Before writing your statement, review what you have accomplished in your life that would be relevant. In chronological order, list your volunteer/research/personal/job experiences, awards, achievements, involvement in extracurricular activities, and relevant challenges or difficulties. Completing the Decision making section will also help you to determine your personal attributes, values, skills, and interests. Think carefully about traits and experiences that would be helpful to your application: applicants often omit important factors or discount relevant accomplishments.

Your written statement is the part of the application that allows you to market yourself. Ensure you have researched the institution so you can tailor your application to the admission committee’s requirements. A committee wants to know the reasons you are applying and why they should admit you to the program. As you prepare your statement, imagine that you are in an interview and have the opportunity to explain what makes you unique and well suited to future work in a particular area. Since the statement is an opportunity to provide information not found elsewhere in your application, avoid repeating information unless you are expanding on, or providing more proof of, a particular point.

The statement must be well written because it will also serve as an example of your writing skills. When reviewing your statement, the committee will be seeking answers to the following questions:

• What are your goals? What motivates you to complete the program?
• Have you chosen the program for the right reasons?
• Can you demonstrate that you have a good understanding of the profession and why you will be a good fit?
• Do you have the potential to be successful in the program? What have you experienced/accomplished that proves this?
• Are you aware of the challenges that you will face in the program?
• How will you add to the program and classroom discussions?
• Is your statement interesting? (Remember that committee members often read hundreds of applications!)
• Is your statement personal? Do committee members get a sense of who you are?

It is important to address any concerns that committee members may have when they read your application. For instance, if you had low grades or switched programs or fields, you need to explain what happened and what you learned from the experience. Do not blame others, complain, or make excuses. Discuss the timeframe and provide details about the situation, demonstrating your ability to cope with difficulties. Your ability to overcome personal obstacles may add weight to your application. It may be more appropriate to include this information later in your statement after you have demonstrated your ability to succeed in the program.

Admission committees can see your academic success by reviewing your transcripts and admission test scores, so demonstrating your motivation in your personal statement/letter of intent is key. They see a successful applicant as someone whose records indicate a likelihood of success and someone who will uniquely add to the program. Programs also want a diverse student body so show how you are unique and what you will add to the program.

Admission committees are interested in your goals and interests to see if they fit with the program’s goals. Your statement should show a relationship of mutual gratification, so not only should you mention what value the program brings to you and your goals, but also what value you bring to the program! Provide new insights and information about yourself and don’t focus on information found elsewhere in your application.

Many online resources and books provide sample statements and step-by-step advice on how to write yours. Often, the sample statements contain accounts of dramatic experiences or life-changing events. Do not worry if you have not had such an experience: most applicants have not. Do not make up a situation or embellish an experience for effect. Since admission committees read hundreds of applications each application cycle, if you are too dramatic, generic, or cliché your statement will not have the credibility you intended.

Although services are available for a fee to assist you in writing your statement, hiring one is not recommended. Not only can admission committees detect differences between the style in which your statement is written and that of other samples of your writing, but they are also often able to recognize the particular style of the service you have used. If committee members detect the influence of a writing service, they will view an application unfavourably. They may even consider the application to have been plagiarized. Also, be cautious when collaborating with other applicants to not use the same or similiar wording.

Consideration of the following will increase your success in writing an effective statement:

Research

• Check the program’s website and contact the department for specific guidelines on what information is required; read the Dean’s message, the policy on admission, questions asked on the reference forms, and so on, and provide relevant information (i.e., proof) that matches the requirements
• Review competencies required for the profession and provide proof that your competencies align with the profession (e.g., review professional associations relevant to the field to find a list of competencies; read CanMEDS if applying to any health-related program)
• Determine if there is an application category you fit into (e.g., regular, mature, special consideration, access) and focus your application accordingly. Although few programs have different application categories (law being the exception), category definitions can vary with the institution. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these.

Organization

• See the template for ideas on layout of the statement: sometimes it works to use a thematic or chronological pattern of organization, or a combination of the two, when appropriate
• First, consider the idea or theme (either provided by the department or chosen by you): your statement will centre around this theme; some ideas include research, work ethic, work or volunteer experience, competencies relevant to profession
• Go back to your list of experiences and select those that support your theme
• Outline your structure; make sure your ideas flow from one to the next by using effective transitions; avoid unnecessary repetition

Content

• The opening paragraph of your statement is very important: you want to create a positive impression and interest the reader in the rest of your statement. Consider writing the introduction and conclusion after completing the rest of the statement; these pieces often take as much time and thought to write as the body of the statement
• If applicable, indicate how your experiences have added to your understanding of world issues, trends, or events and how they demonstrate why you have chosen your area or field of study
• If you have had a pivotal or significant experience that has influenced your decision, describe it in detail and explain why it was important and what you learned from it
• Represent yourself honestly and genuinely; do not merely try to impress committee members with what you think they want to hear
• Focus the reader’s attention by clearly describing your role and contribution in various experiences (e.g., how you interacted with patients/clients/professionals in the field, what you observed, learned, and so on) and by minimizing details about extraneous factors
• Distinguish yourself by writing about your experiences with conviction, enthusiasm, and professionalism
• Although you want to market yourself, avoid sounding over-confident; by providing proof of your successes you will come across as confident rather than egotistical
• Avoid discussing controversial issues or topics unless you can relate your experiences to them in a positive way. However, be aware that you can trigger readers’ personal and professional biases that may raise concerns about you and your application
• Ensure that you answer the question(s) and adhere to word limitations and font size requirements
• Complete your statement and then put it aside for a couple of days before you attempt to edit it
• Write optional essays only when they apply to you. Don’t stretch just to provide something in an optional section; it will be apparent to the reader, and indicates you can’t follow directions
• Keep copies of your submitted application, noting where and when it was sent

Style

• Your statement should be clear, succinct, and well written; consider limited time and attention span of readers
• Write professionally, don’t be too personal or flowery
• Spelling and grammar must be impeccable
• Use sensory details and action verbs to help the committee visualize the situation or environment you are describing
• Do not use gimmicks (e.g., don’t send your statement in the form of a brief for law school or as a poem for a department of English unless you are specifically asked to be creative); use humour with caution; shock value is not necessary
• Avoid overuse of “I” statements: they become monotonous. Try to vary your sentence structure to make your statement more interesting
• Show your personality
• It is not necessary to use a letter style format (i.e., salutation and closing) even though it may be called a “letter of intent”
• If there are no guidelines on set-up, use these:
  • 2 pages maximum
  • 1” margins
  • 12-point font
  • Single spacing
  • Single-sided page
  • Title of document at top of page 1
  • Name at top of all pages
  • Page number on 2nd page

After completion of your statement, evaluate it and ask others to review it. Each person will have a different perspective, but remember that ultimately it is your work and you need to be comfortable with your submission. The Centre for Career Action provides individual Professional/Graduate School Application/Personal Statement Review appointments. The Centre for Career Action library has books about personal statements/letters of intent. Ask at the front counter, TC 1214, for the Letter of Intent binder for graduate programs or professional programs. The binders contain examples of successful applications (permission granted) from Waterloo students. The The Writing and Communication Centre has a limited number of consultation appointments to review your statement for writing style, grammar and so on.

While there is no hard and fast rule on the order that you present your information in a personal statement / letter of intent, the template may be helpful when there are no specific essay questions to answer. You may find that certain sections overlap with each other, and that is fine as long as you do not repeat information.

To prepare a CV for graduate school or a professional program read CV/résumé overview.

A sketch is similar to a résumé except your points are added to a template provided by the institution or centralized application service (e.g., OMSAS, OLSAS, AMCAS, etc.). For OMSAS/OLSAS it is recommended that your points are just that, short points starting with action verbs. It is important to provide as much depth as you can in the limited amount of space provided.

Defining goals

In your statement, it is important to identify your end goal and how the program will help you enter your field/profession of interest. Read these questions and record your answers as this information will help you write your statement:

• Why am I interested in this field/profession?
• What course/research project/volunteer/work experience confirmed my choice?
• What am I excited to study/learn?
• What do I know or understand about this field/profession?
• Where did I learn about the field/profession (e.g., job shadowing, volunteering, work)?
• Which of my experiences will be strongest in proving my suitability to this field/profession?
• What do I find interesting about this program?
• What do I know about the curriculum?
• What do I know about the faculty?
• What are the courses I need to take?
• Is there an exchange program?
• Are there internships or a co-op opportunity?
• What relevant skills do I have that will help me succeed in the program/field/profession?
• Can I provide proof (examples) of relevant skills?
• Do I know the core competencies for this field/profession?
• What experiences have I had?
• How can I make connections between my experience(s) and the field/profession to better demonstrate my fit?
• How can I incorporate multiple skills of relevance into my example(s)?
• How will I contribute to the program?
• Is there anything unique about my academic background?
• Have I had an experience that would allow me to share a unique perspective in classroom discussions and while collaborating?
• Do I have research experiences that I can talk about?
• What do I value?
• Are there themes around my values that I can identify and connect to the field/profession?
• What am I looking for in a school/supervisor/program?

Define fit

Now that you have some concrete answers as to why you are applying to a program/field/profession, the next step is to provide proof (i.e., examples) that shows you are the right fit. If you are applying to a professional program, it isn’t necessary to identify, for example, the type of doctor or lawyer you want to be at the application stage; however, you need to show that you understand the field/profession.

The following four steps will teach you how to provide relevant proof for the program/field/profession you are applying to:

1. Identify your strengths
2. Identify the competencies relevant to the program/field/profession
3. Link strengths to required competencies
4. Provide proof of your strengths

Step 1: Identify strengths

1. Fill out the Worksheet and save it.
2. Under the “My strength” column, list some of your strengths. Don’t anticipate what an Admissions Director or potential graduate supervisor wants to hear. If you need some ideas for strengths, use the list below:

• Advocate: help self or another person with problem/issue/cause
• Analyze: to study/determine something; break information down to fully understand idea/concept
• Collaborate: work jointly with others
• Communicate: convey knowledge of or information about topic
• Compassion: have/display sympathy of other’s distress (such as illness, hunger, troubles) and the need to help alleviate the distress
• Critical thinker: make logical and well-thought judgement(s); don’t simply accept all arguments and conclusions provided, but question arguments and conclusions
• Dependable: others trust and/or depend on you
• Discover: to find or uncover something
• Empathic: feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences/feelings
• Intelligent: having/showing high or satisfactory degree of intelligence and mental capacity; revealing/reflecting good judgment or sound thought
• Listener: to hear someone/something with thoughtful attention
• Manager: person who conducts business or other types of affairs
• Motivated: person that acts (either due to need or desire)
• Persuasive: convince others through argument, proof, beliefs, or action
• Problem-solver: focuses on problem and tries to gather information and knowledge to find a solution
• Researcher: completes investigation or experimentation to discover/interpret facts
• Responsible: trustworthy; able to choose between right and wrong; meets obligations
• Sympathy: display feeling(s) that you care about and are sorry about someone else’s trouble, grief, misfortune, etc.
• Teacher: able to instruct others
• Team player: work towards a common goal, sometimes by completing separate tasks within a team

Step 2: Identify the competencies relevant to the program/field/profession

The next stage of the process is to understand the competencies that are relevant to the program/field/profession that you are applying to. What are competencies?

When you enter a graduate or professional program, the program’s goal is to help you develop certain competencies (i.e., skills and attributes); however, many programs want proof that an applicant displays some relevant competencies at the application stage.

In order to determine what a program or field/profession prefers in their applicants:

• Google “competencies + [your field/profession]”
• If applying to a health-related profession review the CanMEDs framework for a list of relevant competencies
• Review program websites, read the Dean’s message, admission policies, and reference form questions, etc.
• Talk to admission’s staff and potential supervisors (if relevant)
• Attend program specific open houses, grad fairs, events

This is a sample list of competencies for graduate and professional programs:

• Analytical
• Collaborator
• Communicator
• Culturally aware
• Educator
• Ethical
• Leader
• Problem-solver
• Professional
• Researcher

List competencies that would be relevant to the program/field/profession you want to enter on your Worksheet in the “Competency needed” column. Communication would be relevant to all.

Step 3: Link strengths to required competencies

Review your worksheet and match one of your strengths to a competency; below is an example. The first two combinations of “My strength” and “Competency needed” may not seem connected, but as long as you can provide proof (i.e., examples) to make the connection, it will work (see an example under Step 4).

You may not be able to link all of your strengths to a competency -- that is fine. If these strengths are important to you, use them in your CV/résumé. If you find that none of your strengths align with the list of competencies, this may indicate that this program/field/profession is not the right fit for you. It is then recommended that you book a Career Development appointment through the Centre for Career Action.

Step 4: Provide proof of your strengths

The final step in this process is to provide the proof (i.e., examples) of your strengths that relate to specific competencies.

Use your Worksheet to provide proof for the competencies needed. Below are a few examples:

Putting it all together

In the previous sections, you flushed out some of the goals and competencies that you should demonstrate in your application(s). Below are recommendations of where this information may fit best in the personal statement/letter of intent template.

There is often an overlap between sections, and there are many appropriate choices for where you want your competencies and goals to stand out in your document.

Now, you are well on your way to writing your first draft!