Think of the university admissions committee as the jury in your trial and yourself as the defendant. However, this case is not about proving your innocence in a crime. You are simply trying to prove that you are the ideal candidate for admission to the PhD program of your desired university.
Your statement invites the admissions panel to discover more about you. It should also be the result of introspection, reflecting on who you are and your future goals.
Your statement is a thing that can convince the admission panel. You must find out the answers to the questions below and ensure you are comfortable with them.
In your statement, you should address questions like these:
ü Why is the programme you are applying is right for you?
ü How will you benefit society by participating in the programme?
ü What about your personality and previous studies makes this programme an obvious next step?
However, most schools require some written explanation. Sometimes they ask for both a scientific and a biographical statement. What should you write, and what do they want? Let’s discuss the following:
ü Refrain from mixing a cover letter for a job application with a personal statement of PhD application. The personal statement is less about why the university is fantastic, and you can only live with it and more about you and how the university fits into your plans.
ü, Don’t try to impress the admissions committee with your essay. Refrain from writing what you think they want to read. Tell them your story, be authentic, and allow them to learn more about you as a person, not just a listing of your achievements.
ü, Avoid starting your statement with a list of your application documents. Your letter should not simply restate the facts but rather serve as a guide that ties everything you have done together and gives it a personal touch.
ü Treating your personal statement like a scientific paper or journal is not appropriate. Be yourself, but remain professional. You can be honest and transparent, but you should leave out some information if you do not know the person well enough.
ü Be dense with information. Each sentence should convey important notions and details about your research talents.
Allow Yourself Adequate Time to Write a Personal Statement
The personal statements required for admission to PhD should be between one and two pages long, i.e., about 700 words. Make sure the wording is clear and coherent. Check the paper for spelling, grammar and punctuation carefully. You should think carefully about every sentence because every word affects how effective your statement of purpose is. Take a few weeks to think about what you want to say and how you want to say it. Think about what made you decide to apply for this programme.
Conclusion
Don’t expect miracles, and prepare to go through several drafts before you reach the final version! It should not be possible to finish it in a day or two.
Also, take enough time to check your statement for apparent errors thoroughly. Send a draft of your statement to a friend, colleague, thesis supervisor, teaching assistant or local editor to check it for clarity. If you need professional help, many PhD proposal writing service also assist you with your statement.
