Personal Statements

Personal Statement Criteria

Higher Education and Student Affairs

M.S.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs

The personal statement should provide a concise reflection of why you are interested in becoming a student affairs professional. You may want to touch on what may have led to your desire to be a student affairs professional, and address anything you want the committee to know about your qualifications for the program. Finally, you may want to also address why you are interested in studying at Indiana University. The final statement should be double spaced and no more than 2 pages in length.

Ph.D. in Higher Education

Your personal goal statement is an important part of the review process for our faculty members as they consider your application. This statement allows faculty to learn about your background, work experience, and additional qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the program. It also serves as a platform for you to share your goals for graduate study, your interests in working with particular faculty members, and your thoughts about how IU’s program would help you reach your desired career outcome. This statement should be 500 words or less. You can upload your personal goal statement as a PDF file or as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) into the online application itself.