Graduate School Bound
Program
Module #5 Personal Statement & Letters of Recommendation
Presented by:
Amanda Carpenter, M.S.
Coordinator for Career Development Services &
Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute Internship Program
Graduate School Bound
Program Objectives
• To provide undergraduate CI students
with assistance in the exploration and
preparation process for graduate school
through a series of online self-guided
modules
• To connect undergraduate CI students
with the resources provided by Career
Development Services
Module #5 Learning Objectives
1. Identify the basic components of the
personal statement/application essay.
2. Describe a method to obtain a letter of
recommendation.
3. Outline potential topics for the personal
statement/application essay.
Agenda
During this module we will be covering the
following topics:
• Letters of Recommendation
• Personal Statement
• Writing Exercise
What is an Admissions Essay?
The admissions essay is written by an applicant to graduate
school in response to an assignment posed in the graduate
application. Graduate programs will often assign specific
topics that applicants must address in writing their essay.
Sometimes they ask for a generic "autobiographical
statement" in which the applicant discusses his or her life,
experiences, and goals. The admissions essay is sometimes
referred to as a personal statement. The graduate admissions
essay is a critical part of the graduate application because it is
through this essay that applicants can speak directly to the
committee and demonstrate their unique fit to the program.
Purpose of Graduate School
Admissions Essay
Sell Your Skills:
• Admissions committees deal with countless stacks of applications:
faceless GRE scores and GPAs. How do they differentiate among
applicants with similar scores and academic backgrounds? The personal
statement. Your personal statement reveals a great deal about your ability
to write to determine the purpose of the essay
to construct a document which clearly explains why you're a good match
to the program.
Speak Directly to Admissions Committee:
• Essentially, the essay is your opportunity to talk directly with the
admissions committee, to call attention to important parts of your
application that might otherwise be overlooked, and to explain any
discrepancies or potentially negative aspects of your application. It's your
chance to help the admissions committee see you as a person instead of
a grade point average and a clump of standardized test scores.
Preliminary Writing
Step 1: Organize Experience & Goals
• Before you start writing, organize your thoughts, goals and
experiences by answering the following questions.
• What is the most unusual/unique thing about you?
• Who and what were intellectual influences to you?
– Which writers, articles or books in your field of study have
impacted you?
– Who were your favorite college professors and why?
– What is the best paper, exam or lab you wrote in your major
and why?
– What is the most important concept you have learned in
college?
Preliminary Writing (contd)
Step 2: Self-Assess
• Define your career goals as specifically as possible.
– What are your plans?
– How will graduate education facilitate those plans?
– What is your five-year goal? Ten year?
• What is the historical background to choosing said goal?
– When and why did your interest in the field begin?
– What work/volunteer experiences influenced your
choice?
– How has family impacted your choice?
Preliminary Writing (contd)
Step 3: Reflective Questions
• How have you prepared yourself to succeed in graduate
school?
• What personal attributes make you likely to succeed in the
profession you have chosen?
• Discuss any research you've been involved in.
– What were the outcomes?
– What are the ramifications of the research?
• Is there any other information relevant to your career
goals, educational plans, interest in field of study, etc.?
Consider the Audience
• The audience for your "personal essay" is an admissions
committee composed of members of your future
profession or academic discipline. When they read your
essay, they will be seeking depth and substance, along with a
true passion and commitment to your area of study. They
will also be looking for individual traits or characteristics
that make you an outstanding graduate school candidate.
Consider the Audience (contd)
• Through the personal essay, you have a unique opportunity to:
– Convey your long- and short-range career goals.
– Present yourself as an individual with desirable personal
abilities, background, interests and plans.
– Describe the nature and significance of your relevant
experiences, and give concrete evidence of your
knowledge, competence and motivation in the field of your
choice.
– Explain your special interest in this particular graduate
program.
– Account for any conspicuous weaknesses in your record.
– Demonstrate your writing ability and communication skills
in general.
How to Get Started
Step 1: It is imperative that you conduct a thorough self-assessment
of your interests, motivations and career goals before you begin
to write.
Consider these questions about your own abilities, background,
interests and plans:
• Why do I want to pursue a graduate school program?
• What are the special features, approaches, or values of this
particular program?
• How do my interests, values, strengths, experiences, ambitions
and plans relate to what this program offers? Why do I want to
be a part of this program Why would this program want me?
How to Get Started (contd)
• What is my interest and motivation in this field? What have
I gotten out of it so far and what do I hope to get out of it?
Can I trace my interest and motivation to any concrete
experience?
• What are my strengths related to this field, personal,
academic, and experiential?
• What experiences demonstrate my competence and
motivation in this field?
• Do my relevant experiences fall into any pattern? Broad
exploration? Increasing focus? Tackling greater and greater
challenges?
• What kinds of experiences have taught me the most?
How to Get Started (contd)
Step 2: Make a draft/outline.
Step 3: Edit/Revise. Ask a faculty/career
counselor to review the paper and provide
feedback.
Step 4: Final Edits/Revision.
How do I Choose a Theme?
It may be helpful to make a list of all of your experiences
and interests at first and then try to find an overlapping
theme or connection between the different items on the
list. However, your underlying theme should be why you
should be accepted into graduate school or specifically
accepted into the program to which you are applying. Your
job is to sell yourself and distinguish yourself from other
applicants through examples.
Tone of Essay
• The tone of the essay should be balanced or moderate.
• Don't sound too cheerful or too morose but keep a
serious and ambitious tone.
• When discussing positive or negative experiences, sound
open-minded and use a neutral tone.
• Remember not to hit the extremes (too high or too low)
and remain in balance.
• Additionally, do not sound too casual or too formal. Portray
confidence and use an active voice.
• First-person acceptable.
Research Interests
• First, it is not necessary to state a specific and concise
dissertation topic in your personal statement. You are only to
state, in broad terms, your research interests within your field.
• The reason you are asked to discuss your research interests is
because the program would like to compare the degree of
similarity in research interests between you and the faculty
member you wish to work with. Admissions committees are
aware that your interests will likely change over time and,
therefore, they do not expect you to provide them with a
detailed description of your research interests but would like for
you to describe your academic goals.
• However, your research interests should be relevant to the
proposed field of study. Additionally, your aim is to show your
readers that you have knowledge in your proposed field of study.
What if I don’t have any unique
experiences or qualities?
• Everyone has qualities that can distinguish themselves from
other individuals. Make a list of all your qualities and think
of how you utilized them in the past.
• Discuss the ones that will make you stand out but will still
have some connection to your field of interest. If you do
not have many experiences within your field, then try to
make your other experiences relate to your interests.
– For example, if you are interested in applying to a psychology
program but only have experience working at a supermarket, then
find a connection between psychology and your experiences at the
supermarket that can show your interest in and knowledge of the
field and portrays your ability to become a psychologist. By
providing these connections, your experiences and you will be
depicted as unique.
•
Should I mention which
faculty members I would like
to
work
with?
Yes. It makes it easier for the admission committee to determine if
your interests match with the faculty members you’re interested in
working with.
• However, if possible, it is recommended that you mention more than
one professor you wish to work with because it is a possibility that
the professor you are interested in working with is not accepting new
students for that year. By mentioning only one professor, you are
limiting yourself, which can decrease your chances of being accepted.
• Additionally, if you only wish to work with a specific professor, then
you are more likely to be rejected by the admissions committee if
that professor is not accepting new students. Alternatively, it may be
helpful to contact professors and find out if they are accepting new
students before applying. This reduces the chances of being rejected.
Volunteer & Job Experiences
You should only mention volunteer and
employment experiences that are relevant to
your field of study or have helped you develop
or acquire a skill that is necessary for your
field of interest. However, if there is a
volunteer or job experience that is not related
to your field of interest yet has helped
influence your career and academic goals,
discuss it in your personal statement as well.
Structure: Introduction
• The introduction is the most important part of the essay,
especially the first sentence. The first sentence introduces your
essay and a bad introduction, in person or in writing, is
detrimental to your admissions chances.
• Keep the reader interested by making them continue to read
your essay after reading the first paragraph.
• The first sentence should be unique and compelling, possibly
thought provoking or attention-grabbing.
• First sentences may explain your desire to study the subject of
interest or discuss the motivation that influenced your desire to
study the subject of interest. State it in a creative manner.
• The sentences following the first sentence should provide a brief
explanation that supports the claim stated in the first sentence.
Structure:The Body
• The body should include several paragraphs (usually about 3) that
provide detailed evidence to support the statement made in the
introductory paragraph. The paragraphs should flow by using
transitions and resolutions.
• Each paragraph should have a transition, which starts each
paragraph with a topic statement that will be the theme of that
paragraph (See more on transitions and resolutions below).
• Each paragraph should have a resolution, which ends each
paragraph with a meaningful sentence that provides a transition to
the next paragraph (See more on transitions and resolutions
below).
Structure:The Body (contd)
• Experiences, accomplishments, or any other evidence that
can support your claims should be included in the body.
Future goals should also be mentioned in the body.
• A short summary of your educational background can be
discussed in the 1st paragraph.
• Personal experiences and the reasons for wanting to attend
the school can be discussed in the 2nd paragraph.
• Do not repeat what was stated in the application.
• The last paragraph should explain why you should be
accepted.
Structure:The Conclusion
• The conclusion is the last paragraph of the personal
statement.
• State why you are interested in studying the subject of
interest.
• State the key points mentioned in the body, such as your
experiences or accomplishments, that explain your interest
in the subject. State it in a conclusive and brief manner.
• End on a positive note with one or two attention-grabbing
sentences.
Structure:The Conclusion
(contd)
• It is crucial that your paragraphs have transitions and
resolutions. Transitions start a paragraph by providing a
statement that suggests the theme for that paragraph. This
allows the reader to be aware of the direction the essay is
heading in. Transitions connect paragraphs to other
paragraphs (usually preceding paragraphs), which causes the
essay to flow smoothly.
• Your essay should include enough detail, be personal, and
specific. The purpose of a personal statement is to show
the admission committee what makes you unique and
different from other applicants. Your job is to display your
distinct personality and provide evidence that confirms
your passion and desire for the subject and the school.
Writing Exercise
• List 5-10 of your closest held values that shape your daily
life and your choices.
• Separately, consider two or three of the most defining
moments of your life, and what you learned from them—
about yourself, about what you believe, and about the
world.
• Choose the one moment that best encapsulates some of
the values you listed earlier.
• Write the story of that moment, detailing the effect it had
on you, how it shaped your values, and who you are as a
result. How does this story reveal what you will do in grad
school and in your career?
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation
Tips
• Nearly every graduate program requires applicants to
submit recommendation letters. Don't underestimate the
importance of these letters. While your transcript, test
scores, and personal statement or admissions essay are vital
components to your graduate school application, an
excellent recommendation letter can make up for
weaknesses in any of these areas. A well written
recommendation letter provides admissions committees
with information that isn't found elsewhere in the
application. A recommendation letter is a detailed
discussion, from a faculty member, of the personal qualities,
accomplishments, and experiences that make you unique
and perfect for the programs to which you've applied.
Who to Ask?
Most graduate programs require two or more recommendation letters. Consider faculty
members, administrators, internship/co-operative education supervisors, and employers.
The persons you ask to write your recommendation letters should:
 know you well
 know you long enough to write with authority
 know your work
 describe your work positively
 have a high opinion of you
 know where you are applying
 know your educational and career goals
 be able to favorably compare you with your peers
 be well known
 be able to write a good letter
 Keep in mind that no one person will satisfy all of these criteria. Aim for a set of
recommendation letters that cover the range of your skills. Ideally, letters should cover your
academic and scholastic skills, research abilities and experiences, and applied experiences
(e.g., co-operative education, internships, related work experience).
Provide Information
The best thing that you can do to ensure that your
recommendation letters cover all the bases is to
provide your referees with all the necessary
information. Don't assume that they will remember
anything about you. (I know, you're quite memorable,
but think about what it must be like to have 150 or
more students each semester!)
Provide Information (contd)
• Make an appointment to speak with your letter writers. Give your letter writers
plenty of time (three to four weeks at minimum). Provide a file with all of your
background information:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
transcript
resume or vita
admissions essays
courses you've taken with them
research experiences
internship and other applied experiences
honor societies to which you belong
awards you've won
work experience
professional goals
due date for the application
copy of the application recommendation forms (if provided by the institution to which you're
applying)
Topics
• Career Plans: What are your long-term career goals? Where do
you see yourself, career wise, 10 years from now?
• Academic Interests: What would you like to study? Describe
your academic interests. Which professors in the department
would you like to work with?
• Research Experiences: Discuss your research experiences.
What areas would you like to research?
• Academic Objectives: Why do you plan to attend graduate
school? Explain how graduate school will contribute to your
career goals. What do you plan to do with your degree?
• Clinical and Field Experience: Discuss your clinical and other
applied experiences. How have these experiences shaped your
career goals?
Topics (contd)
• Academic Achievements: Discuss your academic
background and achievements.
• Personal Experience: Write an autobiographical essay. Is
there anything in your background that you think would be
relevant to your application for admission to graduate
school? Describe your life up to now: family, friends, home,
school, work, and particularly those experiences most
relevant to your interests in psychology. What is your
approach to life?
Writing Tips
 Here are some general tips to help you write an effective
personal essay:
 Before you put pen to paper, make lists of information that
may be pertinent to the admissions decision. Lists may
include professors, courses, books, research projects, ideas,
travel, and other experiences that have been important. You
should also list work, extracurricular and volunteer
activities, special skills, honors and awards.
 Give yourself plenty of time. Start thinking about your
essays early. The admissions committee reads essays
thoroughly and carefully. Make sure you've given it your
best effort.
Writing Tips (contd)
 Be sure to read the essay questions on the application carefully.
What information, approach or emphasis is the question asking
for? Make sure you answer all questions and address issues
outlined.
 Although you may formulate a general essay in advance, make
certain that each application contains an essay which specifically
answers the questions asked by that school.
 Each essay should contain at least a sentence or two which tells
why you have chosen that particular institution. Does it have an
excellent specialization in your area of interest? Is there a
particular faculty member with whom you expect to work? Is the
program recommended to you by a faculty member?
 Strive for a strong opening line or paragraph. Look for something
beyond the predictable, something that demonstrates the qualities
that set you apart from other candidates.
Writing Tips (contd)
 Specific knowledge, skills and insights acquired through
internships and other work experiences--paid or volunteer,
and related to your proposed field of study--are particularly
strong material.
 Any experience that demonstrates interpersonal talents,
entrepreneurial skills, ability to perform under stress,
unusual background, some important lessons learned, or a
genuine commitment to a worthy cause could be
appropriate if you demonstrate the relevance.
 Draft! Draft! Draft! Good writing is writing that is easily
understood. Have one good writer critique your essays, and
another proofread them.
Show vs.Tell
Telling:
“I have fabulous networking and facilitation skills!”
Showing:
“I bring people together from the community to create productive collaborations.
For example, in my position as program assistant for the nonprofit Art in Schools, I
reached out to seven community leaders—including the county sheriff, a former
mayor, the artistic director of the local ballet, a librarian, a radio show host, and
school board members—to plan the first-ever city-wide children’s arts symposium.
I led the small team that I assembled in months of planning, and helped members
identify key ways to contribute. For example, the ballet director donated space and
the radio host publicized the event. In your program, I will put my networking and
facilitation skills to work both in the classroom and in the field—and will continue
to network with community leaders for the benefit of my work and that of my
classmates. My love of bringing people together for a cause will hopefully also help
me succeed as the head of a nonprofit one day.”
How is my Essay Reviewed?
• First Step: Screening
Does the applicant meet the minimum requirements?
Standardized test scores? GPA? Relevant experience? Is the
application complete, including admissions essays and
recommendation letters? The purpose of this initial review is to
ruthlessly weed out applicants.
• Second Step: First Pass
Graduate programs vary, but many competitive programs send
batches of applications to faculty for an initial review. Each faculty
member may review a set of applications and identify those with
promise.
How is My Essay Reviewed?
(contd)
• Third Step: Batch Review
In the next step batches of applications are sent to 2-3 faculty.
Now applications are evaluated with regard to motivation,
experience, documentation (essays, letters), and overall promise.
Depending on the size of the program and applicant pool the
resulting set of applicants is reviewed by a larger set of faculty, or
interviewed, or accepted (some programs do not conduct
interviews).
• Fourth Step: Interview
Interviews may be conducted by phone or in-person. Applicants
are evaluated with regard to their academic promise, thinking
and problem solving skills, and social competence. Both faculty
and graduate students evaluate applicants.
How is My Essay Reviewed?
(contd)
• Final Step: Post Interview and Decision
Faculty meet, gather evaluations, and make
admissions decisions.
• The above process varies depending on the
size of the program and number of applicants.
What's the take-away message? Make sure
that your application is complete. If you're
missing a recommendation letter, essay, or
transcript, your application will not make it
through the initial screening.
Questions on this Module?
Preparing for graduate school is a multi-staged
process.
Visit Career Development Services during Drop-In
Career Counseling to get your questions answered.
Every Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Career Development Center
Bell Tower 1548
career.services@csuci.edu
(805) 437-3270