These tips are brought to you by Fordham GSS Associate Director of Admissions Stephen McGowan. Stephen reads thousands of personal statements per year and is a GSS alumnus. If anyone knows what the admissions team is looking for, he’s the one. To watch the video version of this article, view it on our Instagram.
Along with your graduate school resume, your personal statement is the best way for Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program admissions teams to find out who you are.
Personal statements are just that: personal. This is your story, and only you can tell it best. Why do you want to be a social worker? What do you hope to accomplish with the degree and the skillset it offers? While having all the answers at this point is not required, we want to see that you’ve thought hard about these important questions and have a plan upon entering the program and the profession.
And while your personal statement is your own story, there are some general best practices to follow to ensure there are no distractions taking away from your message. Our team wants to focus on your amazing qualities — so perfect these tips and you’ll be on your way to admissions success.
Tip #1: Stay Organized!
We know you’re going to apply to a bunch of schools throughout your MSW admissions journey. This is a good thing! You should always keep your options open when considering which school is the best fit for your goals.
That said, make sure you’re keeping things organized and only answering the questions asked by the prompt the particular school gives you. It can be easy to get things mixed up so double-check the prompt before submitting.
Tip #2: Mention the School’s Name
Again, while you don’t need to keep it a secret that you’re eyeing multiple schools in your journey, please make sure to keep the materials separate. This goes for keeping your materials vague — we see that and know you didn’t put in the effort to write individual statements for each school you’re applying to.
Your M.S.W. journey is a big investment — in time, finances, and overall life balance. Make sure you take the time to get it right from the beginning.
Tip #3: Use APA Formatting
Following guidelines and procedures is an important part of being a social worker. This is a great opportunity to show schools you can carefully follow directions to obtain the best result.
Some important things to include in APA:
- Running headers
- Page numbers
- Title page
Tip #4: Another Set of Eyes
Once you have a full draft, ask someone who is not a social worker to read your statement! Not only do you benefit from a fresh pair of eyes, but these people will read the statement with an objective point of view. If you can convey your passion for this profession to someone who isn’t on the inside, then insiders will be blown away.
We hope these tips are helpful as you finish up (or start!) your application. Remember, our fall 2025 MSW cohort application deadline is April 1, 2025. So, you still have some time to polish up that personal statement. Take your time, take a deep breath, and do the best you can! It’s all anyone can ask for. We believe in you!
