Social Sciences Personal Statement

Sample Social Science Personal Statement

Understanding individual and collective behaviour is in my view the social sciences’ key contribution to human knowledge. With a burgeoning passion for the social sciences that stems from my own curiosity regarding fundamental questions relating to how society shapes the individual and what factors in turn motivate the individual to live their chosen lifestyle, I view the possibility of progressing to university as an unrivalled opportunity for me to be able to delve into these questions through studying a joint-honours degree in the social sciences.

I find sociology a particularly fascinating branch of the social sciences due to the bold attempts of sociologists to take what may seem to be unexplainable phenomena and provide an understanding of them that is based around sound methods and conceptual frameworks that provide real insight into society and the way it shapes individuals. I have always been fascinated by the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate, and while some turn to the sciences for guidance, I believe that sociology provides much more satisfactory answers.

The area of criminology is perhaps the most important field within sociology in this regard. Reducing crime is a perennial objective of governments; yet without understanding what causes people to commit crime such efforts are likely to fail. It is only through examining questions such as the relationship between inequality or social deprivation and crime, or the pressures placed on certain sectors of society such as poor inner-city youths to become involved in delinquent or gang culture, that we can truly come to understand criminality.

Criminological matters also tie in very closely to psychology, another branch of the social sciences that I am strongly drawn to. Psychology has much to tell us about the nature of human motivation and the range of cognitive responses that individuals have to different circumstances. In this regard psychological research is as useful for explaining areas of crime, such as the ways in which individuals respond to provocation with violence, as it is to sport–an area that strongly interests me as a result of my passion for rugby and golf–and the matter of how individuals respond psychologically to adversity on the field.

I have enjoyed the strong thread of social sciences that has run through the BTEC I am currently completing in Business. For example, the course has laid strong emphasis on the psychological dimensions of themes such as leadership, management and team cohesion, all of which are central to the success of a business. Moreover, it is increasingly important for businesses to reflect on their social responsibilities, something which requires a consideration of sociological theory. The excellent marks I have received in the BTEC so far reflect my great enthusiasm for my studies; I am all the more proud of my results so far because I am studying this two-year course in the space of one year, a challenge that has helped mould me into a diligent and well-organised student.

I also balance this intense study workload with a part-time job as a customer assistant at Marks and Spencer. The role is an outlet for my natural desire for social interaction with people. I enjoy being able to offer advice to customers and build a rapport with people from a wide range of backgrounds. The teamwork element of the job is also very enjoyable, and it has been a pleasure to both learn how to carry out tasks such as cash management from colleagues and in turn teach these skills to others.

Playing and watching rugby is a great passion of mine. Between the ages of eight and seventeen I was continuously involved with playing for local and school sides. Doing so has given me a real ability to set myself goals and targets and then working towards them. It has also given me a love of working alongside others towards a common goal. That said, I also enjoy the solitary contemplation that comes with going to the gym five times a week and playing golf.

we hope you have found this sample Social Sciences personal statement helpful.

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Social sciences personal statements

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On this page you'll find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study social sciences and related courses at university.

These personal statements are written by real students - don't expect them all to be perfect! But by reading through a few of these samples, you'll be able to get some ideas and inspiration for your own personal statement. 

Social sciences personal statement examples

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sample of personal statement on social science

Social sciences personal statement example

Social sciences personal statement example preview

  • Reading time: 3 minutes
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  • Published: 28th June 2019
  • Word count: 746 words
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Growing up, I’ve always been close to my family — my aunts, uncles, and cousins. They are the first people I consult about my problems, and they’re always ready to help me when I need them, as I am whenever they need me.

One day, I discovered my uncle was an alcoholic. I denied this was true until I spoke to my cousin. She admitted that it was, and told me everything she’d been experiencing —sleepless nights, her parents fighting, and comforting her crying younger sister. This resulted in the involvement of the Children’s Aid Society. At first, I was unaware of the impact that social workers make until they helped my cousin. They opened the cage her family was trapped in. From this experience, I was inspired to open the cage for families like social workers did for mine.

I want to eradicate and help with hardships that families encounter. My cousin is not the only person to experience something so alarming. I began my research on social workers; their roles, their duties, and the challenges they faced. As I learned about the roles of a social worker, I became more determined in becoming one. It is important for social workers to contribute to the betterment of society by supporting individuals in need, resulting in a positive change.

Through research, I understood that I must obtain a Bachelor of Social Work to start my career. I consider myself an ideal student for your program as I am able to surpass your academic requirements. Furthermore, I have experience working as a part-time sales associate at Rockport. As a sales associate, I’ve developed effective communication skills by interacting with customers. I’ve accumulated organizational, listening, and critical thinking skills. For example, I had a conflict with a customer who demanded a return because they were displeased with their purchase. Our policy states that returns are permitted within 60 days of purchase, and it had been more than 60 days. To resolve this issue, I gave the customer a coupon to compensate and ensure their return to our store. I used my thinking skills to stop this issue from escalating. It is imperative for a social worker to use critical thinking skills to determine the most effective solution when dealing with problems.

In addition to my involvement in my community, I have also been involved in school. I’ve been a part of the Girls Rugby team, and a co-manager for the Ultimate Frisbee team. Being on the rugby team has given me the opportunity to enhance my cooperation and teamwork skills. My involvement as a manager taught me to be punctual and on top of things. One of my roles as a manager was to ensure the players were present and ready to play. I can easily transfer these skills into social work as you work alongside many individuals and groups such as police officers and support groups. Due to hard work and dedication, I was able to balance my extracurriculars with my school work. As a result, I received the honour roll, in grade 11 for achieving an overall average of 83%, which reflected my hard work.

This year, I have taken many social science courses to further my knowledge in the field of social work. Criminology teaches me useful theories and research methods that would help me identify issues I may encounter in social work. For example, the social strain theory believes that the lower class set middle-class goals, but don’t have means to achieve them, which results in the frustration and deviant acts. As a social worker, I would provide individuals with opportunities to help achieve their goals. In result, this will help them feel accomplished and improve their lifestyle.

Social workers strive to continuously expand their knowledge. They are able to effectively apply their new-found knowledge, as well as previous experiences to real-life conflicts that people undergo. I believe my passion towards this career will push me on the road to success and allow me to excel at Ryerson’s program immensely.

As said by Steve Jobs:

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.

This is a quote that I cherish, as it represents the way I want to live my life; with ambition.

13th November 2017

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Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences

Personal statement.

All applicants to the UW Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences program need to submit a personal statement, which should address the four topics listed below.

Your ISS personal statement performs a number of important functions. It gives us an opportunity to become acquainted with your goals, influential learning experiences in your life and your reasons for choosing the ISS program. The personal statement also helps us assess your preparation in the social sciences and your readiness for bachelor’s degree completion. 

Your personal statement is a sample of your college-level writing, and we'll assess it on the following criteria:

  • Clarity: The essay is clear at the level of the individual sentence or statement so that the reader understands what you are saying
  • Depth: The level of development of your ideas and use of concrete details
  • Originality: The grounding of your essay in your individual knowledge and experience, rather than reliance on generalizations

Please do not use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT to generate your statement since it invariably produces writing that is notably unoriginal.

If you're admitted to ISS, your personal statement will be the first step on your path to reflective, integrated learning. It will become the first artifact in your e-portfolio. You’ll be asked to return to this statement in your senior capstone course, ISS 401 , to assess your learning and to better understand your development in the program.

Preparing Your Personal Statement

Your statement should address the following topics and questions in an essay of 750 to 1,000 words:

  • Write a brief introduction to your individual story.  That is, create a brief sketch or snapshot of who you are and how you came to be. What facts or events do you believe were most formative? What do you consider essential to a good understanding of your identity? What has your life journey looked like, and how did it bring you to this moment of application to ISS?
  • What are your expectations of the ISS program?  What has your educational journey looked like? What do you hope to learn? What life goals — intellectual, personal and professional — will this degree help you accomplish?
  • Discuss one significant question, issue or problem in human society that you find meaningful or compelling. Think of the types of stories that grab your attention when you follow the news or interact with social media. Why do you think this social phenomenon or problem is important both to you and others? What aspects of it do you find intriguing, promising or alarming? Use concrete detail in your discussion.
  • Describe a memorable or impactful learning experience, something that has stayed with you and remained meaningful.  This could be a particular college-level course, assignment or project you completed. However, you may also describe learning that has happened in other contexts, such as work, a volunteer experience, sport or hobby, etc. The point is to describe what you learned and how you learned it. Again, be as concrete and detailed as possible.

Submitting Your Personal Statement

Instructions for submitting your statement vary depending on your applicant type. Please click the relevant link below for additional application instructions, including how to submit your ISS personal statement.

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  • Returning UW Seattle Students : Former UW Seattle students who have not been enrolled for at least two consecutive quarters
  • Continuing UW Seattle Students : Currently enrolled UW Seattle students who want to change their major to ISS

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Writing Center

Personal statements.

sample of personal statement on social science

How to Write a Personal Statement

sample of personal statement on social science

We offer these examples for you to adapt to your needs and the requirements of your application(s). Don’t feel pressured to copy them exactly! Each of these examples are written by UConn students, but for different types of programs:

Undergraduate Programs

NEAG School of Education Personal Statement  (pdf)

School of Pharmacy Personal Statement  (pdf)

Graduate Programs

English Ph.D. Statement of Purpose  (pdf)

Medical School Personal Statement  (pdf)

Social Psychology Ph.D. Personal Statement  (pdf)

These various sites from other university writing centers offer additional advice on personal statements.

Indiana University

UMass Amherst Writing Center

Purdue Online Writing Lab Graduate School Application Guide

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Social Sciences Personal Statement

This is a sample personal statement written by our professional writer. Please note that our website is scanned by various anti-plagiarism software, so do not attempt to copy/paste this personal statement. You will get caught and your university career will be over before it has begun! To get a custom-written personal statement, just complete the order form and we will write an original personal statement, based specifically on the information you give us, which will never be published or resold.

Nothing intrigues me more than unearthing the driving factors that make society tick. From trying to understand the beliefs and ideologies that shape society, to the personal experiences and behaviour that develop our individual characters, the social sciences hold the key to a wealth of knowledge and learning.

I was first drawn towards the social sciences when I moved into secondary education. After years of what felt like enduring a repetitive cycle of studying mathematics, English and the physical sciences I wanted a complete change, something to interest me as I was committed to developing my higher education as far as I possibly could. I went to enrol at college with an open mind, and my attention was quickly drawn towards the subjects of politics and government, sociology and psychology. I had never had the option of studying these topics before and after arriving at my college rather subdued, I left with a real sense of excitement about taking my first steps into further education.

At first I found these subjects to be rather simplistic, and was easily able to relate what I was learning to the world around me. This was, however, just the tip of the iceberg with respect to each subject and little did I know about the wealth of knowledge I was about to be exposed to.

While I imagine each of these topics alone would provide enthralling study, I found this overarching study of social science I had chosen to take on gave me an excellent overview. Learning about each of these individual areas I was able to understand how society worked from a variety of different perspectives. It was also important to learn the vast array of differing theories as to how society works, and how individuals are driven, and how all of these factors and behaviours are related and affect one another.

The most appealing elements of my studies was the fact that unlike many physical sciences there were, in the pursuit to understand social science, relatively few absolute truths. This field of study is filled with conflicting theories, opinions and arguments and there is constantly changing in tandem with the world around us.

I am now looking to further develop my understanding of social science with a view to starting my own research. I have found myself drawn towards the sociological area of study more so than any other, but firmly believe and overarching understanding of social science will be of more benefit when it comes to compiling accurate and fully reflective studies. I have already started to develop very strong beliefs, but want to be able to fully investigate and bring them to the fore in the most accurate and strongest possible way.

I feel understanding and interpreting social science is a valuable tool in bringing the world around us closer together. Once we can all appreciate this wonderful diversity and the way in which it all relates I feel the world will be a better place and I wish to be part of this study by developing my own understanding of social science.

Your personal statement is vital in ensuring you get the university place you want. Don’t take a chance with it. Secure your university place today!

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

sample of personal statement on social science

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

sample of personal statement on social science

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

sample of personal statement on social science

Stanford University

Writing Your Personal Statements

Your personal statement must demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have considered graduate school and their specific program seriously. It’s your opportunity to summarize your academic and research experiences. You must also communicate how your experiences are relevant to preparing you for the graduate degree that you will be pursuing and explain why a given program is the right one for you.

The personal statement is where you highlight your strengths. Make your strengths absolutely clear to the reviewers, because they will often be reading many other statements. Your self-assessments and honest conversations with peers and advisors should have also revealed your strengths. But you must also address (not blame others for) weaknesses or unusual aspects of your application or academic background.

Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment.

1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many statements, it’s important to start off with your strengths and not “bury your lede.” Consider traits of successful graduate students from your informational interviews, and identify which of these traits you have. These traits could involve research skills and experiences, expertise in working with techniques or instruments, familiarity with professional networks and resources in your field, etc.

  • Check your responses from the exercises in the self-assessment section. You may wish to consult notes from your informational interviews and your Seven Stories . Write concise summaries and stories that demonstrate your strengths, e.g. how your strengths helped you to achieve certain goals or overcome obstacles.
  • Summarize your research experience(s). What were the main project goals and the “big picture” questions? What was your role in this project? What did you accomplish? What did you learn, and how did you grow as a result of the experience(s)?

Vannessa Velez's portrait

My research examines the interplay between U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy during the Cold War. As a native New Yorker, I saw firsthand how dramatically my city changed after 9/11, which prompted my early interest in U.S. policy at home and abroad. As an undergraduate at the City College of New York, I planned to study international relations with a focus on U.S. foreign affairs. I also quickly became involved in student activist groups that focused on raising awareness about a wide range of human rights issues, from the Syrian refugee crisis to asylum seekers from Central America.

The more I learned about the crises in the present, the more I realized that I needed a deeper understanding of the past to fully grasp them. I decided to pursue a PhD in history in order to gain a clearer understanding of human rights issues in the present and to empower young student-activists like myself.

— Vannessa Velez, PhD candidate in History

Addressing weaknesses or unusual aspects

  • Identify weaknesses or unusual aspects in your application—e.g., a significant drop in your GPA during a term; weak GRE scores; changes in your academic trajectory, etc. Don’t ignore them, because ignoring them might be interpreted as blind spots for you. If you’re unsure if a particular issue is significant enough to address, seek advice from faculty mentors.
  • Explain how you’ll improve and strengthen those areas or work around your weakness. Determine how you will address them in a positive light, e.g., by discussing how you overcame obstacles through persistence, what you learned from challenges, and how you grew from failures. Focusing on a growth mindset  or grit  and this blog on weaknesses might also help.
  • Deal with any significant unusual aspects later in the statement to allow a positive impression to develop first.
  • Explain, rather than provide excuses—i.e., address the issue directly and don’t blame others (even if you believe someone else is responsible). Draft it and get feedback from others to see if the explanation is working as you want it to.
  • Provide supporting empirical evidence if possible. For example, “Adjusting to college was a major step for me, coming from a small high school and as a first-generation college student. My freshman GPA was not up to par with my typical achievements, as demonstrated by my improved  GPA of 3.8 during my second and third years in college."
  • Be concise (don’t dwell on the issues), but also be complete (don’t lead to other potentially unanswered questions). For example, if a drop in grades during a term was due to a health issue, explain whether the health issue is recurring, managed now with medication, resolved, etc.

2. Explain your commitment to research and their graduate program, including your motivation for why you are applying to this graduate program at this university. Be as specific as possible. Identify several faculty members with whom you are interested in working, and explain why their research interests you.

  • Descriptions of your commitment should explain why you’re passionate about this particular academic field and provide demonstrations of your commitment with stories (e.g., working long hours to solve a problem, overcoming challenges in research, resilience in pursuing problems). Don’t merely assert your commitment.
  • Explain why you are applying to graduate school, as opposed to seeking a professional degree or a job. Discuss your interest and motivation for grad school, along with your future career aspirations.

Jaime Fine's portrait

I am definitely not your traditional graduate student. As a biracial (Native American and white), first-generation PhD student from a military family, I had very limited guidance on how best to pursue my education, especially when I decided that graduate school was a good idea. I ended up coming to this PhD in a very circuitous manner, stopping first to get a JD and, later, an MFA in Young Adult Literature. With each degree, I took time to work and apply what I’d learned, as a lawyer and as an educator. Each time, I realized that I was circling around questions that I couldn’t let go of—not just because I found them to be fascinating, but because I did (and still do!) feel that my research could help to bridge a gap that desperately needs bridging. Because my work is quite interdisciplinary, I strongly feel that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of research without the degrees and life experience I gained before coming to this program.

— Jamie Fine, PhD candidate in Modern Thought and Literature

Statement of Purpose: subtle aspects

  • Think in terms of engaging faculty in a conversation rather than pleading with them that you should be admitted. Ask reviewers to read drafts with this concern in mind.
  • With later drafts, try developing an overall narrative theme. See if one emerges as you work.
  • Write at least 10 drafts and expect your thinking and the essay to change quite a bit over time.
  • Read drafts out loud to help you catch errors.
  • Expect the "you' that emerges in your essay to be incomplete. . . that’s OK.
  • You’re sharing a professional/scholarly slice of "you."
  • Avoid humor (do you really know what senior academics find funny?) and flashy openings and closings. Think of pitching the essay to an educated person in the field, but not necessarily in your specialty. Avoid emotionally laden words (such as "love" or "passion"). Remember, your audience is a group of professors! Overly emotional appeals might make them uncomfortable. They are looking for scholarly colleagues.

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Social Security

Get your social security statement ( en español ), social security statement.

Your Social Security Statement (Statement) is available to view online by opening a my Social Security account. Millions of people of all ages now use these online accounts to learn about their future Social Security benefits and current earnings history.

For workers age 60 and older who do not have a my Social Security account, we currently mail Social Security Statements three months prior to your birthday.

There are many benefits to having a personal my Social Security account. It provides secure access to your Statement , allows you to change your address, verify your reported earnings, and estimate your future benefits. If you receive benefits, you can get the new and improved cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) notice earlier than you would receive it in the mail.

A growing number of forms are now available online and no longer require wet signatures, making it easier and quicker to get necessary forms to us using your account. We encourage you to submit necessary forms online.

Many of our notices are now available online. You can choose to get available notices online instead of by mail and can choose to receive email or text alerts when you have a notice available. Getting available notices online means not needing to wait for it to arrive in the mail or the notice getting lost or misplaced.

Online Statements can be accessed for people living overseas (domestic earnings only) with an ID.me account. Please visit www.ssa.gov/foreign for more information.

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Sample Statement

We redesigned the Statement to make it easier for you to read and find the information you need!

The redesigned Statement now includes a bar graph displaying your personalized retirement benefit estimates at nine different ages, depending on when you want benefits to start. It also includes your earnings history, and information on how to report an error if you find one.

We encourage you to review your Statement annually. Below, you can view a sample Statement and the valuable information it provides. Your personal Statement may include different language, depending on your situation.

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Human, social & political sciences personal statement example 2.

During my trip to China in 2006, I discovered a society vastly different from the one I was growing up in. While exploring the outskirts of Shanghai, my family and I were astonished by the levels of poverty and scarcity – I vividly remember watching someone clean a whole chicken in the same river I had just seen another person urinate into.

Travelling back to the wealthy neighborhood of the family we were visiting, I asked my mother about what I had just seen. I wanted to know why those people would not just move to a wealthier area – why not get a job and earn some more money?

Later in life, I have begun to suspect that this exposure to poverty and hardship was what first sparked my interest in the study of society and politics. Though I was too young to understand the complete answer to my question, it was made clear to me that it had something to do with the leadership of the country.

Following this incident, my eagerness to learn more about the world around me has only intensified. In school, I chose to enroll in subjects that allowed me to dive deeper into the areas of social and political sciences. Focusing heavily on international politics and the construction of different societies and forms of government, these courses warranted a sociological approach as well as a political one.

The souring relationship between Russia and the US, and the challenges related to the tribal construction of Afghan society were particularly interesting to me. I have also tried to satisfy my curiosity through extra-curricular activities, combining my interest in this field with a part time job, sporting activities and an active social life.

Constantly studying in my own time, discussing with friends and family, attending voluntary lectures and reading relevant books and articles, social and political sciences have been a major part of my life for many years.

The first book I read on the topic of society in my own time was “World Order” by Henry Kissinger. In it, he discusses the history of international relations, while also touching on how different countries and societies have developed their distinct characters.

This helped me understand the origins of our current international political climate, and revealed the driving forces behind its evolution. Later, when first considering higher education within the field of politics and society, I read Bernard Cricks “Democracy: A Very Short Introduction”, discussing the origins and evolution of democracy, and how the term has come to have so many definitions.

This book offered a more comprehensive study of one of the most frequently discussed topics in school, and deepened my fascination with the history of democracy, both as a political system and as a set of values. Through the reading of several various books on topics relevant to my interests, I believe I have developed a strong foundation for further study.

I have also had the opportunity to experience democracy firsthand. As the elected representative of my class in the student council, I saw both the challenges and virtues of a political system that considers the opinions of all those affected by its decisions.

Though the council operates on a relatively small scale, it captures the essence of democratic leadership – it is committed to considering the views of all students, many with different religions, nationalities and values. As an engaged member, I partook in the democratic process and discovered how deeply interlinked the fields of politics and sociology truly are.

In the years following my visit to Shanghai, my eagerness to further understand how the world works has developed into a true passion. The opportunity to pursue this passion at an elite university, surrounded by driven and ambitious people, would be a dream come true.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Author's Comments

A personal statement aimed particularly towards Cambridge - Human, Social, and Political Sciences. Feedback is appreciated. :)

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    And the only way to do great work is to love what you do". This is a quote that I cherish, as it represents the way I want to live my life; with ambition. 13th November 2017. This is a free personal statement example for an application to university on a social sciences course, downloadable in Word format. It is 737 words.

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    Primary Education Personal Statement. Submitted by Lily. "Let's play teachers, I'll be Miss Lily": the words that led me to realise I wanted to be a primary school teacher. It was 'Miss Lily' as somehow Miss 'surname' seemed too formal as well as being a little too complicated for 4 year olds to call you on work experience.

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    Example #3 - 12. Example #4 - Flying. Example #5 - Arab Spring in Bahrain. Example #6 - Poop, Animals and the Environment. Example #7 - Entoptic Phenomena. Example #8 - The Builder & Problem Solver. Example #10 - The Little Porch and a Dog (With Spanish Translation) Example #10 - Life As an Undocumented Student.

  17. Social Sciences Personal Statement

    Social Sciences Personal Statement. This is a sample personal statement written by our professional writer. Please note that our website is scanned by various anti-plagiarism software, so do not attempt to copy/paste this personal statement. You will get caught and your university career will be over before it has begun!

  18. Social Sciences Personal Statement Example

    Social Sciences Personal Statement Example. A trip to Mexico at age twelve sparked my interest in the social sciences. The level of poverty and governmental corruption jarred me whilst there, and thus my determination to understand why social injustice occurs and how to combat it formed. From this, a fascination with politics and society emerged.

  19. 3 Successful Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

    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 ...

  20. Writing Your Personal Statements

    Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment. 1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many ...

  21. 12 Winning Personal Statement Examples (With Tips)

    10. Teacher personal statement. "Elementary school teacher with 5+ years of experience managing classrooms of 20-30 students. Adept at using positive reinforcement teaching techniques to encourage student behavior and development. Looking to use my creativity and experience to engage at-risk students.".

  22. Sociology Personal Statement Examples

    Degree Course Quiz. Find the ideal university course for you in minutes by taking our degree matchmaker quiz today. Browse our range of Sociology personal statement examples. Gain inspiration & make sure you're on the right track when writing your own personal statement.

  23. Get Your Social Security Statement

    We encourage you to review your Statement annually. Below, you can view a sample Statement and the valuable information it provides. Your personal Statement may include different language, depending on your situation. Social Security Statement Samples; Online Statement; Statement for People with Noncovered Earnings; Mailed Statement

  24. Human, Social & Political Sciences Personal Statement Example 2

    A personal statement aimed particularly towards Cambridge - Human, Social, and Political Sciences. Feedback is appreciated. :) This personal statement is unrated. During my trip to China in 2006, I discovered a society vastly different from the one I was growing up in. While exploring the outskirts of Shanghai, my family and I were astonished ...