Guidelines for Personal Statement for PhD Applicants

Personal statement (450-500 words)

Tell us about yourself and why you are applying to the Ph.D. program in survey methodology at the University of Michigan. Some topics to talk about in your essay are identified in the following questions, though feel free to talk about additional topics that you believe we should know about in considering your application.

1. What are some issues or problems that you would like to investigate as a doctoral student in survey methodology?

2. Survey methodology is a blend of statistical and social science. How do you see yourself combining ideas from various possible disciplines?

3. Is there a particular research finding or phenomenon that convinced you to pursue a career in survey methodology? Tell us about it (or them if there is more than one).

4. If it was entirely up to you, what kind of job would you have after receiving a Ph.D. from our program?

5. If you have spent time outside of university settings, tell us about that experience and how it might have affected your decision to apply our doctoral program.