Personal Experience and/or Identity

In this strategy, the writer might demonstrate that their interest in a particular field of study comes from a relevant personal experience, including, but not limited to: cultural and familial experiences; significant life-changing events; and unique personal circumstances. Part of these personal experiences could also be tied to social identities, such as racial/ethnic identities, gender identity, physical abilities, veteran status, sexual orientation, etc.

In discussing an experience, it will be useful to highlight the value of the experience and show a direct connection to the field of study. Sharing personal experiences is not required in the SoP (of course, pay attention to any questions in the prompt). If you decide to use this strategy, make sure that there is a clear connection between your personal experience and how it has motivated you to pursue a particular degree, topic of research, and/or professional objective.

If you choose to use this strategy, please be thoughtful with the personal information you decide to share (or not to share). You are not required to divulge personal information. You are writing to people you don’t know, and you do not owe them your story. You get to decide what boundaries you set and how much you share of your experience. You’ll notice in the example SoPs in this resource share a diversity of information – some are more vulnerable than others. But what is most important is that you feel comfortable and safe sharing your story. If you don’t want to share it, you don’t have to.

Here are some examples of how writers use the Personal Experience and/or Identity strategy:

Example
I gained a keen connection to the environment in Jackson, Mississippi, where I’ve spent most of my life. There, I understood how each person played an important role in maintaining the health of their local environment. My experiences later solidified this mindset after witnessing the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Example
My realization that being Black meant being different occurred early in life. Growing up in Marshalltown, Iowa, I was one of only a handful of Black kids in my grade and had no Black teachers. I was surrounded by whiteness everywhere other than at home and at my church. This experience alone resulted in racial challenges every day. One way my family battled these challenges was by being heavily reliant on our religious beliefs and involved in a majority Black church. My experiences at my home church were some of my most enjoyable times growing up. This was a place where I could forget about my worries and challenges and congregate in a spiritual environment that brought me peace.

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

A Guide to Writing the Statement of Purpose for Graduate School Applications Copyright © by Erin Todey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.