CSDCAS Personal Statement

[sc0218]

Hello, I'm about to submit several apps on CSDCAS and had a questions about how people were treating their personal statements. Are you treating it like a letter (i.e. addressing it to a particular person at the university) or are you just treating it as an essay (no formal greeting or salutation)? Appreciate other people's feedback.

[sayjo]

I just wrote mine like an essay.  I don't think it's supposed to be in letter format.

[queenleblanc]

I did my LOI's more of a letter style at the top with essay style body.  In the header space, I had a running head of my name, the degree for which I was applying, and the school name.  Then down below (in smaller font), I had a left side address section of the "ATTN" part of what would go on a letter -- ATTN: Admissions Committee, University name, College name, Department Name (4 lines).  Over on the right side, I had the actual address that all application materials were to be delivered to since it wasn't going to be mailed.  I did this to make sure that all parts of my application reached the correct people, even if somehow they became dissociated with my actual file on the graduate school's end of things.  The body of the document was essay-style with personal pronouns where they were appropriate.  

 

Doing my LOI or SOP this way made it much easier to keep track of which school I was writing for.  Additionally, the running head ensures that your application *probably* won't have difficulties with whomever is processing them on the other end, so all pages of your SOP or LOI get placed with the correct printed file.  Make their job easier if you can, so they don't write back (after the admissions deadline of course) that your SOP seemed incomplete because it is missing the 2nd page.  I didn't apply to any CSDCAS schools, though, so I guess the individualized "school" information and addresses may or may not apply if you don't upload separate letters.  Having the running head with your name and any other identifying information you feel comfortable including does help no matter if the SOP is one single, or multiple.  The best tip I ever heard for electronic application submission is to upload PDF's.  Then you don't run the risk of them downloading a .doc letter that messes up the formatting in some way, making your letter 3 pages instead of 2, or 2 pages instead of 1.  

 

Hope that helps! 

[trejsi]

I have a follow-up question... did you include a title in your Personal Statement?  My boyfriend (who is a PhD student) is proofreading my Personal Statement drafts, and he keeps insisting that I put in a title.  However, the applications are all done online, and you pretty much just copy and paste your statement into the window.  My Statements are in essay format, but I'm still unsure whether or not I should include a title.

[queenleblanc]

I have a follow-up question... did you include a title in your Personal Statement?  My boyfriend (who is a PhD student) is proofreading my Personal Statement drafts, and he keeps insisting that I put in a title.  However, the applications are all done online, and you pretty much just copy and paste your statement into the window.  My Statements are in essay format, but I'm still unsure whether or not I should include a title.

 

I have seen "personal statement" at the top on some sample SOP's I looked at during this process last year.  There was so little space to write what I wanted to write that I didn't waste a line on the title, much less any brain power on a specialized title.  I felt like the stuff I did put (address, intended audience, etc.) was important though, so I guess it is all about your preference.  It is YOUR application and ultimately YOUR personal statement / letter of intent, so don't let the boyfriend pressure you into putting something in there that you don't want.  

[trejsi]

I have seen "personal statement" at the top on some sample SOP's I looked at during this process last year.  There was so little space to write what I wanted to write that I didn't waste a line on the title, much less any brain power on a specialized title.  I felt like the stuff I did put (address, intended audience, etc.) was important though, so I guess it is all about your preference.  It is YOUR application and ultimately YOUR personal statement / letter of intent, so don't let the boyfriend pressure you into putting something in there that you don't want.  

 

Thank you very much for your response.  That's exactly what I'm feeling too, that there's so little space to write what you want. I appreciate your input.

[GandalfTheGrey]

I did not include a title on any of my essays, and I wrote all my LOI/SOPs as essays, with no salutation or letter-like features. I did include a running head on non-CSDCAS essays in case things got separated, although my running head was shorter than CatSLP716's - I just included my name, the season and year (Fall 2012) the program, and "page X of Y".

[Shelbyisms]

I did not include a title on any of my essays, and I wrote all my LOI/SOPs as essays, with no salutation or letter-like features. I did include a running head on non-CSDCAS essays in case things got separated, although my running head was shorter than CatSLP716's - I just included my name, the season and year (Fall 2012) the program, and "page X of Y".

 

This is what I am doing, as well.

[autismadvocate]

I used essay style, but with more the personal feel of a letter...