How to Get Into Graduate School with the Perfect Personal Statement Story

Graduate school application reviewers — both faculty and staff — have read one too many generic personal statement stories.

Of course someone wants to go back to graduate school to learn, to grow, and to get a better job after graduation. Then they explain why through boasting about accomplishments and accolades.

Boring.

You can do better than that.

As someone who’s read 3,000+ applications since 2010, I’m here to help you choose a scroll-stopping story for your personal statement.

Honestly, so few people do this well that your application will stand out just for making a concerted effort.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

1. Why a specific story is better than sharing generic hopes and dreams for grad school

2. How to brainstorm impactful stories for your personal statement

3. How to “thread” your story throughout your personal statement

4. Common pitfalls to avoid with your story choice

Taking substantial time to reflect on life and choose the right example to illustrate where you’ve been and where you’re going will wow reviewers — and you’ll probably learn something about yourself in the process.

1. Why a specific story is better than sharing generic hopes and dreams for grad school

The best application essays I’ve ever read transported me to a different time and place, just like any great book or movie. A solid story pulls the reader in to feel like an invisible observer to a moment in the writer’s life.

Pro Tip: choose a specific moment in time for your story.

Why is this so important?

A good story creates a personal connection with the reader. (Who then wants to see you succeed).

And for reviewers who are reading dozens — or even hundreds — of applications, they’re desperately seeking some humanness to break free of the Excel sheet of faceless applicants and countless PDFs of their transcripts, recommendation letters and essays like personal statements.

By choosing a specific moment — not overall experience — you have the power to elicit emotions from your reviewer who is excited to read what happened next.

More importantly, admissions committees are excited to learn more about who you are and how you navigated a specific event and what you took away from it.

The story you choose gives the chance to share concrete evidence of the qualities and skills you’ve used that will make you a great student and professional in your career post-graduation.

Think of this as showing, not telling.

(With the right story, you can also show that you’re sharper than the horror movie characters who walk right into harm’s way — you know the ones).

2. How to brainstorm impactful stories for your personal statement

Take some quiet time to do a deep mental dive on key events or experiences in your life that tie into what you want to do after graduate school.

A couple unique story starters to consider:

• An unpopular decision you’ve made that qualifies you for your career

• Something you witnessed that changed your life and career trajectory

• (If these are helpful, check out the graduate school Application Starter Pack for 33 more).

For me as a reviewer, the best personal statement stories are more nuanced where you guide the reader through your critical thinking to make the connection of why a particular experience ties in with your future plans. 

The goal is to take your reader on a journey.

Have you ever seen the first 30 seconds of a movie trailer and thought “got it, I’ve basically seen the whole movie”?

That’s what the majority of personal statements are like for reviewers; they don’t even bother reading the whole essay if the first paragraph seems obvious.

Your personal statement — with the right story — can captivate them to read until the end.

Examples of stories that riveted me as a reviewer:

• A life-changing relationship between one applicant and someone they served through hospice volunteering (for a health-related master’s program)

• The journey from childhood breakdancing to biotech (for a STEM-focused PhD)

When brainstorming stories, also choose options that align with the focus and values of the program.

Including key words or pillar phrases  from the graduate program— without sounding like you are keyword stuffing — are a great way to catch reviewers’ attention because they’re used to seeing them.

Pro Tip: Look for these key values on a mission statement webpage for each individual program before writing.

It’s a solid way to show you’ve done your research and can demonstrate why the program is a good fit for you, too.

An option to make your story more compelling:

Go into depth about a specific moment or challenge and how it grew you into the type of person who will be able to handle the rigors of graduate school, or will make you especially impactful in your field post-graduation.

3. How to “thread” your story throughout your personal statement

The best personal statements have a fascinating story — and — they refer to it throughout the entire document to illustrate their past experiences and how they tie into their future as a graduate student and successful alum of the program.

Taking it back to the basics of writing (and even similar to the STAR method for interviews), ensure that the story you share has a beginning, middle and end.

Don’t leave reviewers wondering how it started, what happened, or what was the result — remember that they’re skimming your application, not reading with the fervor of their favorite novel.

Your personal statement story should include:

• The context or challenge

• Your involvement and/or actions you took

• The outcome of what you learned or how you changed as a result

• A clear connection of the experience to your education and career goals at that specific institution and program

Finally, be real with your writing.

Reviewers especially love self-awareness and authenticity.

Don’t write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear (because 80% of applicants are doing that and it’s super boring after reading the 50th essay).

If you failed big time, write about it. Show your growth as a person.

The best graduate students are those who repeatedly learn from their experiences and mistakes then move forward.

That’s who admissions wants to accept.

And again, the more human you are in your story and personal statement, the more invested the readers will become in you as an individual.

If your story is riveting and makes them want to see you succeed in those two pages, they’ll be your biggest cheerleaders when it comes to making admissions decisions.

Everyone wants to see their favorite “character” from a story win.

4. Common pitfalls to avoid with your story choice

When you’re writing a personal statement, it feels like a me-me-me vacuum — because it is. You have no idea who else is applying or what the applicant pool will look like. So naturally, you may want to choose a story that makes you seem the most impressive.

Please don’t.

While you may be writing for weeks in a vacuum, admissions committees are reviewing dozens of applications in a few hours.

The truth is, reading a stack of personal statements where everyone is trying out-do each other with their accomplishments and accolades is exhausting. It gets boring to read after a while, too.

What can you write about instead?

Choose a story that focuses on who you really are, that highlights your characteristics, skills and values in an authentic way.

Your story could focus on an a-ha moment or transformation, an example of how the right experience at the right time propelled you to become an even better person.

… which builds a great argument for why graduate school will be your next transformational challenge. Remember, reviewers love a good story that has them rooting for the main character to succeed.

One last note: don’t be cliché with your story choice.

Here are a few cliché examples to avoid:

• A challenge in a group project that resolved itself by the end

• A volunteer trip that opened your eyes to how good you have it at home

• A class you took that ignited your passion

• Winning an award or competition

• Overcoming a common experience like adjusting to a new place or balancing competing priorities

If you choose a fairly common experience for most applicants (ex. volunteering, a work project), write from an angle where the end result is less obvious after the first sentence.

As you prepare to brainstorm on a sunny morning or in the depths of a quiet evening, give yourself plenty of time to relax and consider who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going.

Think about key moments throughout your life experiences that capture the spark of what you hope is next for your education and career.

These moments will delight graduate school admissions committees because you dared to go deeper with your personal statement story than most other applicants.

Good luck, you’ve got this!

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