Personal Statement Troubles

[CNLpsy]

Hello all! I will be applying this application season (Fall 2012) to Clinical Psychology PhD programs. I have pretty much outlined where I am going to apply, my CV is complete (and loaded with research and clinical experience), and I have letters of rec. lined up. I am just trying to work on my personal statement and I am having issues....it has been very hard for me to get motivated to write a document that will either make or break my application. I am worried that what I write will not be good enough....I am also not sure what to write and how to say what I want to say. Any thought on what to include or how to make the process easier? I am also having trouble getting motivated to write the darn thing....

Please send some advice and motivational thoughts!

Thank you :)

[dimanche0829]

Well, I'm in a totally different field so I can't tell you what to write, BUT if you have any friends already in PhD programs, a professor you get along well with, etc., I would recommend asking a few of them to take a peek and offer feedback. Also, this forum is super helpful and some people find it useful to post snippets of the SOP for comments.

In general, your SOP should be professional and should include useful information about you that demonstrates why you are super awesome for X program and X school.

[emmm]

My advice is to just write something. You really need to get the process started, especially if you think this part of the application process will be problematic. My first two or three drafts were horrible. Seriously dreadful. I was working through some stuff and might as well have been writing a statement of why I should not get admitted to graduate school. So, after I wrote these pathetic statements, I showed them to people. It was not easy, but it did keep me moving forward. My drafts got a little less awful with each rewrite, and I finally had a breakthrough and managed to write a statement that portrayed my accomplishments rather than my weaknesses. I absolutely hated writing the SOP, and I am really thankful the people who read the first few drafts didn't just give up on me.

[elsie]

Yep, like emmm said, it doesn't have to be perfect the first time. Just write something. Make a list of cool things about yourself. Make a list of what you've done and what you want to do. Trying to write the perfect statement is scary so stop trying to write something perfect and just write. And when you're done writing then you can worry about editing. Good luck

[neuropsych76]

I agree with the above. Your final goal is to have a nice and neat PS which discusses why you are a good fit for the program and why your previous experience is relevant.

[carlyhylton]

I haven't written a grad school SOP but I had to write one for a school in France for an exchange program and found the following quite useful...

Have you googled this? there are a ton of different how-to's, blogs, school websites etc with pretty good ideas I think

You can start from there, if you find any inspiration, even for an outline

When you can't write any more take a break, talk to friends about it, get feedback

Then re-write, rinse, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...

Maybe even google 'writer's block' for how-to's etc? Couldn't hurt...

[Gvh]

If you're willing to put a couple bucks into it, I found Donald Asher's book "Graduate Admission Essays" incredibly helpful. He gives honest and down to earth advice on the good, the bad and the ugly of applying to grad school in general. There are also a ton of samples to take a gander at.

[CNLpsy]

Thank you guys, I really appreciate your advice. Your feedback and quotes are very inspirational and I am going to start today!