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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.

College essays

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

Academic writing

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

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

• Ruth Gotian
• Ushma S. Neill

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
• Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

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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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How to Write a Personal Statement for a Scholarship + Examples

What’s covered:, what is the purpose of the scholarship personal statement, what to include in your personal statement, personal statement example: breakdown + analysis, how to make sure your writing is effective.

Either before or after you’ve gotten into your dream school, you’ll have to figure out how to pay for it. For most students, this involves a combination of financial aid, parent contributions, self-contributions, student loans, and scholarships/grants. Because scholarships are money out of someone else’s pocket that you never have to pay back, they are a great place to start!

Scholarships come in two forms: merit-based and need-based. Need-based scholarships are also often called grants. These designations tell you whether an organization looks at your financial situation when deciding about your scholarship.

Additionally, different scholarships fall under different categories based on the mission of the organization or person providing the scholarship’s financing. These missions typically emphasize different things like academic achievement, specific career goals, community service, leadership, family background, skill in the arts, or having overcome hardship. As you select scholarships to apply for and complete your applications, you should keep these missions in mind.

No matter what type of scholarship you are applying for, you will be asked to provide the review committee with standard materials. This includes your transcript, GPA, and resume/extracurriculars, but also, importantly, your personal statement. A scholarship personal statement is a bit different from your normal college essay, so we’ve put together this guide and some examples to help you get started!

The purpose of your personal statement is to help a review committee learn more about your personality, values, goals, and what makes you special. Ultimately, like with your college essays, you are trying to humanize your profile beyond your transcript, GPA, and test scores.

College essays all have one goal in mind (which is why you can apply to multiple schools at once through applications like the Common App or Coalition App): convince admissions officers that you would be a valuable addition to the university environment. The goal of your scholarship personal statement is different and differs more from one scholarship to the next. Rather than convincing various review committees that you are a generally good candidate for extra funding for college, you need to convince each review committee that your values have historically aligned with their organization’s mission and will continue to align with their organization’s mission.

Common missions amongst those who give scholarships include:

• Providing opportunities for students with career ambitions in a particular field
• Helping students who have experienced unexpected hardship
• Supporting students who show outstanding academic achievement
• Funding the arts through investing in young artists with strong technical skill
• Supporting the development of civic-minded community service leaders of the future
• Providing opportunities for historically underrepresented ethnic communities 

If a specific mission like this is outlined on an organization’s website or in the promotional material for its scholarship, the purpose of your personal statement is to show how you exemplify that mission.

Some scholarships ask for your personal statement to be guided by a prompt, while others leave things open for interpretation. When you are provided a prompt, it is obvious what you must do: answer the prompt. When you are not provided a prompt, you want to write a personal statement that is essentially a small-scale autobiography where you position yourself as a good investment. In either case, you should identify a focus or theme for what you are trying to say about yourself so that your application does not get lost in the shuffle.

Prompts include questions like:

• Why do you deserve this scholarship?
• How have you shown your commitment to (leadership/community service/diversity) in your community?
• When did you overcome adversity?
• Why is attending college important to you?

If you are provided a prompt, develop a theme for your response that showcases both your values and your achievements. This will help your essay feel focused and will subsequently help the review committee to remember which candidate you were as they deliberate.

Themes include things like:

• I deserve this community service scholarship because my compassion for intergenerational trauma has inspired me to volunteer with a local after-school program. I didn’t just sympathize. I did something about my sympathy because that’s the type of person I am. Within the program, I have identified avenues for improvement and worked alongside full-time staff to develop new strategies for increasing attendance.
• I overcame adversity when my mother had to have a major surgery two months after giving birth to my younger brother. I was just a kid but was thrown into a situation where I had to raise another kid. It was hard, but I’m the kind of person who tries to grow from hard times and, through my experience taking care of a baby, I learned the importance of listening to body language and nonverbal cues to understand the needs of others (baby and nonbaby, alike).

Without a prompt, clarity can be harder to achieve. That said, it is of the utmost importance that you find a focus. First, think about both your goals and your values.

Types of goals include:

• Career goals
• Goals for personal growth
• The type of friend you want to be
• The change you want to make in the world

Values could include:

• Authenticity
• And many more!

After you write out your goals/values, write out your achievements to see what goals/values you have “proof” of your commitment to. Your essay will ultimately be an exploration of your goal/value, what you have done about your goal/value in the past, and what you aspire to in the future.

You might be tempted to reflect on areas for improvement, but scholarships care about you living out your values. It is not enough to aspire to be exemplary in leadership, community service, or your academic field. For scholarships, you have to already be exemplary.

Finally, keep in mind that the review committee likely already has a copy of your extracurricular activities and involvement. Pick one or two accomplishments, then strive for depth, not breadth as you explore them.

My interest in the field of neuroscience began at a young age.  When I was twelve years old, my sister developed a condition called Pseudotumor Cerebri following multiple concussions during a basketball game.  It took the doctors over six months to make a proper diagnosis, followed by three years of treatment before she recovered.  During this time, my love for neuroscience was sparked as I began to research her condition and, then, other neurocognitive conditions.  Later, my love of neuroscience was amplified when my mother began to suffer from brain-related health issues.  My mother had been a practicing attorney in Dallas for over twenty years.  She was a determined litigator who relentlessly tried difficult cases that changed people’s lives.  Now, she suffers from a cognitive impairment and is no longer able to practice law.  Oftentimes, she has headaches, she gets “cloudy,” her executive functioning slows down, she feels overwhelmed, and she forgets things.  My mother has gone from being the strong, confident, emotional and financial caretaker of our family to needing significant help on a daily basis. Once again, with this illness came a lot of research on my part — research that encouraged me to pursue my dreams of exploring neuroscience.

Due to my experiences with my mother and sister when I was in middle school, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the field of neuroscience.  I also knew that, to obtain this goal, I needed to maintain superior grades in school while also pursuing opportunities outside of school to further my education.  In school, I was able to maintain superior grades to the point where I am currently valedictorian in a class of 567 students.  In addition, in school, I challenged myself by taking 16 Advanced Placement classes and 19 Honors classes.  Two of the most beneficial classes were AP Capstone Seminar and AP Capstone Research.  AP Capstone Seminar and AP Capstone Research are research-oriented classes where students are given the opportunity to pursue whatever track their research takes them down.  As a junior in AP Capstone Seminar, I researched the effects of harmful pesticide use on the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children.  This year, as a senior in AP Capstone Research, I am learning about the effects of medical marijuana on the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  

Outside of school, I furthered my education through taking advantage of the Duke TiP summer program. Duke TiP is a summer program run by Duke University where students who score extremely well on the SAT as middle schoolers are able to take college classes at different universities throughout the summers of their middle school and high school years.  I took advantage of this opportunity twice.  First, I went to Trinity University in San Antonio to expand my horizons and learn more about debate.  However, once I was done exploring, I decided I wanted to go into neuroscience.  This led me to take an Abnormal Psychology class at Duke University’s West Campus.  This class opened my eyes to the interaction between neuroscience and mental health, mental illness, and personality.  Years later, I am currently continuing my education outside of school as an intern at the University of Texas Dallas Center for Brain Health.  Through this internship, I have been able to see different aspects of neuroscience including brain pattern testing, virtual reality therapy, and longitudinal research studies.  With this background, I have positioned myself to be accepted by top neuroscience programs throughout the nation.  So far, I have been accepted to the neuroscience department of University of Southern California, the University of Virginia, the University of Texas, and Southern Methodist University, as well as the chemistry department at University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.  

It is with this passion for neuroscience driven by my family and passion for education driven by internal motivation that I will set out to conquer my career objectives.  My educational aspirations consist of acquiring a bachelor’s degree in a biological or health science that would assist me in pursuing a medical career as a neuroscience researcher.  I decided to attain a career as a researcher since my passion has always been assisting others and trying to improve their quality of life.  After obtaining my Masters and my PhD, I plan to become a professor at a prestigious university and continue performing lab research on cognitive disorders.  I am particularly interested in disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  In the lab, I hope to find different therapies and medications to help treat the 3.5 million people around the world suffering from ASD.  Furthermore, I want to contribute back to underserved populations that struggle because they do not have as much access to medical assistance as other privileged groups.  As such, I hope to do a part of my research in less developed or developing Spanish-speaking countries. This will also allow me to pursue my love of Spanish while pursuing my love of neuroscience.  I think that following such a career path will provide me the opportunity to learn about the medical needs of the autistic community and improve their quality of health.  Furthermore, I hope to train a new generation of students to strive to research and make comparable discoveries.  Whether it be through virtual reality labs or new drug discoveries, I believe that research leads to innovation which leads to a brighter future. 

This student does a great job of making themself appear competent and dedicated to the field of neuroscience. This is primarily because they provided tangible evidence of how they have pursued their dedication in the past—through their AP Capstone courses, their Abnormal Psychology class at Duke TiP, and their internship at UTD. There is no doubt in the mind of a reader that this student is high-achieving. 

This student also engages successfully with a past-future trajectory, where they end with a vision of how they will continue to use neuroscience in the future. This helps the review committee see what they are investing in and the ways that their money will go to good use.

This student has two major areas for improvement. As we have said, the purpose of a personal statement is for a student to humanize themself to a review committee. This student struggles to depict themself separately from their academic achievements. A solution to this would be for the student to establish a theme towards the beginning of their essay that relates to both their values as a human and their achievements.

At the beginning of the essay, the student explores how their interest in neuroscience began. They explain their interest through the following sentences: “During this time, my love for neuroscience was sparked as I began to research her condition and, then, other neurocognitive conditions” and “Once again, with this illness came a lot of research on my part — research that encouraged me to pursue my dreams of exploring neuroscience.” The student made the great decision to tell the backstory of their interest, but they described their research in very mundane and redundant terms. Instead, they could have focused on their value of intellectual curiosity as a magnetic force that encouraged them to research their mother and sister’s ailments. Curiosity, then, could serve as a value-related thematic throughline to taking AP Capstone classes, taking college courses during the summer that weren’t required, and interning before even graduating high school.

A second area for improvement would be avoiding statistics. As the student identifies their valedictorian status and the number of AP classes they have taken, they might turn away certain personalities on a review committee by appearing braggy. Even further, these statistics are a waste of space. The review committee already has access to this information. These words distract from the major theme of the essay and would have been better used to humanize the student.

Throughout my academic career, I have been an avid scholar, constantly pushing myself towards ambitious goals. I held and continue to hold myself to a high standard, enrolling myself in rigorous curriculum, including Honors and Advanced Placement courses to stretch my mental potential. During my junior year of high school, I took four AP tests, two on the same day, and earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award. Additionally, I received the Letter of Commendation for the PSAT/NMSQT, and qualified for Rotary Top 100 Students both my freshman and senior year, a sign of my commitment to my studies. However, school has not been all about having the best GPA for me; beyond the numbers, I have a deep drive to learn which motivates me to do well academically. I truly enjoy learning new things, whether it be a new essay style or a math theorem. I always give each class my best effort and try my hardest on every assignment. My teachers have noticed this as well, and I have received school Lancer Awards and Student of the Month recognitions as a result. It is a major goal of mine to continue to aspire towards a high level of achievement regarding future educational and occupational endeavors; I plan on continuing this level of dedication throughout my educational career and implementing the skills I have learned and will learn into my college experience and beyond.

This fall, I will begin attending the University of California Los Angeles as an English major. I chose this major because I am fascinated by written language, especially its ability to convey powerful messages and emotions. I also enjoy delving into the works of other authors to analyze specific components of their writing to discover the meaning behind their words. In particular, I cannot wait to begin in-depth literary criticism and learn new stylistic techniques to add more depth to my writing. Furthermore, I recently went to UCLA’s Bruin Day, an event for incoming freshmen, where I was exposed to many different extracurriculars, some of which really piqued my interest. I plan on joining the Writing Success Program, where I can help students receive free writing help, and Mock Trial, where I can debate issues with peers in front of a real judge. The latter, combined with a strong writing background from my undergraduate English studies will be extremely beneficial because I plan to apply to law school after my undergraduate degree. As of now, my career goal is to become a civil rights lawyer, to stand up for those who are discriminated against and protect minority groups to proliferate equality.

As a lawyer, I wish to utilize legislation to ameliorate the plight of the millions of Americans who feel prejudice and help them receive equity in the workplace, society, and so on. Though this seems a daunting task, I feel that my work ethic and past experience will give me the jumpstart I need to establish myself as a successful lawyer and give a voice to those who are often unheard in today’s legal system. I have been a Girl Scout for over a decade and continually participate in community service for the homeless, elderly, veterans, and more. My most recent project was the Gold Award, which I conducted in the Fullerton School District. I facilitated over ten workshops where junior high students taught elementary pupils STEM principles such as density and aerodynamics via creative activities like building aluminum boats and paper airplanes. I also work at Kumon, a tutoring center, where I teach students to advance their academic success. I love my job, and helping students from local schools reach their potential fills me with much pride.

Both being a Girl Scout and working at Kumon have inspired me to help those in need, contributing significantly to my desire to become a lawyer and aid others. My extracurriculars have allowed me to gain a new perspective on both learning and teaching, and have solidified my will to help the less fortunate. In college, I hope to continue to gain knowledge and further develop my leadership skills, amassing qualities that will help me assist others. I plan to join multiple community service clubs, such as UCLA’s local outreach programs that directly aid residents of Los Angeles. I want to help my fellow pupils as well, and plan on volunteering at peer tutoring and peer editing programs on campus. After college, during my career, I want to use legal tactics to assist the underdog and take a chance on those who are often overlooked for opportunities. I wish to represent those that are scared to seek out help or cannot afford it. Rather than battling conflict with additional conflict, I want to implement peaceful but strong, efficient tactics that will help make my state, country, and eventually the world more welcoming to people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. These goals are close to my heart and therefore I will be as diligent as I am passionate about them. My perseverance and love for learning and community service drive my ambition in both education and life as a whole, and the drive to make the world a better place is one that I will carry with me for my entire life.

This student emphasizes two values in this essay: hard work and community service. These are values that go together nicely, and definitely make sense with this student’s end goal of becoming a civil rights lawyer! That said, some changes could be made to the way the student presents their values that would make their personal statement more convincing and engaging.

Structurally, instead of using a past-future trajectory, this student starts by explaining their academic achievements, then explains their career goals, then explains their history of community service, then explains their future desires for community service. This structure loses the reader. Instead, the student should have started with either the past or the future. 

This could look like 1) identifying their career goals, 2) explaining that hard work and a commitment to community service are necessary to get there, and 3) explaining that they aren’t worried because of their past commitment to hard work and community service. Or it could look like 1) providing examples of their hard work and community service in the past, then 2) explaining how those values will help them achieve their career goals.

Additionally, like with our other example, this student shows a heavy investment in statistics and spouting off accomplishments. This can be unappealing. Unfortunately, even when the student recognizes that they are doing this, writing “beyond the numbers, I have a deep drive to learn which motivates me to do well academically. I truly enjoy learning new things, whether it be a new essay style or a math theorem,” they continue on to cite their achievements, writing “My teachers have noticed this as well, and I have received school Lancer Awards and Student of the Month recognitions as a result.” They say they are going beyond the numbers, but they don’t go beyond the awards. They don’t look inward. One way to fix this would be to make community service the theme around which the essay operates, supplementing with statistics in ways that advance the image of the student as dedicated to community service.

Finally, this student would be more successful if they varied their sentence structure. While a small-scale autobiography can be good, if organized, every sentence should not begin with ‘I.’ The essay still needs to be engaging or the review committee might stop reading.

Feedback is ultimately any writer’s best source of improvement! To get your personal statement edited for free, use our Peer Review Essay Tool . With this tool, other students can tell you if your scholarship essay is effective and help you improve your essay so that you can have the best chances of gaining those extra funds!

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How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement [With Examples]

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What are the big challenges students should be aware of before writing their UCAS Personal Statement?

• The essential ingredients for writing a great Personal Statement
• How to write the UCAS Personal Statement [with examples]

Final hints & tips to help your students

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The UCAS Personal Statement can sometimes be a student’s only chance to impress a UK university. Read our in-depth guide to helping your students plan & write a winning application.

There are hundreds of articles out there on how to write a UCAS Personal Statement that will grab the attention of a UK university admissions officer.  

But if you’re working with students to help them perfect their Personal Statement in time for the  relevant UCAS deadlines , we can sum up the secret to success in three words.

Planning, structure and story. 

The UCAS Personal Statement is a student’s chance to talk about why they want to study for a particular degree, course or subject discipline at a UK university. 

As they set about writing a personal statement, students need to demonstrate the drive, ambition, relevant skills and notable achievements that make them a  suitable candidate for the universities they have chosen to apply to . 

But the UCAS Personal Statement requires students to write a lot about themselves in a relatively short space of time. That’s why lots of planning, a tight structure and a compelling story are essential if a student’s Personal Statement is to truly excel. 

As important deadlines for UK university applications grow closer, we at BridgeU have put together a guide, outlining some of the strategies and techniques to help your students to write a personal statement which is both engaging and truly individual.

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Discover the simple steps that will boost the confidence of your native English speaking & ESL students alike in  University Application Essays: The 5 Secrets of Successful Writing .

As they begin to plan their Personal Statement, students may feel intimidated. It’s not easy to summarise your academic interests and personal ambitions, especially when you’re competing for a place on a course which is popular or has demanding entry requirements. In particular, students will likely come up against the following challenges.

Time pressure

Unfortunately, the Personal Statement (and other aspects of university preparation) comes during the busiest year of the student’s academic life so far.

Students, and indeed teachers and counsellors, must undertake the planning and writing of the personal statement whilst juggling other commitments, classes and deadlines, not to mention revision and open day visits!

Because there is already a lot of academic pressure on students in their final year of secondary school, finding the time and headspace for the personal statement can be hard, and can mean it gets pushed to the last minute. The risks of leaving it to the last minute are fairly obvious – the application will seem rushed and the necessary thought and planning won’t go into  making the personal statement the best it can be . 

Sticking closely to the Personal Statement format

The character limit which UCAS sets for the personal statement is very strict – up to 4,000 characters of text. This means that students have to express themselves in a clear and concise way; it’s also important that they don’t feel the need to fill the available space needlessly.  Planning and redrafting of a personal statement is essential .

Making it stand out

This is arguably the greatest challenge facing students – making sure that their statement sets them apart from everyone else who is competing for a place on any given course; in 2022 alone, UCAS received applications from 683,650 applicants (+1.6k on 2021) students. In addition, UCAS uses its own dedicated team and purpose built software to check every application for plagiarism, so it’s crucial that students craft a truly  original personal statement which is entirely their own work .

The essential ingredients for writing a great UCAS Personal Statement 

We’ve already mentioned our three watch words for writing a high quality Personal Statement.

Planning. Structure. Story. 

Let’s dig deeper into these three essential components in more detail.

Watch: How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement with University of Essex

Planning a ucas personal statement.

It might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s vital that students plan their Personal Statement before they start writing it. Specifically, the planning phase could include: 

• Students thoroughly researching the UK university courses they plan on applying to. 
• Deciding on what relevant material to include in their Personal Statement (we’ll cover this in more detail later on). 
• Writing an unedited first draft where they just get their thoughts and ideas down on paper. 

Structuring a UCAS Personal Statement

As we’ve discussed, the UCAS Personal Statement requires students to be extremely disciplined – they will be required to condense a lot of information into a relatively short written statement. This means that, after they’ve written a rough first draft, they need to think carefully about how they structure the final statement. 

A stand out Personal Statement will need a tight structure, with an introduction and a conclusion that make an impact and really help to tell a story about who your student is, and why they are drawn to studying this particular degree. 

This brings us nicely to our third and final ingredient…

Telling a story with a Personal Statement

The UCAS Personal Statement is a student’s opportunity to show a university who they are and how their life experiences have shaped their academic interests and goals. 

So a good Personal Statement needs to offer a compelling narrative, and that means making sure that a student’s writing is well-structured, and that every sentence and paragraph is serving the statement’s ultimate purpose –  to convince a university that your student deserves a place on their subject of choice. 

How to help your students start their UCAS Personal Statement

In order to ensure that a personal statement is delivered on time and to an appropriate standard, it’s essential to plan thoroughly before writing it. Here are some questions you can ask your students before they start writing:

How can you demonstrate a formative interest in your subject?

It may sound obvious but, in order for any UCAS personal statement to have the necessary structure and clarity, students need to think hard about why they want to study their chosen subject. Ask them to think about their responses to the following questions:

What inspired you to study your chosen subject?

Example answer:  My desire to understand the nature of reality has inspired me to apply for Physics and Philosophy

Was there a formative moment when your perspective on this subject changed, or when you decided you wanted to study this subject in more detail?

Example answer:  My interest in philosophy was awakened when I questioned my childhood religious beliefs; reading Blackburn’s “Think”, convinced me to scrutinise my assumptions about the world, and to ensure I could justify my beliefs.

Can you point to any role models, leading thinkers, or notable literature which has in turn affected your thinking and/or inspired you?

Example answer :  The search for a theory of everything currently being conducted by physicists is of particular interest to me and in “The Grand Design” Hawking proposes a collection of string theories, dubbed M-theory, as the explanation of why the universe is the way it is.

Asking your students to think about the “why” behind their chosen subject discipline is a useful first step in helping them to organise their overall statement. Next, they need to be able to demonstrate evidence of their suitability for a course or degree. 

How have you demonstrated the skills and aptitudes necessary for your chosen course?

Encourage students to think about times where they have demonstrated the necessary skills to really stand out. It’s helpful to think about times when they have utilised these skills both inside and outside the classroom. Ask students to consider their responses to the following questions. 

Can you demonstrate critical and independent thinking around your chosen subject discipline?

Example answer :  Currently I am studying Maths and Economics in addition to Geography. Economics has been a valuable tool, providing the nuts and bolts to economic processes, and my geography has provided a spatial and temporal element.

Are you able to demonstrate skills and competencies which will be necessary for university study?

These include qualities such as teamwork, time management and the ability to organise workload responsibly.

Example answer:  This year I was selected to be captain of the 1st XV rugby team and Captain of Swimming which will allow me to further develop my leadership, teamwork and organisational skills.

How have your extracurricular activities helped prepare you for university?

Students may believe that their interests outside the classroom aren’t relevant to their university application. So encourage them to think about how their other interests can demonstrate the subject-related skills that universities are looking for in an application. Ask students to think about any of the following activities, and how they might be related back to the subject they are applying for.

• Clubs/societies, or volunteering work which they can use to illustrate attributes such as teamwork, an interest in community service and the ability to manage their time proactively.
• Have they been elected/nominated as a team captain, or the head of a particular club or society, which highlights leadership skills and an ability to project manage?
• Can they point to any awards or prizes they may have won, whether it’s taking up a musical instrument, playing a sport, or participating in theatre/performing arts?
• Have they achieved grades or qualifications as part of their extracurricular activities? These can only help to demonstrate aptitude and hard work. 

How to write the UCAS Personal Statement [with examples] 

If sufficient planning has gone into the personal statement, then your students should be ready to go!

In this next section, we’ll break down the individual components of the UCAS Personal Statement and share some useful examples.

These examples come from a Personal Statement in support of an application to study Environmental Science at a UK university. 

Watch: King’s College London explain what they’re looking for in a UCAS Personal Statement

Introduction.

This is the chance for an applying student to really grab an admission tutor’s attention. Students need to demonstrate both a personal passion for their subject, and explain why they have an aptitude for it .  This section is where students should begin to discuss any major influences or inspirations that have led them to this subject choice. 

Example :  My passion for the environment has perhaps come from the fact that I have lived in five different countries: France, England, Spain, Sweden and Costa Rica. Moving at the age of 15 from Sweden, a calm and organized country, to Costa Rica, a more diverse and slightly chaotic country, was a shock for me at first and took me out of my comfort zone […] Also, living in Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, definitely helped me realize how vulnerable the world is and how we need to take care of it in a sustainable manner. 

This opening paragraph immediately grabs the reader’s attention by giving the reader an insight into this student’s background and links their academic interests with something specific from the student’s personal backstory. 

Discussing Academic Achievements 

The next paragraph in this Personal Statement discusses the student’s academic achievements. Because this student has had an international education, they frame their academic achievements in the context of their personal background. They also cite useful examples of other curricula they have studied and the grades they have achieved. 

Example : 

Throughout my academic life I have shown myself to be a responsible student as well as a hard working one, despite the fact that I have had to move around a lot. I have achieved several other accomplishments such as a high A (286/300) in AS Spanish at age 15, and also completed a Spanish course of secondary studies for ‘MEP’(Ministerio de Educacion Publica), which is a system from Costa Rica.   

You’ll notice that this student doesn’t just list their achievements – their strong academic performance is always linked back to a wider discussion of their personal experiences. 

Showcasing Extracurricular Activities

As well as discussing academic achievements, a good Personal Statement should also discuss the student’s extracurricular activities, and how they relate back to the student’s overall university aspirations. 

By the third/fourth paragraph of the Personal Statement, students should think about incorporating their extracurricular experiences, 

Another valuable experience was when my class spent a week at a beach called ‘Pacuare’ in order to help prevent the eggs of the endangered leatherback turtle from being stolen by poachers who go on to sell them like chicken eggs. We all gained teamwork experience, which was needed in order to hide the eggs silently without scaring the mother turtles, as well as making it more difficult for the poachers to find them. 

When the poachers set fire to one of the sustainable huts where we were staying, not only did I gain self-awareness about the critical situation of the world and its ecosystems, I also matured and became even more motivated to study environmental sciences at university.

This is a particularly striking example of using extracurricular activities to showcase a student’s wider passion for the degree subject they want to study. 

Not only does this Personal Statement have a story about volunteering to save an endangered species, it also illustrates this applicants’ wider worldview, and helps to explain their motivation for wanting to study Environmental Science. 

Concluding the UCAS Personal Statement

The conclusion to a UCAS Personal Statement will have to be concise, and will need to tie all of a student’s academic and extracurricular achievements. After all, a compelling story will need a great ending. 

Remember that students need to be mindful of the character limit of a Personal Statement, so a conclusion need only be the length of a small paragraph, or even a couple of sentences. 

“ After having many varied experiences, I truly think I can contribute to university in a positive way, and would love to study in England where I believe I would gain more skills and education doing a first degree than in any other country.  “

A good Personal Statement conclusion will end with an affirmation of how the student thinks they can contribute to university life, and why they believe the institution in question should accept them. Because the student in this example has a such a rich and varied international background, they also discuss the appeal of studying at university in England. 

It’s worth taking a quick look at a few other examples of how other students have chosen to conclude their Personal Statement. 

Medicine (Imperial College, London) 

Interest in Medicine aside, other enthusiasms of mine include languages, philosophy, and mythology. It is curiously fitting that in ancient Greek lore, healing was but one of the many arts Apollo presided over, alongside archery and music.   I firmly believe that a doctor should explore the world outside the field of  Medicine, and it is with such experiences that I hope to better empathise and connect with the patients I will care for in my medical career. 

You’ll notice that this example very specifically ties the students’ academic and extracurricular activities together, and ties the Personal Statement back to their values and beliefs. 

Economic History with Economics (London School of Economics)

The highlight of my extra-curricular activities has been my visit to Shanghai with the Lord Mayor’s trade delegation in September 2012. I was selected to give a speech at this world trade conference due to my interest in economic and social history. […] I particularly enjoyed the seminar format, and look forward to experiencing more of this at university. My keen interest and desire to further my knowledge of history and economics, I believe, would make the course ideal for me.

By contrast, this conclusion ties a memorable experience back to the specifics of how the student will be taught at the London School of Economics – specifically, the appeal of learning in seminar format! 

There’s no magic formula for concluding a Personal Statement. But you’ll see that what all of these examples have in common is that they tie a student’s personal and academic experiences together – and tell a university something about their aspirations for the future.

Watch: Bournemouth University explain how to structure a UCAS Personal Statement

Know the audience

It can be easy for students to forget that the person reading a personal statement is invariably an expert in their field. This is why an ability to convey passion and think critically about their chosen subject is essential for a personal statement to stand out. Admissions tutors will also look for students who can structure their writing (more on this below). 

Students should be themselves

Remember that many students are competing for places on a university degree against fierce competition. And don’t forget that UCAS has the means to spot plagiarism. So students need to create a truly honest and individual account of who they are, what they have achieved and, perhaps most importantly, why they are driven to study this particular subject.

Proof-read (then proof-read again!)

Time pressures mean that students can easily make mistakes with their Personal Statements. As the deadline grows closer, it’s vital that they are constantly checking and rechecking their writing and to ensure that shows them in the best possible light. 

Meanwhile, when it comes to giving feedback to students writing their Personal Statements, make sure you’re as honest and positive as possible in the days and weeks leading up to submission day. 

And make sure they remember the three key ingredients of writing a successful Personal Statement. 

Planning, structure and story! 

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Academic Personal Statement Guide + Examples for 2024

You have a bright future ahead of you in academia and you’ve already found the program of your dreams.

The only problem? 

You have to write an impressive academic personal statement that sets you apart from a sea of applicants.

We know that writing about yourself might not come naturally. And when the academic program you have your sights set on is on the line, it doesn’t make it any easier.

But there’s no need to worry!

We’ve prepared this guide to help you write your academic personal statement and secure your spot in your program of choice.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• What Is An Academic Personal Statement?
• 7 Steps to Writing the Best Academic Personal Statement
• An Example of a Stellar Academic Personal Statement

Let’s dive in.

You’ll need an academic CV alongside your personal statement. Create one with ease with Novorésumé !

What Is an Academic Personal Statement?

A personal statement is an essential part of the academic application process.

Much like a motivation letter , your academic personal statement serves to demonstrate why you’re the right candidate for the course and sell yourself as a capable student.

Your goal is to show the admissions committee that they’ll benefit from having you in their university as much as you’ll benefit from joining the program.

Academic Vs CV Personal Statement

The term ‘personal statement’ can mean different things depending on your field.

In the world of job hunting, a personal statement usually refers to a few sentences that go at the top of your CV . This paragraph is meant to convey your top skills, relevant experiences, and professional goals to a hiring manager from the get-go and increase your chances of getting an interview.

However, in the world of academia, a personal statement refers to a more in-depth description of you as a candidate. 

In a nutshell, an academic personal statement shows the admissions committee your academic achievements so far, as well as what motivated you to apply and pursue this position.

Personal statements are also often required when applying for certain jobs, much like writing a cover letter . If you’re looking at a position as a faculty member in a university or other academic institution, for example, you might be asked to provide an academic personal statement.

7 Steps to Write an Academic Personal Statement

Preparation is the key to success and this is exactly where our guide comes in handy.

So just follow these steps and you’re sure to secure your spot:

#1. Read the Brief (Carefully!)

Academic personal statements aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all piece of writing. 

Typically, every institution has its specific requirements on what candidates should include in their academic personal statement.

To make sure you’re on the right track with your academic personal statement, read the brief carefully. Consider taking notes and highlighting important points from your program’s brief as you go through it.

Pay attention to any specific question the university wants you to answer. If you don’t address everything the admissions board expects, your personal statement will look sloppy and you’ll be considered an inattentive candidate.

Be sure to re-read the brief after you’ve finished writing your academic personal statement, too. This way you can make sure you’ve answered everything adequately and you’ll have the opportunity to correct any slips.

#2. Research the Program

Make sure you do your homework on the academic program you’re applying to.

You can’t write a good academic personal statement without research, let alone a great one. Much like researching your employer , taking the time to learn more about your desired school and personalizing your application can make a huge difference.

For example, you can dive into how your values align with that of the school you’re applying to, and how your experience and interests relate to specific things about the program. The more you focus on how you’re the right fit for this specific position, in this specific program – the better.

Carefully read through the school and program’s official pages since everything you would need to know is probably on the school’s official website. You can also ask current and former students for help but remember that whatever they say should never replace official information when crafting your academic personal statement.

#3. Plan Your Statement

An academic personal statement is meant to explain your academic interests and shouldn’t contain irrelevant details about your personal life.

Focus on why you want to study the course you’ve chosen and provide any information about your achievements so far.

Ask yourself the following questions to get the ball rolling on what to write:

• Why do you want to study (or work) in this program? How will it benefit you?
• How do your skills match the position?
• What makes you stand out from other applicants?
• What are your exact career aspirations?
• How can you and your work benefit the institution you’re applying to?
• If you changed fields, how did you decide to apply in this direction?
• What insight can you bring thanks to your different experiences?
• How will this change of field help your future career?

Write down your answer to these questions in the first draft of your academic personal statement.

#4. Look at Example Statements

Don’t hesitate to read other people’s academic personal statements online. They’re a great source of inspiration and can help get rid of any remaining writer’s block.

If you’re struggling to understand how to meet the language and formatting requirements for your academic personal statement, seeing actual examples is the best way to learn.

But be careful – don’t copy any lines you read, no matter how impressive you think they are. 

Most universities run every academic personal statement through intensive plagiarism checking, and even a paraphrased sentence could lead to your application being rejected for plagiarism.

So pay more attention to the overall structure of the academic personal statements you read, rather than copying the exact wording.

#5. Structure the Contents

There should be a cohesive argument that your entire essay follows. Each sentence and paragraph should complement and build on the one that comes before it.

The structure of your personal statement should include:

An intriguing introduction to you as a candidate

The introductory paragraph should grab the admission committee’s attention and keep them engaged.

Here you should be sure to avoid cliches like saying how you’ve “always dreamt” of graduating from this university or of studying this exact program. Instead, give an example of what really influenced you to pursue this dream.

Here’s an example:

• I’ve always loved reading and since I was a child, it’s been my dream to graduate from Oxford University and contribute to the world of literary analysis. That’s why I spent the past year volunteering at my local writers’ society and giving constructive feedback during workshops and book discussions.
• It wasn’t until I failed my first essay assignment in secondary school that I realized the depth that lies beneath each sentence in a given text. I began to delve into the rich layers of literary texts and the intricacies of literary analysis became my passion. Although initially challenging, the depth of understanding that this field offers about human emotions, cultural contexts, and narrative structures enthralled me. I found myself questioning the narrative structures and character motivations that I had previously taken for granted, and I was eager to understand how the subtle and often overlooked elements within a text could have a profound impact on its overall interpretation. This need to fundamentally understand a given author’s work has stayed with me since and led me to pursue literary analysis as a postgraduate student.

An engaging body

The main part of your academic personal statement should detail your interests, experience, and knowledge, and how they make you suitable for the position.

This is where you should expand on your motivation and use the following tips:

• Why this university? Provide strong reasons for your choice, related to your future career or the institution’s reputation.
• Mention your relevant studies and experience. This includes projects, dissertations, essays, or work experience.
• Give evidence of key skills you have, such as research, critical thinking, communication, and time management, and explain how you can contribute to the department with them.
• Say what makes you unique as a candidate and provide an example.
• Explain who have been the main influences who put you on this path and why they’ve influenced you.
• Mention other relevant experiences, such as memberships in clubs related to the subject, awards you might have won, or impressive papers you’ve written.
• Talk about your career aspirations and how the program ties into your goal of achieving them.

Depending on the guidelines of the specific university, you could also divide your academic personal statement’s body with subheadings, such as:

• Academic background
• Research interests
• Methodological approaches
• Research experience
• Personal experience
• Extracurricular activities 
• Relevant skills
• Career aspirations

A logical conclusion

Your academic personal statement needs a conclusion that ends on an enthusiastic note.

Make sure the conclusion reiterates the main points from the body of your text.

Your relevant accomplishments and desire to attend this specific program should be clear to any reader.

#6. Pay Attention to the Language

When writing the first draft of your academic personal statement, pay attention to the language and tone you’re using.

An academic personal statement is also a formal text, so your writing should reflect that. Colloquialisms aren’t appropriate, as they would take away from the well-mannered impression you want to give the admissions committee.

However, you also want your personal statement to be straightforward and avoid any complex jargon from your field of study.

For example, your opening sentence shouldn’t be overly complicated. You should communicate everything as clearly as possible, and be inclusive to those outside of your field of study since they might be on the admissions board that’s reading your academic personal statement.

Make sure that the tone throughout your text is positive and conveys your enthusiasm for the program. Your academic personal statement should show the admissions committee that you really want to be there, and why that’s beneficial to everyone involved.

#7. Proofread Your Statement

This step probably isn’t surprising to you but it’s worth paying attention to.

Your academic personal statement is a very formal document and it should be spotless. 

So, make sure it adheres to academic writing conventions . For example, contractions like “I’m” instead of “I am” are informal, and should be avoided.

Mistakes like these are very common when writing about yourself, particularly when you’re used to describing yourself in informal environments.

Carefully proofread your academic personal statement, then run it through a grammar checker like Grammarly or Quillbot, then proofread it again.

The tiniest grammar mistake or typo could make the admissions board reject your application.

Academic Personal Statement Example

Ever since my first encounter with the enchanting worlds spun by Flaubert, Balzac, and Proust, my intellectual pursuits have gravitated toward French literature. With an undergraduate degree focused on French Language and Literature, I have been fortunate to explore my passions both theoretically and empirically, embedding them within broader themes of cultural theory and comparative literature. It is with great excitement that I apply for the postgraduate research position in the French Literature program at Kent University, with the aim of contributing novel scholarly perspectives to this captivating field.

Academic Background and Research Interests

During my undergraduate studies, I delved deeply into the realms of 19th-century Realism and Naturalism. My senior thesis, which examined the dialectics of morality and social structures in Balzac's "La Comédie Humaine," was not merely an academic exercise; it served as a crucible where my theoretical understandings were rigorously tested. This research experience intensified my interest in the complex interplay between literature and societal norms, a theme I am eager to further explore in my postgraduate work.

Methodological Approaches

My academic approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary. I strongly believe that literature should not be studied in a vacuum; rather, it should be contextualized within historical, sociological, and psychological paradigms. During a semester abroad in Paris, I took courses in cultural anthropology and French history, an enriching experience that complemented my literature-focused studies. This holistic approach will enable me to contribute a multifaceted perspective to the research endeavors at Kent University.

Previous Research and Scholarly Engagements

My scholarly activities have also extended beyond the classroom. Last summer, I participated in an international conference on French Literature and Post-Colonial Theory, presenting a paper on the depictions of colonial landscapes in Dumas' adventure novels. The opportunity to engage with academics from various disciplines provided me with fresh insights and underscored the importance of collaborative research. Further, I've had the honor of having a review article published in the Sheffield Journal of Contemporary Literary Explorations, where I critiqued a groundbreaking new translation of Verne's works.

Extracurricular Contributions and Skills

In addition to my academic achievements, I have sought to enrich my department’s intellectual community. I served as the editor of our departmental journal and organized a series of seminars featuring guest speakers from the worlds of academia and publishing. My strong organizational skills, combined with proficiency in both written and spoken French and English, make me a versatile candidate capable of adding value to the French Literature program’s broader objectives.

To summarize, my deep-rooted passion for French literature, fortified by rigorous academic training and interdisciplinary methodologies, makes me an ideal candidate for the postgraduate research position in your esteemed program. The prospect of contributing to academic discourse at Kent University is an opportunity I find deeply compelling. I am especially excited about the potential for collaborative research and interdisciplinary inquiries, which aligns perfectly with my academic philosophy. I am fully committed to leveraging my skills, experiences, and enthusiasm to make a substantive scholarly contribution to the study of French Literature. Thank you for considering my application; I am keenly looking forward to the possibility of furthering my academic journey in this vibrant intellectual community.

FAQs on Academic Personal Statements

If you’re wondering anything else about academic personal statements, check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions related to them here:

#1. How do you start a personal statement for an academic job?

Applying for an academic job is different from applying for a position as a student. First, you need to establish your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role immediately.

Start by explaining your current status, for example, as a postdoctoral researcher or an experienced member of the faculty, and specify the position you are applying for. Then follow up with your research interests or personal philosophy towards teaching.

You can add a personal anecdote or compelling fact that summarizes your academic journey so far, or your passion for the field. After that, your academic personal statement can go deeper into the qualifications from your academic CV and how you’re a great fit for the position.

#2. How do I introduce myself in an academic personal statement?

The introduction of your academic personal statement is the key to grabbing the attention of the admissions committee.

Start by stating the field or subject that interests you, and why. You can share a specific personal anecdote or observation that led you to this academic pursuit and set the stage for the detailed explanation in your main body.

The goal of your introduction is to give the reader a sense of who you are, what drives you, and why you would be a valuable addition to their department.

#3. Is an academic personal statement like an essay?

Yes, an academic personal statement can be considered a type of essay.

Both essays and academic personal statements are structured forms of writing that are meant to deliver a coherent argument and are divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion. They provide supporting evidence to prove the point and maintain a logical flow to guide the reader to the final conclusion.

However, essays tend to be objective and explore a specific topic or question in depth. Academic personal statements use similar techniques but they present the candidate’s qualifications, experiences, and aspirations in a way that’s meant to persuade the admissions committee.

#4. How long is an academic personal statement?

Typically, an academic personal statement is between 500 and 1000 words long.

The exact length of the text varies depending on the university and program you’re applying to. You should always check the specific requirements for your desired program, and stick to the guidelines you find.

However, if the university you’re applying to doesn’t specify a word count, you should aim for one to two pages.

#5. What do I avoid in an academic personal statement?

Since your personal statement is a crucial part of your academic application, it’s important to avoid any common mistakes.

Make sure the content of your academic personal statement isn’t too generic. Its goal is to give insight into you as an individual, beyond what can be read in your CV . 

You should also avoid cramming too many points in your text. Your academic personal statement should follow a logical flow, and focus on the relevance of what you’re sharing about yourself and how it relates to the academic program you’re pursuing.

Key Takeaways

And that concludes our guide to writing an academic personal statement!

We hope you feel more confident when crafting your application for that academic program or faculty position you have your sights set on.

Now let’s recap what we talked about so far:

• Academic personal statements are very different from CV personal statements. While CV personal statements are brief paragraphs at the top of the page, an academic personal statement is an in-depth text that details why you’re interested in a given position, and what makes you a good candidate.
• The guidelines on academic personal statements vary according to the institution you’re applying to. Read the brief very carefully, and pay attention to what it says about word count and questions your personal statement should answer. Any mistakes here could result in rejection.
• There are differences between applying for a postgraduate program and applying for a faculty position. But in both cases, you should research the exact place you want to apply to and adjust your application accordingly to match the institution’s values.
• Always proofread your academic personal statement before sending it, even if you’re sure there are no errors.

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How to write a personal statement for further education

Post-16 options.

• Doing research
• What are my options after GCSEs or Nationals?

Staying in education or training

• Writing a personal statement for FE
• Unexpected grades?

Writing about the course

Why are you applying for your chosen course(s)?

Explain why you want to do your chosen course(s). For example, someone who wanted to work with animals might write 'I would like to study a BTEC in animal care as I am passionate about looking after animals. I already look after two dogs and it will help me in my future career plans.'

Why does this course interest you?

You can write about anything you've read about the course(s) that you find interesting and would like to find out more about.

Why do you think you are suitable for the course(s)?

In this section, you can write about any experiences you have had that are related to the course(s), or any skills you've learnt that might help you. For example, if you have done any related volunteering or work experience, or if you have a part-time job such as babysitting, which shows more general strengths such as responsibility or commitment.

Do your current studies (e.g. GCSEs) relate to the course(s) you have chosen? If so, how?

You can let the provider know how much you enjoy a subject by writing about a course you have already studied that you found really interesting or you were good at.

Skills and achievements

Write about anything you have done that might help with your application.

• Write about anything you are proud of passing, for example, grade 2 in piano, or being selected for a sports team.
• Include any awards you have done, such as Duke of Edinburgh, or through ASDAN, for example.
• You can add any positions of responsibility you have held, for example, being a prefect or helping with young students at school.

Hobbies and interests

Make a list of your hobbies, interests, and anything you do socially.

• Think about how they show your skills and ability.
• Try to link them to skills and experience you might need on your chosen course(s).

Work history

Include details of placements, work experience, voluntary work, or jobs, especially if it is relevant to your chosen course(s).

• Try to show how this experience gave you new skills or made you think about your future plans, for example, things you really enjoyed or were good at.
• Also include any part-time work you are still doing, like a Saturday job or babysitting.

Career plans

Use this section to tell the provider what you might like to do in the future as a career after completing the course. Explain how you would like to use the course(s) you have applied for to help you reach your goal.

Dos and don’ts when writing a personal statement

• Do  use your best English and check your spelling and grammar are correct.
• Do  be enthusiastic – if you show your interest in the course, it will help your application.
• Do  ask people that you trust, like your teacher/adviser or parent/carer to read through what you have written and give you feedback.
• Don’t  exaggerate – you might be asked about what you have written if you attend an interview with the course provider.
• Don’t  leave it until the last minute – it's a good idea to give yourself time to think about what you write to make sure you don’t forget anything.

You might also like to read

Sponsored articles ucas media service, apprenticeships – the facts, how to find a job, book your place at ucas discovery brighton now.

Personal Statement Skills: What You MUST Include!

When you write your personal statement, you’re frequently told to include ‘skills’. But what skills should you include, how should you write about them and why are they important?

The skills to include in your personal statement are the ones which best illustrate your suitability for academic study and your knowledge of your intended subject. You should include skills gained from relevant practical experience and those which are suited to further progression in the subject.

I’ve explained each of these four skills areas in detail below, so that you can create a compelling, successful and skills-rich personal statement in no time at all…

Evidence Your Suitability with Academic Skills

If you’re planning to study at degree level or beyond, the institution you are applying to needs to see evidence of your academic suitability in your personal statement. Yes, you’ll predicted grades to support you, but that’s not enough. What’s key is to evidence your broader academic ability, not just your subject knowledge.

You can click here to read my post on exactly how to make your personal statement outstanding!

Academic abilities break down into three sections, and you need to include examples of each of these in your application:

The logical way to approach these three elements is to combine them into a single point. Each point should show that you have successfully made use of research skills, analysed the relevant data and presented it well, regardless of your subject focus.

You can discover resources that will help you develop your research and analytical skills here , and find out how to strengthen your study skills here .

Take a look at the following extract. It covers all three elements in a concise and compelling way, and it is the kind of approach you need to aim for in your own personal statement:

If you’re not sure about the best way to structure your work, or want some extra support with your spelling, punctuation and grammar, then I often steer students towards using Grammarly . It’s a free piece of software that can really lift your writing; it’s highly intuitive and allows you to phrase content in a concise and compelling way. If you want to find out more about how to make Grammarly work for you, check out this link .

Show the Skills that Prove Your Subject Knowledge

As well as being an appropriately academic candidate, admissions teams will want to see strong evidence of skills related to your subject. They will expect a range of relevant, tangible skills, built up over time and related to both academic and practical study.

They will also want to see evidence that you have acquired skills based on practical experience and engagement with your chosen subject outside of the formal curriculum .

The table below lists the kinds of opportunities that might equip you with the subject-specific skills you should include in your personal statement:

Just like your academic skills, it is important to put these into context using the following formula:

Explain the relevant skill you have, identify how this skill was developed and indicate how it will be of value on the course you are applying for Your Personal Statement Support

Here’s an example that follows this formula, so that you can see how you might write it down effectively:

Shine by Including Transferable ‘Soft’ Skills

For a long time, transferable or ‘soft’ skills we considered less important in academic applications. You would often hear of students who had been told to ‘add a sentence about their hobbies’. This is not the case today, and admissions officers and employers want to be reassured that applicants have the interpersonal and social skills to succeed in a pressurised and often stressful environment.

In a high-IQ job pool, soft skills like discipline drive and empathy mark those who emerge as outstanding. Daniel Goleman

What kinds of transferable skills are universities looking for?

• Punctuality and preparedness
• Ability to study independently and effectively
• Motivation and dedication
• Physical stamina and engagement
• Teamwork and cooperative skills
• Organisation
• Pressure management and well-being strategies
• Awareness of personal finance
• Awareness of multi-form diversity
• Effective use of technology (personal and professional)
• Community contribution and volunteering

As before, the important thing is to make sure you put these transferable skills into context. Don’t write them like the list above but indicate why and how they are of value to you and those around you.

For more powerful personal statement strategies, check out my post here .

Prove you have the Skills to Succeed in the Future

Last of all, your personal statement should indicate that you’ve got the potential to develop the skills you’ll need after you graduate, whether that’s in the workplace or in further study.

Common examples include:

By illustrating your existing use of these skills, you are reassuring an employer or course leader that you are not only likely to complete the course, but will be ready to move forwards with strategy and purpose once you graduate.

Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support. You’ve got this! D

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet.

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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• Job Interview Tips

9 Ways to Sell Yourself in an Interview (+ Examples)

Picture this: you apply for a job and make it to the final round. But another candidate, with less experience than you, gets the offer.

Frustrating, yes. But it’s really common.

The reality is, there’s a sea of candidates applying for each open role. A lot of them are in no way better than you. Yet, they get an offer and you don’t.

This is because you probably don’t know how to sell yourself. And selling yourself in an interview is often the key step to standing out from the competition.

How to sell yourself in an interview?

• Research and understand your prospective company
• Emphasize your unique selling points (USPs)
• Deliver an amazing elevator pitch
• Focus on key skills and accomplishments
• Showcase your soft skills
• Display positive body language
• Ask insightful questions
• Close the interview strategically
• Send a post-interview thank-you email

Let’s dive in and help you become irresistible.

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What It Means to “Sell Yourself” in an Interview

In summary:

• Selling yourself in an interview doesn’t mean overpromising, exaggerating, or being arrogant.
• It means presenting relevant experience and skills in an appealing way and showing enthusiasm for the role.
• Remember — talking honestly about things you’ve done well in the past doesn’t make you appear cocky.
• If you’re a modest person, it can be challenging, but all it takes is a bit of practice for you to go from forgettable to irresistible.

People think selling themselves means overpromising, embellishing past achievements, and being pushy.

It’s actually this simple: selling yourself in an interview means presenting your strengths and skills that the company is looking for, backing them up with evidence, and showing enthusiasm for the role.

If you’re modest, it can be a daunting task — but anyone can do it with a bit of practice. Studies suggest that using self-promotion strategies can improve your interview ranking, so we’d say working on this will definitely pay off.

Take Lawrence for example. He’s a successful IT guy with an impressive resume and no problem getting up in front of a room full of colleagues. However, he hasn’t interviewed in a while and he’s always been a fairly humble guy.

Our career coach, Pam, asked about his strengths in their first session. He got confused and started to stumble and mumble. Lawrence was like most of us — the sheer thought of “self-promotion” made him cringe.

But after one session, Lawrence went from modest and forgettable to irresistible (and he got the job offer that he wanted anyway).

And if you’re like him, we’re here to help. Keep reading, as we’ll teach you how to sell yourself in an interview, step by step.

How to Sell Yourself in an Interview

1. research and understand your prospective company.

• Research who you’re interviewing for and what they want from this role.
• Your guidelines are the keywords in the job description.
• Scour their website, google them, check forums and hiring platforms to check their reputation, and speak to their (past) employees.

This is a crucial first step. It will help you:

• Adjust your approach
• Highlight relevant skills and experience
• Come up with relevant and thoughtful questions to ask.

You’ll come across as a person who knows (and owns) their stuff. The kind anyone wants on their team.

Where can you start?

Study the job description and find keywords that will point you in the right direction.

This will show you what they need and will help you take relevant experiences from your work history and present them in a memorable way.

But you’ll also need to:

• Visit their website
• Google their name and reputation
• Check forums
• Check hiring platforms for reviews
• Speak to people who work(ed) for the company to get the bigger picture

✅ Pro tip: Knowing who you’ll speak to during interviewing stages (HR, team leaders, founders, team members) will help you anticipate the kind of questions they’ll ask. HR will be most interested in your experience and qualifications. A CEO might focus on your vision, strategic thinking, and if you’re a cultural fit.

If you need more tips to rock any job interview, we’ve prepared a free course to teach you how to speak about your strengths, sell yourself, and negotiate the salary of your dreams.

2. Identify and articulate your unique selling points (USPs)

• Identify the unique selling points (USPs) that will make you stand out.
• Your USPs consist of key skills, key accomplishments, and an element that makes you special (experience in a certain industry; particular project/award; connections…).
• Support USPs with a proof statement (short story, example, achievement).
• Mention your USP when asked: “Tell me about yourself”, “Why should we hire you?”, and “Why this role/company?”

To convince a recruiter you’ll be the perfect addition to their company, think of the bits and pieces of your professional self that make you special.

Create your USP by:

• Mentioning key skills you possess that the company needs.
• Highlighting your main accomplishment (ideally the one that fits the job ad/company needs).
• Saying what sets you apart (a particular project/award, experience with certain industries, connections…).

Then, create a supporting proof statement for each selling point. It can be a short story or a particular example that showcases your selling point.

You can see a few examples below, adjusted to fit the criteria outlined in the job ad.

Example selling point #1: Management skills/experience

For a management role, you’ll want to demonstrate that you can successfully lead others. If this is one of your strengths, highlight it with specifics:

Proof Statement A (specific example): In my current role, I have built a great team that has grown from 3 to 14 over the last five years. Early on, I learned a lot from my mentors about how to hire the right people and coach them to success. Now I’m proud to say that my team has been acknowledged as the most productive and cohesive group in the division. Now my bosses send young managers to me to mentor!

Proof Statement B (general description): I love being a manager and I believe it’s one of my greatest strengths. I have managed customer service teams at both large and small companies for more than four years, so I know how to get the best out of customer service professionals.

Example selling point #2: Hard worker

A strong work ethic is a great asset and a desirable quality for almost any position.

Just keep in mind that interviewers hear this “hard worker” claim a lot and may not see it as a huge differentiator. If you choose this as one of your interview selling points, make sure you have a great example or proof statement that shows how you personify this quality.

Also, be sure to supplement this one with additional selling points that are more specific to the role and set you apart more clearly.

Proof Statement A (specific example): In my previous position, I put in many late nights to ensure that our monthly client newsletter went out on time — and that it met the company’s high-quality standards. Because of layoffs, we were understaffed and I volunteered to take on many additional tasks beyond my role — I wrote stories, edited for our other writers, oversaw layout, and served as the final proofreader to ensure no mistakes made it to press. The issue was a huge success and resulted in lots of positive feedback from clients and from senior management.

Proof Statement B (general description): I have always been that person who’s first in the office in the morning and last to leave in the evening. And I’m not happy unless I know I’m giving my all. I’m the guy who taught himself website design so that I could be more valuable to my team on our site redesign project. I also learned the classic drag-and-drop website design using my own portfolio as an example, so I could use this format for future projects. 

✅ Pro tip: You can mention your USPs on several occasions during the interview — when they ask:

• “Tell me about yourself”
• “Why should we hire you?”
• “Why this role/company?”

And for additional tips on how to leave a great impression, check out the video below:

3. Create and master your elevator pitch

• Create a 30–60–second–long elevator pitch to show who you are as a professional.
• Your elevator pitch = who you are, what you accomplished, what you can do for the company, and how you fit in.
• Be positive and practice for a perfect delivery.

An elevator pitch is a concise, appealing summary of your experience and key skills, typically delivered in the time span of an elevator ride — hence the name.

In an interview, you can generally use your elevator pitch when you’re asked “Tell me about yourself,” usually right at the beginning of an interview.

How to create an elevator pitch

• Be brief (30–60 seconds tops).
• Share your key accomplishments and skills: who you are and what you’ve done.
• Know your audience and speak to them: what you’ll do for them and how you fit in.
• Be positive: your enthusiasm counts and is an important factor recruiters will take into account.

Elevator pitch: Sample

I’m a Customer Service Specialist with 9 years of experience in the SaaS industry, primarily in the Trucking and Logistics sector. I have extensive experience with the biggest ELDs on the market. Over the past 4 years, I consistently exceeded expectations, resulting in 2 promotions in my current company. I’m looking for new challenges, perhaps even taking on more responsibilities as a Customer Success Manager, and I believe my versatile experience and connections are a solid starting point. I’m passionate about meaningful work and my unique blend of strong technical skills and excellent communication allows me to deliver exceptional service to customers. I’d love to discuss how my expertise can contribute to your team’s success.

4. Present your skills and accomplishments

• Focus on quantifiable accomplishments and relevant skills.
• Use the PAR (Problem-Action-Solution) formula to think of achievements.
• Check the frequency and scale of your work to think of achievements.
• Make your achievements SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely).
• If you don’t have enough relevant experience, qualitative achievements will do (positive feedback and similar).
• Use the STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) method when talking about achievements.

Remember that golden resume rule that you should always focus on your accomplishments and skills rather than everyday duties?

The same goes for interviews.

Quantifiable achievements (and relevant skills) are something you’ll always want to emphasize.

They’re solid proof of everything you say about yourself. Having trouble coming up with or quantifying achievements?

Use the PAR (Problem-Action-Solution) formula

For every position you worked in, think about some of your successes and what actions you took to achieve them. What problems were they tied to? This should help you get inspired.

Make your accomplishments SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely

This means providing achievements that are specific, measurable, data-driven, and believable.

Talk about frequency and scale

Think about how frequently you were able to deliver your work (resolved X customer tickets/day, wrote X long-form pieces of content/month, booked X demos with clients/week) or the scale of your work (how many people you managed, how many people from other departments you collaborated with, how big the budgets you handled were…). These are achievements in themselves.

List qualitative achievements

If you don’t have hard numbers but you still feel like you improved something, you can still bring it up as an achievement in an interview. Telling a story about it will create space for you to showcase your skills, especially if you’re just starting out and lack relevant experience (qualitative achievements are praises from your superiors, awards, promotions, and similar).

Use the STAR model

Once you have the list of achievements and skills you want to mention, the best way to showcase them is through the STAR model (Situation-Task-Action-Result) .

• Situation: the context of the problem you were faced with.
• Task: how you wanted to solve the problem.
• Action: what exactly you did.
• Results: the impact your action made on the business (it’s best to quantify the results whenever possible).

For each accomplishment, pick a single event from your experience. This is the most efficient way to prove your skills. And if you practice before the interview, your story will flow naturally, it will be engaging and compelling, and you’ll be able to efficiently get your point across.

Our Answer Builder will help you list supporting arguments for each event you want to mention.

5. Showcase your soft skills

• Don’t merely talk about soft skills — find a way to prove them during the interview.
• For proving interpersonal and communication skills, be an active listener, be clear and concise, and use positive body language.
• For proving you’re dedicated, prepare for the interview, research the company, and know their pain points.
• For proving your wit, know the company and ask smart, relevant questions.

Unlike hard skills, you can’t really quantify soft skills and present them as achievements. Yet, they’re equally important. So how do you showcase them in an effective way?

During the interview process itself.

Want to showcase your interpersonal and communication skills? ➡️ Be an active listener. Ensure you fully understand a question before answering. In your answers, be clear and concise. Pay attention to your non-verbal cues, nod your head to let a recruiter know you’re listening, and use positive body language (eye contact, open arms, body facing their direction). After the interview, send a thank-you note.

Want to showcase you’re dedicated and resourceful? ➡️ Come to the interview prepared. Getting to know the company before the interview will hint at how dedicated and resourceful you are in everything that you do.

Want to showcase your sharp wit and critical thinking? ➡️ Ask the right questions after the interview . Make sure they’re meaningful and tailored to the company you applied for — they’ll reveal a ton of useful information. You get the drill. Actions speak louder than words here.

6. Display positive body language

• Have a firm handshake and maintain eye contact.
• Sit up straight, facing the interviewer with your whole body. Don’t cross your arms.
• Smile when appropriate.
• Control nervous habits: no leg shaking and pen clicking.
• Practice in front of the mirror to quickly improve.

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it” — this is actually, mostly true. More than half of what you communicate is through your body language and non-verbal communication instead of what you actually say.

Being mindful of your non-verbal communication and body language will help you be confident and sell yourself, leave the right impression, and establish a more professional presence.

Here’s how to do it:

• Practice a firm handshake and eye contact. This will help you immensely with first impressions.
• Sit up straight. Don’t slouch or lean away from the interviewer. Keep your back straight, your arms open, and your entire body turned towards the interviewer.
• Maintain a proper amount of eye contact. Don’t avoid eye contact but don’t overdo it and stare at the interviewer all the time — a healthy amount, the one you’d use with your family and friends, will do. Maintaining eye contact will show that you’re confident and engaged.
• Smile when appropriate. A genuine smile during the handshake and when talking about positive experiences in your past will make a world of difference — showing that you’re an approachable, warm person, even hinting that you’re a team player.
• Control nervous habits. Don’t bite your nails, shake your leg, or click your pen. Contrary to what you think, these will only make you more nervous. Stop it and you’ll see your mind and body relax.
• Practice. Stand in front of the mirror (or use our Mock Interview Tool) and observe your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and general posture. You should be able to quickly figure out areas of improvement and work on them to eliminate the negatives and be the best version of yourself in the interview. If you use the Mock Interview Tool, you’ll also get instant feedback on the quality of your answer, the pace of your speech, the power words that you used, and similar. You can also share your answers with friends, family, or coaching mentors who can help you further perfect your delivery.

7. Ask insightful questions

• The questions you ask at the end of the interview can make or break your reputation.
• Don’t be lazy, research the company and prepare a set of tailored questions.
• Nice questions to ask: “Why is this position open?”; “A year from now when you’re looking back on this hire, what would I have done to exceed every expectation?”; “What do new employees often find surprising after they start?; “Where do you see this role in the company’s growth?”
• Never say “No questions on my side, thanks.”

To put it frankly, the questions you ask at the end of the interview will show if you’re lazy and forgettable or curious and resourceful. They can make or break your status with a recruiter. God forbid you say “No questions on my side, thanks.”

If you get these questions right, it’ll give you an advantage over 90% of other applicants — and will help you to sell yourself. Not to mention you’ll identify if the company is the right fit for you.

You can ask all types of questions based on the company you’re interviewing for, the industry it operates in, company culture, or its long-term plans and vision.

Examples of insightful questions you can ask:

• Why is this position open?
• A year from now when you’re looking back on this hire, what would I have done to exceed every expectation?
• What do new employees often find surprising after they start?
• Where do you see this role in the company’s growth?
• What are the biggest challenges your team is currently facing and how are you addressing them?
• What’s different about working here than anywhere else you’ve worked?

Check our full guide for more smart questions to ask in a job interview .

8. Close strategically

• The end of the interview is your last chance to leave a lasting impression.
• Make a small announcement showing gratitude, circling back to company values and how you share them, restate your interest in the position, recap key points, ask for the next steps, and be courteous and confident.
• Do this at the end of the interview after you answered all the questions. You can say something like “Before we leave, I just want to thank you for your time and…”

Closing the interview is your last chance to leave a lasting impression, so you’ll want to make sure you emphasize your dedication, passion, and the fact that you’re the right fit for the role.

Here are a few tips to help you close your interview strategically and make recruiters excited about extending you an offer.

1. Show gratitude

Thank the recruiter for their time and show appreciation for the opportunity to discuss the role and company in question.

2. Circle back to the company’s culture and values 

Briefly mention the examples of shared values and goals between you and the company — it’ll show that you did your research and that you’re a cultural fit.

3. Emphasize your interest in the position

Restate how interested you are in the position within their company and mention a particular detail from the conversation/job description that made you excited to work there. Make sure to mention how the position matches your skills and experience and your professional plans for the future.

4. Recap key points

Briefly go through the key points mentioned during the interview (particular achievements and skills that make you a perfect fit). It’ll remind recruiters of how you can bring value.

5. Ask for the next steps

Feel free to inquire about the next steps in the interview process and how you’ll be moving forward. But remember to be polite!

6. Be courteous 

Thank the recruiter once again for their time and efforts and say you’re looking forward to hearing from them soon.

7. Display healthy confidence

Confidence is a magnet that will make others more attracted to you. Interestingly, confident candidates high in extroversion tend to engage in more honest self-promotion . This might motivate you to at least fake it till you make it.

✅ Pro tip: The perfect time to close the interview strategically is after all the questions are answered and the interview is about to end. You can start by saying something like “Before we leave, I just want to thank you for your time and…”

9. Send a thank-you note

• Sending a thank-you note after the interview is the last step to take in the interview process.
• Send it in the form of an email within 24 hours after the interview.
• If you interviewed with several people, send them thank-you emails separately.
• In this email, thank the recruiter for their time, personalize by mentioning one of the key points of discussion, subtly demonstrate you’re the right fit, and restate your interest in the position.

So you prepared for your interview , learned all types of questions and how to best answer them , learned how to sell yourself, and crushed the interview.

Chill time, right?

Not yet. Not until you take the final, crucial step to selling yourself:

Writing a post-interview thank-you note , the cherry on top that will solidify the rapport you established with the recruiter.

Here’s a few tips on how to write it:

• Begin this email by thanking the recruiter for their time
• Personalize it by briefly mentioning some of the key points of discussion
• Include details about your excitement for the position
• Subtly demonstrate how you’re a fit for the role
• Reiterate your interest
• Send the email within 24 hours after the interview
• If you had an interview with several people, send them separate thank-you notes (don’t copy-paste the same email to everyone!)

For more details and specific instructions on how to write a thank-you note, head here: How to Write an Interview Thank You Email [Tips + Examples] .

Post-interview thank-you note sample

Subject Line: Thank You | Content Writer Interview

Dear Rachel, Once again, thank you for the time you took to meet with me yesterday to discuss the Content Writer position at your company. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Skillful Communications, especially the details regarding the collaborative company culture and systematic approach to operational processes, which I really value.

I’m excited about the potential opportunity to work with your diverse team of writers and editors, as I’m certain I’d provide value with my educational background and hands-on writing and editing experience.

Please let me know if there is any additional information you need from me. I hope to hear back from you and have the opportunity to continue our discussion about the role.

Sincerely, Maja Stojanovic

How to Sell Yourself in an Interview: Popular Opinion vs. Expert Advice

Most people can’t stand the idea of “selling” themselves in an interview because they don’t really understand what it means. You might think you need to brag about yourself or exaggerate your accomplishments to win the interviewer over, but that’s rarely the case.

Let’s see what people from Reddit and Quora had to say about this. 

Neurorex on Reddit said:

“Selling yourself” has been one of the most damaging advice that’s been floating out there, with a terrible return rate, and successes that may not even have been attributed to the candidate’s salesmanship. With interviewers always expecting different things from applicants, this isn’t something you “failed” at, any more than you can fail at reading people’s minds. It’s just been a really sexy thing for people to say, to make them feel like they’re helping others by giving advice.

It’s more important to just be your best, professional self. Those interview questions are already ineffective in the first place, so it doesn’t help anyone to cater to random expectations. If you walk in and interpret the questions using your best professional judgment, and respond in kind, at least you can walk away from the meeting knowing that you were at least the most honest one in the room (whether you ultimately get the job or not).

Career expert comments:

The perfect example of what we talked about above — it’s easy to misinterpret this phrase and avoid it.

I wouldn’t say that interviewers expect to hear anything in particular from candidates. There’s no script candidates should follow blindly. Each question is there for you to display the way you think, the values you uphold, and the experiences you went through. That being said, I agree that you should be your honest, best professional self. No one expects you to lie, but it is expected that you prepare a few achievements relevant to the position you applied for and show that you’re aligned with the company. And that’s honest, right? ‘Cause otherwise you wouldn’t be invited to the interview. So coming in prepared, being sincere, and connecting with the interviewer in a meaningful way is more than enough to “sell” yourself. 

Tom O’Brien from Quora says:  

Well, the hiring company is making a decision to pay money for your services. Seems to me that that is the equivalent of a buying situation for them (and a selling situation for the interviewee).

In sales, the goal is to add value. The buyer should get some return on their investment. Going into an interview, my mindset is always “How can I add value to this company”. 

If you can’t answer that question, then you are not prepared for the interview. I believe this is true for ALL positions. Adding value in my context might mean the ability to implement a sales process AND land big enterprise accounts. If you are interviewing to be a dishwasher, adding value means always being on time and willing and able to help out whenever and wherever needed. Happy to be a team player so we all succeed.

Think in detail about how you add value before the interview.

In simple, transactional terms, this is the ultimate truth. It’s a proactive, value-driven approach to interviews. You will provide services you’ll be paid for — and your employer will buy those services and spend money. You need to showcase why your services are great and better than other candidates’ services. At the end of the day, the focus will always be on what you bring to the table.

Perfect-Maize-5540 says:

I’m not sure you actually need to be unique at a job interview. That could easily backfire. Just being memorably above average or qualified will probably do the trick.

Well, this sums it up nicely. You don’t need the fluff, the exaggeration, the lying, or the fake confidence (I’ve seen a lot of “fake it til you make it” pieces of advice on Reddit). You just need to show up prepared, talk about your strengths, and back them up with quantifiable accomplishments. These strengths need to be aligned with the job ad and demonstrate how you can help the company solve its pain points. If you can do this, you’ll be ahead of most of the candidates.

Summary of the Main Points

• Knowing how to sell yourself in an interview is a skill that will help you stand out (even if you have less experience than other candidates).
• Selling yourself isn’t bragging or lying in order to get a job — it’s presenting yourself and speaking about your skills and experience in a memorable, appealing way.
• In order to successfully do it, you’ll need to research and understand the prospective company, identify and promote your unique selling points, master your elevator pitch, focus on measurable accomplishments, and showcase your soft skills as well as your spotless non-verbal communication and body language.
• Post-interview thank-you notes are a useful tool that will help you solidify the great impression you left on the recruiter.
• As usual, preparing and practicing selling yourself in an interview will make you confident and appealing, increasing your chances of landing that offer.

___________________________

Need a hand? There’s 3 ways we can help:

• Tired of interviewing and not landing the job? Discover actionable lessons and interview practice here (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users).
• Learn about 30+ common job interview mistakes to avoid .
• Find out how to decrease anxiety and calm your nerves before a job interview .

I’m on my way to the interview now — what’s the key thing to do to sell myself?

Present your accomplishments and skills in a way that will prove you 1) have the experience 2) are aware of the company’s needs 3) are the right person for the job. Use the STAR model to showcase your achievements and pay attention to your non-verbal communication (be polite, smile when appropriate, and assume positive body language).

How to sell yourself in an interview if you have no experience?

By focusing on what you have: transferable skills, academic experience, and any work experience, however small. In these cases, draw a lesson from each academic experience and take one or two key transferable skills that will show you have the potential to be successful in a role (always focus on key skills listed in the job ad). Try to draw parallels between your existing skills and achievements and how you could use them to be successful in the future. Display positive body language, be polite, ask smart questions at the end of the interview, and send a post-interview thank-you email.

How to sell yourself in an interview for a managerial role?

Pick out your proudest leadership accomplishments and tell them through appealing stories using the STAR method. Present your key managerial skills (ideally ones also mentioned in the job description) as your unique selling points and prepare a proof point for each.

How to sell yourself in 30 seconds?

Create a spotless elevator pitch in which you’ll briefly touch upon who you are and what you do, your proudest accomplishment, and how you can bring value to the new company. You can be positive, persuasive, and confident in your delivery by practicing beforehand.

Can introverts successfully sell themselves?

Absolutely! Selling yourself in an interview is not about being extroverted, bold, loud, or boisterous. It’s about presenting your strongest accomplishments and skills and backing them up with proof. Preparing your unique selling points and practicing in advance will help you sell yourself, even if you’re on the introverted side. If it’s easier, you can use another technique: engaging in self-verification behavior that might help you present yourself authentically. Or, if you want a more realistic picture, you can throw in a story or two about your own shortcomings .

What if I have no unique selling points and am just a solid employee?

Being a solid employee is a strength in itself. If you don’t have crazy achievements or unique selling points, you can always turn to the quality, scale, or frequency of your work — talk about how much you got done and how quickly you got it done. Emphasize soft skills like being consistent, dependable, hard-working, adaptable, and similar. Focus on qualitative achievements (promotions, company awards, positive feedback, bonuses, etc.) and use the STAR method when speaking about your accomplishments.

Maja Stojanovic

Turn interviews into offers

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Hobbies and Interests Personal Statement Guide

Table of Contents

Hobbies and interests in a personal statement can do more to bring focus and clarity to your statements than fields of study. A good hobby can make a much more exciting and unique statement.

Before writing a personal statement, ensure you have a comprehensive list of your most impressive accomplishments, hobbies, jobs, and talents. Your interests have a significant role in your statement. But don’t think you can’t discuss them because you don’t have specific credentials.

This article provides tips on how to write compelling and distinctive personal statements using hobbies and interests. Read on!

Tips to Consider When Writing Hobbies and Interests in a Personal Statement

Personal statements benefit from including interest, but doing so might be challenging. You won’t go wrong if you stick to these guidelines while writing your statement.

1. Don’t Talk About Your Passion for Its Own Sake

Put less emphasis on the hobby than you should on the qualities it exposes about you.

Don’t talk about your passion for its own sake unless it’s relevant to your field of study. For instance, if you’re applying to dental school, you should do more than state that you enjoy painting. Instead, you should explain how you plan to combine your appreciation for the visual and performing arts in your chosen field.

Making these associations may be complex at first. If you’re stuck for ideas, try writing down why you appreciate your activity and your chosen field. If you see a connection, you should use it.

2. Avoid Claiming That Your Leisure Hobbies Are “exactly Like” Your Future Career

You may say that being a football team captain gave you the leadership skills you’ll need as a doctor. You may also state that your love of art led you to dentistry.

Still, you shouldn’t put too much stock in your current situation. If you can paint, that’s great, but it doesn’t indicate you have the skills to be a dentist. It’s not fair to compare your responsibilities as a football captain to those of a doctor.

Recognizing that your interests reflect aspects of you differs from asserting that your interests are almost similar to your future profession.

The admissions committee will likely take great pride in their work. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to compare it to your hobbies. There are two ways in which these ties can strengthen your application essay.

First, they demonstrate your ability to apply knowledge gained in various contexts to your professional growth.

Second, they prove that your extracurricular activities are relevant to your chosen profession. It is not merely a wishful thinking exercise about your future.

3. How Well You Do in Your Interest Is Important

If your college swimming team won the state title, don’t just say that you swam there. Highlight the skills that helped your team succeed and include examples of how you’ve applied those skills elsewhere.

A well-rounded individual is very desirable in the eyes of the admissions’ committee because achievement in one area usually equals greatness in another.

However, here’s the catch: excelling in your pastime isn’t enough. You need to demonstrate that the skills that helped you succeed in your fun can serve you well in your chosen profession.

If you don’t, people may assume that you’re the type to let your passions get in the way of your professional development and studies. You want your extracurricular activities to be a selling point, not a drawback.

4. Show How Your Interest Benefits Others

It’s a given in nearly every personal statement that the author has some sort of altruistic motivation. However, only a few students can convey their genuine desire to help others in their accounts.

The admissions’ committee can learn much about your character from hearing about your interests and passions. It is an essential detail to provide, but something that is normally expected to be said may make them more skeptical.

5. Your Interests Should Take up No More Than a Few Phrases

The admissions officers can be difficult to predict. Your Mount Everest climb may inspire the admissions board that they can’t forget it.

However, how you describe your connection to the field you’re applying to likely garner greater attention from admissions officers.

You should describe your activities in a few sentences, but you can organize them to maximize their impact. Include a brief discussion of your hobbies near the beginning of your statement to demonstrate how they influenced your early career path.

Your statement should emphasize your potential as a professional in your field, regardless of where you focus. With so little room, every word must count.

Example of Great Hobbies and Interests Personal Statement

The hobby or interest part of an application that stands out. Here’s a great example of all we have discussed using an INK example;

I am a passionate hobbyist with diverse interests and an enthusiasm for learning new skills. Over the years, I have explored many hobbies, including painting, photography, playing music, gardening, and cooking – just to name a few!

My approach is holistic and creative, seeking out novel ways to engage my interests in exciting and engaging ways. When I was exploring painting, I experimented with different textures and styles to create unique compositions that reflected my aesthetic.

Similarly, as a musician, I endeavored to use unconventional instruments such as kazoos and xylophones to create offbeat melodies. Furthermore, I love utilizing technology to further my endeavors.

These projects have challenged and taught me new abilities, from audio production to Photoshop design. All-in-all, I relish any opportunity to tap into my multifaceted creativity and explore the bountiful world of hobbies and interests.

Your hobbies and interests personal statement are significant! If you have any hobbies or interests that you would like to include in your essay, make sure they are narrow enough.

There’s not enough time to show the committee your skill and passion for all your hobbies! Instead, you should go in-depth and show how the specific activity benefits others.

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 Include Your Accomplishments On Your Resume (With Examples)

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Resumes showcase how you’re the best choice for the job, which means that you need to include your accomplishments. Usually you want to avoid bragging , but a resume is somewhere you want to make an exception. Your resume should tell your potential employer about where you exceeded expectations and the things you’re best at.

Accomplishments and achievements should be worked into your skills and your description of your duties at your job. If you want to know what sort of accomplishments to include, or are wondering if your resume doesn’t have enough of them listed, then keep reading.

Key Takeaways:

Accomplishments you should include on your resume include honors, awards, exceeded goals, certifications, and improvements made for previous employers.

Place accomplishments in related sections.

Accomplishments should be relevant and quantifiable if possible.

Do not provide outdated accomplishments.

Brainstorm a list of accomplishments longer than you can include on your resume when trying to come up with accomplishments.

What are accomplishments on a resume?

Accomplishments you should include on your resume, how to include accomplishments on your resume, accomplishments example by resume section, accomplishments examples by industry, accomplishments to avoid in your resume, resume accomplishments faq.

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Accomplishments are any achievements that highlight your abilities. They can be found in your professional, personal, or education experiences. Accomplishments can either be something you achieved for yourself or something you did on behalf of an organization, a previous employer, or another individual.

The best accomplishments to include when writing your resume are:

Relevant. Your achievements should directly relate to the job you are applying to. Anything else is just a waste of precious space on your resume and can be a distraction.

Quantifiable. Quantifiable achievements back up your qualifications by providing credibility. Employers also like to see specifics because it provides them with more context.

Show improvement and/or success. Achievements should be ones that show some sort of growth or positive benefit. Not only do you want to show you did something, but you did something that had meaning and purpose.

Contributed to a previous employer. Employers will like to see how you helped out your previous employers because it will shows what you can offer.

Unique. Your achievements should be ones that stand out and are unique to you. This way you can be sure that your resume looks like no one else’s.

The types of accomplishments you should include in your resume are honors or awards, goals you reached, and certifications you’ve obtained. Of course, employers are more interested in certain types of achievements than others, and it’s best to focus on ones that are relevant and show off your value.

Honors and awards. The most obvious accomplishments you should include in your resume are the awards and honors you’ve received. If you’re a recent graduate , this might be graduating summa cum laude or receiving your department’s outstanding student award.

Reached or exceeded goals. If you met a personal goal to do something like increasing sales or speeding up a process’s completion time, include that on your resume .

Certifications. If you earned a certification from a class or training, you could include that on your resume as well. Just make sure you’re only mentioning the ones that actually have something to do with your work:

Problems you solved. If you came up with a creative solution for a problem, especially if you went above and beyond and did it without being asked, hiring managers want to know about it.

Improvements you made to the company. Along with your problem-solving skills , recruiters want to see that you’re willing to find ways to improve the organization actively.

Excellent work. Include any significant positive results of your work, even if they didn’t necessarily break any records. Employers want to see that you know what you’re doing and do it well, so mention anything you’d like to point out and say, “See? I did that.”

Volunteer work. Especially if you’re a recent graduate or have a short employment history , you should include any volunteer work you’ve done. Hiring managers like seeing this on a resume, as it shows that you aren’t afraid of hard work and are a well-rounded individual.

There are several ways to add accomplishments to your resume, but the best way is to sprinkle them throughout the various sections of the resume . You do want to show off your achievements, but you want to do it in a way that’s organic. So, when describing your skills or duties, add in where you exceeded expectations or solved problems.

Start with a list of accomplishments longer than you can include on your resume. It’s always better to have too many options than not enough, so before you begin to add anything to your resume, write out as many achievements as you can think of. This way, you can pick and choose which ones you want to include.

Adjust them to fit the job description you’re applying for. Once you have your list of accomplishments, compare them to the job description, and start noting which ones match it. Include those on your resume and save the rest for later applications.

Demonstrate the impact of your accomplishment. Saying that you “redesigned processes” isn’t enough. You need to help hiring managers understand what you did by including the data that paints a picture of the fruits of your labors.

So, a better way to word the previous example would be something like, “Streamlined data collection processes while increasing number of projects completed by 10% and decreasing errors by 15%.”

Sprinkle them throughout your resume. In order to prevent it from feeling like you’re stuffing accomplishments into your resume, it’s often best to sprinkle them in in the relevant places. Depending on the nature of your achievements and how impressive they were, you can include them in a few different places:

Summary statement. Work your one or two most notable achievements into your summary statement. This is just a short intro, so don’t go overboard, but you want to make sure you catch the reader ’s attention when they start off.

Work history. Most of your accomplishments should go here, in the bullet points describing each job. Make sure to reference the ones in your summary statement as well, because ATS will make a bigger note of skills or experience that’s mentioned more than once on a resume.

Education . If you’re a new graduate or have done post graduate work, then you can include academic achievements. It’s best to not include achievements that happened too long ago, but if you did something noteworthy in your academic career recently – that’s relevant – don’t forget to mention it.

A dedicated accomplishments section. If your accomplishments don’t fit neatly into your job experience, or you have a long career and want to highlight a list of things you’ve achieved, then you can add an accomplishments section.

Summary An elementary school teacher with eight years of experience in both public and private schools. Won Outstanding Teacher award for three years in a row for implementing new teaching and communication methods. Relocating and looking to use my skills to further a school that values both excellence and relationships. Work Experience Third Grade Teacher Woodridge Elementary, 2014-2020 Chicago, IL Implemented a new parent communication system, increasing parent satisfaction by 7%, according to end-of-year surveys. Won Outstanding Teacher award each year from 2018-2020 for excellence and innovation. Led committee to improve parent drop-off and pickup systems, reducing both times by 15 minutes. Accomplishments and Achievements Organized fundraiser for a local food pantry, raising over $8,000 in one month. Established summer sports camp program for the school district, which had 150 attendees its first year. Volunteered at Piedmont Tutoring Center for 2015-2020. Received special education certification in 2018.

Student/Recent Graduate Led five-person senior project team to complete working flight simulator. Volunteered at a local homeless shelter once a week. Worked full-time and graduated with a 3.9 GPA in four years.

Administrative Created and implemented a new electronic filing system, allowing all branches to access the same files and cutting down the number of faxes sent between branches by 20%. Became certified administrative professional (CAP) in 2018. Onboarded and trained 15 employees over four years.

Education Established teacher support group for the school district’s having approximately 350 teachers. Improved class standardized test scores by 10% during the first year at Richmond High School and increased average by 3% more over the next four years. Reorganized classroom filing system, which administration implemented throughout the rest of the school.

Design Designed logos for 52 clients each year. Individually recognized by CEO for outstanding work at the company conference in 2019. Negotiated materials pricing with vendors, reducing average project costs by 5%.

Engineering Coded automated filing system for the design team, reducing average project time by 15%. Managed four teams of five people, seeing projects through from design to the final product. Inspected 104 designs for auto parts division in 2020.

Finance/Accounting Created and implemented an invoicing system to automatically sort documents by vendor and date instead of just date. Managed 14 different grants and kept them within budget for all five years of working at the organization. Worked with 25 department heads to get their expense reports finished correctly and on time each year.

Marketing Implemented SEO marketing techniques on the website, increasing page views by 15%. Created and managed company social media profiles, amassing 12,000 total followers in two years. Expanded reach to new demographic, increasing sales by 20%.

Sales Maintained status as the top salesperson for four years. Set a personal goal to exceed sales quota by 50% in 2018, cold-called 20 additional clients a month, and reached a goal, earning the company over $200,000 in addition to regular sales. Trained and mentored six junior sales representatives who eventually became top salespeople in their teams.

Customer Service Fielded over 200 calls per day while maintaining over 90% of customer satisfaction from 2017-2019. Created reference handbook for new team members to use. Managed 35 employees and handled their more difficult calls.

IT Solved over 115 help desk requests in 2020. Implemented a company-wide single sign-on system to increase security and cut down the number of password-related requests by 10%. Created a new web form system that cut average student registration time in half.

Restaurant Organized 15 employee schedules to ensure every shift was fully staffed. Developed new seating and bussing system to increase table turnover speed by 5%. Trained 30 new employees over five years.

You shouldn’t put achievements on a resume that are exaggerated or untrue, irrelevant to the job you’re applying for, or outdated. Adding these to your resume can end up making you look unprofessional or deceitful, neither of which make you attractive to employers. Here are some types of accomplishments to avoid putting on your resume.

Fake or stretched achievements. You should never lie on any section of your resume , including when you’re talking about your accomplishments. Yes, make sure you communicate the full weight of what you did, but don’t stretch the truth in an attempt to make yourself look better.

Proprietary information. Never share industry secrets or any other sensitive company information on your resume .

Offensive or polarizing accomplishments. If you have any inkling that achievement could come across as offensive to anyone, leave it out. It isn’t worth driving a potential employer away for no good reason. Instead, keep your accomplishments professional and applicable.

Outdated achievements. Your resume should grow along with you , so if you’re four jobs into your career and still have your high school awards listed, it’s time to let those go. (If you’re just starting your career and need some filler , though, those can be beneficial.)

Irrelevant accomplishments. If you won the best knitter award at your Tuesday night class, good for you, but most hiring managers won’t care about that when they’re reading your resume. Use that space for something more applicable to the job you’re applying for instead.

What’s the difference between accomplishments and responsibilities on a resume?

The difference between accomplishments and responsibilities is that responsibilities are what you’re required to do for your job, and accomplishments are places where you exceeded expectations or improved a process. Accomplishments also don’t have to be limited to what you did at work.

If possible, you want to incorporate accomplishments into your list of responsibilities. Accomplishments are typically quantifiable, meaning that where you improved efficiency or exceeded quotas count as accomplishments.

How do you make your accomplishments stand out on a resume?

The best way to make your accomplishments stand out on a resume is to use strong action words, put them in the relevant sections, and make them unique to you. While this doesn’t make them stand out in the sense of drawing immediate attention, it does show how they’re relevant and what makes you valuable as an employee.

It’s important to select achievements that are relevant to the job you’re applying to when possible. However, showing that you’re a go-getter are able to make the company you work for money can make you attractive even if it doesn’t directly relate to the duties you’ll be performing at the job you’re applying to.

What types of personal achievements can you put on a resume?

You can put personal achievements on your resume if they showcase your dedication or contributions — such as volunteering. As a rule, it’s best to stick with professional achievements, but if you’ve devoted a lot of time to volunteering or to a personal project that is either relevant or shows that you’re dedicated and persevere, then you can include them.

The point of your achievements is to show how you’d be an excellent addition to the team. So try to think like the recruiter . If you saw this accomplishment on a resume, would it make you more likely to hire the person? Or would it just feel like filler?

How many accomplishments should you put on your resume?

There isn’t a hard and fast rule in terms of many accomplishments you should put on your resume. The number can end up varying depending on the job you’re applying to and what you’ve accomplished. Try to select achievements that are relevant, impressive, and seem a natural fit.

Harvard Business Review – How to Write a Resume that Stands Out

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

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Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

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Is College Worth It? Consider These Factors Before Enrolling

Expert Reviewed

Updated: Jun 4, 2024, 8:30am

For decades in the U.S., a four-year degree was seen as a ticket to a better life, associated with higher wages, better health and access to homeownership, to name a few benefits. But rising costs, mounting student debt, changing job requirements in some industries and new higher education alternatives have altered the equation, leaving many high schoolers and their parents wondering: Is college worth it?

College graduates still earn higher wages and have lower unemployment rates than workers with only a high school diploma. However, industries that don’t require a bachelor’s degree, like manufacturing, construction and hospitality, often pay well and see steady economic demand. Plus, many companies and even government organizations no longer require job candidates to hold college degrees.

Though some researchers claim the economic benefits of a college degree are diminishing, higher education is still undeniably valuable. But is college right for you? That depends on your financial priorities and professional goals. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of going to college.

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How To Determine Whether College Is Worth It

College is a great way to discover yourself: what you’re good at, what drives you, what you want to spend your life doing. Higher learning can provide opportunities to travel, research, build a professional network and connect with peers and mentors. But the cost is immense—often more than $100,000 for a four-year degree, depending on the institution.

If you’re on the fence about college, take the considerations discussed below into account. Also, compare the potential benefits and drawbacks of a four-year degree to alternative higher ed options, such as bootcamps , professional certificate programs and trade schools .

Factors To Consider

When determining whether you should go to college, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your career goals?
• Does the school you’re eying offer a strong program in your area of interest?
• How much would you pay for tuition and other expenses?

Next, assess what student loans and scholarships are available to you, and consider the level of debt you’ll face after graduation. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our rankings of the best private student loans , the best low-interest student loans and the best personal loans for students . We also list some of the best scholarship websites and search engines .

Finally, think about the salary you’ll likely earn in your desired profession and how quickly you’ll be able to repay your loans.

It might be wise to consider this decision as if you were your own life coach or mentor. How would you talk through this problem with someone in your shoes? College admission professionals, high school guidance counselors and mentors can also provide input to help you make an informed decision.

College Income and Wealth Premiums

Two key economic indicators to think about are income and wealth. “Income” here relates to your earnings from a job, while “wealth” refers to your net worth.

For decades, college graduates enjoyed higher earnings and greater wealth than individuals who did not graduate from college, creating so-called “college premiums” on both income and wealth. Though these premiums still exist, they’ve declined for recent graduates, according to economic research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis .

The college wealth premium is trending downward faster than the income premium due in part to the high and rising cost of college.

The Cost of College

To examine the cost of college, we look at the average net price as collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Net price is the total cost of college—including tuition, supplies, housing and other expenses—minus grant and scholarship aid.

In the 2020–21 academic year, the average net price of attending a four-year college for first-time undergraduates was $14,700 at public institutions, $28,400 at private nonprofit schools and $24,600 at private, for-profit institutions, according to NCES.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees have risen over the past decade across public and private nonprofit colleges and universities. The increase was highest for private nonprofits, where annual tuition and fees increased by 14% between the 2010–11 and 2021–22 school years—from $34,000 to $38,000, respectively. The increase at public institutions in that time frame was smaller at 6%, from $9,100 to $9,700.

Total Cost of Attendance

The total cost of attendance combines the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, board and other expenses. It also accounts for federal student aid awards, including grants, work-study programs and loans.

In 2021–22, the average total cost of attending a public, four-year institution was $26,000 for students living on campus. Attending a private, for-profit school cost $32,900, or $55,800 for a private, nonprofit college.

So for a four-year bachelor’s degree, the average total cost of attendance for students residing on campus was approximately:

• $104,000 at public schools
• $131,600 at private, for-profit schools
• $223,200 at private, nonprofit schools

In other words, the cost of college is steep even with financial aid taken into account.

Student Loans

The percentage of first-year undergraduates who take out student loans has decreased since 2010, according to NCES. Thirty-eight percent of first-time, full-time college students were awarded loans in 2020–21, compared with 50% in 2010–11. NCES noted a decrease across all controls for both two-year and four-year higher education institutions.

The average loan amount awarded has also decreased over the past decade. First-time, degree-seeking students received an average $8,400 in 2020–21, compared to $7,700 in 2010–11, a decrease of 8%.

Education debt is the fastest-growing form of debt in the U.S. with total student debt now around $1.76 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve . In the 2021–22 academic year, 49% of students earning bachelor’s degrees from public, four-year institutions graduated with federal student loan debt, according to research from College Board . The average amount of debt per student was $20,700. Another 9% graduated with private loan debt averaging $34,600 per borrower.

To understand how effective students are at paying back their loans, NCES examined the class of 2015-16 four years after graduation, finding that the average federal student borrower still owed 78% of their original loan amount. The average percentage owed was particularly high among Pell Grant recipients: 85% of the original borrowed amount.

The Potential College Payoff

We’ve determined that college is expensive (and only getting costlier), student debt is on the rise and financial aid awards are dwindling. So what’s the return on an investment in higher education? Let’s take a look at potential payoffs for college grads.

Higher Earnings

College graduates still enjoy higher earnings than the average U.S. worker. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 2022, bachelor’s degree holders took home a median wage of $1,432 per week, while workers with just a high school diploma earned only $853. That’s a difference of 68%.

But how much you earn depends on several factors, including the industry you work in and your age, gender and location. A 2021 report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce found that 16% of high school graduates and 28% of associate degree holders earn higher wages than half of bachelor’s degree graduates.

On average, bachelor’s degree holders don’t start to see returns on their college investment until they’ve worked full time for 15 years. It’s the lowest return on investment (ROI) of all postsecondary degrees, according to the Education Data Initiative .

However, ROI for bachelor’s degrees can differ significantly depending on the major. The most cost-effective majors are in the computer and information sciences. Other areas with high returns include business finance, business accounting and electrical engineering. Majors with low ROI include fine art, liberal arts, general studies and education.

Lower Unemployment Rates

In 2022, bachelor’s degree grads faced an unemployment rate of 2.2%, while the rate for all workers was 3%, according to the BLS. By comparison, 4% of workers with only a high school diploma were unemployed.

Despite national conversation questioning the value of a college degree, a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that many employers still see higher ed as valuable, with three-quarters of respondents viewing college credentials as high-quality.

Recession Resiliency

Having a college degree may help you stay afloat during the next economic downturn. According to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California , less-educated workers suffered higher unemployment losses during the past few recessions. For example, at the height of the Covid-19 recession, workers with no college education experienced an unemployment rate of 18%, compared to 10% for workers with bachelor’s degrees.

The Pros and Cons of Going to College

Whether going to college is worth it really depends on your situation. Some career aspirations require a four-year degree, while plenty of others don’t. Certain academic interests make more sense to pursue in a formal campus environment. Others lend themselves to self-study.

Your financial situation is an important factor in determining the value of college. You’ll want to ask yourself if higher wages and more career options in the long run are worth years of student loan payments.

• Higher wages on average
• More career options
• Opportunities to gain further credentials and earn more money
• Alumni networks
• Recession resilience
• Personal growth
• Better health
• Higher likelihood of homeownership and being partnered (married or cohabiting)
• Lower risk of becoming delinquent on debt obligations
• Years of student loan debt
• Not necessary for some jobs
• Many alternatives to college, like apprenticeships and associate degrees, may provide similar benefits
• “Opportunity loss” due to time in college spent not working in profession

If you’re unsure about whether college would pay off for you, check out the below resources to learn about alternative options for higher education and professional credentials:

• Best Coding Bootcamps
• Best Online Trade Schools
• Can You Get a Bachelor’s Degree at a Community College? Here’s What To Know
• How Much Do Coding Bootcamps Cost? What To Know
• How To Get an Apprenticeship: Tips and Resources
• Tech Bootcamps With Job Guarantees: What To Know
• These 8 Universities Offer Business Certificates Online
• What Is a Graduate Certificate? Everything You Need To Know
• What Is a Skilled Trade? Top-Paying Trades To Conside

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Whether College Is Worth It

Should i go to college.

A college degree is a great investment for many students, but it’s not the slam dunk that it once was. A college degree is still correlated with higher earnings and greater wealth, but the cost is considerable and rising. Depending on your intended profession, you might consider an alternative education path.

Is college worth the cost?

Ultimately, whether college is worth the cost will depend on factors like your career and life goals and whether you’ll need to take out student loans. While a college degree is still associated with greater earnings and wealth over a lifetime, the upfront cost is not worth it for many students.

Why is college worth it?

There are many positives to attending college: higher wages, stronger recession resilience, lower unemployment rates, the list goes on. Plus, many employers require or prefer a college degree for many professional roles. On the other hand, you may be able to earn a good living without attending college, depending on your professional aspirations.

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Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accolades in California and North Carolina. Since 2018, she has worked in the higher-education web content space, where she aims to help current and prospective students of all backgrounds find effective, accessible pathways to rewarding careers.

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Learn how to get your credit score, how it is calculated, and what you can do to improve it.

What is a credit score?

A credit score is a number that creditors use to determine your credit behavior, including how likely you are to make payments on a loan.

Having a high credit score can make it easier to get a loan, rent an apartment, or lower your insurance rate. Learn how to get your credit score, how it is calculated, and what you can do to improve it.

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• Check your credit or loan statements.
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• Find a credit score service. 
• Buy your score from one of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

Learn more from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about each method of obtaining your credit score.

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The three major credit reporting agencies create credit reports which include a history of your credit, loans, and other financial information. These credit reports are used to calculate your credit score.

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Ways to improve your credit score

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Learn more about improving your credit score and what you can do to fix errors on your credit report .

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