personal statement for masters in educational leadership

Educational Leadership Personal Statement Examples

Educational Leadership Personal Statement Example

I am pleased to submit this educational leadership personal statement to gain admission into your highly-valued university.

Educational leadership has a pivotal role in shaping a nation’s human capital. Because it is now simpler to export low-skilled employment, the value of education has only increased with globalisation. While it would make sense to expect countries to invest more in education to boost their competitiveness, the reality is quite the opposite.

Many things, including bureaucracy, decreased public education financing, and a general lack of urgency on the part of elected leaders, contribute to the education sector’s glacial pace of development around the world.

Furthermore, there is reluctance towards altering the framework of local educational systems because of the unknown outcomes resulting from such an alteration and because the sheer magnitude of the challenge deters many from even trying. This is true in developed countries with some of the world’s most outstanding universities.

Education sectors worldwide need leaders who are not scared of thinking outside the box and questioning the status quo, as I have come to believe via my work experience in the academic sector and after considerable research on the matter.

To this end, I have decided to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership in the hopes that I can use my education to effect constructive change in the Saudi educational system.

Early in my career, I developed a deep interest in bringing positive change to my community. This prompted me to research alternative educational models to see if there could be ways to improve the quality of education in my community using the resources at hand.

I have learned a lot from my readings and discussions with other educators, and I’d like to pass along what I’ve learned to my fellow Educational Leadership Program students and get their feedback, too.

One of the most surprising things I have learned is that the value of available tools to educators is sometimes overstated. The ability of various stakeholders, such as educators, parents, and government officials, to collaborate to identify problems and implement effective remedies may be more crucial.

I have held several positions during my academic career, including instructor, administrator, accountant, and trainer. With the insight I’ve gained, I now believe that the education systems of developing economies can learn from other countries. In reality, the nonprofit sector in advanced economies is a great case study of the benefits of borrowing ideas from other fields.

There is a growing trend of non-profits operating more like for-profit businesses, with a heavy focus on effective financial and human capital management and greater accountability for results. I predict that the public school systems of developed countries will eventually have to operate more like corporations.

Similarly, my experience with international businesses has taught me the importance of monitoring the forces and tendencies beyond our borders. Because technology has altered the educational landscape, the conventional teaching model is coming under fire for the first time.

I look forward to learning from my classmates and contributing my perspectives to the Educational Leadership program. By applying what I have learned in the program, I hope to improve my educational leadership philosophy and ultimately make a difference in the public education sector in my community and beyond.

Kindly accept my educational leadership personal statement for admission to study for a postgraduate degree at your university.

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

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 103,365 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

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

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

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

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

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Educational Leadership, Personal Statement Example

Pages: 2

Words: 625

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You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

The quality of a country’s human capital is primarily shaped by education. The value of education has only grown with globalization because it is now easier to outsource low-skilled jobs. One may assume countries have become more focused on investments in education to improve their competitiveness but the reality could not have been more different. There are numerous factors that contribute towards slow progress in the global education sector such as bureaucracy, funding cuts for public education, and lack of sense of urgency on the part of the elected officials. In addition, there is hesitation towards changing the structure of the local education systems because any change would involve uncertainty and the scale of the challenge discourages most from even making an attempt. This is as much true for Saudi Arabia as it is for countries with some of the finest academic institutions in the world like the U.S. My work experience in the academic sector as well as knowledge gained from extensive reading on the issue has convinced me that education sectors around the world are in dire need of education leaders who are not afraid of thinking outside-the-box as well as the challenging the quo. This is why I have decided to pursue my Masters in Educational Leadership because it will provide me with knowledge and insights to bring about positive changes in Saudi education sector.

I realized early on in my career that Saudi Arabia invests quite a low figure in its education system and I knew things won’t be changing soon. This motivated me to educate myself on different education systems around the world to investigate how educators like me may be able to revamp the local education system, even with limited resources. My extensive research as well as conversations with fellow education professionals has yielded several useful insights which I hope to share with my fellow students in the Educational Leadership Program as well as seek their input. Probably, one of the most unexpected insights I have gained is that the importance of resources available to educators is often exaggerated. What may be more important is the organizational hierarchy of the academic institutions as well as the ability of different stakeholders including teachers, parents, and public officials to work together to identify issues and implement innovative and efficient solutions.

During my academic career, I have worked in a wide range of capacities including teacher, administrator, accountant, and trainer. This has helped me gain a comprehensive knowledge of how the whole education system works and I believe that education system in Saudi Arabia can import lessons from not only education systems in other countries but even non-related sectors such as Corporate America and non-profit sector. In fact, non-profit sector in developed countries like the U.S. serve as a great example of importing ideas from other industries. More and more non-profit organizations are being run like commercial organizations, with huge emphasis on efficient management of financial and human capital as well as higher accountability for performance. I believe public education system in Saudi Arabia and other countries including the U.S. will also have to adopt business-like approach to their operations. Similarly, I have learnt from multi-national organizations that every industry should keep an open eye on the external factors and trends that are shaping our world. For the first time, traditional education model is under attack because technology has changed the way students now learn.

I will bring unique insights into the Educational Leadership program and am excited to learn from my fellow students who may come from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. The knowledge and skills learnt in the program will help me further refine my educational leadership philosophy and make positive contributions to the public education sector in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

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Sample Statement of Purpose in Education (Stanford)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In statement of purpose.

The following statement of purpose is written by an applicant who got accepted for a masters degree in education at Stanford. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top SOP in education should look like.

You might also be interested in reading this Sample Personal Statement for Master’s in Education that got admitted to UPenn, UCLA and NYU.

Sample Statement of Purpose for Masters in Education at Stanford

It is awfully disheartening to find out that someone with the potential to become a change agent is never given that opportunity. It is even harder to see that all doors of a prosperous future are closed for the underprivileged. Such is the dichotomous state of every child born and raised in the lower economic class. This angers me as it angers Geoffrey Canada while he was discussing failing schools in his TED Talk.

While the world progresses and evolves, the syllabi and education standards of public schools across Mexico remain the same – not worthy of teaching. The failing school system is the failure of many, me included. As a teacher and citizen of this country, I feel responsible for its future. The future has always been in the hands of the youth. Unfortunately, the very same youth has lost faith in the education system. Therefore, I want to pursue a Masters’s degree in International and Comparative Education and specialize in educational equity.

Why could my maid’s daughter not get the same education I did? Because she is poor is not an answer I am willing to accept.

Having worked at schools catering to students of different income backgrounds, I have realized that there is a wide gap between the quality of education across different income brackets. Not just based on income and social class, this inequity is also based on gender.

I have been a part of the Mexico Model High School for Girls administration panel, a lower-income school that caters to more than 11,000 students. After teaching English to 2,200 students over the past four years, I have been alarmed by the difference in the quality of curriculum that we teach in private versus public schools.

To materialize the evolution I envision, I need to equip myself with the skills required to bring change. In addition, I require further understanding of how to bridge that gap. Therefore, I need to upgrade myself on projects such as teacher training, curriculum development, and awareness campaigns. Such projects would aim to improve the level and quality of education for lower-income classes with a specific focus on female students.

I’ve witnessed how girls are commonly denied the fundamental right to education. Unfortunately, their position in society mandates them to accept this denial. And even if they are granted access to education, it is in the rusty education system. On a national level, Mexico’s female enrollment in education is 24% of the male enrollment, representing less female participation. Moreover, these figures keep deteriorating at higher grade levels. It highlights the need for a change in mindsets and in the education system.

A degree in education from Stanford would help me study the most effective pedagogical strategies that enhance student learning and encourage critical thinking. Studying courses such as “Curriculum and Pedagogy” and “Classroom Leadership and Management” would enable me to equip teachers with adequate tools to make the time spent in the classroom more productive.

In the years I’ve spent volunteering and working in lower-income schools, I’ve met countless passionate and hardworking teachers. Still, barely any of them has the training to deviate from the conventional rote learning of textbooks. However, I noticed a smooth and quick shift to innovative classroom management techniques and teaching methods after a couple of training lessons that my co-fellows and I conducted. This depicts the will to improve; they just lack direction. Given that these skills are strategically spread among the teachers through training, they could enhance student learning enormously.

Another aspect that needs immediate attention is the curriculum. My experience led me to believe that an improved national curriculum could be the biggest change agent. It has the power to influence the minds of the masses. When I started my fellowship at Teach for Mexico, I intentionally incorporated examples that challenged gender stereotypes – such as a man cooking dinner or a woman becoming a pilot. My students were always amused.

Gradually, it became a norm for them, and the same students produced stories and sentences with countless instances where people had risen above typical gender roles. Studying how to structure a neutral and innovative curriculum during my postgraduate degree will eventually aid in designing sample lesson plans. This will help improve the syllabi in ways that can gradually lead to better education and less gender discrimination.

The education system’s responsibility is to polish personalities and train students to be responsible and peaceful global citizens. For this, I aim to work on their achievement, attitude, and access; three ‘As’ that Teach for Mexico taught me could change nations.

My efforts will be to arrange school awareness sessions about various social issues, such as personal hygiene, women’s rights, drug abuse, and sexual harassment. I understand the need, resistance, and repercussions of bringing these topics up in lower-income communities, as I have already dealt with most of them. I would also like to work on projects with similar aims to the Mexico Basic Education Program and steps taken by the Progressive Education Network in Mexico. I am positive that such efforts will gradually eliminate all income and gender inequity in the education sector and shape contributing members of society.

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The following SOP was written by an applicant who was admitted to top MSBA (Masters of Science in Business Analytics) programs in the US. Variations of this essay got accepted at Duke, UT Austin, and UCLA. This statement of purpose is intended to provide an example...

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The following statement of purpose is written by an applicant who got accepted to Stanford's doctoral programs in computer science. Stanford's CS program requires a 2-page statement of purpose that covers the following points: Should be concise, focused, and well...

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Sample Statement of Purpose in Public Health (MPH)

The following statement of purpose is written by an applicant who got accepted to several top master's programs in public health. Variations of this SOP got accepted at Rutgers, and Chicago. Read it to understand what a top SOP in MPH should look like. Example...

Sample Statement of Purpose for Nursing

The following statement of purpose was written by an applicant who was admitted to top MSN (Masters of Science in Nursing) programs in the US. The applicant aspires to specilize in the field of nursing informatics. Variations of this SOP got accepted at Johns Hopkins...

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Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

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Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement; for more information, see our Writing Personal Statement presentation Prezi  and our three-minute video on Writing Personal Statements .

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement for Graduate School

• by Heidi Kerr and Paul David Terry
• November 10, 2020

You’ve made the exciting decision to pursue a graduate degree. Congratulations! There are a wide range of graduate programs to explore , and once you’ve selected the right program for you, it’s time to begin the graduate application process. 

The statement of purpose and personal history statement are key components of the UC Davis graduate school application . With fewer than 4,000 characters allowed for each essay, these statements can seem particularly daunting. However, each one has a specific purpose for showcasing your academic journey and creating a holistic application.

Below, we’ve analyzed the differences between the statement of purpose and personal history statement and provided tips for writing these graduate school admissions essays. 

Statement of Purpose and Personal History: What’s the Difference?

The statement of purpose shares your academic objectives with the admissions committee and explains why you want to obtain a graduate degree. The personal history statement provides background about who you are and how your experiences have shaped your interests and ability to overcome challenges. Each essay has specific goals to showcase your experience, passion and story. 

How to Write a Strong Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should highlight your academic preparation , motivation and interests, along with any specializations and career goals that contribute to your program of study. As you write your statement of purpose, it should encompass some of the following:

• Academic and research experiences - Include any relevant academic studies or research pursuits, internships or employment, presentations, publications, teaching, and travel or study abroad experiences that prepare you for this graduate program. Explain your motivation or passion for these experiences and how they can enrich your graduate study.
• Interests, specializations, and career goals - Highlight your research interests, disciplinary subfields, area(s) of specialization, and professional objectives.
• Fit - Explain how your preparation, experiences, and interests match the specific resources and characteristics of your graduate program at UC Davis. Identify specific faculty within your desired graduate program with whom you would like to work and how their interests match your own.

The statement of purpose should also address why you want to pursue the particular graduate degree program at the university and what your goals are in pursuing a degree. Remember, the statement of purpose should explain exactly that, your purpose for becoming a graduate student. This is the primary way it stands apart from your personal history statement. 

What to Include in Your Personal History Statement

The personal history statement helps the reader learn more about you as an individual and potential graduate student. Use this opportunity to describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Tell a story that  includes any experiences, challenges or opportunities relevant to your academic journey. Consider how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual, or cultural diversity within a campus community and your chosen field.

A strong personal history statement begins with an authentic voice and personal narrative. This can reflect your journey to graduate school, any obstacles you’ve encountered, and how you've overcome challenges. Talk about your personal goals and dreams. Explain what motivates and drives you toward this degree. The more your personal statement tells your school about you as an individual, the more it will stand out. Don't write something to impress someone else. This includes language, style and tone. Authenticity is important and resonates well. Tell the truth, in your voice, from your perspective. Use your story to connect.

More Tips and Resources for Applying to Graduate School

Applying to graduate school may be daunting to some, but UC Davis has a variety of resources to help you create a strong graduate school application. Check out the Applying to Graduate School: A Guide and Handbook for ideas and worksheets on how to construct your essays. Or visit our Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services website for more graduate school prep resources. 

Paul David Terry is the assistant director of special interest and affinity networks and alumni diversity lead at the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. He oversees the UC Davis Health Improving OUTcomes blog and enjoys cycling and brewing ginger beer.

Heidi Kerr works as the content and media manager at UC Davis’ Graduate Studies. She has worked as a communications professional at multiple higher education institutions and is passionate about promoting student success.

The authors acknowledge current and former leaders from Pre-Graduate/Law Advising in Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services, especially Annalisa Teixeira, Ph.D. and Cloe Le Gall-Scoville, Ph.D., who granted us permission to reference Applying to Graduate School: A Guide and Workbook .

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The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program, in addition to providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to utilize research to inform leadership, meets the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CCTC) requirements for a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC). The MA in Educational Leadership program prepares students for positions as administrators in K-12 public schools in the state of California. The PASC is required for administrative roles in all K-12 public schools in California.

The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program, in addition to providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to utilize research to inform leadership, meets the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CCTC) requirements for an Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC). The MA in Educational Leadership program prepares students for positions as administrators in K-12 public schools in the state of California. The PASC is required for administrative roles in all K-12 public schools in California. 

The MA in Educational Leadership program emphasizes both developmental and constructivist approaches to education. School leaders learn to test theory in practice, anticipate consequences, and evaluate outcomes in a wide range of educational settings. Graduates have a strong record of becoming successful school administrators and leaders in educational transformation and school leadership. Graduates of the program are employed in 21 Bay Area school districts, including those in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. In this credential-based program, students earn both a master’s degree in educational leadership as well as a PASC credential. After earning the PASC, students may continue on toward a Clear credential, which certifies them to maintain employment as school administrators in California's K–12 public school system beyond the five-year preliminary credential. 

The curricula and pedagogy for the MA in Educational Leadership program is firmly rooted in praxis—combining both research and practice. Candidates are required to construct models of leadership that they can apply to real-life situations. The goal of the program is to develop reflective practitioners and thinkers. Application of theories, identification of concepts, and review of current research literature and exploration of documented experience with comparable problems will be part of the course content and field experiences that make up the program. 

From the beginning of their coursework, through the completion of their final field experience, candidates continually work to clarify and deepen their educational philosophy and sharpen their educational vision. To develop a philosophy of education and a vision of excellence, they will, through their courses and field experiences, read and understand contending philosophies and theories of education. Adult learning will be addressed through andragogy, a term used to clarify the curriculum development needs of adults. The MA in Educational Leadership program identifies the need for adults to be motivated to learn, to be active in the learning process, and to have the opportunity to integrate their past experiences with their present learning. The MA in Educational Leadership program will integrate California Administrator Performance Expectations competencies into the program in two field experience seminars, where students can practice their leadership while demonstrating mastery of CAPE standards. 

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• In one year (30 credits), meet standards for the PASC while attaining mastery of the California Administrator Performance Expectations ( CAPE ) competencies 
• Acquire mastery of leadership skills needed to serve as a school administrator in K-12 public schools
• Achieve readiness to submit the  CalAPA exam  assessment to outside reviewers during the final two semesters of the program

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Graduates of the program are employed in 21 Bay Area school districts, including those in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that California is the state with the fifth highest annual mean wage for kindergarten through secondary administrators, at $128,280 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2022). California elementary teachers earn an annual mean wage of $86,470, middle school teachers earn $92,350, high school teachers receive $94,600, and early childhood special education teachers earn $78,310 (BLS, 2022). For teachers seeking opportunities to earn a higher salary while working in a school-based position, continuing their education in an Administrative Services Credential program to secure employment as an administrator can significantly increase their wages.

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Program Prerequisites and Application Requirements

For those pursuing the PASC:

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Passed all portions of the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)
• At least five years  of full-time teaching experience as a  credentialed teacher  with the credential issued by California or issued by another state or with a designated subjects services credential (e.g., counseling, librarianship, school health,  etc. )
• Students in their fourth year of teaching can apply

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Clinical/field experiences occur at a school site where novice administrators grow their leadership capacity and learn through performance.

With the support of experienced mentors, candidates will:

• Coach teachers.
• Watch videos of their coaching sessions to improve their coaching skills.
• Receive feedback from their field experience instructors who have the dual role as faculty and former school principals.
• Receive feedback from mentors at their school site placements.

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By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll gain access to students at 13 campus locations, 300,000+ alumni, and 3,000 employer partners worldwide. Our global university system provides students unique opportunities to think locally and act globally while serving as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Leadership Positions and Examples of Jobs Graduates May Hold

• Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs)
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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

Educational Leadership

School of adult & continuing education.

Lincoln University’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Educational Leadership/Principal Certification Program is designed to prepare qualified and effective K-12 school administrators and instructional leaders, produce effective K-12 school principals who can also serve as positive change agents in the community, and develop school leaders with the necessary skills and capacity to improve student learning based upon research, assessment and the implementation of best practices. The Educational Leadership program was developed in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s framework and guidelines for principal preparation programs. Candidates have the option of earning an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (research/non-certification track) or an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with Principal Certification (certification track).

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Program Detail

DELIVERY: Face-to-Face

ACCELERATED or TRADITIONAL: Both     

SCHEDULE: Weeknight Evening

LENGTH: 3 Semesters OR 4 Semesters (Certification)

PROGRAM CREDITS: 36 Credits OR 42 Credits (Certification)

TRACK: Certification and Non-Certification

ENROLLMENT CYCLES: Fall (August) and Spring (January)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 15 (Fall) and November 15 (Spring)

Kyle D. Morris, Class of 2018

Transitioning to Lincoln University for a Masters in Educational Leadership from Cheyney University was seamless. Being a Bond-Hill scholar removed the financial burden, and maintaining the intimate class size cultivated a sense of family. My time at Lincoln prepared me professionally and academically for my current doctoral program in Executive Educational Leadership. 

Degree: Master of Education in Educational Leadership

• EDU 631 Human Resources Management in Education                  
• EDU 632 Ethics in Educational Leadership and Practices
• EDU 634 School Law
• EDU 636 K-12 Educational Administration                             
• EDU 638 Curriculum Design and Instructional Improvement
• EDU 642 Supervision and Instructional in K-12 Schools
• EDU 647 School Finance and Fiscal Affairs
• EDU 656 The Principalship
• EDU 657 Instructional Leadership                                                                             
• EDU 658 School and Community Relations
• EDU 661 Research Methods in Education
• EDU 662 M.Ed. Ed Leadership Thesis Project OR EDU 663 Comprehensive Examination   

Principal Certification

Students must participate in a one-year internship (6 credits) with a mentor principal.  The placement must be in a traditional, charter, or private K-12 school.  Students are also expected to earn passing scores on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment. The principal certification curriculum consists of the following:

• EDU 659 Internship I (3 credits)                                     
• EDU 660 Internship II (3 credits)

Clearance Requirements

Students are required to maintain and provide state clearances as defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) before matriculation.

• Federal Criminal History Record (FBI)
• Form PDE 6004: Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form 
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Record
• Tuberculosis (TB) Test Documentation

Admission Requirements

• Submit a free  online application .
• Transcripts: Submit official transcripts for all accredited institutions you have attended and/or from which you earned credit.
• Personal Statement: In 300-500 words, address future goals based on the selected graduate program.
• Letters of Recommendation: Submit two (2) professional letters of recommendation speaking to your character and motivation to work in the education field.
• Résumé: A current professional résumé is required.
• Current Instructional I Certificate (Certification Track Only)

You are strongly encouraged to upload your supplemental documents to your  student portal . You may also email documents to  [email protected] or mail to:

Lincoln University School of Adult and Continuing Education Attention: Office of Admissions 3020 Market Street, Fourth Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104

Transfer Credits

The MED program will accept up to six graduate school credits in the field of Education from an accredited institution, providing each course is completed with a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Tuition and Fees

Lincoln University’s tuition and fees are set annually by the university and remain affordable and competitive.

2020–2021 Academic Year

• Pennsylvania Resident: $567 per credit hour
• Out-of-State Resident: $949 per credit hour

Learn more about tuition and fees online .

Discover federal and state financial aid options that may be available online .

Career Opportunities

Educational Consultant: Education consultants are independent contractors who may find short- or long-term assignments with government agencies, private schools, charter schools, public school districts, or various types of education-related companies.

Adjunct Professor: An adjunct professor is a part-time professor who is hired on a contractual basis.  Most institutions of higher learning hire adjuncts to teach in their various departments.

Coach: Coaching is a process that aims to improve performance and focuses on the present rather than the past or future.  Not only are there traditional coaches, such as in athletics, but there are coaches that support nearly every function that one encounters.  Examples include life coach, personal coach, leadership coach, executive coach.

Corporate Trainer: Training other professionals in a business setting is a way to use your presentation, communication, and leadership skills.

Event Planner: If you are a born planner and love coordinating experiences and projects, you can help make people dream for amazing, memorable events come true. Weddings, business conferences, and product launches are just a few types of events that you might help plan and coordinate.

Sales Manager: Sales professionals drive the revenue that helps businesses meet their growth objectives. Professionals with the right skills and educational background are aggressively pursued by organizations in every industry.

General Management: General management entails complete responsibility, including profit and loss  accountability, for the performance of an entire business or a business unit. A general manager can be the key leader of a company or the head of a division or department within a larger business.  They oversee individuals in charge of various areas and coordinate their activities for the good of the company. 

Director of Education (Private Schools/PreSchools/Non-Traditional Settings): Education directors choose and implement their school or organization’s curricula. They work in schools, colleges, art museums, businesses, and nonprofit organizations

Engagement Officer: Engagement officers typically work in the Office of Institutional Advancement for an institution.  Fundraising is the primary goal in this role.

Meet the Faculty

• Teresa Powell, Ed.M., M.B.A., Ed.D. – Chair and Assitant Professor
• Patricia Lewis-West, Ed.D. – Associate Professor
• Admasu Tucho, Ed.D. – Associate Professor
• Dr. LaToya Joseph – Assistant Professor

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Write a Compelling Graduate School Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement when applying to graduate school can be daunting. There are a lot of guides that dictate rules on structure, form and content that often do more harm than good. This post offers advice on how to write a personal statement rather than inflexible “rules” that may help you produce your best work by maintain your original voice. The universities are, after all, looking to hear from you.

• Just start writing. For many of us, writing a personal statement can be a torturous process to begin. Once we get in the swing of things, it become a lot easier, but that first sentence is a battle in and of itself. Try not to get too caught up on this first step. If you just start typing, you can always come back to the beginning to edit and refine your writing.
• Be honest, sincere and original. Universities receive thousands of applications every year and appreciate personal statements that reflect personality and sincerity. While it is always worthwhile to read personal statement guidelines, do not feel compelled to stick to a rigid form. If you think you have something interesting to add, or something that will help you stand out as a candidate for the program, add it!
• Be specific. Stay focused on your goals. A personal statement is supposed to illustrate your reasons for pursuing a certain program and it is important to build your narrative around that. Clearly show why you should be a part of this program and try not to get sidelined by tangential anecdotes.
• Monitor the logistics. Be concise and direct. Proofread! Avoid using long, run-on sentences and make sure you haven’t misspelled anything. Small mistakes leave big impressions and can be easily avoided with a little attention to detail.
• Project your enthusiasm. Above all, convey your enthusiasm for your intended field of study as much as possible. Whether this is through writing about your past experiences or by demonstrating a marked interest in a specific area of your field, an informed personal statement will make a strong impression.

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Educational Leadership and Management MA

• Full-time: 12 months
• Part-time: Not available
• Start date: September 2024
• UK fees: £9,700
• International fees: £25,250
• Entry requirements: 2:1

Course overview

Our MA Educational Leadership and Management is designed for professionals in the education sector seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in leadership and management.

Education is the foundation of any society, but leading an educational team or organisation can be complex. That's why our course aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the challenges of leadership and management in a variety of educational contexts.

Through the analysis of the latest theories and issues, you will conduct research that drives development and enhances your professional practice, enabling you to make a positive impact within your classroom or educational organisation. Our course is ideal for those seeking to move into or progress in educational leadership roles.

Much of the research that influences this course is conducted by those teaching it. Their expertise and academic knowledge allows you to analyse different leadership approaches and explore how they could relate to your own practice. A key focus of the course is supporting practice-based inquiry and applying it to the way you work.

We also offer a distance learning version of this course - MA Educational Leadership and Management (Online)

We also welcome approaches from educational organisations looking for a bespoke programme for their staff.

Student profile

View our student profile to see what Afiya says about her experience on the course and how it has helped with her career.

Why choose this course?

in the world for education

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

Learn from experts

who are internationally recognised for their research in this area

Over 100 years

of experience in the field of education

Excellent research

The majority of our research outputs are assessed as internationally excellent.

Research Excellence Framework

Course content

The taught element of this course is made up of four 30-credit modules, plus a 60-credit dissertation. It can be completed over one year full-time. 

Dr Kevin Richardson (contact for academic queries)

• Course structure
• Example timetable

Core modules

This module is designed to meet your varying needs. Such needs may have been identified prior to joining the course, through the process of self and organisational analysis, or through ongoing reflection on individual and organisational need throughout the course.

This module will address the nature and practice of leadership in education. It will look at six themes:

• Concepts of leadership
• Leadership qualities, behaviours and competencies
• Power and authority
• Organisational cultures and distributed leadership
• Professional development

The module will address the essential features of effective learning, as relevant to your sector by examining:

• the process of learning
• supporting learning (for example, through adults, peers and technology) both within and beyond the educational organisation
• an overview of approaches to improvement and raising achievement in educational organisations
• monitoring and evaluation of learning: the use of data, target-setting, monitoring

The content will involve you in active critical consideration of participating in and leadership of practitioner inquiry in relation to professional context mapping and workplace learning.

These processes will be achieved through:

• conceptualising different kinds of practitioner inquiry relevant to work-based understanding and development (purposes, processes, contexts, dilemmas, outcomes)
• examining a range of approaches to educational inquiry, with an emphasis on action research
• developing an inquiry into your professional context

This involves the researching and writing of a substantive piece of scholarship within the field of the course.

You will choose a topic in consultation with your course leader and an appropriate supervisor. The topic will normally be based on interests and skills you have developed in the course of the modules already studied.

You can  view an example PDF timetable , however this is subject to change year on year and your live timetable will be available via the online timetable system.

Learning and assessment

How you will learn.

• Group study

Your learning will be supported by:

• tutors with a breadth and depth of knowledge, understanding and skills developed through experience in the field
• interactive and collaborative teaching methods promoting shared enquiry
• emphasis on formative feedback to support you to successfully complete assessments
• access to extensive study materials from libraries and online sources

How you will be assessed

• Dissertation

Each 30-credit module is assessed by a 6,000-word written assignment. To complete the masters, you must achieve a pass of 50% on each assignment.

The 15,000-word dissertation is an original piece of work and should be related to one of the selected modules on an approved topic.

Contact time and study hours

Each module requires an equivalent of 30 hours of teaching, plus 270 hours of independent study, assignment preparation and tutorial support.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

• Home / UK students
• EU / International students

Alternative qualifications

Applicants with a 2:2 degree and three or more years full-time relevant professional experience in education-related positions can be considered. Relevant professional work experience includes those with experience in teaching or a role directly engaged with education.

Other requirements A personal statement is required that demonstrates both a clear understanding of the course and relevant motivation for pursuing educational leadership and management studies. Please outline clear aspirations for a leadership or management role within education or educational governance. This should include details of any professional experience that is relevant to the course in education or that can be applied to an educational setting.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

Recognition of other Learning (ROL)

If you have prior learning or experience at an appropriate level, you may apply for exemption from some of the credit requirements of the course. Applications for ROL should be made at the time of application for admission to the university and  at least four weeks before the start of the course . Applications for ROL are processed free of charge.  Late applications will not be considered.  Please visit the  School of Education ROL pages  for full information and how to apply.

Our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about applying.

Where you will learn

Jubilee campus.

Jubilee Campus has eco-friendly buildings, alongside green spaces, wildlife and a lake. 

This campus is home to our business, education and computer science schools, as well as a sports centre and student accommodation.

You can walk to  University Park Campus  in around 20 minutes or catch a free hopper bus. Nottingham city centre is 20 minutes away by public bus.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, we do not anticipate any extra significant costs, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies, which you would need to factor into your budget.

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans.

We also offer a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

• Careers advice
• Job prospects

We offer individual careers support for all postgraduate students .

Expert staff can help you research career options and job vacancies, build your CV or résumé, develop your interview skills and meet employers.

Each year 1,100 employers advertise graduate jobs and internships through our online vacancy service. We host regular careers fairs, including specialist fairs for different sectors.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Graduate destinations

Career destinations for School of Education graduates include education advisers, language tutors, primary/secondary teachers, vocational/industrial trainers and instructors and those working in the caring professions including counsellors.

A number of our graduates are already in employment while undertaking part-time study for professional development in their chosen career.

Career progression

95.2% of postgraduates from the School of Education secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £28,108.*

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2020/21 data published in 2023. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time, postgraduate, home graduates within the UK.

Related courses

Educational leadership and management (online) ma, education ma, education (online) ma.

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national grading system, introduced by the government in England. It assesses the quality of undergraduate teaching at universities and how well they ensure excellent outcomes for their students in terms of graduate-level employment or further study.

This content was last updated on Monday 11 March 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur given the interval between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

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Writing an Educational Leadership Philosophy Statement

Dr. natasha kenny, phd, & dr. carol berenson, phd, taylor institute for teaching and learning .

December 2016

We often support instructors in creating teaching philosophy statements, and various resources exist to support their development (e.g. Chism, 1998; Kenny, Jeffs, and Berenson, 2015; Schonwetter et al., 2002).  However, few resources are available to help faculty in preparing educational leadership philosophy statements.

We recently created a resource to help faculty preparing educational leadership philosophy statements as part of their nomination dossiers for institutional and national awards, such as the University of Calgary Teaching Award for Educational Leadership and the  3M National Teaching Fellowship .

Similar in format to a teaching philosophy statement, an educational leadership philosophy statement “clearly communicate[s] what our beliefs are about educational leadership, why we hold these beliefs and how we translate our beliefs into practice” (Berenson and Kenny, 2015).  An example structure for an educational leadership philosophy statement and guiding questions to help those preparing a statement are presented in Table 1 below.  While every statement will uniquely articulate the educational leadership beliefs and practices of each author, these questions provide a foundational guide for helping to support faculty in creating an educational leadership philosophy statement.

Dr. Ken MacMillan, 3M National Teaching Fellow, and the 2015 recipient of the UCalgary Award for Educational Leadership has shared an  example educational leadership philosophy statement here .

Philosophy statement components

Developing an educational leadership philosophy statement provides an opportunity for individuals to reflect on their own leadership beliefs and activities. This process also makes visible the many ways in which leadership is formally and informally enacted by individuals on our campus.

Beliefs about educational leadership

What are my beliefs about educational leadership in post-secondary education? Why do I hold these beliefs?   Who or what has most informed my leadership approaches? How have my beliefs been influenced by my experiences postsecondary educator and/or scholarly literature related to leadership? What difference do I hope to make as a leader? What does it mean to be a good leader in a post-secondary context?

Educational leadership activities and initiatives

What educational leadership activities, practices and initiatives have I implemented? How do these align with my beliefs? When have I felt most engaged and affirmed as an educational leader? What are my key strengths and skills as a leader? What am I most proud of? What sets me apart? What are some of my accomplishments as a post-secondary leader?

Impact and influence

What difference have I made, and how do I know? What has been the impact and influence of my educational leadership (on me, on students, on colleagues, on my department, on my faculty, on the institution and beyond)? What have others learned from my leadership approaches?

Future aspirations

How will I continue to develop, grow, and improve as a leader? What interests me most about teaching and learning in post-secondary education? What changes do I most hope to see and inspire? What are my future goals and aspirations as a leader in post-secondary education?

Guiding questions adapted from: Kearns, K.D. & Sullivan, C.S. (2011); Kenny, Jeffs & Berenson (2015); Stavros & Hinrichs (2011); Schonwetter et al. (2002); Seldin, P., Miller, J. E., & Seldin, C. A. (2010).

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Sample teaching philosophy statements .

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What Makes a Great Teaching Award Nomination Dossier? 

Berenson, C. & Kenny, N.A. (2016).  Preparing an Educational Leadership Philosophy Statement . Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

Chism, Nancy. (1998). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement.  Essays on Teaching Excellence: Toward the Best in the Academy, 9,  1-3.  Retrieved from http://podnetwork.org/content/uploads/V9-N3-Chism.pdf

Kearns, K.D. and Sullivan, C.S. (2011). Resources and practices to help graduate students and postdoctoral fellows write statements of teaching philosophy.  Advances in Physiology Education , 35, 136-145.

Kenny, N.A., Jeffs, C., & Berenson, C. (2015).  Preparing a Teaching Philosophy Statement.  Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.

Schonwetter, D.J., Sokal, L., Friesen, M., & Taylor, L.K. (2002). Teaching philosophies reconsidered: A conceptual model for the development and evaluation of teaching philosophy statements.  International Journal for Academic Development,  7(1), 83-97

Seldin, P., Miller, J. E., & Seldin, C. A. (2010). The teaching portfolio: A practical guide to improved performance and promotion/tenure decisions. John Wiley & Sons.

Stavros, Jacqueline M, & Hinrichs, Gina. (2011). The Thin Book Of SOAR: Building Strengths-Based Strategy: Thin Book Publishing.