By Fred Peipman
University of Bridgeport

At the University of Bridgeport, as with most American colleges and universities, part of the graduate admissions applications requires the submission of an essay or "statement of purpose" by the applicant. This essay is considered along with all the other application requirements and is an essential part of the admissions process.
An essay may be the deciding factor as to whether or not an applicant is admitted. All this may seem obvious to some, but oftentimes the essay portion of an application is overlooked or hastily written. When a poorly written essay is submitted, it gives a negative impression to the evaluators and even though the rest of the application may be of top quality, a poorly written essay will detract from the overall application.

What are the reasons for requiring an essay on the graduate level? There are a number of answers to this question that the applicant must be aware of in order to create a complete and accurate essay or personal statement.

This written portion of the application reveals much about the student that may not be revealed in the rest of the application. At the University of Bridgeport, one reason we request a personal statement from graduate students is to learn more about the applicant, if they have an understanding of the field the degree lies in and if the applicant has thought about where, when, and how he will use the degree after graduating.

In the personal statement section of the U.B. application, the applicant is asked to reveal here background experience that is related to the chosen degree program. This is very useful for students choosing a graduate major which is unrelated to their undergraduate program.

Such students can show what they have done that gives them a reason to pursue a particular major. The professors and advisers who read the essay and evaluate the application often rely heavily upon the essay to determine whether an applicant has the appropriate skills and abilities to enter the program.

These programs require certain interpersonal skills and abilities that can only be revealed through an essay or an interview. As the interview is inappropriate for international students living outside the US, we rely more heavily on the essay for information on relevant personal experience and preparation.

The essay is also used as a measurement of an applicant's written communication abilities. A student entering a graduate level degree program should be able to communicate in writing at the highest undergraduate level. It is essential for graduate students to have the skills necessary to communicate their ideas effectively and efficiently.

The essay may also be used along with the TOEFL or other English proficiency tests to determine the English communicating abilities of a student. If a student is weak in written English, he may be asked to take a remedial writing course or a course in an English-language program (know in U.B. as ELI-English Language Institute.)
Finally, the essay is a tool for an applicant to prove that he or she is prepared for the graduate degree program chosen.

The essay may be used by the applicant to explain any academic difficulties in the past that have resulted from extenuating circumstances. It gives the applicant freedom to express herself and show her strong points to the admissions board.

The essay for the University of Bridgeport is read by the counselors in the international area and then by the head of the department, professors, and advisers for the department to which the applicant is applying.
Here are some important facts to remember when writing an essay or personal statement:

1. Make sure you understand the question, whether it is a specific question or if it is more general.

2. Be honest. Do not exaggerate or alter your experience or abilities. If you do, you will only face difficulties when you begin your studies.

3. Be clear and concise. The people who read the essays read many of them each day. Do not ramble or sidetrack.

4. Organize and structure your essay before you start writing and try to keep your essay well organized. Take some time before writing to think about yourself and your past. Think of what you would like to do in the future and think about how you would like to use your graduate degree.

5. Include work and other extracurricular experience.

6. Never use a pre-written personal statement or essay from a book. We want your own personal statement - not one written by another person. Admissions staff and faculty have seen most of the books of pre-written essays and can easily recognize them.

7. Make absolutely sure that your English is correct, clear and used appropriately. Have someone who speaks and writes English fluently read and correct your written English.

8. Edit very carefully and ask another person to edit for you.

9. Relax and express yourself. If you are very anxious and worried, you will have difficulty transferring your ideas to paper especially if you are writing in a second language.