Graduate School Personal Statement

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on crafting a personal statement for graduate school, emphasizing the importance of articulating career aspirations, particularly the desire to become a professor and mentor students. The author highlights their unique experiences, including serving as a physics lab TA and participating in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, as well as presenting at the upcoming AAS conference. The need for clarity and confidence in expressing personal motivations and experiences is underscored, especially for underrepresented groups in academia.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of personal statement structure and purpose
  • Familiarity with mentorship programs and their benefits
  • Knowledge of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
  • Awareness of academic conferences, specifically the AAS conference
NEXT STEPS
  • Research effective personal statement examples for graduate school applications
  • Explore strategies for highlighting mentorship experiences in academic writing
  • Learn about the significance of presenting at academic conferences
  • Investigate resources for supporting underrepresented groups in STEM fields
USEFUL FOR

Prospective graduate students, especially those in STEM fields, individuals seeking to improve their personal statements, and mentors guiding students through the application process.

oliviam212
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Hello everyone,

I am trying to write a personal statement for graduate school, and I am not sure what to say. I started off by saying that I would like to eventually become a professor in order to give students research opportunities that I wasn't given as an undergraduate student (because I went to a very small school), and that I would like to encourage all students, especially women, to be confident in their work and to follow their goals. I also wrote about using my own methods (if methods is the correct word to use) to decide on a career choice, such as signing up for mentorship programs and eventually doing an REU. Then I talked a little bit about the REU and said that I am presenting at the AAS conference in January (though I am not even sure this essay will be read until after the AAS meeting).

I guess I should also add that I was a physics lab TA.

My college career has not been that impressive, so my essay is pretty short.

If there are any professors on graduate committees out there, can you help me out?
 
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