How To Write An Admissions Essay For Graduate School

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If you'd like to include teaching experience as well, that's fine, but the graduate school essay should always discuss your research experience and how you'd like to extend that experience in a more focused way in graduate school.

Even if you aren't yet sure what you want to study in graduate school, discuss the possibilities. Be aware of clichés when proofreading your essay One thing that may help you as you write your essay is to try NOT to be creative.

I know this sounds somewhat counterintuitive, but sometimes the worst clichés are born from attempts at creativity.

Don't talk about your "dreams" and "passions" that came about when you were young because of an inspiring book you read.

Use the personal statement to anecdotally show them who the person who did all those things and had all those accomplishments is.

Write about something that touched you, something you can be passionate about, something that you know embodies you and what you believe in, even if it seems a little unorthodox.

However, there a few rules you can follow that will ensure that you are at least keeping within what will make admissions officers happy: Things like colored or patterned paper, computer graphics, attached photos of you as a toddler, videos, or DVD essays do nothing but attract attention–the kind of attention.

The admissions committee wants to read a clear, well-written, well-though-out statement that demonstrates you are a serious candidate for a degree from their school; they don’t want to have to squint at odd graphics, or wonder why you had that haircut when you were two years old.

Neither do I want to read about a star-gazing experience at age 8 (even on a cold, windswept hill), a childhood chemistry set (no matter how beloved), a fantastic documentary that someone happened to find when a televised golf match was canceled (serendipity!

), or anything that is supposed to convince the graduate faculty that you have really, truly, profoundly loved science for a long time." 3.