Format
Please format your Personal Statement in the following:
- No more than 3-5 pages typed, 12-point font, double-spaced
- Save in Word or PDF format
- Copy/paste this statement at the beginning of your essay. By including it, you are attesting to your academic honesty and integrity, as required by UConn Policy:
- I, ___________ (type your name here), attest that, in preparing this essay and application, I have neither plagiarized nor used generative AI to write my essay. This is my original work.
Prompts
You will be addressing both your relevant experiences and a brief personal reflection. Please address the following:
Relevant Experiences
- Please list and describe any experiences or aspects of your background that have had an impact or influence on your life and informed your decision to pursue a career in education. Remember that experiences can span a broad array: education, extracurricular activities, work with children, volunteer work, employment opportunities, travel, or other more personal aspects.
Personal Reflection
Teachers today live in complex worlds full of diverse people and situations. When you think about your own classroom in the future:
- What are some of the issues of equity and/or justice that you are excited to approach in your role as a teacher?
- What understandings and/or skills do you want to develop in order to address this issue of equity and/or justice?
- Tell your story of how you came to these particular understandings and skills as important to your own growth and your future students’ learning.
Evaluation
Your essay will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Content of essay:
- Relevance to the questions asked: a narrative that shows awareness of audience and teaches the reader about your specific concerns, goals, and the connections between them.
- Clarity
- Degree of self-reflection and critical thinking expressed in the essay
Effectiveness of written communication skills:
- Voice or individuality in expression
- Organization that is clear, logical, and flowing
- Effective use of sentences, phrases, and vocabulary to convey ideas
- Accurate conventions, grammar, and mechanics