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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

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How to Draft a Key Sociology Masters Personal Statement

Table of Contents

Writing a personal statement for your sociology master’s studies is no task. It is the opportunity to showcase who you are as an individual, demonstrate your unique strengths.

Creating a successful personal statement requires research, introspection, and dedication. To help you get started, here are some important elements you should consider when crafting your sociology masters personal statement .

What Is a Sociology Masters Program?

A sociology master’s program typically focuses on social science research, theory, and methodology. It is designed to give you the skills to analyze and use data in a larger societal context. You may also take courses that explore cultural diversity, crime, deviance, poverty, inequality, and more.

What Should You Add to a Personal Statement?

Your sociology master’s personal statement should begin with an introduction that clearly states your purpose for applying to the program . This should be followed by a discussion of why you are drawn to studying sociology.

Add how your experiences have shaped you for this endeavor. Be sure to highlight any specific interests or skills that make you well-suited for the program. Additionally, discuss any research or field experience under your belt, as well as any volunteer work or extracurricular activities.

Steps to Writing a Sociology Masters Personal Statement

Researching the Program

Before writing your personal statement , it’s essential to research the school or institution to which you’re applying. Make sure that you have an understanding of their requirements and objectives to write correctly tailored content for them. This will also help you showcase your knowledge of the sociology field and your commitment to studying there.

Brainstorming Ideas

Think about why you want to study sociology and what interests you. What experiences have led you to this point? Write down any thoughts or potential topics so that when it comes time to write your statement, you already have a starting place. Make sure that all ideas are relevant to the program and related topics in sociology.

Structure and Formatting Consideration

Your statement should be written with a clear structure and must remain concise throughout. Your opening paragraph should provide some background information on why you’re interested in studying sociology and your overall goals.

After that, divide the essay into several sections or paragraphs to discuss your relevant professional experiences. And educational accomplishments, and unique skills you can bring to the program. Include a summary of why you’d be an asset to their program and what you hope to gain from it.

Proofreading and Editing

Once you have written your statement, take some time away from it before revisiting it once more for proofreading and editing purposes. Check for any typos, grammar mistakes, or other errors that could damage your chances of being accepted into the program. Consider having someone else read over your statement as well, so they can provide feedback on anything that needs adjusting or improvement.

Tips to Follow

• Make sure to remain honest and transparent when writing your personal statement.
• Use examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your knowledge of the field.
• Keep it concise, yet strong enough to make a lasting impression.
• Demonstrate how you will contribute to the program during and after completion.
• Make someone else read over your statement for additional feedback before submitting it.

Example of Sociology Master’s Personal Statement

Looking for an example of a sociology masters personal statement ? Take a look below for some inspiration:

“Having spent the past three years studying sociology at the undergraduate level, I am now eager to further my education. I want to pursue a master’s degree. My research has focused on understanding how poverty affects health and well-being, and how these issues are affected by gender and race. Through my studies, I have developed an in-depth knowledge of social justice theories as well as qualitative methods of analysis. My professional experience working with non-profit organizations has also given me valuable insights into advocacy efforts at the local level. With this background, I believe I would make a valuable addition to your program and contribute significantly to its goals.”

Writing a personal statement for your sociology master’s studies can be both exciting and daunting.

By researching the program, brainstorming potential topics, and structuring and appropriately formatting your essay, you can create a successful personal statement.

This will help to demonstrate why you should be accepted into the program of your choice . Once you have written it, take some time away from it and then proofread and edit accordingly before submitting it.

Abir Ghenaiet

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

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

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 109,069 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 .  

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

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

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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.  

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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.

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.

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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.

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• Sociology Personal Statement Example

Use our personal statement example for Sociology as an inspiration guide to writing a better statement for your UCAS application . This example is perfect for any applicants to Oxbridge (Oxford, Cambridge), UCL, King’s College London, University of Bristol, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, St Andrews University and any university in the UK. Learn how to write your own unique personal statement and stand out in the competitive application process.

Our economies and lives are becoming increasingly interconnected in a globalized business environment. For example, a deal done in the US in the morning could affect thousands of Chinese workers as they sleep. As an Iranian Jew, with a rich multicultural heritage that spreads across the globe, I am proud to consider myself an exemplar of this interconnectedness and wish to apply the knowledge I have gained from both the varied experiences of my family in the global business community and previous study to undergraduate study and, ultimately, to a successful career.

By studying Geography, Politics, and Sociology, I have also been able to discern how our societies and economies are interconnected. Politics has taught me how national legislation structures the activities of multinational corporations in turn, while Geography has taught me about how multinational corporations shape our physical and political geography. The study of sociology has taught me the importance of understanding and predicting individual behaviour for the refinement of these overarching systems. Moreover, all of these subjects have relied on extensive, transferrable study skills and research methods that apply to both the study of and practice of business.

I have also sought out work placements across a wide range of industries to gain experience in the application of business theory in the real world. As an employee at London’s House of Hanover, I developed communication, teamwork, and customer service skills, as well as gained insight into retail principles. Price and marketing strategies are influenced by management and business strategies to carve out a distinct niche within and generate profits. The experience I gained as an estate agent provided a different perspective on how these processes work in an alternative industry. With the failures of the US housing market causing the current, difficult economic situation, seeing how the housing market works was a timely example of its importance to the economy.

In my spare time, I also like to attempt to understand the complexities of international business, reading many books, such as ‘Pricing Money’ by J.Wiseman and ‘How The West Was Lost’ by D.Moyo, and magazines, such as Time and The Economist, that discuss the current problems and shifts in the global economy. As an Activities Officer at school, I honed my organisational and time management skills while also learning the importance of responsibility and leadership in business. Having played football, and tennis, and visited the gym regularly, I am aware of the importance of determination, dedication, and practice to achieve set goals, and I look forward to applying this to my undergraduate studies.

Societies are connected through businesses. I am already aware of the importance of these connections as a keen student who communicates across cultures and languages, including English, Hebrew, and Farsi. To gain a deeper understanding of how international business can positively impact our society, I intend to combine my knowledge and interests in economics, politics, society and language with further study in the field. This will provide me with an excellent opportunity to expand my understanding and make a valuable contribution during my undergraduate studies, as well as beyond.

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/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="personal statement graduate school sociology"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Personal statement, overview .

There are two types of statements included in the Graduate School’s online application, (1) the Academic Statement of Purpose and (2) the Personal Statement, both of which are required for all graduate degree programs. 

What Should the Personal Statement Include?

Your Personal Statement should provide the admissions committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, it should provide insights into your potential to contribute to Cornell University’s core value to provide a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together. Within your Personal Statement, you may also share details on lessons learned from any of your lived experiences including but not limited to

• being a first-generation college student or graduate (no parent/guardian completed a baccalaureate degree)
• racial, ethnic, and/or cultural background(s)
• managing a disability or chronic health condition
• experiencing housing, food, economic, and/or other forms of significant insecurity
• being a solo parent
• gender identity and/or sexual orientation 
• having served in the military
• holding DACA, refugee, TPS, or asylee status

Your Personal Statement provides you with an opportunity to share experiences that provide insights on how your personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate your ability to be both persistent and resilient, especially when navigating challenging circumstances. It also gives you an opportunity to provide examples of how you engage with others and have facilitated and/or participated in productive collaborative endeavors. Additionally, it is a place, where if necessary, you can (and should) address any blemishes, gaps, or weaknesses in your academic record. In these situations, you will want to be honest, but brief. It is best to turn negatives into positives by focusing on how you overcame obstacles, remained persistent in the pursuit of your goals, and showed resilience. Share what you learned from the particular experience, and how it led you to become a better researcher/scholar/person, etc.

Content in the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content contained within the Academic Statement of Purpose, which should focus explicitly on your academic interests, previous research and/or relevant professional experience, and intended area of academic focus during your graduate studies.

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The Heroines of Sociology

Harriet Martineau

Harriet Martineau, one of the earliest female Western sociologists, was born in 1802 in Norwich, England. Martineau was a self-taught expert in political economic theory; she wrote prolifically about the relations between politics, economics, morals, and social life throughout her career: her intellectual work was centered by a staunchly moral perspective that stemmed from her  Unitarian  faith. Martineau was extremely critical of the inequality and injustice faced by girls and women, slaves, wage slaves, and the working poor during her time.

Martineau was one of the first women journalists; she also worked as a translator, speech writer, and novelist. She invited readers to consider the pressing social issues of the day. Many of her ideas about political economy and society were presented in the form of stories, making them appealing and accessible, and she was known for her keen ability to explain complicated ideas in an easy-to-understand manner. She should be considered one of the first public sociologists. Martineau’s key contribution to the field was her assertion that when studying society, one must focus on all aspects of it: she emphasized the importance of examining political, religious, and social  institutions .

Martineau believed that by studying society in this way, one could deduce why inequality existed. In her writing, she brought an early  feminist  perspective to bear on issues like marriage, children, home and religious life, and race relations. Martineau’s social-theoretical perspective was often focused on the moral stance of a populace and how it did or did not correspond to the social, economic, and political relations of its society. She measured progress in society by three standards: the status of those who hold the least power in society, popular views of authority and autonomy, and access to resources that allow the realization of autonomy and moral action.

Martineau won numerous awards for her writing, and was a rare, successful and popular working woman writer during the Victorian era (though controversial, of course). She published over 50 books and over 2,000 articles in her lifetime. Her translation into English and re-work of  Auguste Comte’s  foundational sociological text,  Cours de Philosophie Positive , was received so well by readers and by Comte himself that he had Martineau’s English version translated back into French. Martineau died in 1876 near Ambleside, Westmorland, England. Her sweeping contributions to social thought are more often than not overlooked within the cannon of classical sociological theory, though her work was widely lauded in its day, and it preceded that of  Émile Durkheim  and  Max Weber .

Patricia Hill Collins

Patricia Hill Collins is an active American sociologist known for her research and theory who sits at the intersection of race, gender, class, sexuality, and nationality . Collins served in 2009 as the 100th president of the American Sociological Association (ASA)--the first African American woman elected to this position. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Jessie Bernard Award, given by the ASA for her first and groundbreaking book, published in 1990,  Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Power of Empowerment ;  the C. Wright Mills Award  given by the Society for the Study of Social Problems, also for her first book; and, was lauded with the Distinguished Publication Award of the ASA in 2007 for another widely read and taught, theoretically innovative book,  Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, Gender, and the New Racism . Currently  Distinguished University Professor in Sociology at University of Maryland  and Charles Phelps Taft Emeritus Professor of Sociology in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati, Collins has had a prolific career as a sociologist; she is the author of several books and numerous journal articles.

Iravati Karve

Iravati Karve was an Indian educationist, anthropologist, and a writer from Maharashtra, India. Karve was India’s first women anthropologist, in face, at a time when anthropology and sociology were still developing as university disciplines. She was born in 1905 and named after the Irawaddy River in Burma where her father, Ganesh Hari Karmar-kar, worked for the Burma Cotton Company. At seven year’s old, Karve was sent to the Huzur Paga boarding school for girls in Pune. One of her classmates at the school was Shakuntala Paranjapye, daughter of R.P.Paranjapye, Principal of Fergusson College. Shakuntala’s mother saw Irawati at the school and wanted to bring her home as a second child. This passionate mother took Iravati in, and she was introduced to anthropology by judge Balakram. Karve received a master’s degree in Sociology from Mumbai University in 1928; she completed her doctorate degree in Anthropology from a university in Berlin, Germany in 1930. Karve served for many years as the head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Deccan College, Pune (University of Pune), then presided over the Anthropology Division of the National Science Congress held in New Delhi in 1947. Karve wrote in both Marathi and English on topics pertaining to sociology and anthropology, as well as on nonscientific topics.

Nancy Julia Chodorow

Nancy Julia Chodorow is a feminist sociologist and psychoanalyst that has written a number of influential books, including:  The Reproduction of Mothering: Psychoanalysis and the Sociology of Gender  (1978);  Feminism and Psychoanalytic Theory  (1989);  Femininities, Masculinities, Sexualities: Freud and Beyond  (1994); and  The Power of Feelings: Personal Meaning in Psychoanalysis, Gender, and Culture  (1999). Chodorow is widely regarded as a leading  psychoanalytic   feminist theorist and is a member of the  International Psychoanalytical Association , often speaking at its congresses.  She spent many years as a professor in the sociology and clinical psychology departments at the  University of California, Berkeley . Chodorow retired from the University of California in 2005. Her book The Reproduction of Mothering  was chosen by  Contemporary Sociology  as one of the ten most influential books of the past twenty-five years.

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Statements of Excellence for Admission to Graduate School in Sociology

CAREERS IN SOCIOLOGY

Then and Now Women Sociologists.

Ayesha Jalal

Ayesha Jalal is a  Pakistani-American  historian who serves as the Mary Richardson Professor of History at  Tufts University . She was the recipient of the 1998  MacArthur Fellow .

Jalal studied at  Wellesley College  before moving to  Trinity College ,  Cambridge  where she received her doctorate in 1983. She stayed at Cambridge until 1987, working as a fellow of Trinity College and then as a  Leverhulme Fellow .

Jalal moved to  Washington, D.C.  in 1985 to work as a fellow at the  Woodrow Wilson Center . Then she moved to academy scholar at the  Harvard Academy  until 1990. In 1999, she joined  Tufts University  as a tenured professor. The bulk of her work deals with the creation of  Muslim  identities in modern  South Asia , and she continues to be a great inspiration to us.

Parenthood, caring and paid work

The Sociology of Gossip

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Our faculty encourages you to become a creative independent researcher. During your graduate career, you will read broadly across fields and generate work that is theoretically, empirically, and analytically rigorous. The program provides advanced training in quantitative and qualitative research methods as well as mixed methods.

Students in the program have conducted research on a variety of projects, including investigating food insecurity in Atlanta, the social effects of climate change, and community policing in a public housing project.

The program has an excellent placement record with graduates securing faculty positions at institutions such as Stanford University, Yale School of Management, Harvard Business School, University of Chicago, and University of Toronto. Others have gone on to non-academic careers at organizations such as The Urban Institute, Abt Associates, and Facebook.

Related Programs

Students considering the PhD program in sociology may also be interested in the PhD programs in Sociology and Social Policy or Organizational Behavior , both of which are offered jointly with the Department of Sociology . Students who wish to apply to one of these programs in addition to the PhD program in sociology may do so.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Sociology and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Sociology .

Writing Sample

A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a term paper, senior thesis, master’s essay, or similar written work. Citations and references are not included in the page limit.

Personal Statement

Standardized tests.

GRE General: Required

Theses and Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Sociology

See list of Sociology faculty

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Human Suffering and Humanitarian Emergencies.

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Media's Reporting can be Detrimental to Humanitarian Crises Around the World

Statements of Excellence in Sociology

Sample 1st Paragraph, PHD Degree in Sociology, Kuwait

I help as many people as I have the opportunity to help in the area of Sociology because of my sheer love or this field of study. Raised by parents who put little value on education, I began college late, at the age of 22. My first semester, I was clueless but registered for classes that sounded interesting, which included a Sociology class. That semester, my world lit up like a pinball machine, especially because I learned to think sociologically. I would go on to study mostly Religious Studies and Philosophy, but Sociology would always be with me in the way that I learned to think so long ago; and continue to think until today.

Help with your Personal Statement of Purpose for Graduate School in Sociology.

As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, global sociology becomes ever more important, understanding the nature of our international interactions on a scientific level. On a domestic level, sociology is helpful on a host of fronts as well. It helps us to understand why, for example, our country, the United States, is such a deeply divided nation, culture wars, conflict and tension between social classes, age groups, people of diverse sexual orientations, races, languages, etc. Sociology provides the  lens through which we can look at and understand ourselves.

Sociologists must possess a variety of skills to successfully understand that which they study. Graduate students in sociology sociological theory, social psychology, research skills and methods, statistics, and politics. But because there are many specialized areas of sociology, graduate students may also engage in coursework as varied as women's studies, gerontology, and classes dealing with legal issues

 Graduate students usually also focus on one specific area of study. This can include not only certain "geographically-bounded communities,” but also crime patterns, maintenance of ethnic and racial diversity, provision of quality social services, homelessness, domestic violence, and demographic trends in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, to name a few.

 Job opportunities include work in sociological research, teaching at both the secondary and post-secondary levels, and community-based positions, not only schools, but also hospitals and psychological clinics, as well as politics. Other options include sales and marketing, communications, and community development; in fact, the choices are limited only by your imagination and your willingness to explore all your options.

 It is very important that you carefully review the style and presentation of your application material for graduate school before submitting it, especially your Personal Statement of Purpose. Seeking the assistance of a professional writer is often a very good idea, especially if English is your second or third language. I would be happy to draft the first paragraph free of charge so that I have the opportunity to demonstrate to you how I can help in this regard. You will only need to pay for my services if you are very impressed with the first paragraph and decide to commission me to draft the entire statement.

I want to help you get accepted to Graduate School in Sociology.

I would be happy to provide you with a highly eloquent Statement that portrays you as someone with enormous potential to contribute to the advance of the field of sociology over the long term. After you fill out my  Online Interview Form , I will ask you some specific questions by email if I need any further information. Please also send your resume/CV and or rough draft if you have one.

Issues and Challenges in the Provision of Aid

The greatest challenges for those involved in humanitarian aid and development assistance are to and achieve efficiency, effectiveness, and manage the extremely complex political, economic, and social side effects associated with them. It has become increasingly clear that aid is not a panacea, and, although externally driven, humanitarian aid and development assistance programs inevitably take on roles within the conflict and in the societies in which they operate.

As a sociologist, you get to analyze and take part in improving humanitarian action and the relationships by the various actors involved. How will you make your mark? If further study is necessary at this stage in the journey, or you would like help applying for the job of your dreams, let us know if we can help! Good luck.

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Sociology and Women's Studies Major Applying to MSW Program, Sample 1st 2 Paragraphs

Completing my undergraduate studies in Sociology and Women’s Studies enabled me to make the most of my study abroad experience in Tel Aviv, Israel, (January-July 2014), serving as an Intern at the Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center. Among other duties, I was assigned the task of reviewing, evaluating, and revising sexual assault prevention programs. This year, May-August 2015, I enjoyed the enormous privilege of serving as a Behavioral Health Specialist with The XXXX Foundation in Scottsdale, AZ, helping youth with substance abuse and mental health issues. These experiences, combined with my leadership role in the Jewish community, have convinced me that I have the heart and soul to do this work.

The Humanitarian Side of Sociology

As protracted internal conflicts have become more common and more deadly, the impact on civilians has increased. Post-Cold War conflicts have caused over five million casualties. Ninety-five percent of them were civilians. In 2001, it was estimated that 35 million people were affected in different ways by conflict internationally.

According to former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, it is increasingly true that "the main aim ... [of conflicts] ... is the destruction not of armies but of civilians and entire ethnic groups."

These disturbing developments have involved extensive humanitarian relief efforts and development assistance to rebuild war-torn countries after the conflict has ended. Development assistance is also a long-term strategy for the prevention of  violence . Although they are presented separately here, humanitarian aid and development assistance often overlap and have a lot in common.

What Is Humanitarian Aid?

Conflicts adversely affect civilians both directly, and indirectly, through resulting "complex emergencies" created by protracted conflicts. In the immediate area of conflict, the primary aim is preventing human casualties and ensuring access to the basics for survival: water, sanitation, food, shelter, and medical care. Away from the main fighting, the priority is to help people who have been  displaced , prevent the spread of conflict, support relief work, and prepare for rehabilitation.

What Is Development Assistance?

External development assistance, to reconstruct a country's infrastructure, institutions, and economy, is often a key part of the work done in the aftermath of war. This assistance ensures that the country can develop, instead of sliding back into conflict and war. Some of the key requirements include:

• Reconstruction  of property and infrastructure to facilitate return of the displaced security, governance, transport of food and supplies, and rebuild the economy.
• Transitioning to normal security conditions: demilitarization, demobilization, reintegration of ex-combatants and an adequate police force.
• A functioning judiciary system to enforce the rule of law.
• Governance and government service provision.
• Democratization , often in the form of a representative government to moderate conflict.
• Economic development  and a stable macroeconomic environment, promoting political stability and facilitating a solid financial base for government.
• Local capacity building: once the donors leave, the country needs to function independently of aid and function adequately.

The link between underdevelopment and propensity to conflict makes development assistance important in  violence prevention . The structural factors  contributing to conflict include political, economic, and social  inequalities ; extreme poverty; economic stagnation; poor government services; high unemployment and individual (economic) incentives to go to war and fight. Development assistance must attempt to reduce inequalities between groups and reduce economic incentives to fight by controlling illicit trade.

It is probable that the most important principle of development assistance is the use of  aid conditionality  to promote economic and political practices that strengthen peacebuilding. Donor assistance is often conditional on acceptance of a peace settlement by all sides. Continued commitment to implementing and consolidating peace is also often required.

Coordination  and effective  leadership  of the humanitarian relief effort is extremely important if the duplication and conflicting activities are to be minimized and the exchange and flow of intelligence in an extremely difficult and stressful working environment are to be maximized. Coordination is usually provided by the UN.

Funding for humanitarian aid and development assistance comes mostly from foreign governments: approximately 50 percent of funding is channeled through U.N. agencies, and much of this is then allocated to partner agencies that implement the programs.

Department of Sociology

For Prospective Students:

Princeton’s Sociology Department offers graduate training across a range of specialty areas to students seeking the Ph.D. Students are encouraged to work with the full range of department faculty and to tailor programs of study that will suit their individual needs and aspirations. The program offers a structured set of experiences that help students become independent scholars as early as possible in their graduate careers. Students take a series of required courses in theory and methods, participate in a second-year research workshop in which they produce a publishable piece of empirical research, and usually engage in several teaching and research apprenticeships with members of the faculty.

"The program is primarily designed for students interested in pursuing academic careers, but it also provides research skills that may be used in government and the private sector."

The program is designed to encourage completion of the doctorate in a time that is consistent with rigorous scholarly preparation. The program reflects an educational philosophy that from the first views the student as a potential contributor to the discipline rather than as a passive repository of knowledge. It rests on the conviction that scarce time is better utilized in preparing manuscripts of a type suitable for publication than in writing conventional term papers. The  Graduate School  does not operate on the credit system. The formal requirements for the doctorate specified by the Graduate School are at least one year in residence, completion of an approved dissertation, and successful performance on the general and final oral examinations. 

The department’s philosophy is that learning at the graduate level takes place best in a semi-structured environment that combines individual freedom with a supportive intellectual community. Individual freedom is encouraged by keeping the program sufficiently small (about 30 students are in residence each year) to ensure flexibility and by providing students with a wide variety of options with which to pursue their scholarly interests. Students meet regularly with members of the faculty to consult about their plans and progress, and, rather than receiving letter grades, are given qualitative written evaluations. A supportive intellectual community is encouraged by the fact that students generally remain in residence during much of their time in the program, by an atmosphere of informality and collegiality between faculty and students, and through formal activities such as on-going workshops, symposia, colloquia, and gatherings in the department lounge. 

"...learning at the graduate level takes place best in a semi-structured environment that combines individual freedom with a supportive intellectual community."

The university and the wider community also contribute significantly to the department’s emphasis on semi-structured learning.  Princeton University  is a world-class research institution, and yet it is relatively small, because it includes only a few professional schools, focusing instead on liberal arts training at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Students and faculty are thus able to become acquainted and to work together, not only within departments, but across departments as well. In a real sense, the university is the unit of instruction at Princeton, and the sociology department seeks to capitalize on this fact by providing interdepartmental learning experiences. For example, students are encouraged to take courses outside the department, as well as inside the department, and dissertation committees often include faculty from other departments. Some possibilities for learning outside the university are also available through cooperative arrangements with  Columbia University  and  Rutgers University , and through a formal exchange program with more than a dozen universities throughout the country. 

" Princeton University  is a world-class research institution, and yet it is relatively small, because it includes only a few professional schools, focusing instead on liberal arts training at the graduate and undergraduate levels."

The community, located midway between New York and Philadelphia, also provides an ideal learning environment. The town of Princeton is a community of approximately 50,000 residents. It, in turn, is part of the rapidly growing central New Jersey metroplex with a current population of more than one million. The immediate area includes a rich variety of cultural activities, including one of the nation’s best repertory theaters, a number of vocal and instrumental musical companies, bookstores, movie theaters, and restaurants of all kinds. Princeton has one of the oldest and largest concentrations of survey research firms, many of which employ advanced graduate students in sociology. It is the location of the internationally known  Institute for Advanced Study , which brings a number of visiting social scientists to the area each year. The area is notable for diversity of many kinds: Princeton is still surrounded by working farms (not to mention expansive suburbs); and rich urban environments are just miles away in Trenton (a small city and the capital of New Jersey, just eight miles southwest) and New Brunswick (about fifteen miles to the north). The town of Princeton itself is racially and ethnically diverse, and the immigration of the 1980s and 1990s has produced vibrant ethnic communities of many kinds in the surrounding cities and suburban communities. Moreover, New York and Philadelphia are only an hour away by commuter train or bus. 

Admission to the program is sought by completing the application forms that are supplied by the Office of Graduate Admissions. These require a transcript of all graduate and undergraduate courses taken elsewhere, one or more papers, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement indicating why the applicant is interested in pursuing doctoral work in sociology at Princeton.

An undergraduate major in sociology is not required. The writing sample and personal statement are especially important. The department looks for applicants’ research experience and interests, creativity, quality of previous work, and potential match with the department’s strengths.

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Sociology & social policy personal statement example.

I have been deeply interested in the influences of the social environment that we live in, and how actions of individuals can affect society. As a result I jumped at the chance to study Sociology at A-level. My interest in social policy was sparked during a lecture, given by social workers from Wigan Council who gave us an insightful talk on the subject of domestic violence. I found it personally very shocking to learn not only about the statistics around women being abused, but also the increasing numbers of men suffering emotional and physical abuse by their partners. This prompted me to discover more about policies on domestic abuse and other areas that occur in society today. Sociology is a important subject to study as it looks at the components and institutions of society, and how they fit together.

I enjoy current affairs and am keen to understand social policy. During the recent Syrian refugee crisis, it has amazed me how the government turned a humanitarian refugee crisis, into an insular argument about the need to keep Britain free of a "swarm" of migrants. It'll be interesting to see how they tackle this and whether we can help refugees more effectively. The combination of all three of my A-levels has helped me to consider the legal, moral and ethical basis of current social policy in Britain, and also helped me gain skills such as essay writing, thinking critically and being analytical, which will guide me in my studies through degree level. So far, I have studied Families and the Household, Education, and Religion. I've particularly enjoyed studying the module on Families as we researched childhood and the creation of the concept of childhood throughout the years. I have felt somewhat sympathetic towards the Conflict perspective. They claim that there are massive inequalities between children in terms of the risks that they face, as many children today remain unprotected and badly cared for.

The March of Progress' view that the experience of children has improved, and that society has become increasingly child centred does make sense, however I am worried that they ignore the fact that not all children benefit from the protections and services put in place, and that many countries still do not separate children from adults. I am deeply interested in the perspective of Feminism as it shows that women still face assumptions that fail to be recognised are sexist. These range from views that the woman should take the traditional role and look after the family, whilst the male should provide for the family; to the view that women are portrayed negatively as a result of religious belief. I would like to learn more about feminism and current and proposed social policies, so that I can gain deeper insights.

Outside of my studies, I have volunteered at the local play scheme and highlighted to staff the extra needs of a special needs child that had been overlooked. I was awarded a leadership certificate for this intervention. I have a keen interest in the rights of children and in disabled children in particular. This has come out of a personal experience of having an severely autistic twin brother. I have observed first- hand how my parents have had to advocate for my brother within a system that seems determined to make as many barriers as possible for him to access the support that he needs, so I feel very passionate that disabled people need to be less marginalised in our society. I believe that it is very important to help others and that I hope to pursue extra curricular activities at university in order to discover new interests. I help to support my studies with a part time job at a restaurant and recently received a positive energy award from the company for my contribution to the business. Altogether, I am a hard -working, reliable and analytical student and believe that college has prepared me for university. I look forward to gaining a deeper knowledge of the dynamics of sociology and social policy.

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Sociology Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

I am very drawn to a career that involves working with other people and I feel I would be best suited to social work rather than nursing or medicine. I have a positive empathy with people of all ages and find it very easy to talk to people and put them at their ease. At the same time I believe I have strong problem solving skills and could apply these to help people in times of great need and distress to be able to see a way forward.

With that long-term goal in mind I first want to expand my academic knowledge by studying sociology at university. My A levels in history, philosophy and Religious Studies have enabled me to learn more about the social interactions between people in modern cultures and also between people who lived in the past. This has been very thought provoking and I want to explore further the way that class, gender and race affect the place of an individual in their society.

The role of the welfare system in today’s society in the UK is also a major interest of mine. Compared to the 19th century, when the poor were stigmatised and subjected to appalling conditions, we now have an overburdened system that is struggling. Making decisions within the system is difficult and the challenges are complex, but something needs to be done. Exploring how the welfare system was created, looking at its history and how it has developed since the 1940s and discovering expert perspectives on how its problems can be solved, is one of my major ambitions as a sociology student.

In addition to the opportunity to study a subject that interests me at far greater depth than at college, university will also help me expand my non-academic interests. I am a very keen dancer, having studied all forms of dance from the age of 6. As an active member of my local dance school I have taken part in many annual performances and during the last two years have helped behind the scenes with choreography, set design and fund raising. This all had an unexpected impact on my thinking about my sociology A-level work as I found myself working with people younger than myself from varying backgrounds, getting to know them and their families. Working with young people now features quite highly in my career ambitions and I am volunteering on a project this summer that involves the rehabilitation of young offenders through sport.

This is another big part of my life as I love running. I have completed a marathon and my ambition is to enter and compete in the London Marathon, which I hope to do in 2014. I find that running helps my general fitness, helping me to play tennis and squash better and I also find I think through academic and personal issues as I run. At university, I hope to combine my studies with both volunteering and an active sports life.

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