Cover letters and personal statements provide the opportunity for the reader to hear your voice and see your fit for the organization or program. Career and Professional Development are here to answer questions and provide critiques. Email for an appointment.

Cover Letters

Whether it's requested or not, if you have the opportunity to include a cover letter with your resume, do so. Career and Professional Development can review your cover letter to help you perfect your writing and approach. Cover letters should identify the job you are seeking, how you learned about it, why you want to work at the organization, the skills and experience you can bring to the job, and other ways you fit the job and the organization. An example and guide are listed on the right of the page.

Personal Statements and Essays

Most graduate schools require a personal statement or application essay. Transcripts, test scores, resumes, recommendations--these all give the graduate school a profile of your abilities and experiences. The essay presents the school with a complete portrait: they hear your voice, see you in action, get to know the person behind the numbers, the lists, the scores. When the application asks for a personal statement, then you must aim to write about yourself as clearly, as interestingly, and as honestly as you can. Keep in mind that each grad school has its own requirements for this essay, and you must adhere to these guidelines. Utilize the prompts and guide to the right.