Personal statement and/or statement of purpose

[cornerstone]

Hello peeps, what the difference between Personal statement and statement of purpose

[sarab]

A personal statement is a statement about you! Here is where you explain what got you interested in your field,your cultural background, things you've overcome, your achievements, and it just says who you are as a person.

 

A personal statement, on the other hand, is much more focused. Here you need to explain your research interest, past research experience, future research plans, why you chose that particular university, and why you are a good fit for the university.

 

Here's a helpful link from UCLA grad admissions http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/agep/advsopcvsbe.pdf

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Do they ask for both? I've never seen a program require a personal statement AND SOP. It seems websites use the terms interchangeably. At least in my opinion. 

[sarab]

Do they ask for both? I've never seen a program require a personal statement AND SOP. It seems websites use the terms interchangeably. At least in my opinion. 

Actually, yes! Some programs ask for both, some don't. That's when it's really helpful to make a list of the requirements of each specific program.

[guinevere29]

Do they ask for both? I've never seen a program require a personal statement AND SOP. It seems websites use the terms interchangeably. At least in my opinion. 

I've also had a program ask for both, 1000 words each. They did carefully outline what they wanted in each, though. One was a space to talk about who you are as a person and how you became interested in your subject, and the other was a space to talk about your research experience and specific aspirations in your field.  Even if none of your schools end up asking for them, it's still a helpful exercise to write both. That way you have gone through the process of truly thinking through what you want out of graduate school.

[TakeruK]

Do they ask for both? I've never seen a program require a personal statement AND SOP. It seems websites use the terms interchangeably. At least in my opinion. 

 

Sometimes the "personal statement" is titled "Statement of Personal History" or "Personal History Statement", but sometimes it is just a synonym for "Statement of Purpose" (SOP). If you are only asked for one, it is probably safe to assume that they are looking for a SOP-like document, but sometimes the prompt encourages you to briefly address things that might go in the "personal statement". If you are asked for both, the prompts usually make it clear what they want. If you are still not sure, it is probably a good idea to ask the department's admissions secretary/admin person for clarification.