What is the purpose of the graduate admissions essay or personal statement?

Question: What is the purpose of the graduate admissions essay or personal statement?

Answer: Admissions committees deal with countless stacks of applications: faceless GRE scores and GPAs. How do they differentiate among applicants with similar scores and academic backgrounds? The personal statement. Your personal statement reveals a great deal about your abiity:

• to write
• to determine the purpose of the essay
• to stick to the task at hand
• sell yourself and explain why you're a good match to the program

Essentially, the essay is your opportunity to talk directly with the admissions committee, to call attention to important parts of your application that might otherwise be overlooked, and to explain any discrepancies or potentially negative aspects of your application. It's your chance to help the admissions committee see you as a person instead of a grade point average and a clump of standardized test scores.