dental graduate personal statement

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Personal Statement

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How to write a personal statement

If you want to give current article to your teenage child you might be right. But adults can be interested in it too. Personal statement is a piece of individual writing a person usually encloses to his or her university application. It's never too late to study, universities accept not only young and enthusiastic people but representatives of all ages. Anyway, we think it's vital to know how to write a personal statement. Who knows maybe next year you'll express desire to go back to school! Internet as usual can offer you a huge amount of personal statement examples for any case. We prefer to stick to theory that it should be unique and reflect best traits of your character and has a full story of your achievements. Personal statement format is not strict but of course there is a plan to follow. First is introduction. It should be catchy and captivate reader's attention from first sentence. In several blocks tell briefly but vividly about your education, experience and skills. Don't ask anyone for help, use your own words and phrases, let the committee know what a person you are. Search for tips on how to write a personal statement but do writing part yourself, without appropriating anyone's thoughts. In personal financial statement explain need of scholarship or financial aid. In personal mission statement define your primary goals you plan to achieve in life with help of high school.

Personal statement examples for different aims

Not to get lost under flood of information about personal statements, everyone should know that for each type of high school there should be a unique piece of paper.

Personal statement for graduate school won't contain any information about your desperate need of financial assistance in studying. This is what a personal financial statement for.

Planning to become a famous doctor and getting a medical certificate? Write a medical school personal statement, describe your preference. There is surely a noble reason for choosing career of doctor. After finishing studies and applying for a place in hospital as an intern there is a necessity to write residency personal statement. And again you say what made you think this very hospital would provide the best experience for you.

Dreaming of a career in jurisprudence? Be sure to make best law school personal statement ever. The competition between applicants is quite hard, as there are plenty of them. With moderate or low grades knowledge of how to write a personal statement is not just important, it's vital. When looking through samples ignore those that don't belong to necessary sphere. Medical school personal statement examples are not proper when applying for law school.

Importance of a good statement

Use of correct personal statement format is significant. Grades matter too but a brilliant piece of writing may win you a place in high school. Devote as much time as possible to compose it. Even when making a personal statement for college do your best. Examine your work several times, make notes, change part you don't like, give it to you teacher or senior to evaluate. Personal mission statement examples will help to make a right decision and sometimes completely change your mind.

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Dental School

10 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Including key tips for a strong dental school personal statement.

Before you start crafting your own stellar dental school personal statement, you must review some dental school personal statement examples. Why? These sample essays can help you brainstorm and reflect on what you would like to include in your essay. This blog dives into some dental school personal statement examples from our own past successful students, and then our dental school advisors will go over our proven strategies to help you create your own from scratch! As you review these examples keep in mind that these are final works and the result of multiple rounds of reviews by our admissions experts as part of our application review programs. Writing fantastic statements for dental school requires patience and multiple rounds of revisions before a perfect statement can be written.

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Article Contents 15 min read

Dental school personal statement example #1.

In the final moments of a key game in a hockey tournament, I jumped over the boards and onto the ice without putting my mouth guard back in place. It was attached to my helmet, but I had a chance for the puck, and I took it. Moments later, an opponent’s stick caught me in the face, knocking out my front tooth. Play stopped, and my team found my tooth on the ice. I looked to the bleachers. My mom was already on the phone getting initial instructions from our dentist for saving the tooth. Within 15 minutes, we were outside the clinic as my dentist unlocked the door, despite it being a Saturday night. As I was treated within half an hour, my tooth could be saved by stabilizing it as it healed. Until that moment, I thought of my dentist as someone I only saw every six months; I hadn’t seen her as a critical part of my healthcare team.

I realized from this experience that time is a factor in dental care, and thus a career in dentistry. My tooth was saved because I lived in an urban centre and had immediate access to care, not to mention the continuity of care I’ve had since I was a child. My mother is employed and has good dental coverage, but this is not the case for many. Without timely check-ups, both oral and medical issues that could be detected and prevented can become more serious conditions.

With this awareness, I have for the last 6 years volunteered in two ways. In the time since my hockey accident, I’ve worked with my dentist on a safety awareness campaign for young hockey players and their families, teaching about the necessity of mouth guards, as well as how a quick response to such injuries may help in recovery. I’ve also worked alongside dentists for the Smiling Children Foundation in vulnerable neighborhoods, where dental neglect is not uncommon, and continuity of care is rare. Recently, we set up a mobile clinic in a school, where I record personal information and take a medical history for each child. A young boy, 10 years old, complained of constant headaches and pain in his body. Upon examination, the dentist noticed his gums were dark purple in places and bled easily. Our team alerted a community doctor of a potential immune disorder, and the young boy was diagnosed and treated, returning to good health within months. That day, I learned that oral healthcare is holistic healthcare, and that it is a privilege to support those who may not have time, resources, or access to oral healthcare.

I have had this privilege in what began as dental shadowing and is now part-time employment, where I liaise between patients and insurance companies, manage team schedules, and comfort anxious patients. This might be as simple as holding a hand while the dentist performs the procedure. Or, I might hold a baby while the father sees the hygienist. I’ve learned to read an X-ray accurately, prepare the instruments needed for a procedure, and balance the books. I have been mentored by both a medical and business professional, and I have borne witness to our patients’ high and low points. I have worked hard to understand what goes into growing and maintaining a successful dental practice and feel capable to meet the challenge of the multiple roles required in this dynamic vocation.

It bears mentioning why my first-year grades are not what I’d hoped they would be. I joined a good number of co-curricular clubs with the intention of participating in our campus community and developing my professional skills. By midterm, I realized I had oversubscribed myself. Unfortunately, willpower and desire were not enough. My grades suffered as I tried to manage my responsibilities. By attending time management seminars and learning to manage time rather than be managed by time, I was able retrieve my grades. From 2nd year forward, I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA while moving up the ranks of student organizations and taking an active role in a research project. Resilience is like a muscle that needs time, exercise, and perseverance to build.

From a sports accident, to volunteer work in an underserved community, to employment in a dental office and an academic career that shows both mistakes and recovery, I have thought carefully about what dentistry is. A dentist is part of a larger healthcare team, and a dentist can often treat not only a single patient over decades, but provide intergenerational care to a family. I aspire to dentistry to accompany my patients through life, 6 months at a time, offering compassionate, whole-person healthcare. (4,497 characters, including spaces)

Inciting incident: the moment that influenced the student’s outlook on dentistry as a career is highlighted in spades. Seeing the structure here as almost like a story, you’re taking the reader on a journey from point A to point B. For the personal statement, your opening should hook in the reader. This writer does this well.
Addresses weaknesses: the student mentions how their first-year grades weren’t what they’d hoped for. They acknowledge their faults and briefly outline the circumstances without making excuses before getting into the most important part: what they did to improve or learn from their mistakes. If you’re in a position to use your personal statement as a way to address gaps or inconsistencies, then you can follow the same rule.
Major experiences are detailed: you need to show the admissions committee that dentistry is the right career for you. The best way to do this is to describe clinical experiences, ideally in a dental setting. The student who wrote this sample described their experiences shadowing, being a part-time employee, and volunteering at a foundation. If you have many experiences like these, don’t simply list them off, but select a few to describe in more depth.

Want some tips for writing a dental school personal statement? Check out this video:

"Ready, Set, Bake,” shouted the host of Bake-Off. I was 16 and a contestant of a televised baking show. Our 6th challenge gave us 3 hours to perfectly bake the most decadent and timing consuming dessert: the mille-feuille – layers of puff pastry, filled with whipped cream and custard, and glazed on top. Despite being the only teenager in a field of contestants ranging from 20-70 years of age, I’d made it through several days of cuts for one of the spots on the show. I wish I could say that my dessert was a masterpiece, but as the timer counted down and I plated it, the filling oozed, and the pastry crumbled. I’d made to the Top Six, but the mille-feuille defeated me and I was asked to hang up my apron. As I reflect on this experience, the solo and team challenges, the practice to get on the show, the mastery needed to gain a top spot, I realize that I’m grateful even for the defeat, because I learned valuable lessons that helped me develop key qualities and skills that are in-line with the core competencies necessary for dentistry, my chosen profession. Both dentistry and competitive baking require innovation and excellence, communication and accountability, and the necessity of precision, focus, and a steady hand.

Both of my parents are dentists. While the influence of their careers on my own access to knowledge cannot be underestimated, I have been deeply cognizant of making an autonomous career decision. That decision is my own, but my parents have admittedly opened unique conversations around ethics, technology, and patient care to me. My earliest memories include attending dental conferences with them and being encouraged to explore the Exhibits Floor, where I learned about the newest dental products and treatments and “test drove” the latest innovations in dentistry. I developed an aptitude for predicting which products and technologies were gimmicks and which would effectively support excellence in patient care. This knack has made me something of an informal consultant for my parents and their colleagues, who value my insights on innovation and efficacy of new treatments.

While technology is at the forefront of change, what remains consistent over time is the importance of communication and accountability to provide excellent patient care. I’ve had the privilege to shadow Dr. Ann Lee, an oral surgeon, over the past 3 years. Among many things, she showed me that inherent in communication is accountability. Many of her patients are children and teens having teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. The son of a family who had been Dr. Lee’s patients for over a decade arrived for a complicated wisdom tooth extraction. Despite familiarity with the family, the doctor painstakingly reviewed the extraction process to prepare them effectively. The procedure went well in the office; however, on the way home, the boy began haemorrhaging. An artery had been compromised during the surgery. I watched as Dr. Lee packed bone wax around the artery to stem the bleeding. What struck me about this experience was the standard of accountability to which the surgeon held herself, as she communicated with the family by phone, made a house call later that evening on her way home, and remained on-call over the weekend to ensure the safety and healing of the child. The family maintained their trust in Dr. Lee because of her open communication and sense of accountability. I also learned just how fragile and technical dental work is, requiring both dexterity and precision.

Volunteering in a dental brigade in Haiti, Mirlande, 6, taught me about vulnerability and trust. Mirlande was scared and reluctant to open her mouth for her first dental exam. I took her aside and, as she watched, I carved a perfect tooth from soap using dental instruments. I carved slowly and precisely, and then presented her with the gift. She put the tooth in her pocket and then allowed me to clean her teeth. I was immediately struck by the vulnerability of not only soft tissue, but of hearts, as she leaned back and opened her mouth in trust. This moment solidified my decision to become a dentist.

Though the earlier comparison between baking and dentistry is merely an analogy, it is one that suggests I have developed key skills and am aware of the core competencies a dentist must hold to best serve their patients professionally and ethically. Dentistry is my vocation, baking a hobby, but both speak to my investment in excellence, precision, and doing for others. (4,500 characters, including spaces)

A dental school personal statement is your opportunity to show admissions committees who you are as a person and aspiring dental professional, aside from your CV, GPA, Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) score, and other quantitative data. As any personal statement essay, the dental school personal essay should be a narrative account that gives the admissions committee the opportunity to learn more about you than what can be conveyed in a dry document like a CV or transcript.

For dental school ADEA AADSAS applications, the American Dental Education Association requires an essay of no more than 4,500 characters (including spaces), which must demonstrate your key personal qualities, aspirations, and reasons for pursuing a career in dentistry to the schools to which you are applying. This process isn’t as standardized in Canadian programs, so you’ll need to check the application requirements for the programs and schools to which you are applying to see if a personal statement is required. In doing so, you can also learn whether there are any specific requirements regarding the length of the essay, whether there is a specific prompt to which you must respond in your dental school personal statement, and whether there are any other application requirements.

Want some more personal statement examples? Watch this video:

Writing a Strong Dental School Personal Statement

If you're applying to dental schools in Canada or the US, a personal statement, or similar essay, is often required as part of your application package, regardless of whether you're applying through AADSAS or TMDSAS . It’s important to craft a statement that draws from your experiences, such as your dental school extracurriculars. You can also refer to your dental school application experience examples , or even your dental school letter of recommendation for help. This blog will help you understand the key things you must do (and that you must avoid) in composing your essay, with dental school personal statement examples that demonstrate these strategies, so that you can draft the strongest, most compelling dental school personal statement possible.

1. Tell a story

Ideally, you will craft a story or detail a defining moment that helped you realize why this is the profession you want to pursue. Providing an anecdote or vignette – perhaps an experience you’ve had as a dental patient, an interaction you’ve witnessed as a volunteer or while shadowing a dental care professional, a story about someone you know, etc., – is often a useful way of giving the evaluators a window into your life and motivations.

2. Demonstrate why you’re a “good fit”

Your dental school personal statement should also express why you are a strong candidate and a "good fit" for the school and program, while stirring the interest of your reader. Review our blog, dental school acceptance rates to find out which schools are best suited for you. Admissions committees will review hundreds of these personal statements, so draw on the values of the profession and the mission of the institution to highlight your alignment with the vision and goals of this vocation, and do so in a way that is engaging and enjoyable to read. Again, narrative is a great way of doing this – people love stories and are often naturally drawn in by them. Bear this in mind as you begin drafting your essay.

Here are some more tips for writing a dental school personal statement:

3. Be authentic and readable

In your personal statement, you want to present your very best self, emphasizing your genuine passion for the field and your enthusiasm for working in a healthcare profession like dentistry. Don’t try to cram in complicated terminology or jargon, thinking it will make you sound smarter (it won’t – true experts know how to explain their ideas effectively to an audience of non-specialists), and don’t rely on clichés (e.g., “I want to help people” – this is a lovely desire, but it’s over-used and too generic). Use polished prose that represents your genuine voice and reasons for pursuing the profession, and write in a way that will be comprehensible even to those outside this particular specialization. This can take practice. You might go through multiple drafts of your essay before you’re confident in submitting it. If you’re having trouble getting to this point, consider dental school admissions consulting .

4. Express your desired contributions to the field

Quite simply, you need to explain why you will be a good dentist, in both practical terms and in terms of devoting yourself to patient care. You need to show that you know how to become a dentist in terms of skills and experience; there will be other opportunities to address other aspects of your candidacy through things like the dental school manual dexterity question or the multiple mini interview (MMI) collaboration station . For now, answer the following questions: what does it mean to you to dedicate yourself to the profession and to patients? What experiences have you had with the dental profession so far, and how have these impacted you? What are your priorities as an aspiring dentist? Thinking through these questions, while also pointing to concrete experiences or accomplishments that support your responses, will help the committee see not just who you are now, but who you are working to become as you pursue the goal of becoming a dental professional.

Need help with your dental school application? Learn what our students say about our services:

Things to Avoid in a Dental School Personal Statement

Here are some key “don’ts” in composing your dental school personal statement:

1. Don’t summarize your CV

Your personal statement shouldn’t simply repeat information available elsewhere in your application materials. Referring to experiences discussed in those materials, for the purpose of expanding on them or contextualizing them, is fine. Just ensure that you’re actually doing that work and demonstrating the significance of the experience(s) you describe. For example, if your CV indicates that you’ve done volunteer work at a dental clinic or with an organization, it’s totally fine to discuss this volunteer work in your personal statement; however, that discussion must go beyond what is offered in your other application materials. Your dental school personal statement shouldn't be a dry recitation of events in your CV. It should be a persuasive and engaging work that draws on just a few select experiences that epitomize your interests, priorities, and the work you've done so far in working toward becoming a dentist. For example, instead of giving names, dates, and general facts about your experience as a volunteer, you can tell a story of a particularly meaningful accomplishment or interaction, reflecting on how it helped solidify your desire to pursue this career.

2. Don’t dwell on negative experiences

If you’ve overcome challenges or if there are less-than-ideal aspects of your educational experience so far (such as a term where your GPA took a dip), it’s fine to address these in a personal statement essay. However, it is crucial that you reflect on this from a perspective of growth, resiliency, and capacity for improvement, rather than focusing on the negatives. If your grades took a hit one term because of extenuating circumstances, by all means, take some time to explain this, if you think it will be helpful (and it often is). However, the discussion around the circumstances should be minimal – just a set-up for a more substantial discussion of what you learned, how you grew, etc. – and you shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to make excuses. Rather, briefly describe the event, own up to your mistake or misstep (if applicable), and then spend the most time explaining how you addressed the issue, how you moved past it, and why you will be a better future professional for having gone through it.

Probably the biggest mistake students make is to not take the personal statement seriously enough, waiting until just a few days before it’s due to even begin. You must begin early – a strong personal statement essay can take months and numerous revisions to be the best it can possibly be. You need to put a lot of thought into this document, as it is a very important component of your application. This is your chance – and often your only chance – to address the evaluators on a human level, prior to answering dental school interview questions , including MMI questions . So, rather than thinking of this as a chore, think of it as an opportunity to demonstrate your best self to the admissions committee.

4. Don’t submit your dental school personal statement without getting expert feedback

The personal statement isn’t just about what you’ve done, it’s about who you are – what your values are, what your priorities are, what your reasons for pursuing this profession are, and how all of these things align with the discipline and school you are approaching with your application package. Getting expert feedback from those on the “other side” of such applications, those who have gone through the process successfully or those who have been part of admissions committees, will give you incredibly valuable insights into how to make your own personal experiences stand out and work for you most effectively. At this stage of your professional development, you face a wealth of “unknown-unknowns”; i.e., things that you don’t even know to look for or consider, because it's likely that you simply haven’t been exposed to the field or the process long enough or in an official capacity. This can be a considerable hindrance, so don’t try to take on this task alone. Seek out expert feedback, and do so early enough that you can review, revise, and implement any necessary changes to make your dental school personal statement the best it can possibly be.

8 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Dental school personal statement example #3, dental school personal statement example #4, dental school personal statement example #5, dental school personal statement example #6, dental school personal statement example #7, dental school personal statement example #8, dental school personal statement example #9, dental school personal statement example #10.

Starting too late. Getting your personal statement right requires multiple edits and revisions. If you start working on your statement too late, you risk running out of time for proper revisions and edits, leaving a rushed, sub-par statement. Remember, your personal statement is a direct reflection of who you are as a person, and who you'll become as a dentist. It's not something that can be, nor should be rushed.
Showing instead of telling, for example, saying “I'm a great listener” instead of demonstrating that you're a great listener through real examples in your essay.
Focusing on too many experiences. In general, it's best to discuss 2-3 experiences in your personal statement. You should be able to discuss each experience in-depth, and reflect on what you learned from a particular experience. Too many experiences crammed in doesn't allow you to really expand on each experience and doesn't provide an in-depth analysis of how this experience was transformative on your path to becoming a dentist.
Listing information that's already found in your application materials. Your personal statement is not a list, instead, it should be a story of your journey to dentistry.
Jumping around in time. Your personal statement should be in chronological order, beginning with your initial interest in dentistry and evolving to your absolution that dentistry is the right career path for you. Jumping around in time makes for a disjointed essay that will come across as confusing to admissions committee members. In addition, you want to ensure that you utilize strong transitional sentences, as these tie together paragraphs and aid in the overall flow of your essay.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Mistakes and errors in your personal statement are harmful because they tell admissions committees that you're not detail-oriented, you rushed your statement and because of that, you don't really care about it, or their program. Ensure your statement is reviewed multiple times, ideally with a professional's help, to ensure your essay puts your best foot forward and is free from any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
Boasting. While you can certainly highlight a few key accomplishments in your statement, such as finishing at the top of your class or raising money for a good cause, it's important that you are tactful in how you phrase your accomplishments. You always want to be humble, and think about what an achievement means to you and why. Lastly, it's a good idea to reflect on what you learned from your achievements and how that can translate in your career as a dentist.

While the majority of your personal statement should be about you - your experiences and how they relate to your decision to pursue dentistry, you can certainly include information relating to another person. For example, you could mention a family member's struggle with a disease, a patient's story, or a conversation with a dentist. As long as you circle back to why this story is significant in your pursuit of dentistry, what you learned from the experience or even how an experience changed your point of view.

Your personal statement must adhere to the ADEA's character count of 4500 characters, including spaces. However, this doesn't mean that you must include this many characters. As long as your essay is below the count, it's most important that you focus on creating a powerful, in-depth essay that proves to the admissions committee why you want to be a dentist and why you would be suitable for a career in this field, then it's perfectly acceptable.

Your personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your entire dental school application. It will serve as your introduction to admissions committees – letting them know who you are a person, who you are as a candidate, and essentially, that you're suitable for a career in dentistry. A poorly crafted personal statement can result in rejection from dental school, so it's essential that your statement is both engaging and memorable to secure you an invitation to interview.

No, remember, this information will be included elsewhere in your application, so it's not suitable to include this in your personal statement.

Brainstorm ideas.
Create an outline.
Focus on body paragraphs first using a maximum of 3 experiences.
Ensure you SHOW what you learned (don’t tell) by using examples.
Write your conclusion.
Write your introduction last.
Attention-grabbing introduction: Not just a thesis statement, but something interesting to draw the reader in, like a quote or a story.
Transitions: These should lead from one paragraph to the next, creating flow. Use linking words such as however, additionally, also, next, etc.
Strong examples: This way you are showing, not telling.
Clear and direct language: Your language does not have to be fancy, what's most important is that it's easy to read and follow. For example, “utilize” is one of the most over-used words in academic essays and “use” works just as well.
Conclusion: This should summarize your main points, but also leave the reader with a compelling closing sentence that makes them want to find out more about you. For example, include a call back to your opening anecdote and highlight how far you have come.

Dental school personal statement editing, just like medical school personal statement editing , is very important. Begin by writing the BEST first draft you can and then begin your edit. Don’t write something of average quality, half-done, or way over the character limit. Trying to work from these copies will only create confusion and delays. Next, you should read your essay out loud to yourself sentence by sentence to ensure it flows well and to catch any grammatical errors. Each sentence should be contributing to the overall point. If you find yourself repeating your thoughts in multiple forms, think about paring your sentences down. Quality is more important than quantity.

Next, repeat this process 2-3 times. Resist the urge to keep tinkering over and over again. There are multiple strong ways to word sentences and express your thoughts. There are probably even multiple experiences you could highlight and have an equally strong personal statement. However, obsessing over each sentence and word once you have written a strong statement will just lead to changing too many things, delays, you feeling nervous, and sometimes even a weaker essay than you started with!

Yes, you can definitely mention experiences in your personal statement that are non-academic or not related to dentistry. A strong experience to mention should be one that taught you important skills and that influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Personal experiences can also have a strong influence on which profession you pursue, so you can definitely mention non-academic experiences.

It’s certainly normal to want input from others when we are crafting personal statements. A strong reviewer is one who has experience and expertise with professional school applications and has helped other students before. For example, someone with an advanced degree like a practicing dentist or other professional. Even though you may feel tempted to ask friends and family, you may want to refrain from this, as they are often invested in your success and may find it hard to be objective.

Try to find someone who does not know you so well so they can give objective guidance. The other thing you want to avoid is having “too many chefs in the kitchen.” Too many different people reviewing your statement is only going to pull it in too many different directions, ultimately leading to confusion and even more delays. And again, some students might feel more comfortable using a dental school admissions consulting service for this aspect of their application.

Just like you would address this during an interview, your statement can address areas of concern by following these steps:

Take responsibility.
Explain mitigating factors.
Don't make excuses.
Share strategies for what you learned and how you would avoid a situation like this in the future.
Make sure you end on a positive or proactive note.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

Yutika Maharaj

Hi there Do you have any sample personal statements for a foreign trained dentist applying to ADEA PASS and ADEA CAAPID. Thanks

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Yutika! Thanks for your comment. As an international applicant, your personal statement should follow the same structure and contain pertinent info about yourself and your application. Use these samples to construct your own, unique narrative!

It is remarkable, very good information

Thanks, Code!

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The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the ADEA AADSAS ® (ADEA Associated American Dental School Application Service) application. It gives a dental school’s admissions committee the opportunity to assess your motivations and decide if you will be extended an invitation to interview. Often, it takes a long time to write it, and individuals may feel lost on how to approach it. I will help guide you on the path to successfully writing an effective personal statement.

You should be very clear on the statement’s purpose. Apart from being clear on the dental or dental hygiene program and/or university’s mission focus, you should also be aware of and communicate what you want to achieve by becoming a health care provider. Ask yourself these questions:

What drives you to be a dentist or dental hygienist?
What will you achieve by becoming a dentist or dental hygienist?

These questions are important and should be answered within the personal statement. If you have clear answers, you will have a clear vision of the content of your personal statement’s purpose.

The next step is to define the content before you start writing the essay. It should revolve around your personal story, which could start from anywhere you like. For example, you could start when you chose to pursue this profession, or you can start from the present and explain how you’re investing time in and outside of school into building yourself into a better future dentist or dental hygienist. The beginning should be impactful , but do not sit on the beginning statement too long. Rereading and editing will help you get there. Sometimes, you might need to write the whole essay to identify a clear beginning statement.

After a decent beginning, focus on the rest of the story. Remember, it is a personal statement and it should be personal. Convey your story in an interesting manner. Project your personality. The admissions committee knows your GPA and have your CV/resume. What they want to know is who you really are. Add anecdotes from the journey that brought you to dentistry/dental hygiene. Add experiences from your personal life that highlight certain qualities essential to being a successful health care provider. If there were any dentists that you admired, shadowed or worked for who encouraged you to follow suit into dentistry, make sure you highlight the characteristics you admired in them.

Concluding statements are important, too. There should be a delightful epilogue to your essay summarizing the intent, while throwing light on the future and how completing the dental program will put you in a better position to help the community overall.

Use of Language

Judging the quality of your grammar is not the admissions committee’s goal when they read personal statements, but it serves to your advantage if you are meticulous with the words you choose. Certain avoidable grammatical or syntax errors may shift the focus of the reader from the message to the mistakes. It is important to reread and edit out such mistakes. Doing so also conveys your sincere efforts toward making a successful application.

Sentence structure is also important in making a script that flows well and keeps the reader’s attention. Small, interrupted sentences may not allow the reader to follow your thoughts through the punctuation marks, while long, complicated sentences may leave the reader stranded and confused with no closure. We often do not realize these mistakes as we write because the focus is not on sentence structure but on the content. Make sure you go back and read the essay thoroughly to make it easy for others to read. Follow up by using the most suitable conjunctions and transitional words and phrases.

Give yourself plenty of time for the writing process. Always try to start the personal statement early and do not leave it for last. Take a day off, sleep well, focus and write the first draft of the personal statement. At this point, do not think of the word limits and grammar—simply put your heart on paper and then, forget about it. Reread and edit it, afresh. Repeat the process three to four times and then seek help from an advisor or your friends and family. Let at least three to four trusted people read it and ask them to give their opinions and criticisms. Make sure they understand what you are trying to convey in the first place, then consider all their suggestions. Make edits per your liking and, at this stage of editing, lock down the major content of your essay. If your reviewers’ suggestions are contrasting and confusing, it is okay to make two separate drafts and elect to use the one that appeals to you the most. Edit and re-edit the draft you like the best and ask the reviewers to review the new version(s) again. You can always get new people to review it as well.

After you are happy with the content, focus on the language and presentation. Ask the reviewers to read it again and submit it after you feel confident about it. While taking suggestions from others, remember it is your personal statement, so stay true to yourself and do not sway from being yourself to impress others.

Good luck!

About Anirudha Agnihotry, B.D.S., D.D.S.:

Anirudha Agnihotry, B.D.S., D.D.S.

General Dentist/Clinical Researcher

Private Practice, California

Dr. Agnihotry graduated from Manipal College of Dental Sciences with a Bachelor's in Dental Surgery (B.D.S.) degree in 2012. After a one-year clinical internship, he joined the faculty in the Operative Dentistry and Endodontics Department in Mahatma Gandhi Dental College, where he also maintained a faculty practice. After that, he moved to Divya Jyoti College of Dental Sciences and Research in the Public Health Dentistry. There, Dr. Agnihotry worked setting up community outreach clinics and school oral health programs as well as training dental students. In 2014, Agnihotry moved to the United States and completed a post-graduate certificate training in Restorative Dentistry and following that, worked as a researcher in the same department at the University of California, Los Angeles. After that, he enrolled in an intense accelerated program to obtain his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree in two years, graduating in 2018. He is currently practicing general dentistry in California.

Dr. Agnihotry has been in dentistry for 12 years, as a student and a teacher at times. He has published 12 international scientific research papers, presented in international conferences, is a referee for six international scientific journals and has also written a textbook chapter. His focus is patient-centered outcomes and secondary research with clinical outcomes in focus. Apart from dentistry, he enjoys swimming, playing squash, running, biking, barbecuing and takes a keen interest in all art forms.

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Which program are you applying to?

A dental school application essay, get accepted speak with an admissions expert today.

In response to popular demand, we are including a sample dental school essay. Note how the author reveals a lot about herself without overtly saying "I am this and I am that." She is obviously hard working and disciplined, probably compassionate and kind. Interested in dentistry for a long time, she has clearly considered other options. And she tells a good story . Our experts can help you tell your story just as effectively -- check out our AASDAS application packages here .

I could hardly keep myself from staring at the girl: the right side of her face was misshapen and bigger than the left. Only later did I notice that Cheryl, about nine at the time, had light brown hair, lively brown eyes, and a captivating smile. When she walked into the candy shop where I worked six years ago, Cheryl told me she was a student of my former fourth grade teacher with whom I had kept in contact. We talked then and spent time talking each time she visited. She became a very special friend of mine, one whom I admire greatly. At the time we met, I was taking honors and AP classes, working about twenty hours a week, and feeling sorry for myself. Cheryl's outgoing confidence and good cheer put my situation in perspective. Cheryl was strong, kind, and surprisingly hopeful. She never focused on her facial deformities, but always on the anticipated improvement in her appearance. Her ability to find strength within herself inspired me to become a stronger person. It motivated me to pursue a career where I could help those like Cheryl attain the strength that she possesses.

At the time, my initial interest turned toward psychology. Impressed with Cheryl's outlook, I overlooked the source of her strength: she knew that treatment will improve her appearance. Focusing on the emotional aspects of her illness, I volunteered at the Neuropsychiatric Institute. There, I supervised the daily activities of pre-adolescents, played with them, and assisted them in getting dressed. I worked with crack babies, autistic children, and children who had severe behavioral problems. I enjoyed interacting with the children, but I often became frustrated that I was not able to help them. For instance, a young autistic boy frequently hit himself. No one was permitted to stop this child. We had to turn away and allow him to continually strike and hurt himself until he tired.

I was increasingly disappointed with the lack of progress I saw in my volunteer work at NPI, but my job again pushed me in the right direction. During the fall quarter of my junior year in college, I left the candy shop where I had worked for nearly five and a half years, and I began working as a senior clerk in the Anesthesiology Residency Program. Ironically work, which frequently made study difficult, helped me find the right path. There I learned about the oral and maxillo-facial specialty, which will allow me to help people like Cheryl.

To explore my interest in dentistry, I volunteered as a dental assistant in Dr. Miller's dental office. Dr. Miller introduced me to various dental techniques. Although I was mainly an observer, I had the opportunity to interact with the patients. I came in contact with a diverse patient population with different problems and dental needs. I observed as Dr. Miller dealt with each patient individually and treated each one to the best of his ability. He familiarized me with strategies for oral health promotion and disease prevention. I learned a great deal from him, and as a result, my interest in dentistry grew.

I choose to pursue a career in dentistry after following a circuitous path. My friendship with Cheryl motivated me to enter a field where I can help the severely disfigured cope with their condition. Although I initially turned to psychology, I found my work at the Neuropsychiatric Institute to be frustrating and was searching for a different way to achieve my goal. Ironically, Cheryl had told me all along the source of her strength: the knowledge that her condition was treatable and improving. Through maxillo-facial dentistry I will help others with serious facial deformities have the same knowledge and source of strength.

5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Med School Application Essays

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Dental School Personal Statements

The personal statement allows you to demonstrate the thinking, strengths and values that are the foundation of your choice of a dental career and make you a strong candidate. When someone finishes reading your statement, that person should sense that you have the potential to be a great clinician and want to talk to you more about your experiences and career plans.

ADEA limits the statement to 4,500 characters, including spaces.

Graduate & Professional School Advising at Career Services offers Personal Statement presentations in the spring to help you get started and go over the basics.

After completing a draft of your essay:

Read it one last time to proofread, check for word choice, and assess the tone.
Submit your draft into the documents section of your Handshake profile by clicking on your name.
Schedule a “ Pre-Health Personal Statement Review ” video appointment with your advisor (either Mia Carpiniello or Caroline Wilky) via the “Appointments” section of Handshake .

Important Notes:

At the time of your appoinment, please visit the BlueJean video conference room with the appropriate advisor: Mia Carpiniello: bluejeans.com/miacarp or Dr. Caroline Wilky: bluejeans.com/cwilky .
Select “JOIN WITH BROWSER” at the bottom of the page to open the meeting within your web browser. It is YOUR responsibility to initiate a call at the time of your appointment.
Each applicant is allowed a maximum of two reviews of their personal statement by a Pre-Health Advisor. These two reviews must be with the same Pre-Health Advisor.
The last day to submit your draft and schedule an appointment is May 22. These appointments will be available until the end of May.
If a draft is not received before you schedule an appointment, your personal statement review request will be declined.
These reviews cannot be rescheduled but if you need to cancel your appointment, the cancelled appointment will count as one review.
To maximize the quality of our feedback and your opportunity to write an effective essay, we will not “proofread” or “edit” your draft — we will provide you with a focused reader response to assist you with your revision process.

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College of Dentistry

How to craft a winning personal statement for dental school application.

Have you put some thought into how you will write your personal statement for application? How will you stand out among the hundreds of other applicants?

With over 11,000 potential candidates applying annually to US dental schools, competition has never been stronger. Above average DAT scores and GPAs aren’t good enough anymore to truly stand out.

That's why Helen Yang, DMD, a Harvard Dental School graduate and current endodontics resident at UIC, has written a new book to help applicants become more successful.

In her new book, Your Essential Guide to Dental School Admissions: 30 Successful Application Essays and Collective Wisdom from Young Dentists , Dr. Yang and collaborators offer a holistic strategy for a winning dental school application. The second half of the book focuses on the personal statement and consists of 30 essays written by dental students across the country.

With a background serving on Harvard Dental School’s admissions committee and working in admissions counseling, Yang offers an invaluable and highly beneficial perspective.

“I looked at what kind of books were already out there. They tended to be written by a single person, so just featuring one person’s experience. Also, they focused a lot on the statistics of getting into dental school, Yang explained, as her inspiration for writing this book.

About half of the book is devoted to crafting a compelling personal statement, because “the personal statement of all the things in the application plays such a big role in making the applicant seem like a real human being.”

“I wanted it to have a strong emphasis on the human aspect of getting into dental school. How can I present myself as a more interesting applicant, and what are the admissions officers looking for?

"The book really focuses on how to make yourself seem more interesting, more human and more like a valuable member of the community. I think that’s what really makes people stand out.”

Four key components of getting into dental school.

Each of the four chapters covers a different key aspect of getting accepted into dental school. These aspects of the admissions process are explored in detail in Yang’s practical and inspiring guide for dental school admissions.

1. Assemble an Outstanding Application. Creating an application package that is so compelling that it can’t possibly be ignored. This means going beyond application prerequisites such as competitive GPA, required coursework, and dentist shadowing .

2. write a winning personal statement. retaining individuality and standing out from the deluge of applications with the personal statement. structuring it for success and individuality., 3. ace the interviews. successfully preparing for and dominating the dental school interview..

RELATED: How to Prepare for the Dental School Interview

4. Map Your Road to Dental School. Deciding on worthwhile extracurriculars and hobbies. Making a seamless and successful transition to dental school.

RELATED: Roadmap to Dental School

Succeeding with the Personal Statement

The personal statement is crucial in terms of presenting your individuality as part of the dental school application. It helps admissions representatives understand who you are, your unique experiences and why you chose to become a dentist. Despite it's importance, there is often great uncertainty regarding how it should be structured, what it should focus on, and how to make the best use of it to stand out.

From ADEA Go Dental: What is the personal statement for?

Your personal statement is a one-page essay (not to exceed 4,500 characters, including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) that gives dental schools a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in dentistry.

Available on Amazon Now

The book has received highly positive reviews since its recent release in 2018.

Your Essential Guide to Dental School Admissions is available in softcover for $14.99 and Kindle for $9.99 on Amazon .

Get ready for dental school, get the information you need to begin your journey into an outstanding career in dentistry today.

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Dentistry Personal Statement Examples

Last updated: 05/10/2022

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The personal statement is changing to a series of free text questions for 2026 entry onwards, however it remains unchanged for 2025 entry. Keep an eye on our live updates page for guidance on these changes.

Writing a dentistry personal statement that you’re proud of is hard.

Many students struggle to boil down their skills and experiences to just 4,000 characters and it is tricky to know where to focus.

Example statements are a great way to gain this insight.

In this article, we cover the following:

Strong and weak dentistry personal statements
A breakdown of other peoples’ successes and mistakes
Ideas for what to include in your own personal statement

Once you've read this, check out dental interview questions to build on what you've learnt.

For an overview of personal statement writing, read our Personal Statement Guide for Medical and Dental Schools . This is essential reading and goes further than just examples!

Strong personal statement example

“I first became interested in studying dentistry between the ages of 12 and 15, when I visited my local dentist frequently to get my braces checked and tightened.

I talked with her at length about the nature of her job and was struck by the huge impact she could have on the people she met daily.

She actively improved the quality of life of every patient she encountered, and had to astutely apply scientific principles in a social setting in order to make patients feel at ease and achieve the best results. I was truly inspired by this experience and decided to investigate dentistry as a career.

In order to deepen my insight into the profession I carried out a week’s work experience in a local dental hospital. I saw how dentists of every stage were keen to learn, constantly assessing their performance and striving to improve.

This drove home the importance of self-awareness and constant reflection, but also introduced me to the idea of lifelong learning which is something I find particularly attractive.

During this placement I also took my first look inside a patient’s mouth and observed dentists constructing bridges, veneers and crowns. This exposed me to the aesthetic side of dentistry - a dentist not only aims to alleviate pain but can engage with the more cosmetic aspect of healthcare, something that most medical specialties cannot match.

I organised a number of work experience placements in local dental surgeries, and throughout my shadowing was struck by the bonds dentists formed with their patients. They often had to utilise great communication skills and empathy to calm down or reassure anxious patients, and they worked hard to build up a rapport with everyone who entered the surgery. This encouraged patients to attend checkups more frequently and be more open about their worries, thereby improving the quality of care they received.

As a result of my reflection on these experiences, I took up weekly volunteering in a local care home and reading to children in the dental hospital. These opportunities helped me become a far better communicator, as many of the residents of the care home were elderly or suffered from dementia meaning I had to adopt different visual or verbal strategies to get my message across. Many of the young patients in the dental hospital felt lonely and nervous, and by empathising with them I was able to help them relax and focus on the positives.

Outside academia, I play water polo and run in my school’s athletic team. Both of these sports have helped me become a better team player and I’ve learned that you can always achieve the best results by working efficiently in a team rather than going it alone.

I am a particularly ambitious sportsperson and I’ve received the Most Valuable Player award in my waterpolo league for three years running, and have been a captain for four.

As a captain, I am a decisive leader; In the heat of a match it’s important for me to make snap decisions and for my teammates to trust me. However, out of the pool I take every view into account and try to make sure that everyone has been heard and feels involved.

I also try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in the team - myself included - so that we can play to our strengths in matches and work on our weaknesses in training.

I think that the ambition, teamwork and leadership I’ve demonstrated through my sports will serve me well as a dentist, allowing me to work efficiently with others while constantly striving to improve personally. My participation in these sports has also allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Becoming a dentist would allow me to have a truly positive effect on the people I work with, while also challenging me and ensuring I’m always learning and improving. I believe that my work experience, volunteering and extracurricular activities have provided me with the skills and insight necessary to become an empathetic and effective dentist.”

Strong personal statement analysis

This example displays many characteristics of a good personal statement.

Well structured.
The candidate comes across as well-rounded and motivated, without appearing arrogant.
There are some minor areas that could be improved, but overall we think that this personal statement would impress university assessors.

Introduction

The introduction uses an anecdote to illustrate the candidate’s interest in dentistry. This is a good way to show how your interest in dentistry might have started, but it wouldn’t be suitable to write that you decided to apply to dentistry simply because you liked seeing your dentist as a child. The candidate doesn’t fall into this trap, and makes sure to highlight that this experience only inspired them to do further investigation into the career.
The candidate goes on to describe how they deepened their insight in the main body paragraph, adding cohesiveness.
The candidate also demonstrates some good insight into dentistry by discussing the unique blend of social skills and scientific knowhow required by dentists.

Main body paragraphs

Variety - the candidate’s three main body paragraphs discuss some of their work experience placements, volunteering roles and extracurricular interests.
Quality over quantity - they focus far more on individual experiences while going into more detail, and avoiding lists (although they witnessed a huge number of things during a week of work experience, they choose to focus on a couple of key experiences).
Insight - the statement demonstrates insight into the profession on multiple occasions. They talk about the prominence of lifelong learning, the aesthetic/cosmetic side of dentistry, and how building a rapport with patients can lead to better outcomes.

Re-read the example, consider how the candidate:

Reflects on their experiences
Built on their experience
Demonstrates relevant skills
Demonstrates that they are ready for the challenges inherent in dentistry

Conclusion

Short, brief, and succinct. It doesn’t introduce any new information.
The candidate doesn’t really speak enough about why they chose to study dentistry over medicine. They mention the dual focus on health and cosmetics, but could mention some other factors as well - for example, the fact that dentistry is more specialised from the start of the degree than medicine.
They could show some more awareness of current news in the dental world.
The candidate could also speak a little more about the challenges dentists face in the workplace and how they would cope.
Discussion of paid employment would also have been beneficial.

Find more in-depth advice, tips and examples in our Personal Statement Course .

Weak personal statement example

“Dentistry has fascinated me from a very early age, as to me it seems like the perfect combination of practical and mental challenges. This has become even stronger since my brother found work as a dentist, having recently graduated from manchester University.

For the past 4 years, I’ve been looking after a local elderly lady who sometimes struggles to go shopping or carry out her daily tasks. This has helped me appreciate the satisfaction one can gain from helping others, and inspired me to pursue a career which will allow me to improve the lives of those around me - like dentistry!

As a result of my interest in medicine, I studied biology, physics and maths at A-Level.

I’ve also carried out a variety of work experience placements over the years. During my GCSEs, I spent a week volunteering in a local NHS surgery, which exposed me to some of the challenges dentists face; they were often overworked, and had to deal with frustrated and anxious patients on a daily basis.

I really enjoyed this experience, so I decided to take on another two week block at a dental hospital . While I was there, I shadowed receptionists, helping them to book appointments and organise the dentists’ timetables. I also managed to see dentists make diagnoses and watch a huge range of different dental procedures, from regular checkups to fillings and root canals. I spent time in the in-house dental laboratory, and was taken through the construction of veneers, crowns and bridges. I was also able to shadow dentists over a whole day in their life, seeing the admin and meetings they had to trudge through on top of the more exciting clinical work.

In my free time I enjoy playing the violin and listening to music. I am also a dedicated member of a number of sports teams, including basketball, tennis and hockey. I am proficient at both individual and team sports, showing that I can work well with others, but also self-motivate and set my own targets.

I also enjoy watching films and socialising with my friends. More recently, I’ve really enjoyed keeping up with current dental news by reading the Journal of Dental Research and my brother’s old copies of the British Dental Journal.

Looking to the future, my great ambition is to work within the dentistry profession, where I believe I could have a really positive impact on the lives of the patients I work with.

My work experience has set me up well to succeed, and I feel I have the desire and commitment to stick the course and become a successful yet empathetic dentist”

Weak personal statement example analysis

Likely not to score well
It isn’t nearly long enough (2520 characters)
It hasn’t been proofread and contains errors
Did the candidate genuinely want to study dentistry from a young age? If it is true, it implies that they made this important decision based on an emotional impulse as a child.
Being inspired to go into dentistry just because your sibling did is also not recommended. Just because it was right for them doesn’t make it right for you.
The mention of helping an elderly neighbour is good, but too brief. This is a great experience to reflect on and use to demonstrate both your motivations to study dentistry and your suitability for a caring role.
At no point in the statement does the candidate explain why another caring profession wouldn’t be just as suitable for them.
There’s no mention of anything particularly specific to dentistry.

Main body paragraphs

The first paragraph follows a list, with the candidate demonstrating that they have a real range of work experience placements (which is good) but without going into sufficient detail.
There is very little reflection throughout these paragraphs. The candidate clearly has a good breadth of experience but can’t really explain anything they learned from it.
They demonstrate very few relevant skills throughout the statement. They should talk more about how each experience they’ve had has improved them, either by helping them develop or demonstrate key skills that dentists need. Then, they should explain why dentists need these skills in the first place.
Describing the dentist’s admin and meetings as a ‘trudge’ and clinics as ‘exciting’ isn’t wise. This may be the case, but the reality is that dentists do spend a lot of their time writing notes, filling out paperwork and liaising with other healthcare professionals. If you find this particularly boring you either won’t be able to handle the job in the first place, or you’ll cut corners and thereby put patients at risk.
There’s no mention of the importance of a work-life balance when talking about how they relax.
It is crucial not to lie in your personal statement. It is possible that they do 'really enjoy' reading dental journals, but it is likely that your interviewers will latch onto this and quiz you repeatedly on it.

However, it is worth mentioning the things these main body paragraphs do well:

There is some reflection on the challenges faced by dentists, which will reassure the assessors that the candidate does have some insight and can reflect on their experiences.
The candidate discusses the skills they demonstrated through their sports which is exactly the right thing to do. The only thing they’re missing is a linking of this to dentistry.

The Ultimate Guide to Studying Dentistry in the UK

Remains brief and concise while summarising the rest of the statement and finishing with a strong, confident claim.
It is better to show “desire and commitment” to the profession earlier in the statement before introducing it in the conclusion.
Saying that work experience will set you up well for a career in dentistry is simply not true. Watching a couple of weeks’ worth of dental procedures will not make you a better dentist later in life. It is the reflection on those experiences that assessors are looking for.

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Dentistry Personal Statement

Learn how to write a great Dentistry Personal Statement. Follow our step-by-step guide to plan, write each section and get it reviewed!

Understand what a Dentistry Personal Statement is
Learn what you should include
Discover how to structure your Dentistry Personal Statement

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As part of the Dentistry application process, you need to write a short essay about yourself on your UCAS form, known as a personal statement. The purpose of a Dentistry personal statement is communicate to the Dental School why you’d be a great candidate to study Dentistry.

What Is A Dentistry Personal Statement?

UCAS describes the personal Statement as an “opportunity to sell yourself to your prospective school, college or training provider”, which in this case would be the Dental Schools you are applying to. You need to show that you have the key qualities to study Dentistry and that you have knowledge of the career.

Your personal statement can be up to 4,000 characters, which is around 500 words or 47 lines of size 12 script. As the length is highly restricted you need to be precise and use key unique selling points to get ahead of the competition.

In a Dentistry personal statement, you can typically discuss your motivation for pursuing a career in Dentistry, detailing the factors that have influenced your decision. You may want to share personal anecdotes or experiences that have sparked your interest in the field.

It is important to convey a genuine passion for Dentistry and a clear understanding of the profession’s challenges and rewards.

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What Should My Dentistry Personal Statement Include?

Your personal statement should cover three main areas:

Motivation – Why do you want to study Dentistry?
Exploration – What have you done to learn about Dentistry?
Suitability – What skills do you have that make you a good fit for Dentistry?

How Should I Structure My Dentistry Personal Statement?

Dentistry personal statements don’t need to follow a strict structure. However, you need to make sure that your personal statement flows and follows a logical framework.

We would suggest using the structure below as a starting point to ensure all the key points are covered.

How To Write A Dentistry Personal Statement?

To craft a strong personal statement for Dentistry, follow the next few steps:

Keep a reflective diary during work experience to make sure you remember key moments and learning points to use in your personal statement.
Plan your personal statement structure clearly. The suggested structure above can be used, but you might want to make alterations. Just ensure that it is clear and follows a logical progression.
Start drafting. Make notes for each of the sections in your structure. It doesn’t matter if your personal statement is too long initially, because it can always be edited later on.
Edit and refine. Begin to fine-tune your draft and make sure that it fits the required writing style and word count for UCAS.
Get advice. Once you are happy with your Dentistry personal statement, get other people to give you feedback. This is so you can make further improvements. It’s always worth asking friends, family and teachers who can look at it objectively!
Get a professional review. Send your personal statement to The Medic Portal for professional feedback . Take this feedback on board and make the required edits.
Upload and submit on UCAS.

Example Of A Dentistry Personal Statement

Introduction: “From a young age, I have been fascinated by the intricate workings of the human body and the importance of oral health. This fascination, coupled with my passion for helping others, has led me to pursue a career in dentistry.

I am excited to combine my scientific aptitude, interpersonal skills, and dedication to patient care in order to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”

Body: “In my academic journey, I have consistently excelled in science and healthcare-related subjects, which have solidified my understanding of the foundational knowledge required for dentistry.

Through my work experience at a local dental clinic, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of dentistry in improving patients’ oral health and overall well-being. This experience has further fueled my desire to pursue a career in dentistry and has given me valuable insights into the daily responsibilities of a dentist.”

“I have actively sought opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills in dentistry. I have volunteered at oral health promotion events, educating children and adults about the importance of oral hygiene and preventive care. These experiences have honed my communication skills and reinforced my belief in the significance of patient education in maintaining good oral health.”

“I have also had the privilege of shadowing experienced dentists, observing various dental procedures and witnessing the compassionate care they provide to their patients. These experiences have solidified my understanding of the importance of empathy, patience, and effective communication in building trust and rapport with patients.”

Conclusion: “In conclusion, my passion for dentistry, coupled with my academic achievements, work experience, and commitment to patient care, make me a strong candidate for dental school.

I am eager to embark on this journey of lifelong learning, where I can further develop my clinical skills, expand my knowledge in specialized areas of dentistry, and contribute to the oral health and well-being of individuals and communities.

I am confident that my dedication, empathy, and strong work ethic will enable me to excel in dental school and make a meaningful impact in the field of dentistry.”

Note: This example gives specific justifications for a student’s aspirations in dentistry. It is evidence-based and cites why they would be a good dentist based on their skills and experiences, as well as highlighting their passion and interests to develop their knowledge further. It also shows their understanding of dentistry as a career and dental practices.

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Personal Statement for Dentistry

A strong personal statement is important for a successful application.

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Explore your options
Further study
Applying for dental school

Some dental schools will use your personal statement as the basis of your interview. Others put less emphasis on its importance. However, it is likely to be used to assess your suitability for the course at some stage.

In addition to your academic capability, it gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve learned from work experience. It demonstrates you have the personal skills required for dentistry.

your reasons for applying
how your work experience has prepared you for the course and career
supporting information, like extra-curricular activities.

You have a limit of 47 lines or 4,000 characters (including spaces). The form will cut off if you go over the limit. Leave room for breaks between paragraphs.

Common mistakes on a personal statement

Try to avoid these mistake commonly made on personal statements.

Say what you learned, not just what you saw or enjoyed. For example:

What did you learn about good patient care?
How did your experiences challenge your views of the profession?
What does this mean for you as a prospective dental professional?

Talk clearly about your experiences to highlight your enthusiasm.

Instead of saying ‘I have always longed to be a dentist’, say ‘I have wanted to be a dentist since I was 11, after my experience of....’

If you don’t know how to express why you want to be a dentist, ask yourself ‘Why not?’

Why do you want to be a dentist and not a doctor? What is the difference between the roles? What does the first role provide that the second doesn’t?

Try to be as specific as you can.

In an example about shadowing, instead of saying 'the dentist’s empathy skills calmed the patient down', be more focused. What did the dentist do specifically? Was it their tone of voice? Or their body language?

Highlight that you understand the realities of dentistry. Words like ‘enlightened’, ‘privileged’ and ‘longed’ are too romantic for a personal statement.

Your statement should follow a logical structure. For example:

Firstly, explain why you want to pursue this career
Then, highlight how you have prepared with work experience
End by showcasing your other skills, hobbies and interests

You don’t need to give the names of specific practitioners, hospitals, practices or procedures. Instead focus on what you learned about the profession and quality patient care.

Give examples of this throughout your personal statement.

Get feedback on your personal statement

As a Newcastle University student or registered recent graduate , you can get feedback on your personal statement from the Careers Service. All our careers consultants have experience of personal statements for dentistry.

The Careers Service does not check grammar or proof read. Please see the Academic Skills Team for advice on using grammar and punctuation. They do not offer a proof reading service.

Book an online or in person guidance appointment via MyCareer , or use the Careers Service drop-in service to get statement feedback.

Further information

MedicPortal.com - advice on writing a personal statement for dentistry
Dental Schools Council - advice on making an application and personal statements
Prospects Dentist profile - includes information on the role and the skills needed to become a dentist. This is useful for when writing a personal statement
UCAS - guide on writing a personal statement

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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLES Dentistry personal statements

Discover personal statement examples written by students accepted onto dentistry and related courses. Read through the examples to help shape your own personal statement.

Dentistry Personal Statements

Submitted by Amy

Dentistry Personal Statement

To me, dentistry is about working respectfully and diligently, being ...

Submitted by Alisha

After my sister was specifically advised to have her teeth brushed to...

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UCAS Guide >
Personal Statement >

How do I structure my dentistry personal statement?

Having a well-structured dentistry personal statement is really important when applying to university. It needs to be clear and easy to read, so that the admissions team have no excuse but to award you a good mark. You want to make your dentistry personal statement come across as professional, and ensure it stands out above the rest. Keep reading to hear our tips on how best to structure your dentistry personal statement.

Break it down:

When deciding what to include in your dentistry personal statement, it is a good idea to break it down into several sections. Start with an introduction, have several paragraphs in the main body of text, and end with a conclusion. We recommend trying to include a section on each of the following in the main body of text:

Motivation for dentistry
Work experience
Voluntary work
Extra-curricular activities
Dentistry specialties/wider reading
Academic interests and achievements

Check out the rest of this article series for detailed explanations on how to talk about each of the above in your dentistry personal statement. You don’t necessarily need a separate paragraph for each of the above sections, as some may fit well together (e.g. your motivation for dentistry could have been driven by what you saw on work experience), however try to make sure you expand on each of these headings when you mention them.

Possible sections:

As described above, there are several sections you could break your dentistry personal statement down into. Within each of these sections you could also break it down further (as listed below), and this can help you to clearly structure what you want to include. Obviously you won’t have space to include everything, so just select the sections you think you can talk about and expand on the best, and those which you think you can link clearly back to why you would make a good dentist.

Introduction
Why dentistry?
Why do you like science/want to study this subject specifically?
What attracts you to dentistry as a career?
Volunteering: care home
Volunteering: fundraising/charity
Work experience: general dental practitioner
Work experience: dental hospital
Work experience: specialist dental practices
Extra-curricular: sports, hobbies, skills
Extra-curricular: societies at school
Extra-curricular: awards (e.g. Duke of Edinburgh)
Academic: passion for school subjects
Academic: wider reading
Academic: research projects (e.g. EPQ)
Academic: talks attended
Wider reading: dentistry specialities
Wider reading: dentistry journals or news articles
Key skills (explain and give examples of where you’ve demonstrated them – e.g. communication, leadership)
Conclusion

Don’t worry about the order:

When writing your dentistry personal statement you don’t necessarily have to write it in order. In fact, it is often easier to write the main body of text before the introduction, and then you have a better idea of what will sound good to introduce the rest of your dentistry personal statement.

You could just give yourself a list of headings for what you want to include, write each section separately, and then piece it back together like a jigsaw, editing some areas to ensure it flows well. This way you won’t get overwhelmed by having a large piece of writing to do in one go, and instead can focus on making each individual section perfect on its own first, before putting them all together.

Make sure it flows:

If you do decide to construct your dentistry personal statement as several individual sections, make sure that when you put it all together it flows well, and there isn’t a sudden jump from one topic to another. Simply adding some connecting words or phrases to show you’ve moved on to the next topic can make your dentistry personal statement so much easier to read.

Language and tone:

You want to make sure your dentistry personal statement sounds professional, and avoid any colloquial language. You want to sound formal, not chatty, but be careful not to come across too ‘robotic’.

The admissions team want to see your personality show through your dentistry personal statement, as it is the person behind the words that they are looking for. Whatever you do, avoid clichés at all costs.

If the admissions team see a cliché they will immediately mark you down, as they sound idealistic and don’t show any genuine understanding of dentistry. So avoid phrases like “ever since I was little I’ve wanted to be a dentist”, or “I dream of being a dentist”.

Succinct and relevant:

Keep your dentistry personal statement relevant and to the point. You have a very limited character count so if what you’ve written doesn’t add to your statement in any way, take it out! Every sentence needs to count.

Reflect, don’t list:

One of the most important things for a dentistry personal statement is to show reflection and understanding of the experiences you’ve had, rather than just listing what you’ve done. The admissions team want to see that you have the ability to develop yourself based on reflections following challenges or positive experiences, so whenever you talk about something you have done in your life, reflect on what you have learned from this and how you think it will make you a better dentist.

Spelling and grammar:

Before you submit your dentistry personal statement, get as many people to check through it as possible! Even if they aren’t experts in dentistry, they can check that your statement reads clearly and that there aren’t any obvious spelling or grammar mistakes. You can also use your word processor’s spell check tool. This is such an easy thing to slip up on, but if your statement is polished and professional it will make a much better first impression on the admissions team assessing it.

Hopefully this guide has helped you to work out how to structure your dentistry personal statement and given you some ideas of what to include, and you are now ready to get started on constructing an amazing dentistry personal statement!

Frequently Asked Question

→what is a dentistry personal statement.

A dentistry personal statement is an essay that you write as part of your application for admission to a dental school or program. It provides a snapshot of who you are, your experiences, achievements, and goals related to the field of dentistry.

→What is the best structure for a dentistry personal statement?

The best structure for a dentistry personal statement generally follows a chronological or thematic order. A chronological structure presents your experiences in the order in which they occurred, while a thematic structure groups your experiences according to themes or topics related to dentistry.

→How should I begin my dentistry personal statement?

You should begin your dentistry personal statement with a strong opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. You can start with a quote, a question, or a personal anecdote that relates to the field of dentistry.

→What should I include in the body of my dentistry personal statement?

In the body of your dentistry personal statement, you should provide details about your experiences, achievements, and goals related to dentistry. You should also explain how these experiences have shaped you and why they are relevant to your desire to become a dentist.

→How can I make my dentistry personal statement stand out?

To make your dentistry personal statement stand out, you should focus on your unique experiences and qualities related to dentistry. Avoid generic statements and cliches, and be specific about your achievements and goals in the field. Also, make sure to proofread your essay carefully and get feedback from others.

→What should I avoid in my dentistry personal statement?

You should avoid making negative statements about yourself or others, and avoid exaggerating your achievements or experiences. Also, do not copy someone else’s personal statement or use inappropriate language or humor.

→Why is it important to structure a dentistry personal statement?

Structuring your dentistry personal statement is important because it helps you to present your information in a logical and cohesive way. A well-structured personal statement can make a positive impression on the reader and increase your chances of being accepted into a dental program.

Cancel reply

Dentistry Personal Statement Review
10 Tips for Dentistry PS

PS Self-Study

Awesome ps resources., awesome resources + course.

Welcome to our collection of Dentistry Personal Statement Examples! We’ve searched far and wide to find personal statements from successful applicants all around the UK and asked them to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their work for your own inspiration. Today’s subject is from Emmy, who studies Dentistry at King’s College London.

Emmy applied to study Dentistry back in 2021 at four amazing UK Dental Schools, KCL, Queens University Belfast and University of Birmingham and Newcastle University. She received offers from all of them and even received a scholarship from KCL!

University	King’s College London	Queens University Belfast	University of Birmingham	Newcastle University
Offer?	Yes – with Scholarship	Yes	Yes	Yes

Let’s read the personal statement that got her a place at KCL, or skip straight to her feedback to learn what made her personal statement a success!

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example

Whole personal statement.

There is a certain delight in being naturally curious. Yet this got me in trouble as a child, from asking too many questions to fidgeting to keep my hands busy. In an attempt to nurture my inquisitive character while suppressing my desire to dismantle furniture, I was often encouraged to visit the local museum where my fascination with the osteology of an ancient carnivore led to my discovery of the gargantuan carnassial teeth, fuelling my primitive interests in the morphology and function of teeth. As I grew older, reading texts like ‘The Health Gap’ fired a passion to engage in the ordeals of social justice and the issue of poor oral health within the NHS, developing my first taste of what would become a fascination with dentistry.

Witnessing the inner workings of NHS practices in areas of high dental need over a week was eye-opening. The sheer variety of cases piqued my interest; allowing me to realise that dentistry is both a stimulating and demanding vocation that is in turn, highly rewarding. The attention to detail taken while placing a filling highlighted that dentistry requires a substantial level of manual dexterity as well as precision and flair. Heading the Dental Society hones these skills, practising needlework to develop dexterity and discussing pertinent dental cases to increase exposure to the field. The fitting of a CEREC crown during a one week placement at a cosmetic practice opened my eyes to technological advancements in the field, prompting further research into possible future innovations.

Completing a Discover Dentistry course placed what I had learnt in dental practice into the wider context of public dental health issues. A culmination of these valuable experiences highlighted that both the beauty and triviality of dentistry lie in the nature of a simple smile; an often overlooked hallmark of social interaction. Shadowing dentists over two weeks during the Goodwill Ambassador Programme offered a striking contrast to previous placements, broadening the parameters of dentistry as a profession that is not only restorative or aesthetic but potentially life saving. While observing the care of a trigeminal neuralgia patient, I was truly able to value the importance of patient autonomy and trust; further affirming that dentistry truly touches lives on a massive scale.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team in a dental hospital highlighted the level of effective communication required in the profession, urging me to draw parallels while managing the Debate Society at college. The methodical nature of the surgical team under the oral surgeon’s guidance while treating a motor vehicle trauma patient was provoking. Besides the need for efficient communication, it was clear to me that leadership and management skills were vital; skills that I too, have developed through the Silver DofE Award and leading my team through Young Enterprise. Being a scholarship recipient constantly pushes the horizons of my academic abilities, nurturing my thirst for knowledge and fuelling rigorous self-motivation.

Beyond academia, I lead a local charity tutoring disadvantaged children which has given me a deep grounding in community work; stressing the significance of continued community care as well as the values of patience and trust when working with children. Being awarded Best Speaker at the Welsh Debating Championships and being invited to speak at the MDA Awards has fostered an articulate character with the ability to think quickly; making critical decisions under tremendous pressure.

Looking back, it was my curious nature towards the world around me that drove me to explore a career in such a complex and multifaceted field. Grasping every experience extended to me with the same open-minded perspective has encouraged me to constantly broaden the frontiers of my perception of dentistry; a vocation that is highly challenging yet calls to me as one that will fulfil my desire to truly make a difference in society.

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KCL Dentistry Personal Statement Example Analysis

Now, let’s go section by section and see what Emmy has to say about what she wrote:

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

I have made sure to be really personal in the introduction, something I felt is really key to the opening of your personal statement – it may seem obvious but it isn’t easy to do. I have drawn on my own experiences and related them to the curiosity and fascination I developed with teeth. My use of humour in the opening sentences, is something I really wanted to convey as I wanted to show the universities I was applying to the type of person I am.

For an introduction, it is likely on the longer sider and there might have been ways to shorten it so that I had more characters to use later in my personal statement but I wasn’t able to cut it down.

Paragraph 1

Work experience is an essential part of a Dentistry application, so mentioning that I have done some was something I wanted to get into my personal statement. As well, I have mentioned some hobbies and extracurriculars that I do that directly relate to the skills required to be a dentist – e.g., doing needlework to help with manual dexterity.

It reads a little disjointed. I mentioned my work experience, then being part of the Dental Society, then doing needlework, before going back to talking about my work experience. With a restructure, this would’ve flown better than it currently does and not seem so disjointed. I also should have spoken more about the overall value I gained from my work experience rather than mentioning somethings that I saw.

Paragraph 2

The intention of this paragraph was to showcase my active interest in Dentistry and that I am taking steps to nurture this by completing courses and programmes. I have talked about the value and importance of patient autonomy and trust which are key concepts in Dentistry, so I wanted to get across that I am aware of this and have been considering them.

When talking about the Discover Dentistry course, I mention “a culmination of these valuable experiences,” but I don’t actually discuss what these experiences were and why they had such a profound effect on me. Looking back, it would have been far more beneficial to have done so.

Paragraph 3

I have managed to relate what I witnessed during my work experience to my own experiences. The way I saw the dental team working together and communicating together showed me just how vital a skill it is, and used it to mention my Duke of Edinburgh Award and how it has developed my communication skills.

Perhaps the final sentence about being a scholarship recipient isn’t entirely relevant here, or at all, and would have been better to have removed it to allow me some additional characters to use elsewhere.

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Paragraph 4

Understanding and being a part of your community is a big part of being a dentist; knowing this, I have related it to charity work I have done to show that it is a value important to me. As well, having taken part in a debating championship means that I am very articulate, which is so important when working as a dentist.

Again, as I have in previous paragraphs I possibly have focussed too much on mentioning an experience I have had without going into any real depth about what it meant to me and how it has impacted me.

What I feel is important with a conclusion, and is what I have done, is linked it back to the introduction. By tying in that thread about my curious nature it makes the whole thing come full circle and makes it feel cohesive.

My final sentence is very cliched, which would’ve been better to avoid as the admissions teams would have heard it all before. At sometimes it does read as though I have swallowed a thesaurus to try and make myself sound more sophisticated – this really wasn’t needed.

Final Thoughts

Well, I must’ve done something right to get four offers and a scholarship! What I really wanted to make sure of was that I got across my own experiences, and they have fostered my dream to pursue Dentistry. As well, I feel I have been personal which is a skill people often struggle with, and friends of mine found difficult when we were writing our statements. Overall I am overwhelmingly happy with my personal statement.

I definitely could’ve been a lot more concise in places which would have allowed me to go into more depth about my work experience and the value I gained from it. The only thing I think I would probably change looking back might be seeing if could shorten my introduction as it is a bit longer than is necessary.

So there you have it! This personal statement helped Emmy get 4/4 offers in her application!

Everyone has different experiences and abilities, so you may not be able to relate to everything that was said in this personal statement. However, the information and advice provided by Emmy is universal and will help any applicant write a better personal statement!

Be sure to check out more Medicine Personal Statement Analyses to see advice from all different kinds of applicants, including Ali Abdaal himself! Or if you want to get started on your own statement, check out 6med’s Personal Statement Bundle for all the support and resources you’ll ever need! If you want full support on every part of your application and a guaranteed place at med school, the Complete Bundle will be perfect for you.

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How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

A personal experience that changed your perspective
A story from your family’s history
A memorable teacher or learning experience
An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
How does it fit into the rest of your life?
What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

What first sparked your interest in the field?
Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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Graduate Writing Center: Writing the Personal Statement

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Presenter: Jackie Davis, World Arts & Cultures, Graduate Writing ConsultantAndrew Malmuth, Sociology, Graduate Writing ConsultantThis workshop will cover strategies for writing personal statements for fellowship applications, residencies, and PhD programs. Among other topics, we will discuss organization, introductions and conclusions, and use of examples. Students from all schools and departments are welcome to attend.

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Writing the personal statement online
Personal statement for graduate school may play a defining role in the committee's choice. A quality paper will help to become a student of the University of your dreams. There are numerous options and personal statement examples depending on the kind of high school.
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