Chemistry Personal Statements for Graduate Schools
January 31st, 2008 by mitch
(1213 Views)
Although most undergraduates are fretting over acceptance letters1, there has been recent interest in personal statements2,3,4. Below is an outline of what I would consider a typical chemical personal statement should consist of, and with slight modifications, it can be used as a generalized outline for all bright-eyed science undergraduates.
1st paragraph:
- Why you are in science.
- Why you enjoy chemistry.
- Why this or that specific sub-field of chemistry is interesting to you.
2nd paragraph:
- Your accomplishments in the chemical field (research experience, poster presentations).
- Favorite experiment/class and why. A lot of details on why it’s your favorite.
3rd paragraph
- Briefly discuss your ability to work with diverse people and/or outreach experience. (This may sound silly, but remember academic scientists are becoming more-and-more like bureaucrats and buzz words like that tend to ring well in their ears.)
- List relevant clubs and organizations you belong to. If you were an officer, write about that.
4th paragraph
- List how your skill-set/experience would be applicable to the institution you’re applying to.
- List some professors you would like to work with.
- Finish with some broad statement including the institution’s name.
In my personal opinion, personal statements should only be one page; you really should be able to summarize yourself that succinctly. If you have a blemish on your record, I’m not convinced it should be mentioned in a personal statement. Negative statements about yourself will stick out more than all your positive ones; so it’s upon you, to make sure your negatives are even worth discussing.
If you have further advice for the eager undergraduates, leave a comment. 
Ref. 1: Anyone heard back from schools yet?
Ref. 2: My Grad School Application Essay
Ref. 3: how to write grad school app essays
Ref. 4: Personal Statements
Mitch
In these situations, I find it productive to put on something frilly, like a short skirt and a halter top that’s just a bit revealing. Then, put on some of my favorite shade of lipstick, a little blue eyeshadow and paint my nails diner waitress red. Get some of my pumps on that make me a foot taller and those nylons I need to replace because they have one too many runs in them. Undo my hair, sit down, have a glass of my cheapest red wine, and get comfy, because nothing makes you feel more like a cheap whore than writing a resume to impress old white men.
So you’ve done this before too.
You can have a perfect personal statement, but if there’s also a Youtube clip doing the rounds of you drunkenly showing your ass to the Queen no number of smart words will get you into your school of choice. Just a thought.
db
It’s waaaaaay different over here.
I wrote my personal statement on red construction paper with a blue crayon…..
Does anyone have experience of using this graduate recruitment agency? Brampton Stafford Graduate Jobs I have been approached by one of their consultants regards a job, but I am fed up with having my time wasted by agencies.
Any comments and advice appreciated.