Personal Statement Review Service

Personal Statement Review Service

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) offers personalized review and feedback on personal statements to support undergraduate students applying for internships, research programs, graduate or professional school, fellowships, scholarships, and other competitive opportunities.

Our goal is to help students clearly articulate their academic interests, professional goals, research experiences, and motivations in a compelling and well-structured personal statement.

What We Review

We provide feedback on personal statements for:

• Summer internships and research programs

• Graduate and professional school applications

• Scholarships, fellowships, and competitive awards

• Research programs (e.g., REUs, Bridges, PREP, NIH, NSF programs)

Feedback focuses on:

• Clarity and organization

• Alignment with the stated opportunity

• Strength of narrative and personal voice

• Articulation of goals, motivation, and preparation

• Grammar, style, and overall readability

Please note: This service provides feedback and suggestions. We do not write or rewrite personal statements on a student’s behalf.

Submission Guidelines

To ensure timely and high-quality feedback, students must adhere to the following submission requirements:

Required Format

• File type: Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx only)

• File name:
  LastName_FirstName_PersonalStatement.docx
  (Example: Brown_Lisa_PersonalStatement.docx)

Document Requirements

• Clearly indicate the program, opportunity, or institution for which the statement is being submitted

• Include the word or page limit (if applicable)

• If a prompt is provided, include the full prompt at the top of the document or in the submission form

Submission Limits

• Students may submit one personal statement at a time

• Revisions may be resubmitted after initial feedback is returned

Review Timeline

• Standard Review Time:
  7–10 business days from the date of submission

• Peak Periods:
  During high-volume periods (e.g., summer program and graduate school deadlines), review time may extend up to 10–14 business days

Students are strongly encouraged to submit their personal statements at least two weeks before their application deadline.

How Feedback Is Returned

• Feedback will be provided directly in the Word document using:

  • Track Changes

  • In-text comments and margin notes

• Students will receive:

  • Constructive, actionable suggestions

  • Guidance on strengthening content and structure

  • Recommendations for revision prior to submission

Important Notes

• Reviews are conducted in the order received

• This service is intended for undergraduate students

• OUR cannot guarantee acceptance into any program or opportunity

• Last-minute or same-day reviews are not available

Submit Your Personal Statement

If you have questions about eligibility or submission requirements, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research at our@morgan.edu.