Many applications will include a personal essay, in which you describe "where you're coming from" – your interests, why you want to obtain a graduate degree, career goals, and so on. To personalize ...

For the essays you write for college classes, you might support your thesis with textual evidence. In a personal statement, your evidence should come from your own life. For example, you might ...

Below are four common writing mistakes that “hide” your individual voice and undermine the effectiveness of your essay. Excessive academic language can make a personal statement seem overwrought and ...

While it’s hard to generalize about all these essay prompts, they still differ from personal statements in many ways. They are more reflective, looking backward rather than forward. They often ...

This document is more technical and academic and less biographical. The focus of the personal statement is typically on personal thoughts, feelings, and reflections. This document is more biographical ...