35 Personal Statement Story Starters

Go from the overwhelm of staring at a blank page to the overflow of story ideas for your graduate school personal statement.

$17

Start writing →

Starting to write your personal statement can feel like…

Confusion

“What do admissions committees even want to read?”

Overwhelm

“How am I supposed to write different statements for multiple programs?”

Determination

“It’s go time, where do I start?”

Apprehension

“Do I even have a story worth telling?”

(quick interjection here: YES, you do!)”

35 Personal Statement Story Starters has you covered.

(So does Dr. Jena!)

What you’ll get:

35 Personal Statement Story Starters

  • Short prompts (“story starters”) ranging from simple to complex to help you brainstorm scroll-stopping story ideas that application reviewers actually want to read

Example Story Starters

  • #10) Your take on a hot topic related to your intended field of study

  • #17) Something you witnessed that changed your life and career trajectory

BONUS

  • Pro Tips on what to include in your statement and an example of how to write descriptions that excite admissions committees

The format:

13-page workbook in an editable Google Doc

  • Use the workbook to mark your favorites and take notes on stories from your life that fit personal statement prompts for your graduate school applications

  • You will need a Google account to access your 35 Personal Statement Story Starters

  • This document can also be opened in a word processor like Word (Microsoft) or Pages (Apple) from Google Docs

I need this! →

This guided workbook is perfect for:

  • Applicants who are unsure of what types of personal stories are ideal for a graduate school personal statement

  • Working professionals who are getting back into personal, reflective writing versus technical writing

  • Career pivoters worried about how to explain to reviewers why they are pursuing a new career

Sounds like me! →

What people are saying:

  • 35 Personal Statement Story Starters helped me write my first personal statement. It was insightful and eased my nerves because I had never written one before. I went from a blank page to 2 pages of who I am today.

    Gigi H.

Ready to start writing your personal statement?

You’ve got this.

(actually, you’re about to!)

Get started →

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Dr. Jena Pugh is a higher education expert who read thousands of applications for The Ohio State University and has helped aspiring graduate students get into their top choice programs since 2010.

    As a first-generation college student, Dr. Jena had to figure out how to write a personal statement on her own (it wasn't a smooth process). She's channeled that experience into 35 Personal Statement Story Starters to save you time and the headache of figuring out what to write.

    If you've ever wondered "what do reviewers actually want to read?" - 35 Personal Statement Story Starters is it!

  • There are 2 ways to access your workbook:

    #1 - After your purchase, the confirmation webpage will have a link to your workbook. Once clicked, you will be prompted to make your own COPY of 35 Personal Statement Story Starters in Google Docs. (You must be logged into Google to access your workbook which will automatically be saved in your Google Drive).

    #2 - After your purchase, you will also receive an email confirmation with a link to create an editable copy of your workbook in Google Docs.

  • It's ok, sometimes things don't work out. That's why I offer a 14-day no hassle refund for any reason. For more information, check out the Terms & Conditions.

  • Email hello@drjenapugh.com with "Support Request" in the subject line to receive a response within 2 business days on Eastern Standard Time.

Featured by: