Writing Resources: Personal Statements and Letters of Recommendation

Writing a personal statement, letter of recommendation, scholarship or fellowship statement is a reflective process. It requires one to be thoughtful about why one has engaged in professional experiences as well as intentional about what one has learned.

In general these documents should discuss how the applicants' pursuit of their goals has informed their career paths and ideally how their goals align with the mission and values of the organization they're seeking to join.

We recommend that applicants work closely with their school advisors, faculty members and skilled writers who know them well, to help them review and edit their documents.

The Office of Career and Professional Development does not review personal statements. Students looking for additional help with their personal statement can find a list of resources below including: online personal statement samples and criteria for finding editing resources.

General Writing Resources

For anyone experiencing the most common writing issues, including, but not limited to; trouble with the writing process, organization, clarity, grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and how to cite sources, the Purdue OWL Writing Lab is an excellent resource.

 

Letters of Recommendation Resources:

 

Upcoming Events

Mon
03

Mastering the Art of Uncomfortability: How to Network

Date: April 3, 2023
Time: 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tue
04

Info Session II: Peer Teams, Spring 2023

Date: April 4, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Fri
14

Communicating Science to Nonscientists with Jean-luc Doumont

Date: April 14, 2023
Time: 10:30 a.m. - -12:30 p.m.
Mon
05

Evidence-Based Teaching Course (STEP-UP) Opens

Date: June 5, 2023
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.