doesn’t want an entire class researching genetics), so narrowing your field can be essential.
• Anecdotes and autobiography can be effective in your introduction, but make sure the bulk of your statement is technical and academic. Only include extra-curriculars if they directly relate to your research interests. In all likelihood, your personal history has shaped your research interests, and your statement of purpose shouldn’t sound like a generic, lifeless script. But you primarily want to prove to the committee that you can succeed in coursework, excel in lab, finish a dissertation, or teach an undergraduate class.

Personal Statement

Think of the personal statement, by contrast, as more of a bio. You still want to mention your research interests and the specific program you’re applying to, but you also have an opportunity to flesh out your personal history. 

A strong personal statement should:

• Focus on the intersection of your personal, academic, and professional lives
• Detail various life experiences that have developed your character, work-ethic, and perspective
• Explain how your background particularly suits your for this program and/or will allow you to contribute a unique perspective to the community 

Some tips for writing an effective personal statement:

• Some institutions use the personal statement to assign various fellowships based on students’ backgrounds. If you’ve overcome or still face any barriers to education, this is an opportunity to explain those experiences.
• If you haven’t overcome any significant barriers, don’t stretch the truth. Instead, you might talk about how certain experiences have shaped your perspective or widened your understanding of the barriers that others face. Maybe you haven’t experienced any significant hardships but are still driven to help others who do, and you can discuss how this program will help you to achieve that goal. Or you might explain how you look forward to learning from a diverse and dynamic academic community.
• Though the personal statement is an opportunity to share information about yourself that might not directly map onto your academic career, you should still explain how your personal experiences ultimately make you a stronger student, colleague, and/or teacher.

Hopefully these distinctions have helped to clarify some key terms you’ll encounter while applying to graduate school. While these essays are usually the hardest part of applications, they can also be the most rewarding. If you think carefully about why exactly you want to apply to a program, what exactly you would study while there, and how that experience fits into your larger personal history, you’ll be both a stronger candidate and graduate student.

Related Content

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="research statement vs personal statement"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Research statement, what is a research statement.

The research statement (or statement of research interests) is a common component of academic job applications. It is a summary of your research accomplishments, current work, and future direction and potential of your work.

The statement can discuss specific issues such as:

• funding history and potential
• requirements for laboratory equipment and space and other resources
• potential research and industrial collaborations
• how your research contributes to your field
• future direction of your research

The research statement should be technical, but should be intelligible to all members of the department, including those outside your subdiscipline. So keep the “big picture” in mind. The strongest research statements present a readable, compelling, and realistic research agenda that fits well with the needs, facilities, and goals of the department.

Research statements can be weakened by:

• overly ambitious proposals
• lack of clear direction
• lack of big-picture focus
• inadequate attention to the needs and facilities of the department or position

Why a Research Statement?

• It conveys to search committees the pieces of your professional identity and charts the course of your scholarly journey.
• It communicates a sense that your research will follow logically from what you have done and that it will be different, important, and innovative.
• It gives a context for your research interests—Why does your research matter? The so what?
• It combines your achievements and current work with the proposal for upcoming research.
• areas of specialty and expertise
• potential to get funding
• academic strengths and abilities
• compatibility with the department or school
• ability to think and communicate like a serious scholar and/or scientist

Formatting of Research Statements

The goal of the research statement is to introduce yourself to a search committee, which will probably contain scientists both in and outside your field, and get them excited about your research. To encourage people to read it:

• make it one or two pages, three at most
• use informative section headings and subheadings
• use bullets
• use an easily readable font size
• make the margins a reasonable size

Organization of Research Statements

Think of the overarching theme guiding your main research subject area. Write an essay that lays out:

• The main theme(s) and why it is important and what specific skills you use to attack the problem.
• A few specific examples of problems you have already solved with success to build credibility and inform people outside your field about what you do.
• A discussion of the future direction of your research. This section should be really exciting to people both in and outside your field. Don’t sell yourself short; if you think your research could lead to answers for big important questions, say so!
• A final paragraph that gives a good overall impression of your research.

Writing Research Statements

• Avoid jargon. Make sure that you describe your research in language that many people outside your specific subject area can understand. Ask people both in and outside your field to read it before you send your application. A search committee won’t get excited about something they can’t understand.
• Write as clearly, concisely, and concretely as you can.
• Keep it at a summary level; give more detail in the job talk.
• Ask others to proofread it. Be sure there are no spelling errors.
• Convince the search committee not only that you are knowledgeable, but that you are the right person to carry out the research.
• Include information that sets you apart (e.g., publication in  Science, Nature,  or a prestigious journal in your field).
• What excites you about your research? Sound fresh.
• Include preliminary results and how to build on results.
• Point out how current faculty may become future partners.
• Acknowledge the work of others.
• Use language that shows you are an independent researcher.
• BUT focus on your research work, not yourself.
• Include potential funding partners and industrial collaborations. Be creative!
• Provide a summary of your research.
• Put in background material to give the context/relevance/significance of your research.
• List major findings, outcomes, and implications.
• Describe both current and planned (future) research.
• Communicate a sense that your research will follow logically from what you have done and that it will be unique, significant, and innovative (and easy to fund).

Describe Your Future Goals or Research Plans

• Major problem(s) you want to focus on in your research.
• The problem’s relevance and significance to the field.
• Your specific goals for the next three to five years, including potential impact and outcomes.
• If you know what a particular agency funds, you can name the agency and briefly outline a proposal.
• Give broad enough goals so that if one area doesn’t get funded, you can pursue other research goals and funding.

Identify Potential Funding Sources

• Almost every institution wants to know whether you’ll be able to get external funding for research.
• Try to provide some possible sources of funding for the research, such as NIH, NSF, foundations, private agencies.
• Mention past funding, if appropriate.

Be Realistic

There is a delicate balance between a realistic research statement where you promise to work on problems you really think you can solve and over-reaching or dabbling in too many subject areas. Select an over-arching theme for your research statement and leave miscellaneous ideas or projects out. Everyone knows that you will work on more than what you mention in this statement.

Consider Also Preparing a Longer Version

• A longer version (five–15 pages) can be brought to your interview. (Check with your advisor to see if this is necessary.)
• You may be asked to describe research plans and budget in detail at the campus interview. Be prepared.
• Include laboratory needs (how much budget you need for equipment, how many grad assistants, etc.) to start up the research.

Samples of Research Statements

To find sample research statements with content specific to your discipline, search on the internet for your discipline + “Research Statement.”

• University of Pennsylvania Sample Research Statement
• Advice on writing a Research Statement (Plan) from the journal  Science

• Career Development
• Find Internship or Research Experience
• Getting started with research

How to Develop a Personal Statement for Research

• To share your interest and enthusiasm for the specific work you are applying to do
• To demonstrate what you can contribute to the program to which you are applying
• To state the specific lab you want to work in and why
• To state your professional goals and what or how you hope to contribute to this program

First Steps

• Read the personal statement question carefully and analyze what it is asking for
• Visualize your audience: will this be read by a scientist? A physician? An administrator?
• Make yourself as desirable to the selector as possible while being honest about yourself
• Your research interests as they relate to the work you are applying for
• Year of study and current major, related academic and career goals, impressive academic credentials

Experience in the Field

• Any special connection to this work such as prior experience or family background
• Something unique about your research interests or an idea that fuels your own research interests.

Your Proposed Contributions to the Program and Benefits of the Program to You

• Personal qualities that would benefit the program, demonstrated through examples
• What you can do for them; what you seek to gain from the opportunity
• How this specific work fits into your academic and research goals

Writing and Mechanics

Correct usage conveys your attention to detail

• Use strong word choices, particularly verbs and adjectives
• Use the more powerful "I am," rather than "I have always been"
• Make positive statements: "I have experience in…" not "I don't have experience in x, but do have…”
• Craft clear, engaging opening and closing sentences
• Check that the opening statement is supported in the body and consistent with the closing statement
• Organize the statement so it flows from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, paragraph breaks, and correct punctuation

Ask Yourself

• Does this statement show my interest in this specific program , or could it be sent to any program?
• Does this statement describe me specifically, or could any good student in my field use this?

Additional Suggestions:

• Reread the personal statement multiple times out loud for clarity, logic, and flow
• Have someone else read the statement. Ask someone at the Center for Career Opportunities .
• Share your finished personal statement with the faculty member writing your recommendations
• Limit the statement to one and a half to two pages with at least one and a half spacing
• Include a header with your name on each page, which will be numbered as well
• Restating the question/topic
• Rewriting your transcript or resume
• Clichés such as "to make the world a better place"; instead, explain exactly how such a lofty goal will be achieved
• Providing unrelated information, e.g., explaining when you learned you were not interested in computers
• Using phrases like "this opportunity will be fun and interesting for me"; focus on what you can contribute
• Any background earlier than high school
• What Can I do with a Major In...
• Career Mapping System
• Personalize Your Career Plan
• Build a Professional Profile
• Internships and Research
• Job Search Resources
• Programs & Events
• Additional Career Resources
• Archived Newsletters
• Applying to Graduate School
• Reporting Your Post-Grad Plans
• Post-Graduation Data
• Alumni Profiles

Purdue University College of Science, 150 N. University St, West Lafayette, IN 47907 • Phone: (765) 494-1729, Fax: (765) 494-1736

Student Advising Office: (765) 494-1771, Fax: (765) 496-3015 • Science IT , (765) 494-4488

© 2023 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Copyright Complaints

Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue ? Please contact the College of Science Webmaster .

Ten Tips for Writing a Compelling Personal/Research Statement

Whether you are applying to a graduate program at Lehigh University or at other institutions, there are certain things you can do to craft an outstanding statement for your application.  The personal or research statement is your opportunity to highlight why you, in particular, would be an excellent fit to your program of interest.  Admissions committees and faculty tend to look very closely at these statements, so it is worth investing the time and energy to get it right.  This is a non-exhaustive list of tips for writing a compelling statement. 

Focus on your intellectual interests and professional goals.

Although many programs ask for ‘personal statements’, these are not really meant to be biographies or life stories.  What the faculty hope to find out is how well your abilities, interests, experiences and goals would fit within their program. 

Describe your relevant experience (e.g., honors thesis, research assistantship, internship, etc.) in specific detail.

• If you worked on a research project, what was the research question, what was your idea/hypothesis, what methods did you use, and what did you find?  
• If you completed an internship, what were the goals of the organization or unit, what were your responsibilities, and what did you learn?
• Being specific demonstrates that you really were a key part of the project and that you understand what you did!

Whenever possible, demonstrate rather than simply state your knowledge and skills.

Honestly identify concrete skills you would bring to graduate school, and also describe the skills you hope to acquire., articulate why you want to pursue a graduate degree..

What are your career goals and how will pursuing a graduate degree advance them?

Articulate why you want to pursue a graduate degree at this specific institution !

How can this program and this university help you achieve your goals?

For research-oriented programs, outline your core research interests and explain why you think they are important.  Again, be specific.

For research-oriented programs, link your research interests to the expertise and scholarship of faculty in the program..

• Identify at least one faculty member with whom you would like to work (e.g., a potential advisor).
• Read some of their papers (or books), and describe how your interests align with their expertise.  Again, specificity is a good idea!
• This is where you can really demonstrate your fit to a research-oriented program and your ability to think critically, creatively and generatively about research.

Ask at least one professor at your current institution to give you feedback on your statement.

Proofread  or better yet, have a spelling and grammar-obsessed friend proofread your statement., news & spotlight.

Lehigh University

College of Arts and Sciences

CAS Dean's Office

9 West Packer Avenue

Bethlehem, PA 18015

[email protected]

Phone: 610-758-3300

ESLDIRECT.COM

ESL Resources for Job Hunters, English Learners, Adult Learners and Tutors

Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: [6] Differences Between the Two

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

In this article, we compare a statement of purpose vs a personal statement .

We also added six things to think about while writing your statement of purpose and six tips for writing a winning statement of purpose.

Table of Contents

What is a statement of purpose, what is a personal statement, what are the important differences between a statement of purpose and a personal statement, six points to consider when writing a statement of purpose, six steps to writing a winning statement of purpose.

It’s an essay written by an applicant, usually for a graduate program.

It aims to tell the admissions committee about your academic and professional goals, professional interests, and how they can provide value to the graduate program.

It can also be called a research statement or a letter of intent. It should be one to three pages long, depending on the program’s guidelines.

The statement of purpose should be written in a formal tone and should include a brief overview of the applicant’s educational and professional experience as well as any other information that makes them a good candidate for the course and a good fit for that specific program.

It’s an essay used by applicants to introduce themselves to an admissions committee, usually for an undergraduate degree.

Personal statements usually focus on the applicant’s identity, personality and skills.

These are often short narratives or stories that show why a particular candidate is right for a particular program.

You can also include personal and academic experiences, as well as explain your motivation and enthusiasm for the field you are applying for.

1. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Format

Both are types of documents used to apply for graduate programs, however, a statement of purpose is more commonly used especially where research is involved.

The format of a Statement of Purpose is more formal and should highlight your academic strength and background, research interests, long-term goals, and why you are fit for that particular program.

A personal statement can be informal in format and should showcase your personal motivation for applying to that program or any achievements or challenges that you faced as well as learning from those experiences.

2. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Purpose

Both statements are used to provide insight into the applicant’s personal background, academic/professional experience, and future goals.

The Statement of Purpose typically calls for greater emphasis on the applicant’s purpose for applying to graduate school as it relates to their interests, academic/professional experience, and future goals compared to a Personal Statement which may focus more on the applicant’s personal background or story.

3. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Content

The main difference between the two types of statements is that a personal statement focuses more on who you are as an individual while a statement of purpose emphasizes what you want to study and what you plan to do with your degree.

Additionally, personal statements often include stories from applicants’ lives that help readers get to know them better, whereas statements of purpose usually don’t have this type of personalization in them.

4. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Accomplishments

Both the statement of purpose and personal statement can highlight accomplishments and achievements.

However, the statement of purpose focuses more on how the student wants to enhance his/her professional profile through their time at university.

For example, it may mention specific fields of interest as well as incubators or membership of networks that will help build their professional base.

On the other hand, a personal statement tends to focus more on personal achievements rather than professional ones.

It usually highlights a student’s dedication towards a certain field or activity they have been involved in for some time now – such as volunteering or participating in competitions.

It also allows them to showcase any awards they may have won along with any other notable achievements related to their hobbies or interests outside school hours.

5. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Creativity

Both a statement of purpose and a personal statement can be creative in their tone and structure.

A personal statement is usually more individual and informal than a statement of purpose which takes on a more traditional academic tone.

While both types of statements should focus on the author’s credentials and accomplishments, personal statements may also focus on other aspects such as relationships with others or life lessons learned along the way.

6. Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Resources & Tools

Both should be checked carefully but for a statement of purpose, you should use a writing guide and samples to be sure you are organising your writing in the correct way. These include:

• The Write Ivy PhD and Master’s Guide: This FREE (and helpful) guide will help you, step-by-step.
• Sample Statements of Purpose: These can provide inspiration for your own statement of purpose and help you understand the format and structure to write your own document.
• Writing Tips: Writing tips from experts can help guide you through the process of crafting a powerful statement of purpose that stands out from the rest!
• Grammar Checker/Spell Checker Software: It is important that your statement is written correctly in order for it to be taken seriously by admissions officers; grammar checkers/spell checkers can help with this task!

1. Goals: What do you want to achieve?

Think about:

• Your goals and objectives: What do you hope to achieve after completing the program of study? Be specific and clearly outline your medium- and long-term goals.
• How the program fits with your career plans: Does the program suit your interests, professional goals, and academic background well? Will it provide opportunities for further specialization or research in your field of interest?
• The reputation of the college or university offering the program: do your research to be sure you’ll receive a quality education as well as a chance of a good job.
• How you will pay for it? Be sure to check out scholarships or financial aid available for this particular program.

2. Information: What do they need to know?

• Write concisely and clearly, with a focus on your career goals and objectives.
• Your strengths, achievements, and potential for success in your chosen field or profession.
• Your qualifications for the desired program of study.
• You should emphasize any relevant experience that would add value to your application package and future research.

3. Word Length: How long should it be?

It should usually be between 1-2 pages (single-space pages in 12-point font). Some schools may provide a word limit, in which case you must keep to it.

4. Type of Statement: Should it be a purpose or a personal statement?

A purpose and a personal statement both serve as an introduction to the candidate.

However, a purpose is more formal and objective, while a personal statement can be more creative, using a narrative style with the candidate’s voice.

Additionally, a purpose focuses on qualifications and accomplishments while a personal statement can reveal how the candidate got to where they are today.

A purpose is more traditionally academic in its tone and structure than a personal statement.

A personal statement can be less formal than a purpose and may start off with relevant quotes or clever opening lines to engage the audience right away.

Additionally, while both pieces should be proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes, they differ in that personal statements may have an additional layer of creativity not found in statements of purpose.

5. Writing Style: How should it be written?

• Make sure your statement of purpose is unique and focuses on your skills and achievements. Add concise detail to leave a lasting impression.
• Write in a more formal way: Ensure that your statement of purpose directly and clearly communicates your goals, motivations, and aspirations.
• Consider your audience: Before writing your statement of purpose, consider who will be reading it (for example, faculty members or admission officers) so that you can keep it focused, with relevant information about yourself or the subject you want to study
• Proofread carefully before submitting.

6. Writer’s Voice: What tone should be taken?

When writing a statement of purpose, it is important to focus on the positive (what you can do, what you want to learn) rather than gaps in your experience and skill set.

If you are adding example experiences to demonstrate your skills and suitability for the course, the story you choose should be interesting, with concise detail that will interest a reader.

Step 1: Explain why you want to pursue this graduate degree

When writing a statement of purpose for a graduate degree in business, it is important to explain why you are passionate about pursuing this degree, what inspires you to achieve your professional goals, and how the program aligns with your career aspirations.

Add motivating factors such as transitioning from the corporate world or completing an MBA to progress within your company.

Additionally, be sure to explain any relevant experience or qualifications that qualify you for admission into this program, with supporting data.

For example, ‘I trained new staff in using software to improve sales’ may be true, but ‘I trained 28 team members using the XYZ software package, and their sales increased 9.2% within a week’ is much better.

Step 2: Share your motivation and your dreams but be brief

• Start by brainstorming and writing down your goals and ambitions. What motivates you? What are your dreams?
• Identify your strengths (that will help you achieve these goals), as well as experience or skills that will be relevant.

Step 3: Define your research interests

• Identify your research interests: What are you interested in studying, and why? Which topics or questions are you hoping to explore?
• Name the professors at the school who you are interested in working with, explaining how their specialist research topics could fit in with your objectives. Do the same for any other programs such as work experience placements that are part of the course. For example, ‘I received an award for my presentation on the Hall Lock (used in anaesthesia) and am thrilled to have the opportunity to complete my work placement with Professor Hall’s team at Cardiff University, where this equipment was developed’.
• Provide specific examples of your interests related to the course. For example, if you’re applying for a PhD program in Clinical Psychology then it would be important to highlight what specific topics within clinical psychology interest you most (e.g., psychotherapy techniques) and why they resonate with your personal values/beliefs/experiences.

Step 4: Outline your strengths and suitability for the program

• Create an outline before you start writing the statement of purpose.
• Write down your thoughts in an organized manner and ensure that your essay is coherent.
• Find personal reasons that motivate you to apply for the program, then spend some time reflecting on what motivates you specifically for this course of study.
• Discuss any challenges that you have overcome in recent years to highlight your problem-solving abilities.
• Conclude on a positive note by assuring the admission committee that you can tackle any challenges ahead successfully.

Step 5: Show by example how you have achieved goals in the past

Showing by example how you have achieved goals in the past can help with writing a winning statement of purpose because it provides the admissions committee with an insight into your strengths and achievements.

You can also demonstrate that you have the determination and drive to succeed in this graduate program.

Additionally, these examples show that you are able to take initiative and make a positive impact on whatever situation or project you are involved in, building trust between yourself and the admissions committee.

Step 6: Follow all instructions!

• Check all the instructions and requirements for writing a statement of purpose.
• Follow all instructions to the letter, without trying to be smart or creative to get them.
• Once again, make sure that your essay meets six basic requirements: it should be concise, well-structured, coherently organized, grammatically correct and free from spelling mistakes, and coherently written in perfect academic English without any slang or typos.
• Make sure you have included all the necessary information such as name/surname/contact details/college applied to/date submitted etc., at the end of your essay before submitting it online or via an email attachment if instructed to do so by the admissions team.

FAQs – (Some of these are covered in more detail above)

What is the difference between a statement of purpose and a personal statement in terms of undergraduate and post-graduate programs.

Both a statement of purpose and a personal statement can be used for undergraduate admission or graduate/post-baccalaureate programs.

A statement of purpose usually places greater emphasis on an applicant’s reasons for applying to graduate school as it relates to their interests, academic/professional experience, and future goals.

A personal statement often calls for applicants to discuss their personal background (not necessarily academic or professional).

How long should a Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement be?

When writing a statement of purpose or personal statement, it is important to consider the length of the document.

Generally, both types of essays should be between 1-2 pages (single-space pages in 12-point font).

Some schools may provide a word limit, in which case you should strictly adhere to it. Brevity is key, so try to focus on only the most relevant information and make every word count.

What format should I use for a Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement?

The format for a statement of purpose or personal statement depends on the program you are applying to.

For graduate studies, business or law school, it is usually best to write in story form and use a more narrative style with your voice.

For medical programs, it is typically more formal and objective. Regardless of the program, you are applying for, it is important to proofread your essays for grammar and spelling before submitting them.

What are the requirements for a Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement?

The requirements for a Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement include:

• It should be well-written, coherent, and clear.
• It should be concise and focused on the topic at hand.
• It should address why you are applying to the program or university in question and why you would be a good fit for it.
• It should highlight relevant experiences, achievements, or skills that make you an ideal candidate for the program or university’s graduate degree program/scholarship/fellowship award/etc..
• It should demonstrate your ability to succeed in the chosen field of study by providing examples of past successes related to that field of study (e.g., research papers).

What strengths should I highlight in my Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement?

When writing a Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement, it is important to highlight your strengths. Some examples of strengths you can include are:

• Leadership skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Dedication and perseverance
• Initiative and drive to succeed
• Communication skills
• Persuasive speaking abilities
• Multicultural understanding and awareness

How do I make sure my Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement stands out?

• Research the field you are applying to and find out what they are looking for in a statement of purpose or personal statement.
• Make sure your statement is personalized and focused on why you want to pursue that particular degree/field of study/career path, rather than just listing your qualifications and experience.
• Make sure it is concise, clear, and easy to read – use simple language that will not distract from the main message of your statement or bore the reader with unnecessary details or long sentences.
• Proofread carefully for any grammar or spelling mistakes before submitting it as this can make a bad impression on the admissions committee from the start!
• Make sure it has an interesting opening sentence or paragraph that will capture their attention right away; this could be something related to their field of study/research topic if possible since they will be more likely to take notice if they recognize what you’re referring to right away!

What resources are available to help me write my Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement?

There are a variety of resources available to help you write your Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement. These include:

• Sample statements and templates to guide you in composing your own statement
• Tips and advice from experts on how to write an effective statement
• Guidance on how to format and structure your document for maximum impact
• Resources such as dictionaries, thesauruses, and style guides for enhancing the quality of your writing

What mistakes should I avoid when writing my Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement?

When writing your Statement of Purpose or Personal Statement, you should avoid the following mistakes:

• Not clearly stating your purpose or goal in writing the statement.
• Using clichés or overused phrases in your statement. Phrases such as ‘I passed the exam with flying colours’ tend to come up quite regularly in statements so it’s better to write, ‘I received four A grades and achieved a 3.9 GPA’
• Trying to fit too much into one statement, results in it becoming convoluted and difficult to read and understand.
• Failing to proofread thoroughly for grammar and spelling errors before submitting your statement for review or acceptance into a program of study/scholarship/funding opportunity etc.

Is a personal statement the same as a statement of purpose?

A personal statement and a statement of purpose both provide an opportunity for applicants to introduce themselves and explain why they are qualified for the position they are applying for.

Both types of statements should be well-written, concise, and compelling.

Personal statements typically focus on an applicant’s background, accomplishments, skillset, and goals while the statement of purpose focuses more on what motivates the applicant to pursue a particular career path or program at a specific university or institution.

Personal statements are often used in applications for graduate school or scholarships whereas the statement of purpose is used more often in applications for jobs or internships.

When it comes down to the statement of purpose vs personal statement for grad school, how exactly are the two different—and how are they alike?

The statement of purpose is the more formal of the two essays, highlighting your academic/professional background and accomplishments, your future goals, and how you see yourself fitting in with the program you’re applying to.

By contrast, the personal statement is less formal and focuses more on who you are as a person, including what motivated you to apply to grad school (and this program) and what kinds of obstacles you’ve faced in life.

The way you approach each essay is also different: for a statement of purpose, consider your future goals; research the program and professors; explain how you’re a good match; emphasize accomplishments; while for a personal statement tell a story focus on your personal motivations to explain any weaknesses or challenges overcome

More Personal Statement Tutorials

• Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement for University

Read our research on: Gun Policy | International Conflict | Election 2024

Regions & Countries

Political typology quiz.

Notice: Beginning April 18th community groups will be temporarily unavailable for extended maintenance. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Where do you fit in the political typology?

Are you a faith and flag conservative progressive left or somewhere in between.

Take our quiz to find out which one of our nine political typology groups is your best match, compared with a nationally representative survey of more than 10,000 U.S. adults by Pew Research Center. You may find some of these questions are difficult to answer. That’s OK. In those cases, pick the answer that comes closest to your view, even if it isn’t exactly right.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .