Why do you need a personal statement?

Admission committees are interested in knowing who you are. Personal statements presented by you are the best way they get to do so. Three key things need to be made clear to the committee: what your goals and interests are, what you bring to the program and what you bring out of the program. It’s your job to convince the committee that you are a deserving applicant in these respects. The personal statement presents important things about yourself that may not be evident from the rest of your application.

A personal statement is not quite the same thing as a statement of purpose

A personal statement may include all this as well but it gives you much more room to also be personal. In other words, a personal statement makes room for you to highlight things in your life that need not be pertinent to your field of interest. On the other hand, a statement of purpose /letter of intent is more geared or oriented towards your academic or professional credentials or interests.

Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose

Some programs may require you to submit both a personal statement and a letter of intent/statement of purpose. Should this be the case, the personal statement should be based more on life experiences and personality aspects while a letter of intent should highlight your academic or research activities.

However there’s not always a hard distinction between a personal statement and a letter of intent. These two types of statements tend to cover much of the same ground particularly when it relates to your future goals or your valuable strengths. Always look out for the prompt sent out by the program.

Letter of Intent

Some programs ask for a letter of intent but the prompt asks for what is normally associated with a personal statement.
On the other hand, other programs may require a personal statement and yet the prompt may signal what may be associated with a letter of intent.

It’s best to follow what is indicated in the prompt whenever doubt arises and not to worry too much on whether to call it a letter of intent or a personal statement. The admissions office may also be on hand to answer any queries relating to the intent of the program so feel free to contact them.

Why do you need a personal statement?