Your personal statement is a very important component of your application
for graduate admission. You want to develop this statement carefully, as an
evaluation of that statement's content is central to ANTH's graduate admissions
decision-making regarding admissions and, as appropriate, financial aid.
Note that the personal statement is not intended to be a life-story narrative,
but an essay that explains your interests in graduate work in anthropology
and situates those interests within the strengths of the ANTH department's
graduate program.
Here are some suggestions for preparing an effective personal statement:
1. Review the information about the department presented in this website carefully.
Note the areas of anthropological interest that our department can help you
explore, and decided if your interests in anthropology lie within one of those
domains.
2. Read the mission statement related to your degree objective (MAPA, PhD).
Make sure your interests in anthropology fit with that degree program's priorities
outlined in the mission statement.
3. Review the faculty profiles, to see which member(s) of the faculty are
doing research and teaching in the areas of anthropology of interest to you.
Contact those faculty members, discuss common interests and see what faculty
members have to say regarding opportunities for graduate study related to
your areas of interests.
4. Then compose your personal statement. We suggest you organize that statement
according to the following content-driven outline:
(1) describe your interests in anthropology,
(2) explain how your interests fit within the mission statement for your intended
degree objective,
(3) connect your interests to the research and teaching of department faculty,
and
(4) provide other commentary to explain why you see our department as an appropriate
place for you to address your interests in anthropology.
Note: With prior notice and other circumstances permitting, members of the
Graduate Admissions committee and other members of the faculty will review
and comment on a draft version of your personal statement.
5. Questions as you prepare this statement? Contact the Graduate Admissions
committee
(c/o wlm@american.edu ) or contact any
member of the faculty.
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