Paint a Complete Picture of Yourself in Your Graduate Personal Statement

When you decide to write your graduate personal statement, it is important to paint a complete picture of yourself. Think of it as creating a self-portrait that is unique and attractive, so the admissions committee will be compelled to look at it. Given the large number of graduate personal statements that admissions officers see, creating an attractive and positive picture of yourself will help them remember you and your application.Crafting Graduate Personal Statements that Reflect the Real YouThis first step in painting a complete picture of yourself in a graduate personal statement is to start with the outline. A painter sketches a silhouette of his subject and an applicant creates an outline of his personal statement for graduate school. Formulate a list of the ideas that you hope to develop in your graduate personal statement and then organize them in an outline form.The next step in creating a graduate personal statement is to fill in the outline with broad strokes of color, j ust like the artist who starts to develop his subject’s portrait with paint hues. Details will add color to your outline of topics. A graduate personal statement requires a well-planned portrait, choosing the words as carefully as the artist’s oils. Expressive, strong words add depth, color and dimension, bringing the subject to life, on paper as well as on the artist’s canvas.The final step in creating a complete picture of yourself through the graduate personal statement involves adding the details. A painter switches to his fine brushes at this stage to add light strokes which will define cheekbones and eyelashes. You will create a graduate personal statement with broad experiences, enhanced by rich details that reveal your personality and long term goals. The reader will be able to â€Å"see â€Å" you through your personal statement for graduate school, discerning your motivation and commitment.A Personal Statement for Graduate School Should be Attractive , Accurate and PositiveThe analogy here compares an artist creating your portrait with paint to you writing a graduate personal statement with words . Both require creativity, motivation, inspiration, and a lot of thought and planning.The key to this analogy is the creativity required to produce a work of art: your graduate personal statement. Painting the best possible picture of yourself, which reveals your passion for graduate study, your determination to be successful in your chosen field, and your motivation to attend a specific school’s program are important components of graduate personal statements. Smile for your portrait!