Essay Tips for Your MLIS Application

So you have decided on a school (or a few) with all the criteria you desire and are on to the application. However, aside from the resume, personal information, payment, and previous work or schooling experience, you are also (more than likely) expected to write an essay. Here are some essay tips:

Step 1: Don’t Panic

It is essential to understand that while you should have excellent grammar and structure in your essay (this is grad school, after all!), focus more on the bigger picture of what is required. Is it a personal essay? Statement of Purpose or Intent? Do they want to see how you write? Look into the instructions of what they are asking for, or do some research on the MLIS pages of the university’s website. Understanding what they are looking for in your essay will be your top priority.

Step 2: Develop an Outline

Most essays will be 500-1000 words or 1-2 pages. They will be small, so it will be essential to establish your key points quickly and spend most of your essay discussing them. Most of these essays will have a 1-3-1 structure, an introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs (or as many as you need for each key point), and one brief conclusion that ties your key points together. Since you have limited space, your introduction and conclusion should be kept to a few sentences at most, while the rest of your content should take most of the essay.

Step 3: Keep it “Business Casual”

Your essay is likely personal. But, it would be best to keep your writing professional while doing this. Don’t use an overabundance of contractions or slang or include profanities. Your personal story will get across without being too casual with your language. Ultimately, the admissions readers will be looking to see if you are a good fit for the program.

Finally: Be Confident but Honest

It’s okay if you didn’t do groundbreaking research in your undergraduate experience. Everything can create an angle to speak from in a personal statement, even if they feel their life is boring. Get creative! But make sure everything you write is accurate. Integrity is usually one of the top values at any school, so being honest about your accomplishments and goals is a must.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement should emphasize critical aspects of yourself that you wish to convey to the admissions team along with your application. Your resume and past work and school experience can paint a story for them, but this is an opportunity to highlight what you want them to know about you. It is essential to do your research and read their personal statement instructions thoroughly to ensure you are preparing something that meets the personal statement criteria.

Sometimes, your university will also ask for a Statement of Purpose. To understand the difference, check out the video below!