Personal Statement

You are asked to provide two 300-500 word statements --- a forward-looking one about your goals and objectives in pursuing graduate study and a backward-looking one about any life experiences that you feel have prepared you to pursue a graduate degree.

In the forward-looking statement you should give a picture of how you see your future. Do you see your graduate study as preparation for a career in industry, government, or academia? Do you see yourself working in a particular application offered within the Maryland Biophysics Program? It is perfectly alright to give several answers to each of these questions, but you should try to convey the reasoning behind each answer.

In the backward-looking statement you should give a picture of how your past shaped you and your record. For example, you can describe what motivated you to seek a graduate degree in Biophysics. Was this something you wanted to do since before you went to college, or was it something you realized after you had graduated from college and worked in industry for a while? Was it something you realized in a flash or slowly. Were you inspired by a book, a teacher, a colleague, or a parent? You can also use this statement to address any unusual circumstances that will show up elsewhere in your record. For example, if illness caused you to take leave from school for a semester, say so. If you transfered between many schools, say why.

The above paragraphs are only intended to give you some guidance in preparing your statements. Do not be constrained by them. Address only points that you feel are important, whether they are suggested above or not. If you feel the only way to address your objectives is by explaining your past then you can combine the two statements into one. In that case, say at the beginning that is what you are doing.