Supporting Documents for the Application
We take a holistic approach to our admissions process for the MA in English & Writing Studies. This means that we consider a broad range of candidate qualities, including your personal attributes, past experiences, and future goals, and how those might contribute to a good fit with our program and its values and objectives. That is to say, for our program your undergraduate GPA or your score on a test does not define you and will not exclude you from consideration. (We do not require or consider GRE scores for admission.) Our holistic approach to admissions means that you should put a lot of thought into your supporting documents, such as the personal statement and writing sample. Below, please find some advice for crafting these important documents.
Potential Prompts for the Personal Statement
We suggest responding to the following prompts to craft your personal statement, giving the admissions committee a sense of who you are and where you’re headed.
- Describe your reasons for applying to our MA program in English and Writing Studies and to your chosen concentration. You may also explain your academic and career goals and highlight why our program is a good fit for you.
- Describe how your academic, professional, and/or life experiences have prepared you for this course of study.
Here is some other potential info to include:
- Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
- Describe a topic, idea, or concept (relevant to your chosen concentration in English & Writing Studies) you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
- The lessons we take from our life experiences can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you encountered a challenge or success. What did you learn from the experience and how does it inform your decision to pursue graduate education?
Tips for the Personal Statement
- Thoughtful content and careful attention to quality writing can be compelling in admission decisions.
- Demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts by keeping your statement focused on the topic you’ve chosen.
- This is not a writing sample or academic paper, it’s an opportunity for us to get to know you. Make it personal by sharing information specific to your experiences and perspective.
- Be sure the words are your own and (appropriately) reflect your personality. We want to get to know YOU, so use a “voice” that’s authentic.
- Plagiarism or use of generative AI and/or ChatGPT is grounds for immediate rejection of your application.
- Remember: approximately 500 words is your limit, not your goal, though your response must be at least 250 words.
Tips for the Writing Sample
- Choose a piece of writing of 5-10 pages that showcases your ability to think critically and articulate your ideas in writing.
- You don’t need to write an entirely new piece, but definitely clean up the piece you choose in terms of content, style, and structure so it demonstrates your writing and thinking at its best.