Many graduate school candidates freeze when they realize one of the requirements is submitting a statement of intent. They often find the process of developing this important essay daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.

At Peirce College, your statement of intent should tell us how completing a graduate degree will prepare you to achieve your goals. No one knows this information better than you, so let’s break down the writing process into three steps.

Step 1:  Provide Background

Start by answering these questions:

• Why do you want to earn this master’s degree? This includes your personal and professional goals, where you think the degree will take you, and what you hope to accomplish by earning the degree. It’s also an opportunity share your inspirations for achieving your goals.
• How has your life prepared you for graduate study? This includes how your academic background, especially your collegiate experiences, and professional background have prepared you for graduate school.
• What are your prior jobs, volunteer experiences, and college/university experiences?  This includes where you have worked and what positions you have held, what organizations or causes you have volunteered for, and what degrees you have earned.

The answers to these questions are your starting point. It is important to get your thoughts down so you can read them to yourself and begin to shape your story.

Step 2: Provide Context and Make the Connection

When you begin drafting your statement, make sure you:

• Tell us what drives your inspiration to earn a master’s degree. Are you doing it to advance your career, to earn more money, for personal fulfillment, or all of the above?
• Tell us how earning your master’s at Peirce will help you achieve your goals. Does the position you want require a graduate degree? Will earning the degree position you to have the future you want? Or is it more about keeping a promise you made to yourself?
• Tell us if there is anything about Peirce College that attracted you to our program. Were you attracted to the applied nature of the program that enables you to apply what you learn directly to your career? Do you like the ability to determine when to attend classes online or on campus?

Develop your statement of intent in an essay format. It should be between 500-1,000 words.

Step 3:  Edit Carefully

Before you send us your statement of intent, please remember to:

• Edit and proofread very carefully to ensure your statement is coherent. Make sure there are no mistakes with grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Also, use fonts that are easy to read, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
• Once you have finished editing your statement, take a break. Come back to the document later so you can see it again with a fresh perspective. This may help you to find a mistake you might have previously overlooked or give you new ideas.
• Ask someone you trust who is a good writer and proofreader to read your statement before you submit it.  

To learn more about how statements of intent are evaluated as part of the graduate application process at Peirce College, please contact us at masters@peirce.edu or 215.670.9325.