personal statement for chemistry graduate school

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• Chemistry Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Jennifer Bevan

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Chemistry. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

Chemistry is fundamental to our lives and without our ever-increasing understanding of Chemistry many of the much-loved products of today would not have been developed. The wide applications of Chemistry were what initially drew me to study the subject and after studying it for over 5 years from A-level to undergraduate level, my interest became more focused on polymers. A Masters in Chemistry is a perfect opportunity to develop a more thorough understanding of polymers before pursuing a career in polymer development, whether for clothing, building, nutrition or medication.

During my undergraduate degree in Chemistry, I developed an excellent understanding of the subject through studying modules in organic, inorganic, and synthetic Chemistry. Each module involved time in the laboratory and therefore, I became proficient with a range of laboratory techniques including distillation, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and titration. Similarly, I was trained to carry out mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

I studied modules in biological and physical Chemistry, which allowed me to develop an understanding of the interconnection of the sciences. This highlighted some of the uses of Chemistry, particularly in Biology and inspired me to select a final year project in which I synthesised copolymers for biomaterials to repair bone. The aim of my project was to polymerise poly(propylene fumarate) with a series of different monomers to form a copolymer with more favourable characteristics for bone repair. The specific skills and knowledge I gained from this project would provide an excellent base for a Masters in polymer Chemistry.

While at university, I worked part-time at a supermarket. My role involved picking online orders, restocking shelves, and helping customers. I developed excellent time management as orders were time-sensitive and gained valuable experience working as part of a team. During my free time, I was the treasurer of the squash society and was responsible for keeping track of the incoming and outgoing money. I kept the society under budget when organising events and had frequent meetings with the other members of the society to discuss where the money would best be spent. After graduating with a 2:1 earlier this year, I have been working as a science writer. This role has allowed me to significantly improve the quality of my written work, which will be valuable when writing my Masters dissertation.

I was drawn to your course because of the opportunity to learn and research the real-world applications of polymers under the supervision of both experts from academia and industry. I believe my prior experience with many of the laboratory skills covered in this course will help me to complete a Masters successfully. Your modules in polymer synthesis, advanced colloid materials and physical properties of polymers and nanocomposites would provide me with the essential skills I need to either undertake a PhD or begin an industry career in polymer synthesis.

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Graduate School Personal Statement

Criteria for success.

• Your personal statement convinces a faculty committee that you are qualified for their program.
• It convinces them that you a good fit for their program’s focus and goals.
• You show a select group of skills and experiences that convey your scientific accomplishments and interests.
• Your experiences are concrete and quantitative.
• Your personal statement is no more than 3 pages.

Structure Diagram

The graduate school personal statement tells your story and demonstrates that you are a good match for a particular department or program. Matching goes both ways: they should be interested in you, and you should be interested in them. Your personal statement should make this match clear.

Analyze Your Audience

Your personal statement will be ready by a graduate committee, a handful of faculty from your program. They’re trying to determine if you will be a successful graduate student in their department, a positive force in the department’s intellectual life, and a successful scientist after you graduate. They are therefore interested in your qualifications as a researcher, your career goals, and how your personality matches their labs and department.

The graduate committee probably reads hundreds of applications a year. To make it easy for them to figure out that you are a good fit, make direct, concrete statements about your accomplishments and qualifications. To make it easy for them to remember you, create a narrative that “brands” you.

Create a personal narrative

PhD programs invest in the professional and scientific growth of their students. Get the committee excited about investing in you by opening your essay with a brief portrait of what drives you as a scientist. What research directions are you passionate about, and why? What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years?

Close your essay with a 2-3 sentence discussion of your career interests. No one will hold you to this; this just helps your committee visualize your potential trajectory.

Describe your experiences

Experiences are the “what” of your essay. What experiences led you to develop your skill set and passions? Where have you demonstrated accomplishment, leadership, and collaboration? Include research, teaching, and relevant extracurriculars. State concrete achievements and outcomes like awards, discoveries, or publications.

Quantify your experiences to show concrete impact. How many people were on your team? How many protocols did you develop? How many people were in competition for an award? As a TA, how often did you meet with your students?

Describe actions, not just changes in your internal mental or emotional state. A personal statement is a way to make a narrative out of your CV. It is not a diary entry.

Explain the meaning of your experiences

Meaning is the “why” or “so what” of the document. Why was this experience important to your growth as a scientist? What does it say about your abilities and potential? It feels obvious to you, but you need to be explicit with your audience. Your descriptions of meaning should also act as transition statements between experiences: try to “wrap” meaning around your experiences.

Demonstrate match to your target program

Demonstrate an understanding of the program to which you’re applying and about how you will be successful in that program. To do this:

• Read the program’s website. See what language they use to describe themselves, and echo that language in your essay. For example, MIT Chemical Engineering’s website points out innovative research areas and interdisciplinary opportunities.
• Get in contact with faculty (or students) in your target program. If you have had a positive discussion with someone at the department, describe how those interactions made you think that you and the department may be well-matched.
• State which professors in the program you would be interested in working with. Show how their research areas align with your background and your goals. You can even describe potential research directions or projects.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

These 2021 short answer responses are from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 237 KB

Annotated Example 2

This is the personal statement from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 121 KB

Annotated Example 3

This is the personal statement from an MIT ChemE graduate student’s successful application to the MIT ChemE program. 361 KB

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Academic Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement

The Academic Statement of Purpose and the Personal Statement are intended to be your opportunity to tell us more about yourself. 

The Academic Statement of Purpose should include information about your academic interests, research interests, research experience, relevant work experience, publications, reasons for pursuing graduate studies, and professional goals. What are your plans for graduate studies and a professional career? You could also tell us if there are any specific faculty members whose research interests you and why.  

The Personal Statement  should include information about other important areas of your life, outside of academics. Are you involved in any extracurricular activities, like sports, student organizations, mentoring, etc? Additionally, are there any other clubs, groups or organizations in which you are an active member?

We do not ask that you answer any program specific questions. Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office if you have any further questions.

Chemistry Graduate Admissions

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 109 Noyes Laboratory, MC-712, Box 57-1 505 South Mathews Avenue  Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: (217) 244-6245 Fax: (217) 244-7091 Email: [email protected]

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• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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How to Write a Chemistry Personal Statement Worthy of Oxbridge!

Writing a personal statement is a very daunting task, it can seem like the be-all and end-all of your university application. In this post, Oxford PhD Chemistry researcher and 1st Class Oxford Chemistry graduate, Zoe, outlines how to structure your personal statement, as well as discuss the do’s and don’ts when it comes to a Chemistry personal statement. We have also provided an example Chemistry Personal Statement for those looking for inspiration.

General Tips for a Successful Chemistry Personal Statement:

When applying to the top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge or other Russel Group universities, the personal statement is not going to be the single factor determining the success of your application. In that sense, there is no need to spend hours curating the ‘perfect’ personal statement - interview preparation and school grades will have a much stronger weighting in the eyes of the admissions office. That being said, a poorly written personal statement can negatively impact your chances and you’ll want to make sure you have avoided common pitfalls and checked all the boxes for a successful application.

Below I’ll discuss key things your personal statement should include, along with common mistakes people make when trying to impress.

1.      Convey your genuine interest for chemistry – this should be the first paragraph and indicate why you want to study chemistry

-          Don’t write clichés such as ‘I’ve wanted to be a chemist since I was 4 years old’ - they want to know what motivates you now

-          Do be yourself and talk about what you genuinely find interesting and what got you motivated to study Chemistry in the first place e.g. at A-level (you don’t gain points for having stated to like Chemistry at an earlier age). Demonstrate your enthusiasm for chemistry by discussing what motivated you to study the subject, such as a particular experiment or a fascinating discovery

2.      Demonstrate you have the skills and motivation required to pursue the subject at the highest-level – this should be paragraphs 2 and 3 and form the bulk of your personal statement. Don’t get carried away, focus on one or two key examples that demonstrate your commitment to the subject

-          Don’t lie – this may seem obvious, but don’t mention books you haven’t read or experiments you haven’t done just to sound clever; this is the easiest way to get caught out in an interview. Tutors are not expecting you to know the whole 1st year undergraduate course and they will be well aware if you pretend you have.

-          Do include any research or reading you have done which shows commitment to the subject. All they want is for you to show you have taken the time to go beyond the standard A-level syllabus, be that by reading books, keeping up with the literature or even attending talks or visiting an interesting exhibition at a museum. There is no right way to show interest in the subject! Highlight your academic achievements in chemistry, including any relevant coursework, research projects, or awards that showcase your skills and knowledge

3.      Highlight skills that make you suited for the course – This should the final paragraph and should be a couple of sentences at most. Showcase these skills, such as your ability to think critically, work collaboratively, and problem-solve, which are essential for success in the field of Chemistry.

-          Don’t mention extra-curriculars that are not directly relevant to the course. 4000 characters is not a lot and you do not want to waste space or things that tutors will not even consider

-          Do include any extra-curriculars that demonstrate either proficiency and commitment to the subject (e.g., Chemistry Olympiad) or extra-curriculars that will show you are suited to high-paced and demanding environments such as Oxford or Cambridge (e.g. sports or activities that required significant dedication and skills such as time-management)

4. Be concise and focused: Keep your personal statement concise and focused, with a clear structure and well-defined paragraphs. Finally, proofread your personal statement carefully to ensure that it is free of errors and flows smoothly. Consider asking someone else to read it and provide feedback before submitting your application.

Are You Looking For a Russell Group or Oxbridge Chemistry Personal Statement Tutor?

Our Chemistry tutors are brilliant at supporting students with the brainstorming and drafting process for their Chemistry personal statements. Visit our Personal Statement page or book a free consultation to discuss how we can support.

Ideas to Show Interest Beyond Your A-level Chemistry Curriculum:

You may feel overwhelmed when it comes to searching beyond the A-level course. Chemistry is a huge subject so how do you find the best, most interesting things to read and talk about?

The short answer is you can’t. There is not right or wrong book to read just as there is no right or wrong thing to be interested in. The breadth of most Chemistry courses highlights this very fact – you can be interested in whatever area of Chemistry you want, and its completely okay if this ends up being a different area to your interviewer! In fact, you are more likely to invest time into learning new content, and thus are more likely to effectively demonstrate your skills if you have chosen something you are genuinely interested in. So, don’t spend ages trying to find the ‘right’ area to research but do pursue your actual interests!

Below are just a few examples of ways in which you can engage with chemistry outside of the classroom, but it is by no means an exhaustive list. So, if you find something else that sparks your interest then by all means, go with that!

Books You Could Mention in Your Chemistry Personal Statement:

Why Chemical Reactions Happen – James Keeler*

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out – Richard Feynman

The Most Beautiful Molecule – Hugh Aldersey-Williams

Periodic Tales - Hugh Aldersey-Williams

The Disappearing Spoon – Sam Kean

Napoleon's Buttons – Jay Burreson and Penny Le Couteur

*A very good introduction to some 1st year undergraduate topics but also a pretty big cliché so I would avoid having this as the main book in your personal statement

Chemistry Podcasts:

Chemistry for your life : A podcast helping you understand the chemistry of your everyday life

Chemistry in its element : A weekly tour of the periodic table, from Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Chemistry Cayk

Distillations : Uncovering moments in science-related history

Extracurricular Activities For Success in Chemistry University Applications:

UK Chemistry Olympiad

Cambridge Chemistry Challenge (Year 12 only)

Giving a talk at your school’s Chemistry/ Science society

Seek out relevant work experience : If you have any relevant work experience, discuss it in your personal statement. This could include internships, volunteer work, or research assistantships

U2 Tuition’s co-curricular division, Minds Underground, host online specialised research projects, with many Chemistry-related options. Gaining research experience can be a valuable opportunity for school students, offering numerous benefits beyond what is typically learned in the classroom. Visit the Research Experience page for more information!

Applying to Oxford for Chemistry? Here Is What You Should Also Do

If Oxford is your dream destination for studying this fascinating subject, there are some crucial tips to consider. Here's a breakdown of key elements to enhance your chemistry personal statement, especially tailored for Oxford:

1. Embrace Depth and Breadth:

Oxford values not just your depth of understanding in chemistry but also your ability to appreciate its broad applications. Showcase both your passion for specific areas of chemistry and your awareness of its interdisciplinary nature.

2. Highlight Research Awareness:

Demonstrate your awareness of cutting-edge research in chemistry. Mention specific projects, studies, or advancements that have caught your attention, showcasing a keen interest in staying updated on the latest developments in the field.

3. Demonstrate Critical Thinking:

Oxford places a strong emphasis on critical thinking and analytical skills. Showcase instances where you've applied these skills in problem-solving, especially in chemistry-related scenarios.

4. Exhibit Your Intellectual Curiosity:

Oxford seeks students who are not only knowledgeable but also intellectually curious. Share instances where you've gone beyond the standard curriculum to explore your interest in chemistry, such as engaging with advanced books, attending seminars, or participating in relevant extracurricular activities.

5. Discuss Your Future Contribution:

Convey a sense of your long-term vision in the field of chemistry. Whether it's contributing to ground-breaking research, advancing technology, or inspiring future generations, Oxford wants to see your commitment to making a meaningful impact.

6. Make Sure You Personal Statement Is An Exciting Springboard For Discussion At Interview

Oxford places significant importance on the interview process, and your personal statement can serve as a crucial catalyst for engaging discussions during this stage. Craft your statement in a way that prompts curiosity, inviting interviewers to delve deeper into your experiences and viewpoints. Incorporate thought-provoking questions or reflections on your experiences, leaving room for insightful conversations. Showcasing your ability to articulate complex ideas and engage in dynamic discussions will not only demonstrate your readiness for the Oxford environment but also set the stage for a compelling interview experience.

Tailoring your statement with these specific considerations for Oxford will help you showcase your suitability for the challenging and enriching academic environment at the University.

Chemistry Personal Statement Example

Below, we have shared a personal statement example for a chemistry degree application. This is a succinct and focused piece, highlighting experiences from engaging with captivating books and podcasts to participating in the UK Chemistry Olympiad. From sugar plastics to sustainability, each facet contributes to a narrative showcasing the dynamic nature of chemistry and the student’s commitment to making a meaningful impact.

Chemistry captivates me as a subject that blends curiosity and practical understanding. My journey began with Hugh Aldersey-Williams' 'The Most Beautiful Molecule,' a book that provided a captivating exploration of molecular structures. What fascinated me most was the author's ability to unravel the complexities of these structures in a way that felt accessible and intriguing. Aldersey-Williams seamlessly blended scientific detail with a narrative that made me appreciate the elegance hidden within the microscopic world of molecules. This narrative approach to scientific storytelling resonated with me, creating a bridge between the abstract concepts of chemistry and their real-world implications. I enjoy listening to Chemistry podcasts and found the ChemTalk podcast episode featuring Dr. Karen Wooley discussing Sugar Plastics and Sustainability particularly fascinating. Unlike conventional plastics, which contribute to pollution and resource depletion, sugar plastics offer a renewable and biodegradable alternative. Her insights into sustainability, sugars, and their applications in industry resonated with me. This podcast demonstrated the bridge between theory and real-world challenges, showcasing the versatility of chemistry in creating alternative materials and emphasising the practical role of chemistry in addressing global issues. Inspired by Dr. Wooley's work, I undertook a project focused on developing sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics using sugars. Collaborating with peers, we explored the synthesis and properties of sugar-based plastics, aiming to contribute to environmentally friendly solutions. This hands-on project allowed me to witness the tangible applications of chemistry in addressing contemporary issues, reinforcing the importance of sustainable practices within the field. Attending a lecture on sustainability in chemistry further deepened my appreciation for the discipline's potential impact on global challenges. The lecture illuminated innovative approaches and advancements in sustainable chemistry, emphasising the role of environmentally friendly practices in research and industry. What fascinated me was the integration of green chemistry principles, showcasing how the field is evolving to minimise environmental impact and enhance efficiency. This experience broadened my perspective on the practical applications of sustainable practices within the realm of chemistry, reaffirming my commitment to contributing to solutions that align with the principles of environmental responsibility. Participating in the UK Chemistry Olympiad further deepened my understanding of the versatile nature of chemistry, challenging me to apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems. Being a passionate debater, I have also honed my communication and critical thinking skills, learning to articulate complex ideas effectively. Additionally, running my school's Chemistry Society has provided a platform to share my enthusiasm for the subject with peers, organising events and discussions that foster a collaborative and interactive learning environment. These activities showcase my commitment to both academic excellence and fostering a broader understanding and appreciation for chemistry beyond the classroom. These experiences have solidified my passion for chemistry and its real-world applications. Eager to delve deeper, I am motivated to pursue a chemistry degree, driven by a genuine curiosity and a commitment to contribute meaningfully to this impactful discipline.

In conclusion, writing a strong Chemistry degree personal statement requires careful planning, organisation, and attention to detail. A successful Chemistry personal statement should demonstrate your passion for the subject, showcase your academic achievements, highlight your relevant experiences, and emphasise your skills. By following these guidelines and taking the time to craft a well-written and compelling personal statement, you can increase your chances of being accepted into the Chemistry degree of your choice. Remember to proofread your statement carefully, seek feedback from others, and let your unique voice and personality shine through. Good luck with your application!

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Our experienced Oxbridge-educated tutors are experts in their field and have a proven track record of success in helping students achieve their goals and gain admission to some of the top universities in the UK. We also offer admissions test and interview preparation for those applying to Oxbridge and also top Russell Group Universities who interview such as Imperial.

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Successful Personal Statement For Chemistry At Oxford

Last Updated: 7th April 2022

Author: Rob Needleman

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Chemistry applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Chemistry Course at Oxford is taught in a world-leading chemistry department with state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories and world-class research.

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that helped secure their place on a reputable degree. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

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Chemistry Personal Statement

Few aspects of our lives remain unaffected by the fundamental subject of chemistry. Chemists have revolutionised the way we live; from the medicines we use to the water we drink, it is hard to imagine what our everyday life would be like without the help of this vast subject. I wish to be a part of the chemical discoveries of the future which is what entices me to study chemistry in greater depth at university.

My interest in chemistry has developed a great deal since starting the AS level course. Each time I learn something new, it inspires me to develop my knowledge even further. I have particularly enjoyed the organic chemistry involved in the AS course due to the practical work it entails. Laboratory work for me is enjoyable because it provides an opportunity to test out the theoretical knowledge you have gained and is also great fun! For example, I particularly enjoyed making azo dyes as it was interesting to recreate a process in the lab which is so frequently used in industry.

I have been able to develop my passion for chemistry through wider reading. I have recently enjoyed reading Molecules at an Exhibition. The range of molecules which can have profound effects on our lives surprised me and showed me again how relevant chemistry is to our lives. I have a subscription to New Scientist. An article I particularly enjoyed reading over the summer was “Rogue elements” which explores some of the unanswered questions associated with the periodic table. For example, when the elements will stop and whether superheavy elements, which exist for fractions of a second only one atom at a time, can be considered elements at all. The article also looked at the issues of where to place the elements hydrogen and helium and where the metal/non-metal divide should be. This showed me that although the periodic table is often considered to be complete, there is still much to uncover. Reading Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You introduced me to the concept of relativity and I was amazed to find out how this theory affects chemistry as well as physics. For example without relativity the properties of some of the heavier elements such as gold would simply not be the same. I have been developing my interest in maths and have taken up AS further maths which will be largely self-taught, I know this will complement the chemistry syllabus.

Recently I took part in a UNIQ summer school at Oxford University which allowed me to have a great insight into undergraduate chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed my week, particularly the lecture on chirality. This was a new concept for me and I was surprised by the huge differences that can result from this form of isomerism. My subject knowledge was greatly enhanced and the skills I gained have been even more valuable. I was taught to question, develop and evaluate my knowledge at every stage and become a more independent learner.

During Year 12 I acted as a science tutor for GCSE students, helping them with exam technique. I found that explaining the subject matter to others helped to enhance and consolidate my own knowledge. My success both in and out of school was rewarded when I received Clevedon’s 2014 Academic Achievement Award in chemistry.

I enjoy playing the piano and recently achieved Grade 6 during my GCSE year, developing my time management skills. My other hobbies include drama and singing and I am a member of Clevedon Light Opera Club as well as the school choir. I have taken part in several productions as well as performing in school stage shows and concerts. All of which contributed to me gaining my Gold Arts Award. I volunteer with a Rainbow group. When I started I found the prospect of running activities for a group of people quite daunting, but 2 years later I think my confidence and communication skills have improved greatly. I have developed my knowledge, skills and aptitude both in and out of school and I look forward to being able to extend these further by studying at university.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is a well written and well-structured statement. The student places points in order of relevance, making the statement easy to read. All points are clearly explained, and their impacts on the student are clear. There is a clear introduction, main body and conclusion.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

Although the statement is written in a logical order, there are a lot of paragraphs. Whilst it is very good that the student has a wide range of interests and hobbies, the student dedicates two paragraphs to these. It would have been possible to shorten the statement by removing some of the points mentioned, without taking away from the quality of the statement. The student clearly has many experiences from outside of the A-level syllabus, such as the UNIQ summer school and working as a GCSE science tutor. Whilst is it of course important to describe individual experiences and achievements, focussing on the positives alone limits the impact that mentioning such experiences will have. It would have been nice to see what challenges the student faced through their experiences, and how the student overcame these.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an excellent statement. The Personal Statement is clearly written and easy to read. The length of the statement could have been reduced, however, there are no other areas in which the student needs to make significant improvements.

This Personal Statement for Chemistry is a great example of a well-written Statement that demonstrates a wealth of experience and interest, vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Oxford, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

You can find more successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

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Applying to graduate school.

During the active admissions cycle you must submit your application via the Online Application . Applications for Fall 2024 admissions are now closed. Applications for Fall 2025 will open on September 15, 2024 and the application deadline is December 1, 2024. Please see below for helpful information about our application requirements. Since offers of admission are made continuously after the application deadline, all of your materials must be submitted by the application deadline. This includes letters of recommendation and all official test scores.

Note: Many questions are answered in our Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ ) section. Prior to contacting the MIT Department of Chemistry ( [email protected] ), please take the time to review our FAQ page.

Requests for fee waivers are coordinated centrally by the Office of Graduate Education. For further information, including the eligibility requirements for fee waivers, please visit the Application Fee Waiver section of their web site. The waiver request must be submitted at least five business days before the December 1st application deadline.  The Department of Chemistry can only waive the $75 application fee for international applicants if they have already applied and paid an application fee for another PhD program at MIT in the same admission cycle. All other inquires about fee waivers should be directed to the Office of Graduate Education.

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Faculty of interest, transcripts, required tests, education and work history, statement of objectives.

The recommended length for the Statement of Objectives is 1000-1500 words.

Personal Statement

Describe how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the MIT Department of Chemistry but also to the field of chemistry as a whole. Highlight what is unique about you in a professional context and how you will advance a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment within the department and the institution. Examples include explaining a meaningful teaching or mentorship experience you’ve had and what you learned from that experience or describing a social, educational, cultural, or economic obstacle you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

• Career Development
• Applying to Graduate School

Writing a Personal Statement

Many applications will include a personal essay, in which you describe "where you're coming from" – your interests, why you want to obtain a graduate degree, career goals, and so on. To personalize your application, you may wish to state your motivations for wanting to do graduate work and describe any particularly formative experiences (for example, an undergraduate research project) that led you to decide to enter graduate school. The essay should be of reasonable length, commonly one or two pages; do not write an autobiography that continues for many pages. People screening these essays may have hundreds to read, and long essays are not generally well-received.

Also, check your spelling and grammar carefully. An essay that is full of grammatical and spelling errors can automatically doom your application because such an essay denotes carelessness and a lack of commitment to doing things well. Identify faculty members with whom you would consider working in your essay. This will help route your application to appropriate faculty members who will be reading through applicant files. Be sure to contact the individuals to whom you refer in your essay.

Personal Statement Resources

Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the CV

University of California Berkeley: Graduate School Statement of Purpose

University of Washington: Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School (PDF)

Peterson's: What Should I Write About In My Graduate Personal Statement?

USA Today: 10 Tips For Writing A Grad School Personal Statement

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What are you looking for?

Suggested search, graduate admission.

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Southern California is always looking for motivated students to join our Ph.D. program. We have no application fee, do not require subject or general GRE, and often offer early admission and university-sponsored fellowships to qualified candidates .  Apply early!

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found on this  page .

For further information, please contact our graduate advisor  Claudia Cortez:  Tel – (213) 740-6855; Email –  [email protected] .

Application Information

DO NOT  complete the application with the Office of Graduate and International Admissions (through gradadm.usc.edu) until you are instructed to do so. Instead apply to the PhD program directly by completing the  Chemistry Department Online Application .

Application opens: October 3, 2023

Application deadline:  The deadline for submission of applications is  December 29, 2023 . All applications must be completed by this date, including transcripts. Letters of recommendation must be submitted by January 7, 2024 .

• Transcripts:  You will upload a PDF of your transcripts from all universities that you have attended. You will not mail your official transcripts to USC until you are accepted to the program.
• Previous Research Experience (2 pages maximum):  In the field provided or in an uploaded PDF, describe your previous research experience. State the big-picture goals of your research, as well as your specific role, and any major accomplishments. For each research experience, include the corresponding university or college and faculty mentor. Conclude this section with a bullet-point list of any of your publications and/or presentations.
• Research Interests (1 page maximum):  In the field provided or in an uploaded PDF, describe the type of research that you are interested in pursuing during graduate school and why you are interested in this category of research. Explain why you think USC Chemistry is a good fit for your research interests and describe which faculty you think aligns with those interests and why. In your research interest statement, please indicate at least 3 names of USC Chemistry faculty that you are interested in.
• Personal Statement (2 pages maximum):  Provide a personal statement describing your reasons for attending graduate school in chemistry, why you think your background qualifies you for pursuing graduate studies, and your career goals. You can also include here any additional information that you may want to convey to the admissions committee.
• Recommender Contact Information:  In the field indicated, enter the email addresses of 3 mentors who can provide letters of support. The admissions committee will email them directly with instructions for uploading the letter. We do not accept mailed recommendation letters. See the  FAQs page  for more information.
• International Students Only:   TOEFL or IELTS Score Report:  If your undergraduate degree is from a non-English speaking country, you must submit a TOEFL or IELTS Score. You do not need to mail your official TOEFL or IELTS scores to USC until you are accepted to the program. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score requirement.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae:  Upload a current resume/CV to the application.

You are welcome to email Department of Chemistry  faculty  whose research interests you. However, keep in mind that admissions decisions are not based on which professors have space in their lab. Faculty advisors are chosen during the first year of graduate studies and not prior to admission.

ACS Student Magazine

The Road to Grad School

Last updated 7/22/2022

You’ve made a major decision to go for your master’s (M.S.), professional science master’s (P.S.M.), or doctorate (Ph.D.) degree. Whether you should go is a topic for another article. Now it’s time to apply.

On the face of it, the next few steps are simple: select a few programs, take your Graduate Record Examinations (GREs), complete some application forms (including preparing a tailored personal statement), and submit your applications, along with your transcripts and some letters of recommendation.

OK, maybe it’s not so simple. Here is what it takes to get through the “getting in” part of graduate school.

Give yourself time

Ideally, you should start the process about a year before the application deadline. Most deadlines are between December and February.

Why do you need so much time? There are several reasons. First, you don’t want to rush through the application itself, so give yourself time to collect your thoughts. Second, some parts of the application take time to complete. The general-subject GREs are offered almost any day, but you need to reserve your spot in advance. Your references will need at least one month to write recommendation letters. And your registrar will need time to send your transcript out.

Taking time to find the right programs for you is also important. Candice L. Progler-Thomsen, a recruiter for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, advises students to consider the application process as a journey of reflection and finding the right fit. “If the student isn’t confident that they meet the program requirements and that the program is a good match for them, it will be difficult to convince an admissions committee that the student is meant to be in the program,” she says.

Look for three to six graduate programs that are right for you. Choose from schools with well-defined programs (whether M.S., P.S.M., or Ph.D.) in your area of interest. Check out professors’ webpages and abstracts of their recent articles to find those whose research interests you. Look for programs with industry connections or extra teaching opportunities, depending on what professional skills you want to develop. Also, consider the location—whether it’s a new city or a new country for you, you want it to be a place that appeals to you.

Many programs have rolling admissions or make their funding available on a first-come, first-served basis. Either way, getting your application in early can only work to your advantage.

If you are a little late getting started, it's not the end of the world. You'll just need to be very organized about your efforts.

You are a busy person, and applying to graduate schools is stressful. Spreading out the workload whenever possible will help alleviate some of the stress.

Tackle the finances

Sure, applying for graduate school can get expensive. The fee to take the GRE General Test is just over $200, and the GRE Subject Test costs an additional $150. You can also expect to pay for official copies of your transcript. Plus, most graduate programs have application fees. Applying to six or seven programs could easily run you $700.

Fortunately, there is help. The GRE Fee Reduction Program provides 50% off the testing fees in certain circumstances. In addition, some graduate programs will waive their application fee. Check with the graduate admissions office to see if you qualify.

If money is still an issue, many schools can help you secure microloans and other resources to get you over this particular hurdle. Check with your financial aid office.

Even better: remember that financial aid is typical for chemistry graduate students. Most programs provide their students with a tuition waiver and a living stipend. The stipend is usually in exchange for teaching in your first year or two, and research after that.

Securing external funding isn’t necessary for graduate school, but it can bolster your application. Leslie Hamachi, a graduate student at Columbia University in New York, recommends applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program simultaneously with your graduate school application. “Winning this can help open doors as far as getting off waiting lists for school admissions and the ability to join the lab of your choice when you get to graduate school,” Hamachi says.

Meet the criteria

There is no version of the Common Application for graduate programs. Each program has its own process, requirements, and deadlines. Review each of the criteria for each program carefully, and make sure you meet them. You don’t want to be rejected from a program on a technicality.

As Melissa King, a graduate student at Wesleyan University in Middleton, CT, says, “Graduate school applications are not generic and should be tailored to each institution to which you are applying.”

Worried about your GPA?

Graduate programs typically like to see applicants with GPAs of 3.0 or higher and in the 60th percentile or higher for GRE scores. If your digits aren’t quite there, make sure your personal statement and recommendation letters clearly demonstrate why you belong in graduate school.

That said, there are some components that are pretty universal:

Transcripts

In general, programs will require official copies of transcripts from every institution you have attended since high school. That includes the writing course you took at your local two-year college over the summer to fulfill your humanities requirement.

Make sure you order your transcripts well in advance of the application deadline; your application will be considered incomplete without them. And, because things do happen, it can’t hurt to check with the programs to ensure that the transcripts have arrived on time.

GREs are a lot like the SATs or ACTs you took for college admission. The GRE General Test includes verbal reasoning (two sections), quantitative reasoning (two sections), and analytical writing (one section). The complete test takes four to five hours (including breaks).

If you need to take the GRE Subject Test, it takes about one and a half to two hours and covers all four years of your major, including your senior year. Consequently, it is helpful to take the Subject Test later in the academic year. Don’t wait too long, though! The scores need to arrive ahead of the application deadline, along with the rest of your application.

If you are aiming to start graduate school in the fall, it is ideal to take your GREs no later than September or October of the year before. Taking them even earlier is better, so that you have the option of retaking them if you don’t like your scores. However, in some cases you may find yourself taking them later, especially if scheduling is a challenge. Just do your best and make sure the scores arrive before the application deadline.

As with college entrance exams, preparation helps. ETS, which administers the GREs, has information, testing times, and locations, and—best of all—practice tests at ets.org/gre . You can also find workshops and study guides that will help you prepare.

Personal statement

Graduate school applications require some type of personal statement. This is your chance to show that you are more than a collection of scores and grades. Make the most of it.

Start by knowing what the graduate program is asking for. Some programs simply ask why you are interested in graduate school, while others may have very specific topics to address. Consider what life and school experiences have led you to pursue graduate school and how each specific program will help you on your path. Tell the reader a story of who you are and how you will contribute to science and the world.

Emphasize research, teaching, leadership, and other experiences that will have an impact on your career. Because research is the cornerstone of most chemistry programs, describing your undergraduate research and what you learned from the experience will lend weight to your statement. You should mention specific faculty you are interested in working with, and why. This will help the reader visualize you at the school and demonstrate your interest in the program.

Most importantly, remember to proofread your statement. Spellcheck doesn’t no “best” form “beast”, so ITS easy to right a sentence that is bade but technically spelled correctly. Seriously—spellcheck didn’t catch any of the errors in that sentence. So, proofread each version. Better yet, distribute your statements among some friends for proofing.

Letters of recommendation

Graduate programs usually require three letters of recommendation. These should come from people who know you in a way that is relevant to the program. For example, Ph.D. programs are research-based, so a letter from the professor who mentored your undergraduate research is a must. Letters can also come from your advisor, professors who taught courses in which you excelled, or faculty for whom you have tutored or performed as a teaching assistant. “Ask your letter writers if they feel like they could write you a strong recommendation letter,” King recommends. “It is very important to have letter writers that know you well enough to speak to your work ethic, character, and skills.”

Give your references at least one month’s notice and as many specifics as possible— deadlines, submission information, names of the letter’s recipients, topics to address, and so on. Providing your personal statements can be very helpful to letter writers. And although you don’t need to pester your references, there is no harm in a polite reminder of the approaching deadline.

How to get an awesome recommendation letter

Hamachi offers one final piece of advice: “Ask current graduate students for drafts of their application materials and to help proofread your personal statement; people will be way more excited to help you than you think.”

Graduate program applications are high-stakes, but, as thousands of graduate students can attest, they are manageable. With a little determination, a little planning, and a lot of proofreading, you will soon be one of them!

Special notes for international students applying to U.S. programs

Most U.S. programs require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as part of the application process. Like the GREs, it is administered by ETS. You can learn more at ets.org/toefl. Additional fluency tests may also be required. Letters of recommendation should also mention your proficiency in English.

You will be responsible for obtaining your own visa to attend graduate school in the United States. Most students use an F-1 or J-1 visa, which you can obtain only after you have been accepted by the graduate program and after you have informed them of your intent to enroll. But you will want to start this process as soon as you can.

More information on visas

Living arrangements

Finding off-campus housing in a different country can be challenging. Some graduate programs offer on-campus housing for international students to ease the transition. Either way, visit the International Student office and ask about your options as soon as you accept an offer.

About the Author

Blake Aronson is a Program Manager for ACS Student Communities. She works with programs for undergraduate students at two- and four-year institutions, graduate students, and various ACS initiatives.

More Grad School Articles

Time, money, resources, relationships, expectations—there’s much more to grad school than academics. Here's what to know.

Here's how to stay on top of your grads school application without stressing out.

Personal statements are critical to showcasing your abilities and personality when applying to graduate school. Find out how to put yourself in the best possible light.

Riusech explains the power of mentoring that has helped to shape her approaches to research, community work, and personal fulfillment.

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Interested in attending graduate school.

The Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech is a rapidly-growing and exciting place to learn and discover. Read below for information on our application timeline, required documents, and other details on our program.

Graduate Student Awards

Our graduate students apply for and regularly win national awards such as fellowships, travel awards to ACS meetings, and many others. In addition, each year we recognize several of our outstanding graduate students with departmental awards. These include:

• Chemistry Graduate Student Teaching Awards
• Chemistry Graduate Student Research Awards
• Chemistry Graduate Student Service Awards
• Chemistry Graduate Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards
• William H. Starnes, Jr. and Sofia M. Starnes Endowed Chemistry Graduate Student Fellowship
• Dr. Thomas C. Ward Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Beyond these awards, the Department of Chemistry also awards several Graduate School Doctoral Assistantship Awards each semester to outstanding students, and Department of Chemsitry graduate students also regularly win College of Science and University-level awards.

See the Student News page for descriptions of recent award winners.

Graduate Student Outcomes

Graduates from our Ph.D. program have gone on to jobs across academia; government labs and agencies; and industry. Some recent Ph.D.'s now work at several national labs, various academic institutions, and at companies including 3M, Celanese, Intel, Solvay, Merck, PP&G, Dow, Dupont, among many others.

Graduate Admissions Timeline

• December 1, 2023 : The Department of Chemistry will begin evaluating applicants and offering positions in our program with tuition remission and assistantship support. Consideration for internal awards and fellowships begins at this time, so we encourage interested students to apply early.
• January 5, 2024 : We will fully consider all Ph.D. applications received by this date. Applications received after this date will still be evaluated as space permits.
• February 10, 2024 : Virtual Graduate Visitation Day for accepted students
• March 8-9, 2024 : In-person Graduate Visitation Weekend for accepted students who are already in the US
• April 15, 2024 : Deadline for students to accept or decline offers of admission
• Before You Apply
• How to Apply
• Once You're Admitted

You will need the following information for your application

• Identify Research Areas of Interest Review Research Areas and Faculty Profiles here .
• Complete Academic Record This includes a complete list of colleges attended, majors, and GPAs. The Graduate School at Virginia Tech rarely admits students with GPAs less than 3.0. Please note that they will calculate your GPA based on the most recent half of your undergraduate transcript (typically 60 credits). Exceptions can sometimes be made for students who have also earned significantly higher GPAs in graduate programs in the United States or Canada.
• Transcripts A scanned PDF copy of an official, college-issued transcript A brief, one-page note describing any inconsistencies in your transcript (for example, a bad semester due to health issues) can be included with the scanned transcripts
• Three References Names and email addresses of three (3) references who can provide strong letters of recommendation are required; the web-based application system will then ask those individuals to enter their recommendations online. Professors in your current department or at other schools where you have done undergraduate research are highly preferred . Email addresses of your references should be their professional email address.
• GRE Scores Applicants are not required to submit scores for the General GRE or the Chemistry GRE exam. However, the application form offers the option to report these scores for prospective students who would like to include them.
• English language proficiency exam  (required for international students only): An English language proficiency exam is not required for international students who have completed or will complete a Bachelor's or Master's degree from an accredited college/university where English is the medium of instruction (inside or outside the United States). International applicants may submit scores from either the TOEFL or the IELTS exam. The Graduate School at Virginia Tech requires a minimum TOEFL internet-based test (iBT) score of 90 or a minimum score of 6.5 on the IELTS exam. Furthermore, TOEFL scores of 20 or greater in Listening, Writing, Speaking and Reading subsections are required. Exceptions are sometimes granted. For further details about the English requirement, please see the Graduate School's website here .
• Resume or CV Upload either a "text only" CV or resume or a PDF of your CV or resume
• Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose Upload a PDF of your Personal Statement, which should address in ~2 pages your motivation for applying to the Virginia Tech Department of Chemistry, career goals and how our graduate program will help you reach them, and any details on your academic or research background that you think might be important for the committee to consider.

The application for the Department of Chemistry Graduate Program is an online application. Please click here to access the form.

• Complete the online application form U.S. applicants do not pay an application fee, but international students, including those located in the U.S., must pay an application fee of $75.
• Fee waivers are handled at the graduate school level and not the departmental level. International students who paid the application fee and ultimately enroll at Virginia Tech in Chemistry PhD program can be reimbursed for this expense.
• Enter your academic record Your academic record includes all colleges attended, majors, and GPAs. We will base our admission decision on these self-reported information, but we can withdraw our offer if we find that the official information differ significantly.
• Scan and upload your official transcripts If you are offered and decide to accept admission to Virginia Tech, your institution will need to send sealed original transcripts to Virginia Tech.
• Arrange for ETS to submit your official test scores if needed For students who wish to include GRE scores in their application, official GRE scores may be sent to the Virginia Tech Graduate School, institution code 5859. TOEFL scores must be sent for international applicants who have not completed a degree in the United States.
• Advise your references to expect an invitation to submit recommendation letters While electronic references are strongly preferred, paper reference letters are also accepted.

Note to International Students: We may interview you by telephone, Skype, or another form of video chat to assess your English speaking and listening skills.

• You will receive an initial notification of recommendation for admission The Department of Chemistry can only "recommend admission" to the Graduate School, which formally admits students. We are confident that the Graduate School will accept our recommendations for admission and will notify you immediately of our decision by email.
• Your official notification letter from the Graduate School, your official letter from the Department Chair, and your Assistantship Agreement will come next. You will also receive the official letter from the Department Chair (different than the official admission letter from the Graduate School) along with the official, signed Assistantship Agreement. Your Assistantship Agreement will specify a 9-month GTA contract, but the Department of Chemistry guarantees continued support to all graduate students in Good Standing, including summers, either teaching or research assistantships, and full tuition remission for the academic year. This support continues for a maximum of 5 academic years and 4 summers in residence, as long as you are making satisfactory progress toward a doctoral degree. Please sign and return the official, signed Assistantship Agreement through the mail. International students may wish to use an expedited courier to ensure that the Agreement reaches us by April 15th.
• Make plans to attend Visitation Weekend  Admitted students who are in the United States will be invited to join us for an enjoyable weekend in Blacksburg to showcase our programs. We will pay all your local and travel expenses within reason, including necessary airfares. Upon receiving your invitation, contact Joli Huynh ([email protected], 540-231-8225) to discuss details and arrange your travel.
• What if I can't make Visitation Weekend? Admitted students within the United States who are unable to attend Visitation Weekend in March are invited to set up an individual visit by contacting Joli Huynh ([email protected], 540-231-8225).
• The deadline to respond to the offer is April 15th We would of course like to hear from you as soon as you have decided to attend Virginia Tech. However, after April 15th, you surrender your financial aid package, and your offer admission will be withdrawn.

Links for Prospective Students

• Department of Chemistry Research Areas
• Department of Chemistry Faculty
• The Graduate School at Virginia Tech

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• Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

Chemistry PhD SOP

• application
• personal statement

By paulnguyen November 18, 2019 in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

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Hi guys, here is my personal statement for a Chemistry PhD. program.

Please take a look and give me some feedback. I appreciate any help! I can also look at yours and give feedback if you wish.

A little bit about my application: GPA: 3.70, major GPA: 3.75. GRE general: 150 V, 165 Q.

Although my GRE is not that high, my research professor told me to aim to top inorganic chemistry programs because of my strong research experience and the fact that English is not my first language + I take >17hrs every semester since I transferred to my current university in junior year. 

My nomadic life began at the age of 16 when I left my hometown to move to the biggest city in my home country, [name of the country] . Since that day, I have lived in 5 cities and traveled to 4 countries and 12 states in America. Change is my lifestyle. However, 3 things that never change in me are passion, curiosity, and a strong work ethic. With these values, I have not only overcome all obstacles from integrating into new communities but also set myself up to be ready for any challenge I will encounter in the future.

My passion for chemistry is ignited by my father who is a veterinarian. I grew up helping him capping scintillation vials and watching him working with animal drugs and I was genuinely fascinated about how science impacts life and wished to be a veterinarian when I grow up. That preliminary dream motivated me to study science early in my life, which led to my first two academic achievements at the [Name of the competition] Provincial Chemistry Competition for Middle School Students and the [Name of the competition] Math Competition when I was 15. I was one of the two contestants who got the highest score on the chemistry competition and was selected for a scholarship to study at the provincial high school for talented students. However, I declined the offer.

It is not fortuitous that I chose to dig more deeply into chemistry instead of sticking with my childhood plan of becoming a veterinarian. The more I learned about chemistry, the more I wanted to create. I wanted to create new chemicals that could change the world. Not so long after I won the chemistry competition, I realized this childish dream would not be practical if I kept staying in my hometown. I declined the high school for talented students offer to seek better opportunities in a bigger city. I attended a private high school and had a chance to do hands-on chemistry experiments twice a week participate in city science fairs and meet people from top universities in my country. I was also introduced to overseas education which excited my curiosity about the academic environment and life in the other hemisphere. To satisfy my curiosity, I went to the U.S. after graduating from high school.

Spending my first 2 years of college at a community college where research opportunities are not available, I tried to get into some short-term chemistry research programs and industrial internships, but it is hard because of my citizenship status. At the same time, I found a huge interest in sharing my knowledge and helping people. I joined the science and writing tutor teams and developed professionalism in tutoring chemistry and math, editing students’ academic papers, and communication with my colleagues. To me, the purpose of gaining new knowledge is to share knowledge. That is my motivation for dedicating most of my college time to teaching and tutoring. I ended my first period of college with the honor of being selected as the outstanding student at [H] College for my contributions to the community.

I transferred to [University___X] with intentions of looking for research opportunities and experiencing the south of the U.S., but the passion for teaching is still in me. Throughout the semesters, I operated Peer-leading team learning sessions to help students in the Inorganic Chemistry course and I became a mentor to support first-year chemistry students. These teaching and mentoring opportunities not only improve my skills but also put me in a position where I always have to update my knowledge. Also, here at [University___X] , I discovered another passion of mine. I joined Dr. [Dr. A] 's research group and was surprised by how immature I was. Little did I know that the way chemistry changes the world is not as loud as a speech from a political figure nor as emotional as a song from a singer. Chemistry changes the world on a molecular scale that most people do not even recognize. Here, I found my passion and curiosity of synthesizing molecules that can contribute to the growth of chemistry and society.

In [Dr. A] ’s lab, [Dr. B]  and I studied the syntheses and characterizations of a class of sandwich-type mononuclear lanthanide single-molecule magnets which possesses high degrees of axial symmetry and exhibits novel magnetic properties. In this project, I learned air-sensitive manipulations, glovebox and Schlenk line techniques along with the uses of NMR, IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). As this is my first research experience, I was also taught how to plan and organize reactions before running them. My most appreciation for this project goes to the lanthanide elements. Because I did not learn a lot about lanthanides in undergraduate courses, this project made me curious about these interesting metals. This research experience also expanded my knowledge of magnetism and methods to design single-molecule magnets. Furthermore, the most important thing I got from this project is that I can finally identify my chemistry forte, which is synthetic inorganic chemistry.

I continued my research journey by joining [Dr. C] ’s lab. Here, I jumped into a new and fascinating project which focuses on syntheses of bio-inspired compounds that display catalytic activities for CO 2 reduction and hydrogen production. Specifically, I investigated the synthesis of an unprecedented manganese compound with an [name of the ligand]  ligand which, for the first time, shows a switching in the binding mode of the [name of the ligand]  ligand from a tetradentate [x]  ligand to a binucleating tridentate [y]  ligand. The unexpected result inspired me and my mentor, Mr. [Name] , to figure out how it happened. I consider this project as an exploration because over the summer, I performed more than 50 reactions, set up numerous diffusion tubes for growing crystals, and waited weeks to see the formation of the crystals. Eventually, we figured out that the role of an extraneous metal is vital to facilitate or to template the formation of the novel manganese compound. The exploration gave results that not only answer our questions about the phenomenon and motivated us to produce an academic paper, but also teach me how valuable and important patience, hard work, and critical thinking are in scientific research. The more I am excited about the results, the more I want to share them. I gave oral and poster presentations at three undergraduate research symposiums at the three biggest universities in Texas. In addition, further study of this project is also my undergraduate thesis that I am working on. This project has prepared me for graduate school in two major ways. First, I have gained strong skills and knowledge in synthetic inorganic chemistry which also reflects my interests in this subject. Second, I have learned how to effectively describe and interpret my research to audiences with different academic backgrounds and in different forms of presentations.

Now I know that I can create and synthesize molecules and I want to create and synthesize more. My research experience has shown me how beautiful, important, and versatile compounds of transition metals (including lanthanides and actinides) can be. I want to keep synthesizing more coordination complexes and discover their applications from their structural, electrochemical, and magnetic properties. This, in addition to my passion for teaching, fosters my interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in chemistry, and [University___Y] is where I want to be to achieve this goal.

Choosing inorganic chemistry as the concentration, I understand it is an interdisciplinary subject that requires knowledge in biology, physics, and materials science. I also understand that the synthesis skill that I have is not enough to solve recondite problems in real life. To do that, I need to understand problems at an interdisciplinary level.   At [University___Y] , I believe I will have a chance to work toward that goal because every research group in inorganic chemistry here has a diverse research profile. My first attention is brought to Dr. [D] because her group has worked with single-molecule magnets. Moreover, I also want to be a part of her journey in quantum information science by approaching via coordination chemistry. Besides, I am also interested in Dr. [E] ’s group where I can both be exposed to a variety of innovative chemical fields such as nanomaterials and nanolithography, and improve my synthesis root in coordination chemistry. Dr. [F] ’s research group is also appealing to me due to their works in transition metals complexes. The [F]  group can be a good place for me to utilize my passion for synthetic inorganic chemistry to apply to biological and medical fields.

Committing several years for chemistry is not an easy decision but I am confident that I have enough passion, curiosity, and a strong work ethic for this challenge. Although my life has involved a lot of moving, since the day I realized the beauty and the importance of inorganic chemistry I always have a consistent goal of becoming an influential and dedicated chemist. Pursuing a Ph.D. degree from [University___Y] is a significant step toward my future.

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My name is XXXX and I am applying for the MSE Master's Program. I have always believed that one’s academic preparation is foundational for the level of professional skill to which one aspires, especially in a highly competitive employment environment. I see the MSE Department at XXXX as the optimal springboard to propel me forward to the realization of my dreams as a materials engineer because of the vast experience of the professors in your program and the fact that you attract many of the best students in the world. I crave the interdisciplinary character of your program since it draws from a variety of fields of study. I plan to excel in more than one field, thus helping me to be competitive on the job market. In addition, the MSE Department at XXXX has strong connections with many famous companies, such as my dream company General Electric; and the XXXX alumni network is spread all over the world which could also help me find the most suitable job with the most advanced company. Earning the MS Degree at the world-famous XXXX, is not only a process of learning, but also a test of my fortitude, diligence, and critical thinking skills.

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A chemist from Iran where I completed both my undergraduate and then master's degree in chemistry, I immigrated first to Canada where I am a permanent legal resident and now, I am working in Houston Texas. I hope to return to graduate school here in the USA and it would be a great honor for me to be accepted to the PHD Program in Chemistry at XXXX University since I have made excellent professional strides working as a research chemist in industry for the past several years here in the West.

Born and raised in China, I am a hard worker and a devoted student, demonstrated by the fact that I will soon be finishing my BS in Chemistry in the USA with a 3.8 GPA. I will also finish with a minor in history, a result of my wide ranging intellectual interests that include math and philosophy as well as the physical sciences. Nonetheless, it is in the field of Material Science that I seek to make my professional mark in life and my optimal contribution to the development of humanity. XXXX University is my first choice to earn the PHD Degree in Materials Science because of the sheer excellence of your program as well as its location.

I am a Chinese woman, 23, who will be finishing her BS in Chemistry in Puerto Rico in May of 2014. I would like very much to begin your prestigious program for fall semester of next year. Your program is my first choice for graduate school both because of the excellence of your program and the thoroughgoing nature of your curriculum, but also the fact that U of XXXX is in an area of XXXX with many Spanish speakers and this language, my third language, has become near and dear to my heart. Thus, I look forward to enhancing the diversity of your program not just as a Chinese student, but a Chinese student who is fluent in Spanish.

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Chemistry personal statement example 1.

What I love about chemistry is the constant sense of discovery: looking at the simplest reactions on a molecular level is like glimpsing a whole new world. I am keen to learn at the cutting edge of current knowledge and to contribute to new discoveries.

During the course of my degree I hope to take part in some research; after leaving university I am looking to work in science, possibly in research, and some experience will almost certainly come in useful. I would also like to continue my study of French at university I think it is a beautiful language and one of my ambitions is to become fluent.

As part of my study, in addition to the A level course, I have taken part in the RSC Analytical Chemistry competition in a school team; I am a regular subscriber to the New Scientist magazine and have attended several courses, including an ISCO course on Forensic Science. I am also an affiliate of the RSC, and I’m currently looking for work experience possibilities in this field.

I joined Kimbolton School on a scholarship and during my time here I’ve won seven prizes in total, including two for French and Maths; I am now looking forward to the challenges presented by my appointment as one of fifteen Gown Prefects in the school. However, as well as taking my work and responsibilities seriously I have a lot of fun as well. I sing in the school choir and the chamber choir, and currently take singing lessons: I hope to continue with my singing at university, ideally in a university or college choir. I have represented both my House and School in General Knowledge teams and, although not exactly a gifted sportswoman, I’m happy to take part in some sport for my House.

I enjoy taking part and trying new sports and although my talents aren’t likely to take me into the university teams, I look forward to continuing to ‘have a go’! I have also taken part in numerous musicals and plays in the school. In January I joined the Kimbolton Amnesty International Group and have been involved regularly since then. As a member of the school’s Community Service Unit I spent a year working in a primary school, and another in a school for handicapped children, both on Thursday afternoons during term-time.

I believe that my academic ability and dedication to my subject make me an ideal candidate to study chemistry at university. I look forward to taking advantage of all the opportunities that will be open to me as a student, both in work and leisure time.

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This personal statement was written by MadNatSci.

Degree Natural Sciences at Cambridge University

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

That opening is fantastic-.

Sun, 18/09/2005 - 00:00

That opening is fantastic- "What I love about..."- it's simple yet comes across really enthusiastic. I've been looking for a good opening and this is one! This is a brilliant personal statement.

sounds good

Fri, 22/09/2006 - 00:00

i must say youre personal statement is very convinceing. thanx for the info xxx

excellent statement!!! well

Thu, 02/11/2006 - 17:57

excellent statement!!! well done who ever you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nice opening

Tue, 27/02/2007 - 17:52

i love the opening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

great enthusiasm with a down

Mon, 20/08/2007 - 15:14

great enthusiasm with a down to earth humorous approach :)

the opening really grabbed my

Sun, 09/09/2007 - 18:37

the opening really grabbed my attention. simple but effective. definitely one of the best ps's i've read and one of the most interesting. just a small mistake... you have repeated " as well" in one sentence near the middle.

Won't people get caught if

Tue, 11/09/2007 - 22:07

Won't people get caught if they copy this personal statement? I'm going to steal a few phrases hope it goes well!

excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fri, 21/09/2007 - 12:32

excellent worth reading, hpe mines as gud

Thu, 04/10/2007 - 12:08

yoooooooo this is sikkk im gonna rob it and use it as my own safeee!!!!

Thu, 04/10/2007 - 12:12

i think this is a great personal statement particularly the start. wanna hook up im down hoes!!!! WORK IT

anita is stupid

Sun, 11/11/2007 - 14:58

wow.......may i use it plzzzz

Wed, 21/11/2007 - 14:41

wow.......may i use it plzzzz. it aint like they would know right? go on.........

Wed, 05/12/2007 - 22:21

I don't think it's that good at all. I like the first paragraph, the first sentence in particular, but the rest of the statement is just a general list about what you've done, which is exactly what pretty much every advice page says not to do. including studential! there is no mention of your course, what you like about it or of any skills you have developed that you think will give you suitability to the course. if you got in on this statement it would be a joke

not too bad!

Mon, 02/06/2008 - 17:05

Honestly you seem a bit full

Fri, 01/08/2008 - 14:31

Honestly you seem a bit full of yourself....sorry but its true, someone had to say. Still a good PS tho

Jobby-jabber

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:04

i think the opening is

Thu, 18/09/2008 - 21:59

i think the opening is reealli gd and this person multiple skills. i think the only flaw is that there is not enough relation bk2 the degree that they wnt 2 do. otherwise its pretty perfect.

oh my god! its amazing, the

Fri, 03/10/2008 - 16:18

oh my god! its amazing, the opening is just fantastic. it has made me worry about my personal statement though!

Tue, 04/11/2008 - 16:34

i don't think it's very good,

Wed, 12/11/2008 - 22:34

i don't think it's very good, you would hardly know that you were applying for chemistry, it's really vague

Tue, 18/11/2008 - 15:52

is awesome. thank u SO very much!1!!! i've been working in mine for ages and everything seems great, except the opening and urs is PERFECT!!!

this is a very good statement

Tue, 21/09/2010 - 15:02

this is a very good statement but i dont want it because i hate you!

WOW... incridible.. thanks a

Thu, 15/03/2012 - 22:46

WOW... incridible.. thanks a lot... you gaves me a lot of ideas about my project!!...

Mediocre at Best

Sun, 28/07/2013 - 17:14

I read this thinking it was supposed to be an exemplar. If this is an exemplar, there's something VERY wrong with university admissions offices, and also with this site. There are two actual mistakes; "...French at university I think..." (there should be a full stop after 'university'), and repetition of 'as well', which someone has already pointed out. You should have got someone to check it before posting it on the site. I'm not impressed. This shouldn't be your first draft. I'd expect better.

Thu, 06/03/2014 - 02:52

Your statement about chemistry is really heart-touching. I can relate a lot to it - thank you for sharing that.

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Chemistry personal statement

I am really passionate about chemistry and would absolutely love to study it in university but I'm not exactly sure of what to put on my personal statement for it. Please could anyone with any knowledge on this help me