personal statement graduate school neuroscience

Free PDF: The 4 questions every SOP must answer → Master’s or PhD

How to Write Your Neuroscience SOP: A PhD Success Story

• By Jordan Dotson
• Updated: March 1, 2023

I fully admit, editing a neuroscience statement of purpose is a daunting task. When working with a PhD applicant, it’s even more intimidating. The research nuances are mindboggling. (Literally?) Molecular assays and signaling pathways – the  jargon is dense, and the details are important. It takes a great deal of work to make sure the SOP portrays the applicant in the clearest and most compelling way.

Luckily however, some students are so awesome they make this job a breeze.

As a former professional ballerina with a 4.0 GPA, two years of neuroscience research, and publications in TWO different majors, Martina is the type of student who makes the rest of us feel lazy. Yet, like most STEM students, Martina didn’t feel 100% confident about portraying her candidacy in writing.

I’m telling you, this task is hard for everyone.

This was especially true during the super-competitive 2020-21 admissions cycle, when lots of amazing PhD applicants received surprisingly unfortunate results.

Yet, coming from a small regional college, and with only two weeks of revision, Martina wrote, edited, and perfected one of the most amazing SOPs I’ve ever read. And her success speaks for itself.

The Results

Martina applied to 12 top-ranked R1 programs . She received interview offers from 10. She interviewed at 7, was accepted at 5, and ultimately enrolled at her top-choice school.

“I feel really lucky to have done so well during this crazy application season,” she said.

But in my opinion, luck had little to do with it. Instead, Martina’s success was born in her incredible work ethic, her research accomplishments, and her willingness to write the strongest SOP possible.

What’s great about this SOP?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more perfect utilization of the Structure is Magic SOP template , and this is something that should inspire every applicant in every type of degree program or academic field.

• Two paragraphs in the Introductory Frame Narrative
• Two paragraphs for Why This Program
• Two paragraphs for Why I’m (Overly) Qualified
• One resounding frame narrative conclusion paragraph

The frame narrative starts with a highly memorable story. (She was a professional ballerina!) But like all great SOPs, it quickly moves into an intellectual journey. This journey concludes with a beautifully specific “academic goal.” It relates her research proposal to a larger humanistic issue, but lists the specific problems she hopes to explore in her PhD: “ I hope to continue elucidating hypothalamic metabolic circuits, and exploring how obesogenic diets affect long-term developmental outcomes in relation to the normal functioning of the satiety hormone leptin. ”

TIP: If you don’t know how to write a hyper-specific academic goal, the SOP Starter Kit will tell you exactly how.

Really, I love how Martina took great pains to elaborate her research proposal (just as I described in this previous article ). It’s a symphony of intellectual depth and research competence. As she describes her potential PIs’ work, she constantly links it to her own experience (and her future goals).

She doesn’t just say: “Dr. So-and-So’s work is fascinating, and I hope to contribute.”

Instead, she says: “[Dr. So-and-So’s work] has been critical to my understanding of sensitive periods for the trophic actions of leptin in the brain…[and] my experience with quantitative immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR make me well qualified to contribute to such research…[and this is why] I am interested in studying the role LepRb and its developmental actions might play in leptin resistance and obesity in adulthood.”

Notice that 3-point argument? That’s the SOP in a nutshell.

• The professor’s work on X intrigues me…
• Because it correlates to my past experience in Y…
• And this is why I’m confident about studying the related topic Z at this university.

With every word, Martina crafts a persuasive intellectual argument. It’s not about her . It’s about the research . It shows that she has a solid understanding of how she might fit into these professors’ labs, and what they might accomplish together .

When Martina finally presents her credentials, it’s almost an afterthought. She’s written with such nuance and depth that the reader already knows she’s an incredible neuroscience researcher. Her successes as an undergraduate are icing on the cake.

Seriously, this essay makes me giddy. But enough of my rambling. Let’s take a look at the SOP that helped Martina achieve such awesome results:

A Brilliant Neuroscience Statement of Purpose

When I ended my career with the California Ballet in 2016, I looked forward to an academic experience studying the metabolic and neurological systems which had silently governed my physical reality as a performer for so long. Surprisingly, the opportunity proved more rewarding than I could have imagined. The perseverance I cultivated as a ballerina proved essential as I immediately dove into the Psychology, Biology, and Philosophy curricula at Stark University, and I soon developed an interest in the neural regulation of metabolic development. After joining Dr. Jean Grey’s research lab in my sophomore year (a position I have maintained ever since), I had the great fortune of studying the effects of obesogenic diets on conserved signaling pathways governing metabolic regulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Through this work, I have become singularly fascinated with the myriad factors that contribute to the growing obesity epidemic, and its developmental origins in particular.

The questions that underpin our work in the Grey Lab are compelling. How do critical or sensitive periods of neuroendocrine development contribute to long-term functioning in animals and humans at the behavioral and cellular levels? Interestingly, current research at Gotham University seeks answers to these very questions, and that is precisely why I apply as a PhD candidate to the interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience.

At GU, I hope to continue elucidating hypothalamic metabolic circuits, and exploring how obesogenic diets affect long-term developmental outcomes in relation to the normal functioning of the satiety hormone leptin. I am quite interested in the work of Dr. Jonathan Crane, whose research on the development of hypothalamic circuits, and how they regulate feeding behavior, has been critical to my understanding of sensitive periods for the trophic actions of leptin in the brain. I believe my experience with quantitative immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR make me well qualified to contribute to such research. In fact, Dr. Crane’s continuing work on the molecular signals connecting postnatal overnutrition to abnormal development of hypothalamic circuits represents questions similar to those that drew me to studying the neurobiological aspects of feeding and development. It also defines the kind of work I hope to accomplish as a doctoral candidate. While Dr. Crane’s investigation into the necessity of LepRb for typical hypothalamic development is fascinating, I am interested in studying the role LepRb and its developmental actions might play in leptin resistance and obesity in adulthood.

Additionally, Dr. Otto Octavius’s research on the effects of high developmental sugar consumption on memory circuits is fascinating to me; it dovetails nicely with my experience using high-fructose corn syrup diets to mimic obesogenic conditions, while using both behavioral and molecular assays such as weight, food intake, and RNA sequencing to investigate physiological and neural changes. For these reasons, I believe I would be a great fit in either the Crane Lab or the Octavius Lab, given my experience researching metabolic development at both the behavioral and cellular level.

Having averaged 25 research hours per week during the last few academic years, and up to 50 during the summers, I believe I have acquired all the necessary tools to succeed as a graduate student at GU. I lead the developmental subdivision at the Grey Lab, a project investigating how the timing of a high-fructose diet during development affects cellular and behavioral outcomes in adult Drosophila as it relates to unpaired 1 – the Drosophila analog of leptin – and its downstream JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In investigating this evolutionarily conserved circuit, I created a new experimental protocol for carrying out developmental feeding experiments with Drosophila larvae, as well as performing behavioral assays related to feeding such as weight, two-choice feeding preference, and capillary feeding assays. Additionally, I have performed dissections and imaging with destabilized transgenic fly lines to quantify neuropeptide-f and STAT92E expression at both the cellular and terminal levels, hoping to elucidate the potential role of SOCS36E in receptor functioning. This work has lead to me identifying a unique obese phenotype related to early dysregulation of unpaired 1, of which I was slated to perform RNA sequencing prior to COVID-19 related disruptions.

Pursuing these research projects as an undergraduate has been a monumental task, I admit, so I am proud to have maintained a 4.0 GPA, all while achieving numerous successes in my second major, Philosophy. Having coauthored a paper in the American Journal of Bioethics, as well as winning the California Philosophical Association’s undergraduate award and presenting at their annual conference, I am all the more confident in my readiness to succeed at GU.

When my career in ballet drew to a close, I looked forward to fully devoting my time to the study of the human brain’s infinitely curious adaptive processes. Now, I find myself in a similar situation, once again eager to devote myself to the study of the developing brain and how it governs metabolic regulation. The rigorous standards of The Grey Lab, along with Dr. Grey’s strict belief in personal responsibility, have shown me that (like dance) true intellectual contributions are only possible through perseverance, determination, and a ruthless eye for weakness in both experimental design and execution. Balancing laboratory workloads with a full schedule of undergraduate classes has been a taxing endeavor, but this too has been essential to my growth as a researcher. Today, I look forward to the new intellectual challenges that Gotham University will provide, and I am sure that I will discover new passions, curiosities, and questions as I prepare for my hopeful career in academia, as a professor.

The SOP Symbolizes and Summarizes Your Entire Candidacy

Again, I admit that Martina is a rock star. Not all of us can mimic her remarkable undergraduate experience. But we CAN learn from the thoughtfulness of her writing.

Martina didn’t cobble together an essay and expect her credentials to win the day. Instead, she understood that this piece of writing, these 900 words, represent everything about who she is and what she aims to be. Her statement of purpose wasn’t just a part of her application, one more sheet of paper in the pile. It represents her entire application. It integrates all of her strengths and intelligence. It presents her research goals fully, and convinced no small number of readers that she is a clear communicator too.

Everything we NEED to know about Martina is in this SOP. There’s no fluff. No out-of-place material better left to the CV. It’s just 100% airtight writing about a talented scholar and her specific goals.

I’m incredibly grateful to Martina for allowing me to publish this (pseudonymized) SOP. Students like her inspire me every day, and I hope her example inspires you as well.

Was this post helpful? Spread the love:

The sop starter kits.

These FREE (and highly insightful) guides will tell you exactly what to write, step-by-step, and leave you feeling super-confident and ready to hit “submit.”

© 2022 WriteIvy

[ninja_form id=3]

Application Requirements

Application tips, inform yourself.

Please read all pertinent information on the program and application requirements before you start the application process. Most questions are answered in these online materials.

Start Early

Letters of recommendation are a critical part of the application. Faculty recommenders are usually busy and have requests from many students. It is imperative to ask for recommendation letters early and to clearly communicate the application deadline.

Convey all you want the committee to know about you in a compelling, concise application. We review several hundred applications, so avoid sending excess materials that are not required.

Be Specific

You must choose a primary and secondary area of emphasis of neuroscience from the dropdown menu in the online application. While your choice does not obligate you to follow any specific path once enrolled, failure to do so delays the review process.

Application Components

All applications are submitted electronically through the UC Berkeley Graduate Application portal. Below are required components of the application you must submit in order to be considered for admission into the Neuroscience PhD program. We accept applications beginning mid September through the end of Novemeber for the following year's fall start cohort. 

• Completed online  UC Berkeley Graduate Application , including the Neuroscience Program page
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal Statement
• Transcripts from each college and graduate institution attended (scanned copies)
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE scores (optional)
• Evidence of English language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores) if applicable 
• Paid Application Fee of $135 if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, and $155 otherwise

Please review UC Berkeley's Graduate Admissions information and  Graduate Admissions Requirements (link is external)  for futher information and requirements for all graduate program applicants. 

Additional Information

Undergraduate preparation.

Strong undergraduate preparation for neuroscience includes at least one year of college level coursework in one of the following disciplines: biology, physics, chemistry, calculus, or engineering. Additional coursework in cognitive science, psychology, biophysics, or neurobiology is advisable. Applicants should describe their research experience in the Statement of Purpose.

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for admissions. In addition, the Neuroscience PhD Program requires applicants to have at least one year of laboratory research experience.

Transcripts :  Upload unofficial transcripts (ie, scanned copies) to your application. International applicants sould also upload scanned copies of their degree certificate(s). If admitted to the program, you will be required to send official documents to UC Berkeley after accepting your admission offer.

GPA :  If your GPA is on a 4.0 scale, please complete fields in the "Grade Point Averages (GPA)" section of the application: cumulative, advanced, major, intended field of study (if differnt from major), and cumulative graduate GPA (if applicable.

If your GPA is not based on a 4-point scale, please  do not convert to this scale . Instead, complete the “Other Scale GPA” field on the application  using the scale used at your institution and be sure to include documentation of their grading system (usually this is part of your transcript).

Application Essays

You will prepare and submit two essays as part of your application: the Statement of Purpose (SOP) and the Personal History Statement (PHS). Please see general information about the  Statement of Purpose (link is external)  and the  Personal Statement (link is external)  provided by the Graduate Division. Below is more specific information petaining to the Neuroscience PhD Program.

Statement of Purpose:  In the SOP, you should describe your motivation, preparation, and aptitude for PhD study in neuroscience. Please include a description of your prior research experience and accomplishments, with enough detail (for at least one project) to illustrate how you think scientifically. You should also discuss your future research interests and career goals and why you think Berkeley is a good fit for your PhD training. The SOP should be 2-3 double-spaced pages.

Personal History Statement:  In the Personal History Statement (PHS), you should describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. The PHS should not duplicate the SOP but should provide broader context on your personal story and goals. This may include how you overcame barriers to access higher education, how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, your service to advance equitable access to education for under-represented groups, research you may have done that focuses on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, your leadership roles in such groups, and/or your plans in graduate school and your future career to address societal issues. The PHS should be 1-3 double-spaced pages.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae

The employment history section of the online application is optional. However, you are required to upload your Resume/CV in the Supporting Materials section of the application. In addition to your work history, you may like to list any awards, fellowships, summer research opportunities, traineeships, prizes, participation in student organizations etc.

Letters of Recommendation

You are required to submit three letters of recommendation. Letters should be from individuals who have supervised work in a laboratory, research, or academic setting and can comment on intellectual ability, creativity, scientific leadership skills, and scholarly potential.  

You will be asked to submit the names and email addresses of your three recommenders as part of the online application. Doing so will inititate a request to your recommender for a letter and they will submit their letters online directly to your application using a unique link sent to them. You do not have to wait until letters of recommendation are submitted in order to submit your online application.   It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that recommenders submit their letters by the deadline. 

More information about Letters of Recommendation can be found on Graduate Division's  Admission FAQs page (link is external) .

Exam Scores

You will be asked to enter your test scores into the online application and to submit official test scores directly to UC Berkeley for verification. Send your test score directly from ETS to the institution code for UC Berkeley: 4833 for Graduate Organizations. 

Graduate Record Exam (GRE): GRE scores are optional. 

Evidence of English language Proficiency: All applicants who have completed a basic degree in a country/region in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Additional information including allowable exemptions can be found on the  Graduate Admissions website.

Application Fee

The application fee must be paid in order for your application to be reviewed. The application fee is $135 if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, and $155 otherwise. 

U.S. citizen and permanent residents may qualify for application fee waivers. Please visit the the  fee waiver website (link is external) (link is external)  for more information. Fee waivers are administered by UC Berkeley Graduate Admissions and not by the Neuroscience PhD Program. Please direct all fee waiver questions to  [email protected] .

You will submit the application fee through your status page after you have submitted your application. If you applied for a fee waiver, fee waiver decisions will be posted on your status page after submission of the application.  Do not submit your application late.

The application payment system requires that you enter the exact billing address information on the credit card statement (no abbreviations, extra spaces etc.) including the name, address, and security code. Please see below if your payment status is "pending" and/or your credit card is being declined:

Check with your bank to make sure that the address information you are entering is exact.

Try a different credit card.

The charges you are seeing for the payments that did not go through are authorization holds from the bank. They will disappear in a few days once the charges are declined. If they do not disappear, you will need to contact your bank to have them removed.

For general questions about graduate admissions or technical problems with the online application, contact Graduate Admissions:

[email protected]

For questions about program specific requirements and Neuroscience admissions, contact the Neuroscience PhD Program:

[email protected]

Writing an Effective Personal Statement for PhD Graduate Programs

Personal statements should be a reflection of your academic skills, success, and goals.

By Kaela Singleton Doctoral Candidate in Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience

A personal statement is one of the most important components of any doctoral graduate school application. This post will guide you with some general steps to get you started with generating a personal statement that is concise, reflects your academic success, and emphasizes your goals for graduate school. The individual graduate programs will provide writing prompts that detail exactly what you should address in your statement, so be sure you touch on everything that they want you to cover!

Before you start writing

• Update your CV:  Having a complete list of your accomplishments will make it easier to include and exclude information from your personal statement. Your CV can be used as a timeline of your achievements, and therefore an outline to how your past experiences have prepared you for graduate school. For guidance on CV writing, see  7 Tips for Writing a Successful CV.
• Research Graduate Schools of Interest:  Gain insight into the coursework, faculty, and student life for each program you are considering. Using the program website, generate a list of qualities that appeal to you about each school you’re applying to. Emphasize how and why these qualities contribute to your decision to apply to this program. This list should include research and faculty members that interest you as well as any other pros (i.e. location, cohort size, post-graduate jobs etc.)
• Create a team of editors:  Your personal statement will be read by faculty members and graduate students studying different topics within the program. Therefore, your personal statement should be compelling to a broad audience. Ask peers, mentors and advisors from various disciplines well in advance to edit and provide feedback on your statement.

Now start writing

Introduction.

The goal is to engage your reader with a quick synopsis of who you are, what you want out of graduate school, and your qualifications to join this specific program.

• Introduce yourself and identify your academic interests:  Provide a brief introduction of yourself and your academic interests. If you have a personal anecdote that explains how you became interested in science and research, start there. These “narrative hook” anecdotes engage the reader and set up a great platform to describe the motivation behind your experiences. Then go into your academic interests, which can be a couple of sentences broadly stating your research interests.  
• Emphasize your skills and overall goals:  Use both your research on the program and CV to highlight how your skill set will complement and grow from participation in this program. Speak in broad terms, showcasing how your goals align with the overall mission of the program.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

The goal is to expand on the points you mentioned within the introduction. Provide concrete examples of how past and present experiences led you to writing this application.

• Explain how you became interested in your particular scientific field:  Highlight key moments that encouraged you to apply to graduate school. This can be the very start of your interests in the field or from skills and knowledge that you gained from internships, research experiences, or coursework and class discussions.
• Describe your prior research experiences and importantly what you learned from each experience:  Provide a past experience where you used and developed a new skill that is pertinent to your ability to conduct research. Be sure to explain how this skill will be useful for your future in graduate school. It is critical to discuss what you learned from experience and to be as specific and concise as possible.  For example: I worked with Dr. A at institution B. My work focused on C. The project entailed D, E and F techniques. From this experience, I learned G. This taught me F about my decision to attend graduate school. 

In the conclusion paragraph, you should discuss what you learned about the graduate school program that you are applying for. Highlight specific faculty members or courses listed that excite you, and re-emphasize your goals.

• Summarize your qualifications and experiences:  Bring everything together here. Emphasize the skills you currently have and how joining this program will aide in continuing your success. 
• Personalize:  In this final paragraph, include specific faculty and program qualities that appeal to you as an applicant. Show that you have researched specific faculty or courses that will aide in your future training. Also be sure to discuss your career goals. 
• Edit:  Proofread and edit. Send your statement out to friends, faculty advisors, and people outside of your discipline. 

Personal statements should tell your story and be compelling across fields. Remember that a PhD program trains you to build and utilize scientific skills to advance research. You won’t want to try to convince the reader that you’ll cure cancer or discover the flu vaccine. Instead, focus on persuading readers that graduate training is right for you, and that the accompanying enrichment of your research skillset will help you reach your academic and professional goals.

More Career Advice

Learn from faculty, staff, postdocs, students and alumni through our Career Catalyst blog.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• J Undergrad Neurosci Educ
• v.16(3); Summer 2018

Demystifying Graduate School: Navigating a PhD in Neuroscience and Beyond

Linda k. mcloon.

1 Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

2 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

A. David Redish

3 Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455

The decision to apply to a PhD-granting graduate program is both exciting and daunting. Understanding what graduate programs look for in an applicant will increase the chance of successful admission into a PhD program. It is also helpful for an applicant to understand what graduate training will look like once they matriculate into a PhD program to ensure they select programs that will help them reach their career objectives. This article focuses specifically on PhD programs in neuroscience, and while we use our program, the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, as an example, most of what we describe is applicable to biomedical graduate programs generally. In order to ensure that our description of graduate programs is typical of neuroscience graduate programs generally, we surveyed the online websites of 52 neuroscience graduate programs around the U. S. and include our observations here. We will examine what graduate schools look for in an applicant, what to expect once admitted into a PhD graduate program, and the potential outcomes for those who successfully complete their PhD in neuroscience.

What Makes a Strong Application to a PhD Program in Neuroscience

A number of years ago, our Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota performed a statistical analysis of what correlated with successful completion of our PhD program. Consistent with more recent analyses ( Weiner, 2014 ), we found that the strongest correlation was if the applicant had done research outside of the classroom setting. Given those results, at this point, our admissions committee will only consider applicants if they have some research experience. However, in our experience speaking to undergraduates, we find that undergraduates tend to underestimate how much research they’ve done. This issue of what counts as “research” appears to worry many applicants, who often feel that they have not done sufficient research to meet this requirement.

The most useful research experiences are not necessarily those which result in publications, or even those which find statistically significant answers. Rather, the most useful research experiences are those in which an applicant contributes to the research being performed, which involve grappling with questions which do not have known answers in the back of the book. These experiences are generally performed outside of a regular classroom setting, but a wide array of experiences can fulfill this research prerequisite. For example, an applicant might have done one or more summer internships in a laboratory. Others may have done a directed research project that was taken for academic credit but whose sole purpose was to perform independent research. Others may have done internships at companies. We often see applicants who have worked in laboratories or done independent original research projects in the context of their specific coursework during the school year. These courses are becoming more common, and these independent research-focused undergraduate classes can be great examples of independent research if the work provided the applicant with experience in doing research directly.

Some colleges do not have strong research opportunities available. Students in those situations should reach out to summer or other internship programs at other universities to gain that research experience. There are many such research programs. For example, the University of Minnesota runs a Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP) that provides such opportunities across many fields in the life sciences (including neuroscience). Many universities have Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs available that are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). These programs usually pay a summer stipend and living costs as well as providing research experiences.

However, it is not necessary for the research to be done in a formal setting. What matters is that the applicant has some experience with direct research. Similarly, the duration of the research done is not as critical a concern as having had the experience of performing research at all. The key question is: Does the student have real-world experience in doing research, and in spite of methodological difficulties and negative results in experiments, does the applicant still have a love for the scientific process? It does not matter if there were no conclusive results, if the project was left unfinished, or if the project was not published as an abstract or peer-reviewed publication.

While coursework in a graduate program is important, the “real” work of a graduate student is to learn to do science. The research experience demonstrates to the admissions committee that the applicant has a realistic sense of what it is like to work on an open-ended problem, which takes innovative thinking about experiments and controls as well as understanding the need for patience with the scientific process. It is important that both the applicant and the admissions committee know that if admitted, the applicant will not be surprised by the focus of graduate school on independently performed research.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is one of the most important aspects of an application to a graduate program. There are three main areas that need to be included in a personal statement, and if these are inadequate, it will have a negative impact on the ultimate success of that application. First, and most importantly, a personal statement must make it clear why that applicant wants to pursue a PhD in neuroscience specifically. A broad flowery description about the applicant’s interest in biology since they were 5 years old is not helpful. This statement is easier if the applicant has some laboratory research experience and can speak to why that research experience was motivating. A clear articulation of “why neuroscience” is imperative.

As noted above, the most important information in an application is the research done by the applicant. Thus, the applicant needs to provide a description of the independent research they have performed to date somewhere in the application. The research description should focus on the big picture: What was the big question? What choices were made in the experiments? What controls were done? Why were the specific controls used? The applicant should do this for each distinct research project. This shows the admissions committee how the applicant thinks about science; understanding the process is more important than if there were positive results.

The final part of the personal statement should state why they are applying to the particular program. A good way to show that the applicant has spent time looking at the specific graduate program and has thought about which programs were a good fit for their interests is by identifying programmatic strengths, such as the expertise of the faculty, or by identifying other specific or unique aspects that differentiate the program, such as, for example, our Itasca program [see below].

Finally, applicants should proofread their personal statements. Typographic errors, poor grammar, and other sloppy writing suggest an applicant who does not take the time or effort to ensure quality. It may seem silly to mention, but it is important to make sure that when mentioning programmatic strengths, the applicant should be sure that these are the programmatic strengths of the institution to which the application is sent.

Majors, Grades, and GREs

Neuroscience encompasses many different disciplines – from genetics and subcellular approaches to neural circuits and behavior. Most neuroscience graduate programs admit applicants with a broad variety of majors. Many of the applicants that we see majored in neuroscience, biology, or psychology as an undergraduate, but applicants with other undergraduate majors such as math, computer science, or physics have succeeded in our program. Many programs also admit applicants with degrees in the humanities, and we have found that many students with these broad backgrounds have succeeded in our program, some of whom only developed an interest in neuroscience after they graduated from college. However, successful applicants from the humanities need to have taken classes in the sciences before they apply to graduate school for a PhD in neuroscience.

The most important statement that we can make about grades is really in terms of the specific classes taken. While the major area of study is not critical, an internal survey of our program found that trainees were most successful in our PhD program if they had taken at least some biology, some physics, basic chemistry preferably through organic chemistry, and college level mathematics through calculus.

In our survey of over 50 graduate programs in neuroscience, most programs do not seem to have a strict GPA cut-off under which they will not admit someone; nevertheless, GPA is an important criteria being used by many admissions committees. While overall GPA is important, students who did poorly in their freshman and sophomore classes, but did well in their junior and senior years, can excel in their PhD training. Another example might be someone who had a very bad single semester or year due to extenuating circumstances, such as an illness of a death in the family. If one of these scenarios applies, it is imperative for this to be directly discussed in the personal statements that accompany a graduate program application. While most admissions committees do not explicitly rank schools, expected difficulty of the undergraduate program is usually taken into account when looking at grades, classes and GPA.

The use of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) in making admissions decisions to a neuroscience PhD graduate program is a complex issue and has become controversial in recent years. Although many recent studies have claimed to suggest that GRE scores do not correlate with successful completion of a PhD degree in the biomedical sciences ( Hall et al., 2017 ; Moneta-Koehler et al., 2017 ), other studies examining PhDs in more quantitative disciplines, including neuroscience, found that the portions of the GRE score are in fact correlated with successful degree completion ( Willcockson et al., 2009 ; Olivares-Urueta and Williamson, 2013 ). In a large meta-analysis of GRE scores and success in graduate school, Kuncel and Hezlett (2007) found that both the GRE and undergraduate grades were effective predictors of important academic outcomes even beyond grades earned in graduate school. It should be noted that all of these studies have been performed on programs that took GREs into account when making admissions decisions and thus are based on biased data sets. Following this, some neuroscience graduate programs have elected to remove the GRE from their admission decisions, while others have decided to weigh it less in their decision-making. Most graduate programs recognize that the GRE score is just a tool, and one of many that admissions committees use to make their admissions decisions. Our graduate program, for example, is currently in the latter group—we still require it but are weighing it less than other factors such as the personal statement, classes taken, GPA, and letters of recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are some of the most important components of an application to graduate school. Who the student chooses to write for them and what those letters say are important factors considered by admissions committee members. The most important letters are those from research mentors with whom the applicant did independent research. A lack of letters from research mentors leaves open the question of the extent and value of that research experience. The best letters of recommendation are detailed and provide a clear indication that the mentor knew the student and can assess the student’s potential for success. The mentor’s comparison of the applicant’s abilities relative to others with whom they have worked is particularly useful.

Letters from other sources, such as athletics coaches or course directors, can speak to initiative, time management, ability to work under stress, and so forth; however, most admissions committees do not find these particularly useful, unless the course director can speak to exceptional academic achievement, such as an undergraduate shining in a graduate class. Least useful are letters from non-academic sources, such as faith leaders, employers, family friends, and the like. These letters cannot speak to the questions of success in a graduate program and have been known to detract from an application, because it implies that the student does not have sufficient academic mentors to provide the full complement of letters.

Should letters come from postdoctoral fellows or graduate students? In many large laboratories, the primary professor may not actually interact with an undergraduate research assistant very much. Instead, undergraduate research is often done under the supervision of a postdoctoral fellow or graduate student. While letters from senior postdoctoral fellows are acceptable to some programs, they are not for others. We advise the applicant to check with each program to determine if this is an issue for their admissions committee. Our program has accepted students with one letter from a postdoctoral mentor, but we found that these students were not eligible to be nominated for some university-level awards. Thus, there is a balance in having the letter come from someone who worked with the student directly but also having the letter come from a faculty member. We recommend that undergraduates in these situations get a single letter that is co-signed by both the postdoctoral fellow and the professor or senior mentor.

The Admissions Process

Most graduate programs in neuroscience use a two-stage admissions process. The first stage identifies a subset of students to invite for an interview/recruiting visit and then a subset of those students is provided offers. All graduate schools in the U. S. have signed the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants from the Council of Graduate Programs which says that students have until April 15th to make their matriculation decisions. In order to try to manage this, schools will admit more students than they actually expect to matriculate, and may place other students on a waitlist, trying to balance issues of getting too many students, producing a problem for budgets, or too few students producing problems of cohesion, and problems meeting the research needs of the program and university.

Interview and Recruiting Visits

Some graduate programs bring students out either singly or in small batches to visit their program, interview with faculty, and see what possibilities could come from matriculating into the program. Other programs bring students out all at once as a cohort in a combined interview/recruiting visit. Many programs combine this interview/recruiting visit with other program events; for example, we tie ours to our annual retreat. The method of organizing these interviews and recruiting visits is not particularly important, as the goal of these visits is the same – to provide an in-person look at the graduate program.

From the program side, the interview/recruiting visit allows the admissions committee to assess the fit of the potential students and to ask specific questions related to how they think about science. It is important for visiting interviewees/recruits to realize that graduate programs often have graduate students contribute to the governance of the program and provide input to the admissions committees. In our program, two current PhD students are full voting members of the admissions committee. Comments made during events where only graduate students are present do matter, and we have had a number of experiences where comments and behavior at dinners or other trainee-only events have led to rejection of the applicant.

From the visitor side, this is an opportunity to see what the program is like, as well as the living environment where the program is located. Important questions that applicants should consider include whether the students are getting the training and support that they need, whether the faculty members are engaged with the program, and whether there are faculty members to work with in the student’s area of interest. Generally, applicants should recognize that their goals, interests, and research directions may change. Ensuring that a program can accommodate those changes is an important thing when choosing a PhD program.

Choosing the Right Program

Graduate school, like most of life, is about finding the right fit. Every student is going to have to use their own judgement to determine which graduate school is right for them, but we have some suggestions about issues to consider.

First and foremost, are there a sufficient number of faculty members in their area of interest? Importantly, students should recognize that interests often change, either with experience or time or discoveries, so the student should also look at what other faculty members are around, and what opportunities there are to examine other research areas. For example, how collaborative are the faculty? What processes are in place if one needs to switch advisors? Does the program do rotations in different laboratories, or does the student have to choose an advisor immediately?

In our survey of over 50 neuroscience graduate programs in the U. S., all but one admit students into the program as a whole, rather than into specific laboratories. Students in the majority of programs spend the first year rotating through three or four different laboratories in order to get a thorough exploration of advisors and potential research areas. Furthermore, because students are admitted to the program as a whole and not into a specific laboratory, there are processes in place to handle the (rare) situation when a student needs to switch their primary research mentor.

An important consideration on picking an advisor is not only the research area of the advisor, but also the training and personal style of that PhD mentor. In our graduate program, we have 8-week rotations to give a student and an advisor sufficient time to determine if they can work together well. The duration of laboratory rotations varies between programs, but generally most programs have between 2 and 4 during the course of the first year. Choosing a PhD thesis mentor is not generally an issue of advisor quality, but rather one of style. Should the student and advisor meet daily? Weekly? Monthly? Is the goal a thesis that is a hoop to jump through on the path to another career or is it a magnum opus on which one will build a reputation? How are manuscripts written? How does the laboratory decide which projects to do? These questions do not have right and wrong answers, but a mismatch between styles can potentially make it difficult to complete the degree.

There are several other considerations. The applicant should examine the curriculum. How comprehensive or specific is it? Does it cover what the student wants to have as their baseline/background? Applicants should also look at publication requirements and expectations. Are students publishing first author papers? Trainee funding should also be evaluated. How are trainees supported? Is funding guaranteed or not? Part of the consideration relative to trainee funding is whether the program has training grants to help financially support students—these can include National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 grants, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship (NRT) and Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) training grants. Training grant support from NIH and NSF is a good measure of how the PhD training program is viewed by external reviewers. It is also useful to see if the trainees are successfully competing for fellowship awards. This speaks to the quality of the graduate students as well as the quality of mentorship from their thesis advisors and the program.

Other issues to consider are the environment and social climate of the program and the career paths the program’s graduates take. In terms of social climate and environment, we suggest asking whether the trainees know and support each other, and whether the faculty members know the trainees. Science is increasingly a collaborative venture. Evidence could be the presence of co-mentored trainees, as well as research publications that are co-authored by members of the graduate program. Other evidence of the environment of a PhD graduate program is to determine how integrated the PhD trainees are in program decision making and leadership. Do they serve on committees, and if so, what are their roles? Self-reflective programs generally include multiple voices in making program decisions. This also speaks in part to mentorship of trainees, as participating in program governance provides the PhD trainee an opportunity to develop leadership skills.

In terms of outcomes, it is important to recognize that career goals change, but we recommend programs that provide opportunities for a variety of career paths. Importantly, programs should have processes that enable students to succeed in academia and elsewhere. As we will discuss in the following section, post-graduate paths for PhD trainees have always included a mix of academic and non-academic careers. This was also the recommendation of a workshop held by the National Academy of Science ( IOM, 2015 ), and in fact reflects the actual career choices of individuals who received their PhD in neuroscience ( Akil et al., 2016 ). Importantly, the career-space that our current graduates will face will look very different from previous generations. In particular, it will look very different from the previous generation when there were very few academic jobs available. The current career space is broader than it used to be, including some jobs, such as internet-related positions, that did not exist a generation ago. Furthermore, neuroscience academic jobs are opening up as baby boomers retire and universities invest in neuroscience. Whatever the student’s goal is, we recommend looking for programs that provide career facilitation support for a variety of outcomes, because, as noted above, career goals may change with experience.

While many students and many programs will look at time-to-degree as a criterion for program quality, we feel that this can be misleading. No one has ever asked us how long we took to get through graduate school. One way to think about graduate school is to realize that graduate students in neuroscience programs get paid to go to graduate school – being a graduate student in neuroscience is a job, and one that should provide a living wage in the area that one will be living in during one’s time in graduate school. The main problem with students taking too long to complete a degree is that it may indicate deeper problems in a graduate program, for example, when students are not graduating because their technical skills are needed in a laboratory. These situations are rare, but extremely long durations (e.g., 8 years) can be a sign to look for when making a decision. However, the difference between spending 4.5, 5.5, or even 6 years in graduate school is simply not important relative to the duration of a scientific career. In fact, there is a case to be made that taking an extra year to get additional publications can be a wise choice for students going into academic careers, since fellowships, awards, and other granting mechanisms, such as individual NIH postdoctoral training grants (F32) and individual NIH Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) awards, and the faculty level “early stage investigator” identifier at NIH, are based on date of graduation. Furthermore, few reviewers normalize number of papers by time spent in graduate school.

Additional Resources

The Society for Neuroscience provides useful resources to undergraduate students interested in a PhD in Neuroscience. One resource is the online training program directory that offers graduate program information on more than 75 top neuroscience graduate programs in North America, and provides a short summary of the characteristics of each program (e.g., number of faculty, student demographics, and research areas) along with a link to the program of interest. A second resource is available to prospective students who are able to attend the SfN annual meeting. Known as the Graduate Student Fair , it offers an opportunity for prospective students to meet face-to-face with representatives of many graduate programs.

The Gap Year Question

In recent years, we have seen that increasing numbers of applicants are taking a gap year between completion of their undergraduate degree and entering graduate school. We have not seen any correlation with success in graduate school from a gap year, and the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota does not require such a gap year. However, other neuroscience graduate programs have begun to require it. The gap year itself can vary, but often the recent college graduate enters a formal postbaccalaureate or “postbac” program, such as the one at the NIH, works in a laboratory, and participates in specific programs designed to increase readiness for graduate school. Many applicants have taken one or more years off from formal education to do research in an academic, government or industry setting. Whether a postbac year is useful or not is very much an individual choice.

There are two cases where a postbaccalaureate experience can be helpful for admissions into a neuroscience PhD program. One is when the undergraduate GPA is lower than a 3.0 or the student does not have the requisite science-related coursework. The other is when a student does not have sufficient research experience. Structured programs, such as the one at NIH, can be helpful in these situations. These postbac programs can provide an experience that is valuable for those students with limited research experiences. They can also provide opportunities for students who decide to transition to new fields late in their college career or after completion of their undergraduate degree. However, as noted above, in our experience, students underestimate their research experience and take gap years unnecessarily. To summarize, additional research training after a bachelor’s degree is not necessary for successful admission into a graduate program in neuroscience for the vast majority of applicants, nor does it appear to correlate with successful completion of the PhD.

What Trainees Can Expect During Their PhD Training in Neuroscience

A neuroscience PhD is a research-focused degree. This means that the student will spend the majority of their time as a PhD trainee working on research that can be published in peer-reviewed journals. However, that journey can look quite different from program to program. Most programs work through some structure that is a combination of coursework and early research exploration in the first years, punctuated by a written preliminary exam, followed by a thesis proposal, thesis research, and a thesis defense. In almost all of the programs we surveyed, the student is paired with an advisor that is the primary research mentor.

Throughout this section, we will use our program as an example and we will note where it differs from others. However, the general timeline is similar between programs.

In August before our “official” school year actually starts, we provide a month-long hands-on, state-of-the-art research experience for all our incoming PhD students at a research station owned by the University of Minnesota at Lake Itasca at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. This program is unique in our experience relative to other programs, and it (1) provides a neuroscience background experience for students coming from diverse intellectual backgrounds, (2) binds the class together into a cohort which helps to provide a strong support system during the transition to and experience of graduate school, (3) begins the trainees on a journey from student to colleague. They then return to the Twin Cities to begin their formal year 1 experience.

In the majority of neuroscience graduate programs, students spend their first year doing two to four laboratory rotations with faculty who participate in the neuroscience graduate program and complete a set of core classes. The four core classes we require are Cell and Molecular Neuroscience , Systems Neuroscience , Developmental Neurobiology , and Behavioral Neurobiology . Other programs require other classes that might constitute a “minor” in a secondary subject, such as pharmaceutics or computational methods. At the end of the first year, many programs have students take a written preliminary examination that is focused on the integration of the material taught in the core first-year classes. Generally, programs use this sort of examination as a check to ensure that students have integrated the knowledge from their first-year classes. Students in most neuroscience graduate programs also take a class that provides training in research ethics, writing experiences, and other important non-academic components that will be necessary for a research career. Starting in the first year, it is typical that the program directors have annual or semi-annual meetings with every trainee in the graduate program. In later years, a thesis committee will also meet semi-annually with students to provide oversight and mentorship. Some programs we surveyed have separate committees that monitor student progress in the PhD program independent from the mentor and thesis committees. We advise looking for a program that will provide the trainee with regular evaluations and clearly defined milestones to help the student complete their degree in a timely manner.

In year 2, students in the majority of graduate neuroscience programs have settled into a laboratory and are working towards writing their thesis proposal. The thesis proposal is usually the basis for the “oral preliminary exam.” In our program, we have students write their thesis proposal in the form of an NIH NRSA (F30 or F31) grant proposal which helps train students to write grant proposals.

Many programs have students take other elective classes throughout their second and sometimes even into the third year. In the second year in our program, students take one more required class, Quantitative Neuroscience that covers statistics, programming, and experimental design, but that then completes their class requirements. These types of quantitative classes are being introduced in many neuroscience graduate programs in response to the rigor and reproducibility issues that are being raised in the scientific literature and expected to be discussed as part of grant submissions to the NIH.

Most neuroscience graduate programs also have a teaching requirement. In our program, this occurs in the second year. Programs require different amounts of teaching, so this is a good question for the applicant to ask when they are interviewing. Many graduate students are interested in careers that include teaching as well as research, and additional teaching experience is important. We provide extra opportunities for teaching, where the trainee might run discussion sections or give course lectures. Often, these “extra” teaching experiences are paid beyond what the student receives from their stipend. For those interested in a more teaching-centric career, these experiences are very important. We recommend the applicant ask about how teaching expectations of the graduate students is handled in the programs to which they are applying.

Year 3 and Beyond

In the subsequent years, PhD trainees continue to do research, write and publish papers, present their work at conferences and in colloquia, and proceed on the journey to graduation. Graduate neuroscience programs generally have trainees meet with their thesis committee once or twice a year to ensure that they stay on track to graduation. The final stage, of course, is the thesis writing and thesis defense.

Presentations and Outreach

A key factor for a successful science career is the ability to communicate one’s discoveries, both to fellow scientists and to the public at large. In our program, students are required to present their research annually to the other faculty and students in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience. These presentations are opportunities to learn how to present work to a friendly audience who will push one scientifically, but still provide positive support. In our experience, students are often very nervous giving their first colloquium, but confident by the time they are ready to defend their PhD thesis. The final PhD defense is a public presentation in which the student presents and defends their research. The specific aspects of the PhD defense are accomplished in different ways amongst PhD graduate programs; however, in the end, all PhD programs require that the student be able to publicly present their research in a comprehensive and cohesive manner as well as field questions about their research.

In addition, neuroscience graduate programs provide many opportunities for outreach beyond the scientific community, although most do not require outreach explicitly. Typical types of outreach in many programs include volunteering to present science at K-12 schools, Brain Awareness Week programs sponsored by the Society for Neuroscience, or science museums as examples. We have found that these opportunities provide students learning experiences in how to present scientific data and ideas to a broader audience. Not surprisingly, the ability to present ideas to a broad audience translates very well to communicating scientific results to other scientists as well.

It’s a Job

We have found it useful for students to think of graduate school as a combination of college and career. Students should not have pay out of pocket for their PhD program. Most neuroscience graduate programs not only pay students a stipend but also provide tuition and health care benefits. For some trainees, conceptualizing graduate school as a job rather than as continued school can be important for dealing with family pressures to “get a job” rather than “continue in school.”

Where to Go from Here

Fundamentally, the goal of a PhD program is to teach the student how to think critically and how to determine if a new discovery is real or illusion. An undergraduate program is usually about how to learn from books and from teachers, how to determine if the text in front of you is trustworthy or not, and how to integrate knowledge from multiple sources. A graduate program is about how to determine if the discovery you just made is correct when there is no answer in the back of a book for you to look up. In practice, this means learning how to ask questions that are answerable, how to design appropriate controls, how to interpret results and integrate them into a scholarly literature, and, importantly, how to communicate those discoveries to other scientists and the public as a whole.

These skills are useful in a variety of careers. Much of the discussion of graduate school outcomes has suggested that graduate programs are designed to produce faculty for colleges and universities and bemoan the fact that (1) there are too many PhD trainees and not enough faculty jobs, and (2) that many students are forced into “alternative careers.” Both of these statements are wrong when one looks at the actual data.

First and foremost, we wish to point out that there should be no such thing as an “alternative career” — graduates should go towards a career and not away from one. We tell our students that we want them to do something important, whether that is becoming faculty at a research institution, teaching undergraduates at a liberal arts college, contributing to industrial research, analysis, or translation, becoming a writer and making research findings accessible to other scientist or lay audiences, or making policy in a governmental or non-profit setting.

Second, the complaints seen in many of these publications do not take into account very important demographic trends. Current students will see a very different world of faculty jobs than their professors did. Simply put, understanding the faculty situation requires considering the baby boomers (q.v. ACD biomedical workforce data ). In 1980, a 35-year-old young professor was born in 1945, while a 65-year-old was born in 1915. This means that the generation of senior professors in 1980 consisted of those who had survived two World Wars and the Great Depression, while the junior professors were baby boomers. With the blossoming of investment in science after WWII, there were lots of jobs, and the baby boomers filled them quickly. Mechanisms were developed for new professors to get initial NIH grants to help them set up their laboratories (q.v. NIH History of new and early stage investigator policies ). In contrast, in 2000, a 35-year-old was born in 1965, and a baby-boomer born in 1945 was 55, in the prime of their scientific career. There were fewer jobs and few funding mechanisms that focused on providing assistance for new, young investigators. In 2018, that baby-boomer born in 1945 is nearly 75 years old and likely retiring or retired. Thus, based on our own university as well as checking sources online such as Science Careers , there are faculty positions in neuroscience open all over the country. In addition, there are now specific programs at NIH to help new faculty get grants and transition into becoming successfully funded faculty quickly.

In practice, this has meant that there are many faculty positions for those who want them, at many different types of academic institutions. An undergraduate student who wants to take the next step into a PhD program should be encouraged to do so. PhDs have always gone on after their PhD to contribute to science in many ways. A recent survey published in Nature found that a scientific PhD had high value in the United Kingdom and Canadian job markets ( Woolston, 2018 ). In fact, when we look at the distribution of careers our graduating students have taken since graduation, we find that the vast majority (96%) are engaged in important, science-related jobs.

However, the essential benefit of a PhD is that it teaches one how to think critically about the world around them. Life is long and careers are long, and the needs of both society and technology changes. It is critical to remember that many of the jobs people are doing today literally did not exist when we (the authors of this paper) were in graduate school. For example, it is now possible to make a living running an educational website on scientific topics that gets millions of hits per month, reaching thousands of school districts around the country, but when we (the authors) were in college, the internet didn’t exist. A well-designed PhD program will prepare its trainees for whatever career they chose.

We cannot imagine the world 30 years from now, but we can state that PhD-trained scientists will not only be able to handle these changes but will in fact invent many of them. Huge technological innovations now allow investigators to see many individual neurons inside the brain, control the properties of neurons experimentally, to see effects of individual channels and proteins within a neuron or glial cell, and to observe the effects of these manipulations on behavior. Neuroscience is making amazing discoveries in the fundamental science of how the brain functions and the clinical and practical consequences of those discoveries. Simply put, it is an amazing time to be a neuroscientist.

The authors thank Drs. Robert Meisel, Timothy Ebner, Paul Mermelstein, Stephanie Fretham, Kevin Crisp, and Neil Schmitzer-Torbert for comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

• Akil H, Balice-Gordon R, Cardozo DL, Koroshetz W, Posey Norris SM, Sherer T, Sherman SM, Thiels E. Neuroscience training for the 21rst century. Neuron. 2016; 90 :917–926. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hall JD, O’Connell AB, Cook JG. Predictors of student productivity in biomedical graduate school applications. PLoS One. 2017; 12 (1):e0169121. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Institute of Medicine (IOM) Developing a 21rst century neuroscience workforce: Workshop Summary. Washington DC: The National Academies Press; 2015. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kuncel NR, Hezlett SA. Assessment. Standardized tests predict graduate students’ success. Science. 2007; 315 :1080–1081. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moneta-Koehler L, Brown AM, Petrie KA, Evans BJ, Chalkley R. The limitations of the GRE in predicting success in biomedical graduate school. PLoS One. 2017; 12 (1):e0166742. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Olivares-Urueta M, Williamson JW. Pre-admission factors and utilization of tutoring services in health professions educational programs. J Allied Health. 2013; 42 :74–78. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Weiner OD. How should we be selecting our graduate students? Mol Biol Cell. 2014; 25 :429–430. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Willcockson IU, Johnson CW, Hersh W, Berstam EV. Predictors of student success in graduate biomedical informatics training: introductory course and program success. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2009; 16 :837–846. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Woolston C. Science PhDs lead to enjoyable jobs. Nature. 2018; 555 :277. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER FEATURE
• 23 April 2021

Sell yourself and your science in a compelling personal statement

Andy Tay is a science writer in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Personal statements — essays highlighting personal circumstances, qualities and achievements — are used extensively in science to evaluate candidates for jobs, awards and promotions. Five researchers offer tips for making yours stand out in a crowded and competitive market.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 593 , 153-155 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01101-z

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

K. B. Clancy et al. Neuron 109 , 677–689 (2021).

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Download references

Related Articles

Londoners see what a scientist looks like up close in 50 photographs

Career News 18 APR 24

Deadly diseases and inflatable suits: how I found my niche in virology research

Spotlight 17 APR 24

How young people benefit from Swiss apprenticeships

I dive for fish in the longest freshwater lake in the world

Female academics need more support — in China as elsewhere

Correspondence 16 APR 24

Qiushi Chair Professor

Distinguished scholars with notable achievements and extensive international influence.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Zhejiang University

ZJU 100 Young Professor

Promising young scholars who can independently establish and develop a research direction.

Head of the Thrust of Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Reporting to the Dean of Systems Hub, the Head of ROAS is an executive assuming overall responsibility for the academic, student, human resources...

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)

Head of Biology, Bio-island

Head of Biology to lead the discovery biology group.

BeiGene Ltd.

Research Postdoctoral Fellow - MD (Cardiac Surgery)

Houston, Texas (US)

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Accessibility Tools

Highlight links, change contrast, increase text size, increase letter spacing, readability bar, dyslexia friendly font, increase cursor size, graduate program application faq, questions about admissions, what undergraduate major should i have, what classes should i take as an undergraduate, how important is my personal statement, should i have research experience before entering graduate school.

• Can I apply to enter the program in Spring or Summer?

Do I need to fill out the "Statement of Financial Proof" form along with my graduate application?

Can i apply simultaneously to the neuroscience program and to other departments/programs at msu, okay, i've sent in all my required materials, how long until i find out if i've been admitted, general questions about gpa and gre scores, what is the minimum gpa needed for admission.

• What is the minimum GRE score needed for admission

How old can the GRE and TOEFL scores be in order to be submitted when applying?

What are institution and department codes to send toefl and gre scores, questions about toefl scores, do i need to take the toefl, are any other tests besides toefl accepted, what are msu/neuroscience program's toefl requirements for graduate admission, as an international student, can the toefl be waived if i have already attended an institution/university in the united states, what constitutes an "official copy of scores", questions about the neuroscience program, who are the training faculty, will i be financially supported throughout graduate training, will i have the opportunity to gain teaching experience during graduate training, in addition to taking courses, conducting research, and gaining teaching experience, what else do students in the neuroscience program do, how long does it take to complete the ph.d. in neuroscience, how do i contact faculty and students in the program.

• I am interested in behavioral neuroscience, and I noticed that many Neuroscience Program faculty in this field are members of the Behavioral Neuroscience interest group in the Psychology Department. The Neuroscience Program and the Psychology Department offer separate PhD plans, and I can only apply to one at a time, which should it be?

We will consider applicants with any undergraduate major, as many provide appropriate background for graduate training in neuroscience. Applicants from biology, neuroscience, psychology (experimental/biological or cognitive emphasis), physiology, and zoology backgrounds are common. Regardless of the specific major, it is recommended that applicants take advanced courses in biology (particularly cellular or molecular courses), chemistry or biochemistry, and math. (top)

While there are no required courses to enter the Neuroscience Program, here is what we have found provides the best preparation for graduate school in neuroscience:

• Strong biology background, including cell biology, physiology, genetics
• Neuroscience related courses, such as basic neurobiology, behavioral neuroscience courses (e.g., introductory biopsychology, learning and memory, drugs and behavior)
• Strong chemistry background, up through biochemistry is considered excellent preparation
• Math through at least one course of calculus, the more the better
• Introductory statistics
• Independent research with a faculty member

The personal statement is an important component of the application. You should outline your research interest and goals and how the Neuroscience Program at MSU and our training faculty will help you to achieve your long term career goals. It is also important to describe in your statement how you might contribute to a diverse community here at MSU and any obstacles that you have overcome in gaining your present level of education. Also describe in detail any prior research and/or laboratory experience (including a description of the research question, the methods used, your findings and conclusions). Include in the statement the names of 2-4 training faculty members whom you might like to work with and be interviewed by. We strongly encourage you to contact our training faculty at any stage in the admissions process, even before you have submitted an application. The identification of these faculty will not limit your choices of labs once you are here, but will help us determine whether there is a good match between your interests and our program. Please limit your personal statement to two pages. (top)

You should have research experience before entering graduate school, if at all possible. Having research experience will help you to determine whether a research career is something you will enjoy, and you will get a better idea of what life in graduate school will be like. Also, faculty members with whom you do research can write informative letters of recommendation about your probability of success in graduate school. (top)

Can I apply to enter the program in Spring or summer?

Admission to the Neuroscience Program is made only for Fall Semester. The deadline for receipt of applications is December 5th of each year. (top)

It is University policy that all international students complete a statement of financial proof. Please fill out all sections of the form excluding the "sponsor" section. You do not need to submit any other documents with the statement of financial proof form. (top)

You may submit up to two (2) applications to different graduate majors in the SAME semester. Each must be accompanied by a full set of documents as required by MSU and the individual graduate programs. Each application requires payment of the application fee. (top)

After the December 5th deadline for application materials and during the months of January, February and March, the Graduate Affairs Committee meets to review the applications, decide on nominations for various internal fellowships, and plan for the Neuroscience Program Interview Days. Then, at the end of March, the Committee makes offers of admission to qualified applicants. (top)

We do not have strict admissions criteria for GPA. The Admissions Committee considers all aspects of the application, including not only GRE scores and GPA, but also what undergraduate courses were taken, research experience, letters of recommendation, and the applicant's personal statement. Strong qualifications in some areas may offset weaker qualifications in other areas. (top)

What is the minimum GRE Score needed for admission?

There is no minimum GRE Score needed for admission. Submission of GRE scores is optional and not required for admission to the program.  (top)

GRE scores can be up to 5 years old, TOEFL scores may only be 2 years old. (top)

To have the TOEFL or GRE score sent to Michigan State University, please use:

All international students admitted to MSU must meet the University and departmental English language proficiency requirement. You will need to take the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) and submit an official copy of your scores to us if English is not your native speaking language and you are not from one of the following countries:

Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Greenland, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, New Zealand, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, the Turks & Caicos Islands, the United Kingdom, the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Applicants from Puerto Rico do not need to submit TOEFL scores. If still unsure about whether you need to submit TOEFL scores, please contact the Program Office . (top)

Yes, Michigan State University Graduate programs now accepts MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery). Michigan State Unversity Graduate programs also accept MSUELT (MSU English proficiency test). To find when these tests are offered please visit the MSU Testing Office and for more information visit the MSU Graduate School (top)

Michigan State University requires a TOEFL score for all international applicants. However, the department may waive the TOEFL if the applicant is competent in the English Language. Please submit a written request directly to the Neuroscience Program for review. (top)

For regular University academic admission, your TOEFL scores must be: For written-based test, the total score must be 550 with no subscore below 52. For computer-based test, the total score must be 213 with no subscore below 19. For internet-based test, the total score must be 80 with no subscores below 19 for reading, listening, and speaking and for writing a subscore of 22. (top)

An official copy of scores, whether they be for the GRE or the TOEFL, are scores that are sent directly to Michigan State University by the Educational Testing Service. You can arrange to have these sent using forms available on the GRE site or the TOEFL forms page. (top)

The Neuroscience Program's "Training faculty" are a group of faculty who serve as rotation and thesis advisors. Ffaculty who are not listed as training faculty serve on thesis guidance committees, participate in the teaching of core courses, and provide valuable expertise across a broad spectrum of basic and clinical neuroscience research areas. (top)

Yes, as long as you are a student in good standing and continue to make good progress toward your degree. Students are generally supported during the first year by the Neuroscience Program, and in subsequent years by research grants, individual fellowships, or teaching assistantships. Regardless of the source of funding, financial support includes a stipend, full tuition and fees, and health insurance. There have been no Neuroscience Program students in good standing who were not supported throughout graduate training. (top)

Yes. All Neuroscience Program students serve for at least one semester as teaching assistants for undergraduate courses in neuroscience or related disciplines, usually during the second year of training. (top)

Students participate in the weekly Neuroscience Program Seminar Series, and get to meet with the visiting neuroscientists from around the country. There are also several "special interest" journal clubs that meet regularly. Students are encouraged to attend regional, national, and international scientific meetings, and the Neuroscience Program provides an annual travel allowance to all students who present their data at professional meetings. Faculty, students, and postdocs attend the annual Neuroscience Program retreat, and several social events are scheduled each year. (top)

Most students complete the Ph.D. requirements in approximately 5 years. (top)

Visit our directory for a list of faculty and students and their email addresses. We encourage you to contact faculty whose research programs you are interested in, even before you apply to the Program. You should indicate that you have been in contact with particular faculty in your personal statement. Additionally, our current students will be happy to tell you about their experiences in the Neuroscience Program at Michigan State University. (top)

I am interested in behavioral neuroscience, and I noticed that many Neuroscience Program faculty in this field are members of the Behavioral Neuroscience interest group in the Psychology Department. The Neuroscience Program and the Psychology Department offer separate PhD plans, which should I choose?

It depends on what is best for you as an individual, and it is a good idea to discuss this issue with the person you are most interested in working with before you apply. However, the following list may help you in making your decision:

• In either program, you can conduct your dissertation research in any of the following labs: Arguello, Breedlove, Johnson, Jordan, Lonstein, Nunez, Smale, Sisk, Veenema, or Wade, and the project you do could be identical.
• The coursework in the two programs is different with respect to the numbers of courses that are elective vs. required. All students in the Neuroscience Program take a series of required courses that provides a solid foundation in neuroscience during their first two years. In the Psychology program, there is somewhat more flexibility with respect to which courses each student takes and when they are taken. In practice, however, Psychology students often elect to take many of the same courses as Neuroscience students. All of the courses are open to graduate students in both programs.
• The Neuroscience Program requires that students rotate in two labs during their first year; the Psychology Department does not.
• The format of the comprehensive exam differs. Neuroscience students take a sit-down exam at the end of their second year. Behavioral Neuroscience students in Psychology develop an upper-level course in their discipline over the course of a couple of months, usually in their third year (this course is not taught, just planned)

More details regarding degree requirements from the two programs are located here: Behavioral Neuroscience Psychology (see left column for link to degree requirements) and MSU Neuroscience Program Requirements . (top)

How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement for Your Graduate School Application

While deciding to embark on the path to graduate school is an exciting first step toward advancing your career, the application process can sometimes feel daunting and confusing.

One major part of the application that most schools require is a personal statement. Writing a personal statement can be an arduous task: After all, most people don’t necessarily enjoy writing about themselves, let alone at length.

A compelling personal statement, however, can help bring your application to the top of the admissions pile. Below, we’ve outlined what you need to know about crafting a personal statement to make your application shine.

What Is a Personal Statement?

The point of a personal statement is for the admissions board to gain a deeper understanding of who you are apart from your education and work experience. It explains why you’re the right fit for the program and a worthwhile applicant. It’s also an opportunity to highlight important factors that may not be readily available in the rest of your application.

A personal statement is different from a statement of purpose (if you’re asked for that as well). A statement of purpose will touch on your academic and career goals, as well as your past credentials. While those should also be discussed in your personal statement, it’s more about your life experiences and how they’ve shaped you and your journey to graduate school.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Personal Statement

Before you start crafting your essay, there are a few prompts you can ask yourself to help clarify what you want to accomplish.

• What are the key points you want to communicate about yourself?
• What personal characteristics or skills do you have that make you a strong candidate for this field?
• What exactly are your career goals, and how does graduate school play into them?
• What have you learned about this field already? When did you first choose to follow this path, and what do you enjoy about it?
• What do you think is important for the admissions board to know specifically about you?
• Are there any discrepancies or causes for concern in your application you need to address? For example, is there a career and schooling gap, or a low GPA at one point? This is the time to discuss whether a personal hardship may have affected your academics or career.
• Have you dealt with any unusual obstacles or difficulties in your life? How have they affected and shaped you?
• What sets you apart and makes you unique from other graduate school applicants?
• What factors in your life have brought you to where you are today?

Top Tips for Writing a Graduate School Personal Statement

Pick a few points to emphasize about yourself . Introduce yourself to the admissions board. Select key factors about your background that you want the university to know — elements that reveal what kind of person you are and demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate for the school and field of study.

Be very specific . Again, a personal statement is all about communicating what distinguishes you from other applicants. To accomplish that, you need to share specific anecdotes that underscore your statements. If you say you’re a strong leader, present an example of a time you’ve proven that skill through work, school or your personal life. These specific, personal stories provide a deeper understanding of who you are and prove your intentions.

Do your research . Demonstrate what attracted you to the program. If there is a specific faculty member or class that caught your attention, or another aspect of the program that greatly interests you, convey it. This shows you’ve truly researched the school and have a passion for the program.

“Whatever the topic may be, I would recommend writing in a manner that reflects or parallels the institution’s and/or department’s missions, goals and values,” said Moises Cortés, a graduate/international credentials analyst for the Office of Graduate Admission at USC .

Address any gaps or discrepancies . Explain any factors that may have impacted your academic career. If you had an illness or any other personal hardships that affected your grades or work, discuss them. If there is a discrepancy between your grades and your test scores, you can also take the time to go over any extenuating circumstances.

Strike the right tone . While it’s important to give readers a glimpse of your personality, avoid oversharing or revealing intimate details of your life experiences. You should also avoid making jokes or using humorous cliches. Maintain a professional tone throughout your writing.

Start strong and finish strong . As with any piece of writing, you want to draw in your readers immediately. Make sure to start off with an interesting and captivating introduction. Similarly, your conclusion should be a well-written, engaging finish to the essay that highlights any important points.

“ For a personal statement, I think the first and last paragraphs are most important and should always relate the program they are applying to their own experiences and ideas,” Hoon H. Kang, a graduate/international credential analyst with the Office of Graduate Admission, told USC Online.

Proofread, proofread and proofread again . We can’t emphasize enough the importance of rereading your work. Your personal statement is also an analysis of your writing skills, so ensure you have proper grammar and spelling throughout. In addition, we recommend having multiple people look over your statement before submission. They can help with the proofreading (a second person always catches a mistake the writer may miss), give advice about the statement’s structure and content, and confirm it’s the proper recommended length.

Once you’ve considered all of the above and reviewed and edited your personal statement to perfection, it’s time to submit and check off any remaining application requirements, including your resume and letters of recommendation .

Personal statements are arguably one of the most challenging aspects of applying to graduate school, so make sure to revel in this accomplishment and acknowledge your successes.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore  USC Online ’s master’s degrees, doctoral programs and graduate certificates.

Student Good Guide

The best UK online resource for students

• Neuroscience Personal Statement Examples

Below are very good neuroscience personal statement examples, as well as FAQ. Read and use these personal statements as inspiration to write your university application. 

Neuroscience Personal Statement Example

As a lifelong science enthusiast, I have always been fascinated by the complexity of the natural world and the mysteries that await discovery. From my early love of dinosaurs to my current interest in the intricate workings of the human brain, I have pursued my passion for science through my academic studies and personal pursuits. Now, as I embark on the next phase of my educational journey, I am thrilled at the prospect of studying neuroscience at university.

My BTEC in Science has provided me with a solid foundation in various scientific fields, including psychology , physiology, and biochemistry. However, it is the study of the brain that truly captivates me. I am eager to delve into the intricate connections between different disciplines that enable us to understand this complex organ and potentially cure illnesses that afflict humanity. My interest in neuroscience was further sparked by reading Louann Brizendine’s “The Female Brain” and following Dr Helen Fisher’s work on the biological basis of human behaviour.

My love of problem-solving and new inventions is evident in my interests outside of academia, including my passion for science fiction films like “Transformers,” “Inception,” and “Iron Man.” The engineering involved in creating sleek and fast cars like my favourite, the Maserati Quattroporte GTS, fascinates me and underscores my appreciation for scientific knowledge and its applications.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I am an avid sports enthusiast and have gained valuable experience in teamwork and leadership through my involvement in sports programmes. I obtained my Sports Leadership Award and shared my skills in basketball and other sports with children. I regularly participate in my local Kickz football scheme and have been featured in video clips for my local basketball team. I believe that teamwork and collaboration are essential to achieving humanity’s goals, just as the relationships between different scientific disciplines are vital to advancing our understanding of the world.

Having lived in Russia for nine years, I have developed a deep appreciation for different cultures and a desire to contribute positively to the world. My multilingualism in English, Urdu, Russian, Spanish, and French reflects my ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. My work experience at Office Angels Recruitment Agency taught me the importance of organization, focus, and teamwork in achieving goals.

As part of the Imagine Croydon scheme, I presented my ideas for improving my borough to the Mayor of Croydon Council, which reflects my passion for making a positive impact on the world. I am inspired by the allegory coined by Oliver Sacks about cognitive processes being akin to learning a new piece of music, and I am convinced that our plastic neural networks can be rewired to improve our cognitive abilities.

One of my primary aims in studying neuroscience is to gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of the brain and its development from childhood to adulthood. I believe that this knowledge holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of the prefrontal cortex and further advancing our understanding of the brain’s capabilities.

Despite facing medical challenges that impacted my ability to concentrate fully during my A-level studies, I found the subjects engaging and interesting. I have also been helping GCSE students in their science, Spanish, and English studies, which has reinforced my love of teaching and sharing knowledge with others.

I am excited to pursue my passion for neuroscience at university and apply my problem-solving skills, teamwork experience, and multilingualism to contribute positively to the field. I am confident that my love of science, combined with my curiosity and thirst for knowledge, will make me a valuable addition to any neuroscience programme.

Cognitive Neuroscience Personal Statement

From my early fascination with dopamine and neurotransmitters to my current interest in Alzheimer’s disease and its treatment, my passion for neuroscience has driven my academic and personal pursuits. I was inspired by a Psychology course in my fourth year and went on to study Chemistry and Biology, where I was captivated by the endocrine and neurological systems. My love of reading has led me to stay up to date on medical world affairs, with Ivor Browne’s autobiography and British journal articles on psychiatry illnesses and drug use among my favourite sources.

My interest in Alzheimer’s disease has motivated me to volunteer at Alzheimer’s homes, where I have performed for and entertained elderly patients. My enterprise class in transition year taught me essential entrepreneurial skills, including initiative, problem-solving, and pragmatism, and I led my group to be the only one to make a profit. Drama is one of my main hobbies, and I have performed on stage several times, particularly enjoying improvisation.

My EPQ explored the most effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, leading me to conclude that a combined treatment plan including pharmaceuticals and activities for healthy brain stimulation, such as music, might be most effective. I am also interested in using treatments that have not previously been considered for mainstream medical applications, such as curcumin, and postulated that hormone reduction played a vital role in the progress of Alzheimer’s disease.

My work experience with Dr Gregory Wildgoose and his research team at UEA allowed me to gain a better understanding of the industry I am hoping to enter, despite the electrochemistry I was working on not being directly connected to my field of interest. My greatest personal achievement has been travelling in Malaysia with World Challenge, where I raised funds to help redecorate an orphanage for disabled children and rebuild a hatchery on the site of a turtle conservation area, teaching me essential skills such as time management, budgeting, leadership, teamwork, and self-motivation.

I am excited to pursue a degree in Neuroscience and contribute to the field in the future. I am particularly interested in the narrow field of research and development and hope to be an eternal student, continually stimulated by everything I encounter. Studying at a university far from home is ideal for me, as I relish the idea of starting afresh and facing new challenges and responsibilities. I am quick on my feet, cope well under pressure, and pay attention to detail, all skills that will serve me well in the field of neuroscience.

In conclusion, my passion for neuroscience has driven my academic and personal pursuits, from my early fascination with neurotransmitters to my current interest in Alzheimer’s disease and its treatment. My enterprise skills, love of reading, and volunteering experience have prepared me well for the challenges of university study, while my achievements have taught me essential skills such as leadership, teamwork, and self-motivation. I am excited to contribute to the field of neuroscience in the future and am eager to learn every detail to continually be stimulated.

FAQ Neuroscience Personal Statements

A strong Neuroscience Personal Statement is important because it is typically the first opportunity for a university admissions tutor to get to know you beyond your academic record and test scores. It allows you to showcase your passion for neuroscience and demonstrate your suitability for the programme. 

A personal statement for the neuroscience course should highlight your academic achievements, experience, skills, and aspirations. It should demonstrate your passion for neuroscience and your understanding of the subject matter. You should explain why you are interested in neuroscience, what you hope to gain from the programme, and how it fits into your future goals. 

Popular Personal Statement Examples

• Statistics Personal Statements
• PPE Oxford Personal Statement Example
• Classics Personal Statement Examples
• Theology Personal Statement Examples
• Physics Personal Statement Examples
• Chemical Engineering personal statement examples
• Oncology Personal Statement Examples
• Psychiatry Personal Statement Examples
• Earth Sciences Personal Statement Example
• History Personal Statement Examples
• Veterinary Personal Statement Examples For University
• Civil Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• User Experience Design Personal Statement Example
• Finance Personal Statement Examples
• Graphic Design Personal Statement Examples
• Film Production Personal Statement Examples
• Events Management Personal Statement Examples
• Counselling Personal Statement Examples
• Forensic Science Personal Statement Examples
• Children’s Nursing Personal Statement Examples
• Chemistry Personal Statement Examples
• Sports Science Personal Statement Examples
• Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Quantity Surveying Personal Statement Examples
• Social Work Personal Statement Examples
• Physiotherapy Personal Statement Examples
• Journalism Personal Statement Examples
• English Literature Personal Statement Examples
• Marketing Personal Statement Examples
• Computer Science Personal Statement Examples
• Fashion Marketing Personal Statement Examples
• Dietetic Personal Statement Examples
• Product Design Personal Statement Examples
• Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Geography Personal Statement Examples
• Business Management Personal Statement Examples
• Politics Personal Statement Examples
• Psychology Personal Statement Examples
• Oxbridge Personal Statement Examples
• Zoology Personal Statement Example
• Sociology Personal Statement Example
• Fashion Personal Statement Example
• Mathematics Personal Statement Examples
• Software Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Philosophy Personal Statement
• International Relations Personal Statement Example
• Biochemistry Personal Statement Example
• Dentistry Personal Statement Examples
• Midwifery Personal Statement
• Law Personal Statement Example
• Medicine Personal Statement for Cambridge
• ICT Personal Statement
• Primary Teacher PGCE Personal Statement
• PGCE Personal Statement Example
• Games Design Personal Statement
• Paramedic Science Personal Statement Examples
• Occupational Therapy Personal Statement
• Pharmacy Personal Statement Example

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

HDFS 291- Career Exploration

Tools and strategies for getting a job or getting into graduate or professional school.

Personal Statements

Preparing a Personal Statement

Most graduate applications ask for a personal statement about why you want to go to their graduate program.  These statements are often considered VERY carefully in the decision to accept a student.  These resources may be useful in preparing these statements.

• Personal Statements 2017 –basic slides about preparing statements
• Questions for Reviewing Personal Statements — questions to ask yourself as you review your personal statement
• Sample -Early Childhood Education Personal Statement
• Sample Education
• Human Development & Family Studies Sample Statement 
• Occupational Therapy sample Personal Statement #1
• Occupational Therapy sample personal statement # 2
• The next two statements illustrate a good statement being improved to become a great statement.  Compare these.
• Sample First draft Personal Statement Special Ed
• Sample Personal Statement Special Ed–final

• Personal Statements
• Neuroscience personal statement

Neuroscience Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

Studying Neuroscience means you’ll be on the frontline of new scientific discoveries and could lead to a highly rewarding career. However, you might find that writing your personal statement is the biggest hurdle.

To give you a push in the right direction here is an example personal statement of someone applying to study Neuroscience:

From an early age I was interested in science and thoroughly enjoyed creating “experiments” with home science kits and other household items. As I grew older I understood just how many ground breaking discoveries are made in the world of science every day and I know that a career where I can be a part of that is right for me.

At school I excelled in science subjects and relished the chance to study Biology and Chemistry at A Level. By studying these subjects alongside Psychology and Sociology gave me a chance to develop more in-depth knowledge of how the human mind works and how we form relationships with each other and the world around us.

During my time at college I worked part time as a carer in a nursing home specialising in elderly dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. This gave me first-hand experience of how fragile and complex the human brain is.

Outside of school I fit volunteering at my local charity shop around my studies and part time employment. This gives me the chance to build on my personal, teamwork, and communication skills that I have gained as a result of working in the care home.

I look forward to my time at university taking me to a new area where I can volunteer for another charity and continue to develop my skills and make new connections with local people.

My time at the care home has inspired me to want to help people who suffer with degenerative brain disorders and to strive to discover better forms of treatment, or even a prevention or cure.

I hope that a career in Neuroscience will allow me to improve the lives of others, if only in a small way.

University Guides

• Accommodation
• + much more!

Sign up for news & advice about applying to uni

• Universities
• Fees & Finance
• For Parents
• International Students
• Terms and Conditions

• Admission Essay
• Statement of Purpose Editing
• Personal Statement Editing
• Recommendation Letter
• Motivation Letter
• Cover Letter
• Supplemental Essay
• Letter of Continued Interest
• Scholarship Essay
• Role Model Essay
• Our Editors
• College Admission Essay Examples
• College Cover Letter Examples
• College Personal Statement Examples
• Graduate Personal Statement Examples
• Graduate Statement of Purpose Examples
• MBA Essay Examples
• MBA Personal Statement Examples
• MBA Resume Examples
• MBA Recommendation Letter Examples
• Medical School Personal Statement Examples
• Medical School Recommendation Letter Examples
• Pricing Plans
• Public Health
• Dissertation
• Research Paper
• Thesis Editing
• Academic Editing
• Motivation letter
• Letter of Recommendation
• Personal Statement
• Statement of Purpose

Neuroscience Personal Statement – Sample For Graduate School

EssayEdge > Blog > Neuroscience Personal Statement – Sample For Graduate School

My long-term goal is to dedicate myself to the research field of neuroscience. In order to achieve this goal, I hope to acquire my Ph.D. at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine starting in the fall of 2000.

In 1992, I obtained my MA degree in Molecular Microbiology from Indiana University, Bloomington. At I.U., I received intensive training by Dr. Roger Innes in experimental design, logical thinking, and molecular genetics techniques. After I graduated from I.U., I became a lab supervisor in the clinical cytogenetic laboratory at Tzu Chi College of Medicine, Taiwan. The lab is part of TCCM’s newly established genetic research team directed by Dr. Ming-Liang Lee. My responsibilities at the lab included training lab technicians, improving testing accuracy by consistently improving technical skills and knowledge, and managing the lab’s day-to-day operations. At TCCM, I also taught several fundamental biology courses, including general biology, cell biology, and medical genetics laboratory.

After five years of working, I decided to pursue more advanced research training in the latest techniques of microbiology. Since the fall of 1998, I have been taking several Ph.D.-level courses at New York University . I have performed very well in my studies there, which have been supported by a fellowship from Taiwan’s National Science Council. My courses at NYU are Biochemistry I and II, Molecular Principles of Evolution, Cell Biology, Molecular Controls of Organism Form and Function, Neuroimmunology Journal Club, and Physiology Basis of Behavior. I am also researching in Dr. Joseph LeDoux’s lab for credit. At this lab, I have been using immunohistochemistry to detect the activation of track receptors in rat brains after fear conditioning. One of the tracks, trkB, responds to BDNF, which is related to synaptogenesis and LTP induction in the processes of learning and memory. My results have shown that the phosphorylation peak of trk appears in the hippocampal CA1 area 24 hours after fear conditioning. Further blocking experiments using trk antagonist need to be performed in order to confirm this result.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

My laboratory experience has triggered my strong interest in studying cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neurological diseases. The majority of patients with these diseases have chromosomal and genetic abnormalities. Most genetic diseases lead to neurological symptoms, and several neurological diseases are associated with strong genetic predispositions. The genetic defects associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, alcoholism, Fragile-X Syndrome, Neurofibrmatosis, and Parkinson’s Disease have already been mapped. However, the links between genes, gene products, neuronal circuits, brain functions, and diseases are still unclear. I am eager to help uncover these links.

I think that Mt. Sinai’s Ph.D. program perfectly suits my interests. The faculty includes experts in several divisions of neuroscience. There is an especially large group studying neurological diseases. The group uses various approaches, animal models, and behavioral paradigms to search for the causes of diseases on the molecular, cellular, physiological, and system levels. I am particularly interested in working in Dr. John Morrison’s lab, which studies cortical organizations, glutamate receptors, and neurodegenerative disorders; Dr. Patrick Hof’s lab, which uses comparative neuroanatomy to study aging; Dr. Giulio Pasinetti’s lab, which studies cyclooxygenase and inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease; and Dr. Charles Mobbs’s lab, which uses molecular, histological, behavioral, and electrophysiological methods to study basic mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases and aging.

Mt. Sinai School of Medicine also attracts me because of its location in an extremely nice area of Manhattan. In addition, the strong collaboration between its neuroscience program and its other departments, its affiliated hospital, and many other outstanding New York laboratories will enable me to receive much technical and academic support.

In order to sponsor my Ph.D. education, I have obtained a competitive Ph.D. fellowship from the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation, the largest nonprofit organization in Taiwan. The foundation is dedicated to helping needy all over the world, regardless of age, sex, race, and religion. Over the past decades, it has provided worldwide relief and assistance. Its missions focus on charity, medical care, education, and international relief. The founder, Master Chang Yang, was once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The foundation will support my Ph.D. education for at least four years.

After completing my Ph.D. education, I plan to continue my research and teaching in neuroscience. Thus far, most of the detailed work in studying neurological disease has of necessity been performed in experimental animal systems. However, the progress of human genome mapping might eventually make it possible to test whether the disease mechanisms discovered in animals function in comparable ways in humans. Consequently, in the future, I hope to apply my knowledge of the genes and proteins involved in neurological diseases to develop pharmacological treatment or genetic therapies. I am confident that one day we will have effective drugs to prevent memory loss or aging. We may even be able to cure currently intractable neurological diseases through gene therapies, either in utero or in live humans.

I am confident that Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s graduate program will enable me to successfully meet my goals. I also believe that if I am accepted to your Ph.D. program, I will contribute greatly to Mount Sinai’s learning environment.

If the paper you plan to submit looks similar to this sample, you can order a graduate school personal essay edit. This neuroscience graduate essay sample has a good structure, flow, and style, but some aspects need improvement. You can check our before and after editing examples to realize why editing is essential. We are waiting for your request!

Popular Posts

June 2, 2022 How To Start a Scholarship Essay: Catch Reader’s Attention Fast

May 16, 2022 My Role Model Essay: A Few Ways to Elaborate on The Subject

May 3, 2022 How To Start a Personal Statement? | Writing Tips and Samples

Related Posts

July 14, 2021 Personal Statement Sample: How Can It Help You With Writing?

June 3, 2021 Clichés in College Essay Examples: How To Recognize Them?

October 26, 2020 Alternative Medicine Application Essay Sample – Edited

©2024 Student Media LLC. All rights reserved.

EssayEdge: Essay Editing & Proofreading Service.

Our mission is to prepare you for academic and career success.

•   Log In  
•   Sign Up  
• Forgot password

Unable to log in? Please clear your browser's cache and then refresh this page and try again

Reset password Please enter your email address to request a password reset.

Check your email We’ve just sent a password reset link to your email.

This information is used to create your account

Clearing Universities & Courses

Clearing advice.

Recommended Clearing Universities

Popular Course Categories

Course Search & Discover

Start the search for your uni. Filter from hundreds of universities based on your preferences.

Search by Type

Search by region.

Recommended Universities

Ravensbourne University London

London (Greater) · 88% Recommended

University of Chester

North West England · 97% Recommended

University of Leicester

East Midlands Region · 93% Recommended

Search Open Days

What's new at Uni Compare

University of Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire has a 95% graduate employment rate for career prospects, find out more!

Ravensbourne University

90% of graduates going in to work or further study (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2020)

Ranking Categories

Regional rankings.

More Rankings

Top 100 Universities

Taken from 65,000+ data points from students attending university to help future generations

About our Rankings

Discover university rankings devised from data collected from current students.

Guide Categories

Advice categories, recommended articles, popular statement examples, statement advice.

What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Personal statement example neuroscience personal statement.

Submitted by Olivia

Make the most of your interest in Biology with biomedical sciences at Swansea.

Tailor your studies towards a career in research, innovation or healthcare with Swansea University's range of biomedical sciences degrees. Foundation Year, BSc and MSci available - there's a place for you at Swansea!

Neuroscience Personal Statement

The brain, to me, is such a complex and sovereign organism that has influence over the internal mechanisms and this has always allured to me. My true fascination has manifested from observing the external factors that can affect the function of the brain. From a young age I have been exposed to addiction; a factor which I believe has incited a passion within me to pursue a neurological career. I have witnessed the physical and psychological effects that an alcohol addiction has over an individual, and in my seventeen years the greatest thing that I have observed is the pattern of habits that relapse and evolve with an addiction. Although this can be a truly upsetting environment to have been around, I have learnt that the brain and mind, like many other things in life, are susceptible to error. This is something I wish to delve deeper into in my studies.

Whilst in a philosophy lesson in which we were exploring the issue of whether the evil and suffering that exists in this world can be reconciled with an omnibenevolent God, I first encountered the contribution of Paul Kalanithi to the debate. Intrigued by his approach of harmonising his neurosurgical practice with his faith, all the while accepting the terminal diagnosis of lung cancer, I read his 'When Breath Becomes Air'. The line; '...the fact that brains give rise to our ability to form relationships and make life meaningful. Sometimes they break', resonates with me and opened my eyes to the importance of neurological development in the world today. Ethics classes have made me become more acquainted to discussions regarding the psychological involvement in notorious crimes, for example, the influence of OCD and Asperger's Syndrome on the 2013 Sandy Hook perpetrator Adam Lanza. I enjoy engaging in these lessons, and at times challenging other classmates as I acknowledge that there can be many ways to psychologically tackle these dilemmas.

Biology, I believe, has provided me with the skills required in both neuroscience and psychology. In class we regularly practice experimental techniques such as microscopy which I know will be utilised when studying the brain closely. The most prominent thing that biology has given to me is the ability to study the systematic nature of our body, and how even the 'simplest' bodily function requires nervous stimulation. I often leave lessons perplexed yet fascinated by the human body, and even more astonished by the paramountcy of the brain within the body; something that I would be grateful to study at university. Studying health and social care at A level has given me the opportunity to explore the physical, mental and social affects that neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's can have on an individual, with such chronic diseases like this on the rise I believe that my knowledge from studying this subject would aid any future research.

I have worked as an optical assistant in a local optician's for over a year now. This job has given me the opportunity to develop and display skills of applying my knowledge in independent and team settings. I have been trained in conducting field tests, which has further increased my interest in studying the brain as these tests can correlate optical health with neurological health.

In my spare time I attend the gym regularly and practice yoga and mindfulness; keeping me physical and mentally fit. Both of these activities have shown to have great psychological benefits, and I would say I am an advocate of this. I also enjoy reading and learning about psychological theories and developments via YouTube and the news. For example, I recently read of the 2017 Nobel Prize winners for physiology who discovered that our cells have a 'body clock' explaining human sleep and behaviour patterns. This has truly fascinated me and one day I hope to embrace the opportunity to make such scientific development like this.

Recommended Course

Recommended Statements

Submitted by anonymous

Biomedical Science Personal Statement

Since studying science at primary school level, I have been compelled by the complex and dynamic nature of...

Biomedical Sciences Personal Statement

Health is the most important aspect of life; without health all else is useless. Although often unseen, bi...

My goal in studying Biomedical Science is to achieve a deeper knowledge of the human body. I respect peopl...

I have always aspired to pursue a career that shows my passion for science. As my learning developed, I re...

undergraduate Universities

Undergraduate uni's.

Ravensbourne

Uni of Chester

398 courses

Uni of Leicester

267 courses

Middlesex Uni

470 courses

Uni of Winchester

154 courses

Heriot-Watt Uni

208 courses

528 courses

Uni of Kent

413 courses

Uni of Sunderland

200 courses

238 courses

Uni of Roehampton

268 courses

Kingston Uni

376 courses

ARU Writtle

104 courses

Cardiff Met Uni

305 courses

Swansea Uni

771 courses

Uni of East London

317 courses

Northeastern Uni

444 courses

West London IoT

Coventry Uni

445 courses

Goldsmiths, UOL

273 courses

Leeds Beckett Uni

325 courses

Uni of Portsmouth

545 courses

Queen's Uni

411 courses

Uni of Surrey

435 courses

Uni of Suffolk

111 courses

Uni of Hertfordshire

419 courses

Uni for Creative Arts

323 courses

Uni of Bradford

197 courses

Uni of Bedfordshire

327 courses

Staffordshire Uni

272 courses

Uni of Westminster

336 courses

Anglia Ruskin Uni

464 courses

UWE, Bristol

252 courses

Leeds Arts University

Uni of Essex

797 courses

Escape Studios

Uni of Huddersfield

458 courses

353 courses

Wrexham Uni

168 courses

Uni of Brighton

257 courses

Uni of C.Lancashire

512 courses

Bath Spa Uni

292 courses

Edge Hill Uni

243 courses

Uni of Hull

274 courses

Nottingham Trent

539 courses

Edinburgh Napier

184 courses

Uni of Reading

391 courses

246 courses

Find the latest from Uni Compare

University of Kent

Awarded Silver in the TEF Rankings 2023, click here to learn more!

University of Surrey

Surrey has been shortlisted for the University of the Year 2023 - find out more here!

• Search Search icon

☰ In This Section

• Graduate School

Career Resources

Career Development and Calling

• - Career Resources
• Internships
• Experiential Learning
• Job and Internship Search
• Resume Writing
• Interviewing
• Employers and Community Partnerships
• Parents and Families
• Prospective Students
• Faculty and Staff

How to apply to graduate school

Consider if graduate school is right for you.

Start this process by asking yourself some reflective questions to understand why you want to go to graduate school. Consider what topics and issues you are passionate about, if you are disciplined and committed to going through a program, and if it will help you attain your career goals. Consider finer details such as finances, timing, and distance, depending on the program you choose. 

Research schools

Schools can offer full-time or part-time classes and can offer them either at night, during the day, or online. Figure out which modality will work best for you as you take classes. Depending on your area of expertise, you may want to pursue a masters degree or a PhD.  

Take entrance exam (if applicable)

One of the following exams are often a required portion of the application process: GRE, MAT,MCAT, GMAT, & LSAT. Costs range from $150-$250. Exams are typically give on the computer at testing stations. Invest a lot of time into studying for your entrance exam.

Write your personal statement

A personal statement is your opportunity to express your goals, hopes, and how you can contribute to the program. Get to know what the department is looking for in students and reflect on those qualities. Show how you fit into the program goals and mission of the school. Other things to highlight in your personal statement: research experience, academic background, career goals, and interest in your chosen field. 

Submit Applications and Letters of Recommendation

Application

• Pay attention to deadlines as they often vary from school to school. 
• Transcripts cost $10 to send electronically and $15 to send a physical copy. You can order an official copy of your transcript. 

Letters of Recommendation

• A letter from an informed recommender can be very persuasive to graduate admissions committees.  
• Enlist individuals who know you well and who you are confident will write a good recommendation (professors, supervisors, resident directors, etc.). Give the people you selected plenty of time to write a good letter and be sure to send them a thank you card! 
• Grad School Interview Question Practice Guide  (pdf)
• Grad School 101  (pdf)

Schedule an appointment with us!

• Applying to Uni
• Apprenticeships
• Health & Relationships
• Money & Finance

Personal Statements

• Postgraduate
• U.S Universities

University Interviews

• Vocational Qualifications
• Accommodation
• ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
• ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
• ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
• ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

• ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
• ​​​​​​​Technology
• ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Guide

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

Top Rated Personal Statements

Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

Postgraduate Personal Statements

International Student Personal Statements

Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

College Rankings

Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

Scholarships

Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

Neuroscience personal statement example 8.

Psychology is a great passion of mine. During my undergraduate studies, I was impressed by the P. Ekman’s work of spotting micro expressions in order to improve our social and emotional skills, or by the depth of transitions between behaviours, cognitions and the environment introduced by A. Bandura.

Moreover, A. T. Beck’s Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy inspired me to learn more about the impact of mindfulness on well-being and its potential to improve people’s quality of life.

The human brain is a tool, which can ask questions about its own existence, de facto it can study itself, which eventually leads to understanding of us, human beings.

These are a few reasons, which awakened my excitement for cognitive psychology.

My passion for the comprehension of the biological basis of the human mind resulted in my studies of brain functioning and phenomena, such as sensory substitution or synaesthesia.

Even though synaesthesia is not a disability, people may suffer from stigmatisation.

That is why I decided to try to raise awareness of this condition by writing my bachelor thesis in English in order to spread the word not only in my home country, but also abroad. I was fascinated by the contributions of D. Eagleman and V. S. Ramachandran, which made an impact in the field of neuroscience.

Besides my broad involvement in various areas, I excelled in my studies with the honours from the Dean for the overall assessment of the study results.

I have always been keen on studying more than was required. I participated and won the Student Scientific Research Activity prize at my university in the topic of Subliminal Perception (2013) and Synaesthesia (2014), which gave me my first experience with conducting my own research and improved my critical thinking skills.

I have continued my active involvement in extracurricular activities by joining the Slovak Association of Psychology Students and Graduates, and the European Federation of Psychology Students’ Associations (EFPSA), where I held the position of Member Representative of Slovakia and was also the head of the Administration Team of the EFPSA Conference 2015.

During my voluntary involvement in both organisations I have enhanced my skills in teamwork, time-management skills and leadership skills.

Moreover, I have learned to keep deadlines organised and work efficiently in high stress situations, through my skill to balance workloads. Most of all, I have enriched my knowledge about the field of psychology abroad and expanded my network of friends and colleagues.

I find travelling an incredible experience of getting in touch with the practice of psychology abroad, hence my involvement in EFPSA.

Therefore, I have done an Erasmus study in Belgium (2013-2014) and now I am studying in Portugal. I have not only improved my English language skills, but also sharpened my communication skills and broadened my knowledge. The international environment made me more curious about other cultures and I have a clearer view on cultural differences.

My first professional experience in a research setting was an Erasmus Internship in Prague, Czech Republic (2014), oriented on research about visual search in maps. Throughout the preparation of the experiment, I have gained experience in working with the software PsychoPy and basic skills in the programming language R, which I believe may be of use in the future.

For the purpose of psychohygiene, I play the flute and I had been part of a swing orchestra at my music school. It was an exceptional experience of team work and active listening.

Furthermore, I like to search for knowledge in the books. The work of J.R.R. Tolkien is a great inspiration for me to relentlessly follow my goals, which is to pursue the career in the field of neuropsychology.

Becoming a psychologist requires a special set of qualities and skills, which I believe I possess and will develop throughout my studies.

I find the quality of the studies your university offers to be an exclusive opportunity to develop personally and professionally, and I look forward to the challenges this degree has to offer. I hope I have been able to highlight my readiness for this challenge throughout my statement.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

Add new comment.

• English Language Programs
• Postdoctoral Affairs
• Training Grant Support
• Request Information

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Apply to attend the obi graduate student award symposium.

The O'Donnell Brain Institute (OBI) at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center invites you to apply for the inaugural OBI Graduate Student Award Symposium  to be held Thursday, October 17 – Friday, October 18 . Selected awardees will deliver invited talks at the symposium, engage with faculty and trainees, and learn firsthand about our vibrant neuroscience community. UT Southwestern is located in the Dallas metro area, one of the most diverse regions in the U.S.   The O’Donnell Brain Institute brings together basic, clinical, translational, and data researchers from across the UT Southwestern campus to investigate the biggest questions in brain science today. Brain disease research and clinical care are top priorities at UT Southwestern and that is evidenced by the investments made in the Institute including a new 265,000-square-foot neuroscience tower and research facilities such as the Cryo-EM Core, Whole Brain Imaging Core, and MERSCOPE Core.   In addition, the Institute is committed to recruiting and supporting scientists at all levels and the senior graduate student award symposium is part of these efforts. The two-day event will provide opportunities for selected applicants to explore postdoctoral positions with investigators, network with neuroscience graduate students and postdocs, and learn about the mentoring and funding programs developed to support early-career scientists.   Please note that travel, accommodation, and meal expenses will be covered. An honorarium will also be provided.   How to Apply:

• Online application: https://redcap.link/h0sars34  
• CV, including a list of publications and preprints, list of scholarships/fellowships/honors, employment history, professional organizations, and other relevant information.
• Personal background/experience
• Past research experience 
• Future postdoc expectations 
• Overall career goals 
• Research abstract (250 words) 
• Mentor letter of support confidentially emailed to [email protected]  

The deadline to apply is Monday, April 30. Questions regarding the program may be sent directly to Mary-Colette Lybrand ( [email protected] ).

Categories: Social Sciences, Other

• About the Hub
• Announcements
• Faculty Experts Guide
• Subscribe to the newsletter

Explore by Topic

• Arts+Culture
• Politics+Society
• Science+Technology
• Student Life
• University News
• Voices+Opinion
• About Hub at Work
• Gazette Archive
• Benefits+Perks
• Health+Well-Being
• Current Issue
• About the Magazine
• Past Issues
• Support Johns Hopkins Magazine
• Subscribe to the Magazine

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Image caption: Clockwise from left: Shubhayu Bhattacharyay, Min Jae Kim, James Occean, and Michael Xie

Two Johns Hopkins alumni, two graduate students named Paul and Daisy Soros Fellows

They are among 30 recipients of the fellowships, which honor immigrants and children of immigrants with exceptional potential to make a difference in their fields.

By Aleyna Rentz

Four Johns Hopkins affiliates have been awarded the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans . One of the most competitive scholarships in the United States, the Soros Fellowship honors the contributions of immigrants and children of immigrants to the United States. This year, 30 fellows were chosen from over 2,300 applicants. Fellows are awarded up $90,000 in financial support and are chosen for their potential to make significant contributions to their academic field.

This year's awardees from Johns Hopkins are Shubhayu Bhattacharyay, Engr '20; Min Jae Kim, Engr '22; James Occean, who is pursuing a master's degree in bioinformatics; and Michael E. Xie, who is pursuing an MD/PhD in the Medical Scientist Training Program.

Shubhayu Bhattacharyay, Engr '20

Shubhayu Bhattacharyay was born in Kolkata, India, and spent his early childhood in Thailand and Vietnam before settling in the South Bay of Los Angeles. At Johns Hopkins University, Bhattacharyay double majored in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics and statistics with a minor in Spanish. He was supported by the Milken Scholars Program and graduated with full departmental and Tau Beta Pi honors. As an undergraduate, Bhattacharyay founded Auditus Technologies, a company inventing individualizable, accessible hearing devices for adults living with dementia.

Bhattacharyay started to consider a medical career in the summer after his first year at Hopkins, when he met traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors participating in a brain-computer interface study. Their stories motivated Bhattacharyay to think of ways his interest in computational neuroscience might contribute towards an improved quality of life after TBI. Mentored by Robert Stevens , director of the Johns Hopkins Division of Informatics, Integration, and Innovation and an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine, Bhattacharyay invented and published results from the first computational bedside system to sense and classify motor function in TBI patients in the intensive care unit.

In 2020, Bhattacharyay received a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to pursue a PhD in clinical neurosciences at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of professors Ari Ercole and David Menon. For his thesis, Bhattacharyay developed artificial intelligence methods which improve the detail of information provided for prognostic counseling and suggest individually optimized treatment plans during the ICU management of TBI. His work has generated publications in leading digital health and neurotrauma journals, open access software packages, and invited talks at international conferences. During his graduate studies, Bhattacharyay volunteered at Headway Cambridge and Peterborough, a charity-run rehabilitation center for acquired brain injury survivors, where he helped start an evidence-based program for building psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bhattacharyay is currently pursuing an MD at Harvard Medical School with aspirations of becoming a physician-engineer in neurocritical or neurosurgical care. At Harvard, he is researching sources of bias in medical AI to protect patient safety and equity in the clinical deployment of decision support systems for TBI care. Bhattacharyay's mission is to enhance the precision and global accessibility of TBI care with big data.

Min Jae Kim, Engr '22

Min Jae immigrated from Korea to Fairfax, Virginia, when he was 14. He completed his undergraduate education at Johns Hopkins University in biomedical engineering and neuroscience.

As a college student, Kim became interested in studying underlying brain circuit dynamics and how selectively intervening in this circuitry through neuromodulatory therapies can improve clinical outcomes in movement disorders and epilepsy. He worked closely with Kelly Mills , director of the Movement Disorders Division and an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins, to identify neural circuitry associated with cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease after deep brain stimulation. Additionally, he collaborated with Johns Hopkins neurologist Joon-Yi Kang and neurosurgeon William Stanley Anderson to investigate radiographic markers and circuits to enhance seizure freedom rates for epilepsy patients undergoing minimally invasive epilepsy surgery. From this work, Kim has held a patent as a lead inventor and was named a Barry Goldwater Scholar in 2021 .

After completing his undergraduate degree, Kim pursued additional training in understanding neural circuitry in movement disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders with Andreas Horn at Network Stimulation Laboratory and Harvard Medical School before beginning his MD/PhD training at the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout his training, Kim's goal has been to study circuit-level pathophysiology in neurological disorders and translate his research findings to revolutionize the clinical landscape of neuromodulation. He is currently investigating novel methods to optimize neuromodulatory therapies across numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders at Penn Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia alongside multidisciplinary research and clinical faculty members, including professors Casey Halpern, Kathryn Davis, Benjamin Kennedy, Han-Chiao Isaac Chen, and Iahn Cajigas.

Kim has published more than 18 papers in many reputable journals such as Biological Psychiatry , Epilepsia , Neurosurgery , and Brain Stimulation . His research works have been recognized by both national and international organizations such as the American Epilepsy Society, International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. As a future neurosurgeon-scientist, he aims to develop next-generation neuromodulatory therapeutics to repair neurophysiological and network dysfunctions in neurological disorders.

James Occean

James Occean emigrated from Haiti to the U.S. at the age of 10. He later pursued a bachelor of science degree in biomedical sciences at the University of South Florida as a first-generation college student. Under the mentorship of Abraham Salinas-Miranda and Nicholas Thomas, he conducted epidemiological research to identify predictors and risk factors for intimate partner violence among women in his native country, Haiti. This effort culminated in James' first lead-author publication in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. James then expanded his research into the biological sciences to understand how trauma exposure increases susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, a phenomenon typically observed in trauma-exposed women in Haiti. He joined Monica Uddin's lab and studied genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that underlie PTSD. His first-author publication in Psychiatry Research revealed that DNA methylation at a stress-sensitive gene influences the likelihood of developing PTSD after experiencing certain traumas.

After completing his undergraduate studies, James received the post-baccalaureate IRTA fellowship from the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. In Payel Sen's lab, he investigated how changes in epigenetic modifications and chromatin drive mammalian aging and related decline. During his two years in the Sen lab, James led and contributed to several peer-reviewed publications, secured over $140,000 in research grants for his work on DNA hydroxymethylation, and received the Early Career Scholar award from the American Aging Association.

Following his fellowship, James on track to earn his master's in bioinformatics at Johns Hopkins University in May. Concurrently, he works as a data scientist at Personal Genome Diagnostics within Labcorp Oncology, where he actively contributes to the verification and validation of noninvasive diagnostic assays designed to detect cancer-related and clinically relevant genetic alterations.

This fall, he will begin his PhD in Cancer Biology at Stanford. There, he plans to explore the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms driving tumor initiation, progression, and treatment resistance. His goal is to use this research to develop noninvasive cancer technologies and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Michael E. Xie

Michael E. Xie was born in New Jersey to immigrants from China, who came to the United States to pursue educational opportunities. As a child, Xie spent time living with his extended family in Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces. Xie graduated from Harvard University summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and physics and concurrent master's degree in statistics. As an undergraduate, he conducted research with Adam Cohen and developed an interest in neuroscience. In the lab, Xie was captivated by the modern ability to record detailed electrical signals from many individual neurons simultaneously, and he collaborated with Liam Paninski's group at Columbia University to develop new statistical tools that enable accurate interpretation of such recordings. His research resulted in a first-author publication in Cell Reports as well as co-authored publications in Nature and Cell . His undergraduate thesis also won a Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize from Harvard.

Currently, Xie is pursuing an MD/PhD in the Medical Scientist Training Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering and anticipates earning his degree in 2028. His PhD research, co-advised by Karel Svoboda and Adam Charles , uses novel neural recording techniques to examine the fundamental—but unanswered—question of what computations the individual neurons that make up the living brain can perform. With these insights, Xie hopes to build improved computational models of the brain that can help us understand how cognitive function may deteriorate with neuropsychiatric or neurodegenerative disease. Xie also leads a neurosurgery research project in the lab of Risheng Xu , assistant director, of the neurosurgery residency program, building deep learning models to improve patient outcomes.

To learn more about applying for the Soros Fellowship and other scholarships, visit the university's National Fellowship Program website .

Posted in Student Life , Alumni

Tagged alumni , fellowships , graduate students

You might also like

News network.

• Johns Hopkins Magazine
• Get Email Updates
• Submit an Announcement
• Submit an Event
• Privacy Statement
• Accessibility

Discover JHU

• About the University
• Schools & Divisions
• Academic Programs
• Plan a Visit
• my.JohnsHopkins.edu
• © 2024 Johns Hopkins University . All rights reserved.
• University Communications
• 3910 Keswick Rd., Suite N2600, Baltimore, MD
• X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram