PERSONAL STATEMENT WORKSHEET

The personal statement should present your qualifications and reasons for pursuing a particular
opportunity. Your statement should:
• Provide the selection committee with a sense of the real person behind your application
materials.
• Be tailored to the specific program/organization that you are applying to; and
• Contain specific examples that show, rather than tell, why you are a good fit.

Use this worksheet to begin brainstorming what you’ll include in your personal statement.

Question Response Specific Examples

Why are you interested in this

program or degree? What are
your professional aspirations?

When and how did you arrive

at these aspirations?

What continues to motivate

you towards these goals?

What sets you apart from other

candidates? (What do you want
the reader to remember about
you?)
What are 1-2 specific experiences
that have prepared you for this
next step?
What makes you a good
fit for this specific
program?

What research topics/questions

will you focus on? What
(professional) issues do you
care most about?
What skills/qualities have you
developed that will contribute to
your success? What else has
prepared you for this
opportunity?
Adapted from: The Career Services office at Sterling College.