In addition to examination scores and resumes, doctoral candidates in American universities often have to write a personal statement or statement of purpose with different requirements. When I was a teacher in an American University, I participated in the work of the Admissions Committee for many times. I took the opportunity of my relative's child to show her her "self statement" and wrote down my personal experience. I hope it can be of some use to my classmates.

"Self statement" is actually a "cover letter" that makes the Admissions Committee feel that you are the only one. The purpose of the presentation is to get a scholarship for a doctorate in University. The undergraduate and master's universities you go to, the examination results you have obtained and the research experience are only your hardware, while self statement needs to fully reflect your software part (personality).

First of all, because this is a postgraduate position, you need to explain why you will be an excellent postgraduate, what are your life pursuit, goals and motivation? How hard do you work? How about the ability to raise, analyze and solve problems? How about thinking ability and creativity? Do you have team spirit when you get along with others? We should use specific examples in study, work and even life, and use authentic stories about ourselves to illustrate. We should never shout empty slogans or write useless slogans.

But there are a lot of excellent talents applying for graduate students, especially for famous universities. Why does this university choose you? It is necessary to prove that your interest and specialty are perfectly matched with the research direction of some tutors in the University. It is necessary to fully reflect your in-depth understanding and grasp of a scientific problem (current research level, existing problems, etc.), and show that your existing skills and fast learning ability can make you enter the state quickly. The more specific the writing, the better, but in simple terms, in a language that everyone can understand. For example, you can talk about the development process of research interest. Why has it become your long-term goal? Why can the research direction of a tutor in this school help you achieve this goal? Why does the experience of undergraduates and postgraduates make you ready to enter the research direction of a tutor with expertise in this school? What have you learned from your past research experience? At the same time, are there any personal, friends, family reasons that make you particularly interested in this school?

In a word, "self statement" should embody a self-confident, mature, active, hardworking, thoughtful, studious and ready to devote yourself to science from specific examples. But what if you think you can't? If you can't, why go to a doctor's degree? A doctor's degree is not a necessary degree for everyone. You must be interested in it. You must really like it. You must be willing to fight for it.

Postscript: there are many materials in this field on the Internet, and there may be specific guidance on the website of the applied school. Take a look at the experience of the Internet, think about how other people's samples are written, learning from the model is the fastest way to learn, but you must use your own language, tell your own story.