Draft 9. First one I would not be embarrassed to submit. Still not the final.
STARTED · JANUARY 2026 · EVERY OTHER SUNDAY
Drafting graduate personal statements.
— WHAT THIS IS
Personal statements for two graduate programs at the intersection of counseling and psychological research.
I keep writing the same essay from three angles to find which one is actually mine. The throwaway drafts are part of the work.
The thing I'm trying to figure out is how to write about wanting to do clinical work without sounding like every other applicant.
— RECENT UPDATES
Realized the opening anecdote was load-bearing in the wrong way. Cut it.
Started both program drafts in parallel rather than sequentially. Surprisingly productive.