A personal statement is just that—a statement about you! While that sounds simple, writing about yourself in a succinct, honest, humble, and articulate way can actually be some of the most difficult writing you will do. Personal statements are generally written for graduate or professional school applications and include a narrative-style account of your professional interests, intellectual strengths, and any other background information that highlights your ambitions and qualifications for that program. Personal statements will likely be read quickly by admissions committee members who are also reading a slew of other applications, so consider the statement as a personal story that highlights a few important and (ideally) distinctive aspects about yourself rather than a mere list of your academic merits and accomplishments. Nonetheless, remember that because your personal statement will likely respond to a question specific to that application, it’s important to organize and articulate your statement accordingly.