how to write a personal statement for an reu

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15 REU Personal Statement Examples

Reu ( Research experience for Undergraduates ) applications requires applicants to produce a personal statement that offers the admissions committee an insight into why they are the right candidate for the programme and how the experience may impact their future academic performance. The statement needs to be concise and clear and although it should not be overly long, it must demonstrate a real enthusiasm and thirst to push boundaries and gain experience. To help produce truly effective REU statement, we have put together 15 reu personal statement examples to draw inspiration from.

REU personal statement examples

Reu Personal Statement Example 1

[Name] would like to be considered for the Reu program . Having completed my undergraduate studies in engineering, I am now ready to expand my knowledge and expertise. I have always had a passion for research and am excited for the opportunity to develop my skillset and progress my academic journey.

I would relish the opportunity to learn from an expert in the field and develop my capabilities. My research experience has been limited so far, but I am confident I have the fundamental knowledge and technical skillset to be a successful Reu participant.

Reu Personal Statement Example 2

I am an enthusiastic biomedical engineering major with an appetite for research. Upon learning about the Reu program, I knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to build on what I learned during my undergraduate studies and gain a wealth of valuable experience.

I believe participating in the program will not only enhance my knowledge of a range of biomedical engineering topics, but also offer me the opportunity to network and make friends with others who are passionate about the same subject. I am confident that I have the academic and technical know-how to make an impact on the Reu program and gain a lot from the experience.

Reu Personal Statement Example 3

I have a long-standing passion for mathematics and am confident that I possess the necessary skills and knowledge for participating in the Reu program. I have worked on various mathematical projects during my undergraduate studies and am excited to now apply my skills in a professional capacity.

I am confident that being part of the program would be beneficial on many levels. I would be able to build my network and make strong connections, as well as develop my technical and academic prowess. Given the chance, I would strive to make the most of the research experience and produce tangible results.

Reu Personal Statement Example 4

At present, [Name] is preparing to graduate with a degree in neuroscience. I am excited and ambitious to now explore research within this field and gain invaluable experience through the Reu program.

My courses so far have equipped me with the necessary knowledge of neuroscience, as well as the technical skills that are required for completing complex research projects. I welcome the opportunity to tackle challenging tasks in a professional setting and am confident that my enthusiasm and commitment would be a great benefit to the program.

Reu Personal Statement Example 5

Having recently completed my Bachelor of Science in Physics, I am motivated to gain research experience. Participating in the Reu program would give me the opportunity to take my understanding of the discipline to the next level and gain valuable experience.

I possess the essential technical knowledge and highly developed problem-solving skills that are necessary for tackling and completing research projects. Moreover, I strive to tackle every challenge I am faced with, no matter how difficult. My academic track record is solid, and I am confident that I would be an ideal candidate for the Reu program.

Reu Personal Statement Example 6

I am a soon-to-be graduate of civil engineering, who is eager to develop my research capabilities and technical knowledge. Participating in the Reu program would give me the chance to broaden my horizons and gain valuable experience.

Throughout my studies, I have broadened my knowledge base and developed important industry skills. I am always looking for a way to push myself and achieve something bigger. Through being part of the Reu program, I am confident that I will have the opportunity to lose my phobia of research and make a real impact.

Reu Personal Statement Example 7

I have a real passion for climate science and have been fortunate enough to develop my skills and knowledge within my undergraduate studies. Although I have completed research projects in the past, I am now looking to increase the depth and breadth of my experience.

I would relish the opportunity to use my technical skillset to gain a wealth of experience through the Reu program. I am confident that I possess the necessary active learning and problem-solving skills and have a motivated attitude. As a result, I would be a great asset to any research team and will strive to make a real impact.

Reu Personal Statement Examples 8

Having recently completed my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, I believe I am ready now to embark on the next step of my academic journey. I am highly motivated and passionate to build my research capabilities and broaden my knowledge base.

I am confident that participating in the Reu program would give me the opportunity to take my understanding of computer science to the next level. I have already completed numerous research projects and all have been highly successful. Moreover, I have obtained a highly developed technical skillset that I believe would be an asset for any research team.

More reu personal statement examples on the next page…

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Advice for Applying to REU Programs (From Recent Participants!)

By Alvaro Carbonero, Brittany Gelb, Amaury Miniño, Vanessa Sun, and Lee Trent Introduction

What is an REU? REU stands for “Research Experience for Undergraduates.” REU’s are typically 6-10 week long summer programs hosted at colleges or universities. To be officially considered an REU, the program generally has funding from the National Science Foundation or the National Security Agency, but there are other research programs that are very similar which are supported through other funding sources. REU’s invite undergraduate students to apply to their program to spend the summer at their college or university (although the pandemic has changed this) and work on an individual or group research project advised by mathematicians with research and mentoring experience Undergraduates are paid to participate in these programs, and are typically housed on campus or nearby (with the costs often covered by the program directly). The faculty members will have carefully selected and curated problems that they believe are accessible to undergraduates and they provide the necessary background. If an REU would be your first research experience, not to worry, that’s what they’re designed to be and your REU advisor will know how to support and mentor you! The authors of this blog post have successfully applied to REU programs in the recent past and some of us have been involved in multiple REU’s or other similar summer programs. In fact, we recently organized the Online Undergraduate Resource Fair for the Advancement in Academia of Marginalized Mathematicians ( OURFA2M2 ) to bring together faculty representatives of undergraduate career-advancement opportunities, students who have recently participated in such programs, mathematicians whose career trajectories were impacted by such programs, and others within the mathematics community to discuss and share resources related to these opportunities. Given our experiences along with the information we learned from our conference participants, we now share some advice with those applying to an REU. First piece of advice: You should NOT rule yourself out from applying to REUs.

We truly believe that the only failure is the failure to try. There are a myriad of reasons that we or people we know considered not applying to REU programs. These include:

• You never participated or succeeded in a math competition.
• You have only completed a few math classes or have not taken many (or any) upper-division mathematics classes.
• You have never done research before or don’t know what the research process in mathematics entails.
• You don’t know anybody from your school who has gone to an REU program.
• Your school is not nationally recognized for their math department.
• Your overall GPA is not high.
• You don’t feel confident in your mathematical abilities.
• You believe you will be rejected (for any reason above or others).

If you have considered not applying to REU programs for one of these reasons, we want you to know that there have been many successful applicants in your shoes before (including us) so you can and should apply! Finding an REU Here is a presentation from our conference, OURFA2M2, that includes information on how to find REU’s and other research programs. Past eMentoring Network blogs also provide a list of REUs aimed at first and second year undergraduates. You can find that blog here . When you visit an REU program’s website you’ll likely find descriptions of the individual project topics they are planning for the upcoming summer. We encourage you to be willing to work in areas of mathematics that you may not have much background in. What’s perhaps most important is that you choose a topic you find interesting, so that if progress is especially slow or difficult you are still fueled by your interest in the topic of investigation. Selecting programs When we asked our fellow recent REU participants about application advice to share with you, one recommendation was repeated multiple times: Start as early as possible and be organized. You can use a spreadsheet to keep track of your applications, with columns for due dates and each individual piece of the application. Likely you will need a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and a CV/resume. A past eMentoring Network Blog contains advice on asking for letters of recommendation, which you can find here . You can note down when parts of the application are completed and submitted and which you still have to finish. Another piece of advice that was emphasized is that fit is very important. It should be possible to tell from the REU website what the target audience is in terms of mathematical experience. Ask yourself what you want to gain from an REU and make sure that the programs where you apply align with those goals. You should be excited to join the program, even if the research area is largely unfamiliar to you. If in doubt of whether a particular program might be the best suited for your goals, speaking with a trusted mentor could be very helpful. REU programs are highly competitive and you should apply to several programs to maximize your chances of an acceptance. Most students apply to around 10-15 programs, and at least 8 is reasonable. Because these programs are competitive, it’s wise to apply to a wide range of opportunities, like counselorships, internships, and research programs that are not REU’s — Some alternatives are provided in the presentation linked here . Advice on application materials After selecting the programs that you will apply to, you will have to start working on the application materials they require. Here we provide advice about some of the most common application materials. Personal Statement In the personal statement, you should demonstrate the skills and experiences you have that would make you a successful participant in this research program. These skills do not necessarily need to come from previous mathematics research experiences. Depending on whether the proposed REU projects are individual or collaborative, you can talk about experiences you’ve had working independently or on a team. For example, maybe you have persevered to solve a particular problem or understand the material from a challenging class, or you have developed collaboration skills by working on homework or projects with other students. Articulating your interest in a specific project offered by the REU can be beneficial. For example, did you take a class related to the research area? If so, what did you enjoy about it? Did you listen to a lecture on the topic that caught your interest? One of us knew nothing about graph theory beyond an hour-long research talk she attended, but she made connections between the visual nature of the subject and how she generally enjoyed visual mathematical problems. Be sure to detail why you are applying to an REU and why you want to do research. Do you want to figure out if a research career is right for you? Do you want experience in one specific field to decide if you like it and would potentially pursue that area in graduate school? Do you already find the subject fascinating? If so, why? Do not forget to personalize your statements to each of the programs you are applying to — we know that this means you will have to work longer on your materials and we believe this will lead to a more favorable outcome. Explain what you expect to get out of that specific program and why and how you will benefit from those experiences. Additionally, be sure to speak about why you and the program you’re applying to will mutually benefit each other. This means that you should speak about how you will be an asset to the program. What experiences, interests, personality traits, technical or “soft” skills, or combinations thereof do you have that make you a uniquely qualified person that they definitely want on their team? As we stated previously, these experiences don’t need to have come from previous research experiences. For example, many university classes ask students to do a final project or a presentation. What did you learn while doing it that would benefit an REU team? In the personal statement, you can discuss any challenges or barriers that have influenced your academic journey and the opportunities you have had access to. For example, are you a first generation college student, or do you come from a low-income family? If appropriate, mention that research opportunities are limited at your home institution, as likely this makes you the target audience of many REU programs. You can also discuss how aspects of your identity and life tie into your mathematical journey, and how an REU might help you overcome challenges or barriers. Lastly, have multiple people review your writing if you can. You can ask professors, mentors, friends, and past summer program participants to provide feedback on your personal statement. Different people will have different perspectives, and it is generally helpful to clarify what feedback you are looking for, such as typos, grammar, organization, style, or content. Ask people who know you well to edit, as they know your strengths (and weaknesses) and which of your past experiences you can use to make the most compelling case that you are a good candidate for the program you’re applying to. Many universities also have resources to help you create applications, such as career centers and writing centers. We encourage you to make use of those offices and the resources they provide. Supplemental application materials Some programs ask for the answers to multiple specific questions. If the application also requires your personal statement, see this as an opportunity to be more specific about why you should be selected to participate in the program. Even if you feel you answered a question in your personal statement, don’t answer a question with, “see my personal statement,” follow the directions and include the information they ask for in the places they ask for it. Of course, do make your best effort to take these questions seriously and your answers should also implement feedback if at a minimum for grammar and typos. Some applications ask you to mention your favorite mathematical theorem or concept. Such questions are there to gauge your interest in math and your ability to communicate about math, not to pick an impressive theorem or to prove that you have specialized knowledge. It’s okay to speak about something complicated if it’s something you’re interested in but don’t understand well — as long as you are honest about your level of understanding. You could also talk about what you are intrigued by and what new theorems or concepts you hope to learn in your coming courses. We encourage you to not try to appear more knowledgeable than you are. Be honest and genuine. Recommendation Letters When you apply to an REU, you will likely need to ask college professors for recommendation letters for the first time. You should ask professors who know about your mathematical ability, work ethic, ability to collaborate with other students, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm for learning, and/or personality to write your recommendation letters. If you’re reading this well in advance of when you first plan to apply to programs, start thinking about building those relationships with your professors. Most programs require at least one letter from a mathematics professor. Tell your recommenders the different programs and their deadlines. Give them plenty of time — at a minimum a few weeks. You should consider having a draft of your application materials ready before or soon after you ask, since these can be helpful documents for your recommenders. Sometimes a recommender will request that you share these materials with them before they write the letter, but if they don’t, you may offer it anyway. Just as you tailor your personal statements to particular programs, consider using different recommenders for different programs. If you have multiple strong relationships with recommenders, you can match your recommenders to programs by their professional connections or research interests. If not, though, that’s okay, too! Remember that finding good recommendation letter writers may not always be an easy task. It can be hard to establish healthy and close professional relationships with professors. The presentation we linked in the beginning of this blog post has an entire section (Networking/Mentoring) with advice that can help you establish good relationships with potential recommendation letter writers. We emphasize that this needs to be done with ample time so as to be able to request the letter in time for your application deadlines. CV/Resume There is already much advice on the internet about putting together an effective CV or resume. Career centers at colleges and universities can often provide templates, advice, and feedback. Consider tailoring your CV to emphasize skills or subjects you think will most appeal to each program. Here we provide copies of our current CVs as examples. Submission When creating your materials, be sure to be consistent with your formatting. Font type/size, paper margins, writing style, etc., should be consistent for everything that you submit. Even though you must submit multiple files, think about them as part of one application package which will be viewed together and should look like they belong together. Include your name and the program you’re applying to on each document, and be consistent in how you name files. One naming convention we recommend is to include your name and the document type: LastName_CV, LastName_transcript, LastName_personal_statement, etc. To reiterate the earlier advice, start your applications early enough so that you can submit on time. If you are late, do request an extension, especially if you can articulate a specific reason for the delay. However, note that even though some programs may not grant extensions as they are highly competitive, moving from guess culture to ask culture can be beneficial as you learn to advocate for yourself within math spaces. Also, if you do not have the full application materials at the ready, offer to share the materials you do have prepared with them so they can begin looking over your application while you finish the rest. Be aware of the deadline for your letter writers (which may be different from the application deadline) and feel free to check in with them about whether they’ve submitted. Sending a short email with a friendly reminder of upcoming deadlines a few days in advance is often very welcomed by professors. In most cases, you should receive confirmation that your application or letters of recommendation were received. Feel free to ask for confirmation if you don’t receive it automatically. Accepting an offer If you’re accepted to a program and it is not your top choice, you can contact the directors of the other programs to inquire about your application’s status. Once you have an offer from an REU, we highly recommend scheduling a meeting (either via a phone call or video call) with your potential REU mentor to determine if the program is a good fit. If such a meeting is not offered with the acceptance letter, know that it is very normal to ask. We think that this bank of REU/grad fair questions is a good starting point for questions you can ask during that meeting. Don’t forget to learn about the living/housing situation of the program, since this can have a lot of impact on your personal wellbeing, and you need to be happy and well to do good research. With this in mind, here are some additional questions you can ask: Will REU participants live together in a house or in dorms? Can students access the gym? Are there restaurants nearby? Is there a quiet place where you can practice your musical instrument? Does the program have activities to provide social interactions among participants and to build community? Alternatively, if the program is fully online, you should ask questions relating to your participation virtually. For example, you could ask: Will the program supply needed technology? Will the program be flexible with your schedule given that others within your household share internet/devices? If you need it, you can also ask for extra time to make your final decision, particularly if you’re waiting on a decision from other programs. Some but not all REU programs are in agreement that you do not have to accept an offer before the Common Reply Date, which is typically on March 8th. It is courteous to other applicants and important to decline an offer as soon as you know you will not attend the program. Once you have accepted an offer, you should withdraw your remaining applications or immediately decline any other offers that you receive. Preparing for the REU Don’t stress! You generally won’t be expected to do much to prepare for the REU before it begins, but it’s a good idea to check with your REU project mentor if they have specific skills that you can work on or review before the program begins. It will be useful to know some LaTeX as you participate in an REU and, in fact, throughout your mathematical career. Your program may give you specific tasks to help you learn but if not, you can consider learning some on your own. We recommend using overleaf.com , which is a free LaTeX program online with many templates to get you started. If you are rejected… Some REU programs only send out acceptances and don’t send out rejections. This means you might not get an email from programs that are rejecting you. If you’re not sure about your status, you can ask. Remember that not everyone can get into their top choice, as most REU programs receive hundreds of applications. Do keep in mind that we know of many successful students with bright mathematical careers ahead of them that never participated in an REU. If you are rejected, know that you are not alone. An REU rejection does not say anything about your future in mathematics! If you do not get into an REU this year, seek other opportunities and if possible, apply again next year. Your application will only get stronger with one additional year of math courses and experiences. Acknowledgments: We are grateful to many people for their advice throughout our careers which has made this post possible, including the speakers at OURFA2M2 2020, the 2019 Lafayette College REU cohort, the 2019 and 2020 MSRI-UP cohorts, and many professors at our institutions and elsewhere. Author biographies:

Alvaro Carbonero is an undergraduate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has participated in the REU programs at Lafayette College and Rochester Institute of Technology. Brittany Gelb is an undergraduate at Muhlenberg College. She has participated in the REU programs at Lafayette College and DIMACS. Amaury Miniño is a first-year PhD student at Colorado State University. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University and has participated in the F-LEARN program and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Undergraduate Program (MSRI-UP). Vanessa Sun is an undergraduate at Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY). She participated in the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Undergraduate Program (MSRI-UP). Lee Trent is pursuing her undergraduate degree at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She has been a counselor at Rose-Hulman AMP and PROMYS and participated in the REU at Grand Valley State University.

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REU Personal Statement Guide

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How to Apply to Math REUs

For undergraduates potentially interested in going to graduate school for math or just curious about math research in general, REUs are a great way to gain research experience. I attended two REUs in the past and had great experiences, so I’ve put together this page in hopes that it might be helpful to anyone who’s considering applying. A lot of inspiration for this page came from Alex Lang’s NSF GRFP page , which is an excellent resource if you are a junior and plan to apply for the NSF next year!

What is an REU?

Outline of application process and components, factors to consider when applying, general tips, recommendation letters, personal/research statement, what to do after you’ve been accepted.

Disclaimer: Everything stated on this page is my personal opinion; it is not the opinion of any institution or REU program that I’m affiliated with. This advice is based on my own limited personal experience. Any suggestions for improvements are very welcome.

Link to my homepage

Links to other peoples’ REU application advice: Math REU Advice , Professor Courtney Gibbons , Rose-Hulman REU

An REU (research experience for undergraduates) is a summer program designed to introduce undergraduates to mathematical research. They typically run for about 6–8 weeks, and usually pair an undergraduate or a small group of undergraduates with a mentor (faculty member or postdoc or grad student) to work on a project. REUs are a full-time commitment—a stipend is provided (usually restricted to US citizens or permanent residents), and most places will provide housing and/or meals. In addition to research, REUs will often organize social events and fun excursions.

There are several websites listing the REU programs running each year. Be aware that these lists may not be complete and the programs listed might not necessarily take place every year!

• Math REU Programs
• NSF REU Sites
• AMS List of Math REU Programs

Most REU application deadlines are in February , but it’s important to start early and not wait until the last minute. Winter break is a good time to work on applications, but most applications should be up by November and it never hurts to start thinking about them earlier. You should ask for recommendation letters early (at least a month before the deadline) and order transcripts in advance, as it may take a while to process them.

• Personal information and CV: not all programs require a CV but it’s generally useful to have, especially if you’re applying to grad school
• Transcript (usually unofficial ones are ok): some programs also ask for a separate list of math classes you’ve taken (with grades and textbooks listed)
• Personal/research statement
• 1–3 letters of recommendation (usually 2): in my opinion this is the most important part of your application

Read the project descriptions carefully to see what kind of math is involved. Looking at projects from previous years is helpful, and it’s also useful to look into what kind of research the project leader does, as the REU project they supervise is often related to their own research. It’s important to be open-minded— don't limit yourself to topics and areas that fit your current interests . There is a huge amount of interesting math out there, and an REU provides a great opportunity to learn new things.

The mentor’s style is also an important factor to consider. Do you want someone more hands-on or do you want to be more independent? How often do you want to meet your mentor and the rest of your research group? Do you want a one-on-one experience or do you want to be in a larger group? Do you care if you’ll mostly be working with a grad student or with a professor?

• Some programs focus on an immersive learning experience, where you pick one topic and study it in depth. The level of the material and the extent to which you learn about it are both greater than what is covered during the ordinary school year.
• Some programs focus on original math research, which otherwise students typically don’t experience until after the first few years graduate school (unless you do a senior thesis or some other project). The REU mentor will often provide a lot of guidance, and it may be useful to see what research is like before applying to grad school.

There is no “better” type of program—it all depends on what you want. The two descriptions listed above are very broad generalizations that do not exhaustively describe all programs. If possible, look at the work that people from previous years have done—sometimes this is posted on the REU website, and sometimes past participants will post their work on the arXiv , which you can find by searching for their names.

Make sure you’re eligible before you apply! Many REUs will not accept international students due to funding restrictions, and some will take international students but ask them to find their own funding (for example through their home institution). It might still be worth applying since some programs do have the funding to admit some students who are not permanent US residents—just be honest about your status and see whether or not they are flexible.

It’s important that you meet the requirements for background knowledge. Some programs do not require any background, some explicitly state that they require a linear algebra and proof-based class, and some specifically target students who have not taken any upper-level math. Some programs have minimum GPA requirements. Some programs are only open to students enrolled at the home institution.

As you’ll be living here for several weeks over the summer, location can be an important factor—what is the weather like in the summer? How close is it to your home and/or home institution? How are you going to get here, and is transportation covered by the program? Are you interested in attending graduate school here?

Make sure you don’t have any conflicts with the start and ends dates of the program. Some REUs are more flexible about this than others, and it doesn’t hurt to ask.

REUs have stipends that vary depending on the program. Some cover housing and/or food costs, and some provide support for transportation to/from the program. Some programs that are not NSF-funded are able to provide financial support to international students.

Don’t worry if you don’t know all the specifics at the time you’re applying though—your goals and priorities might change between the time you apply and the time you have to accept an offer (usually around early March).

The application process is free, so don’t limit yourself to just a few programs. At the same time, applying is time-consuming and a lot of work, and it’s a bad idea to just blindly submit the same application to a bunch of different programs. I would recommend picking 1–2 top choices (it’s ok if you aren’t 100% set on one specific program when you submit your applications!) and applying to no more than 10 total (all of which you are genuinely interested in and really do want to attend). Make sure you carefully follow the instructions for the programs that you apply to.

REUs are extremely competitive, with hundreds of students applying for a very limited number of spots. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get into one your first try! These programs are very competitive, and this is by no means a comment that you’re somehow not “good enough”—there’s often a lot of luck involved, and sometimes there might be something specific that the coordinators are looking for. If you don’t get into an REU, you can ask a faculty member at your home institution if they would be willing to oversee a summer project or reading course with you. Keep in mind that REUs are not necessary for going to grad school or for doing math research in the future, and there are many other fulfilling activities that you can do over the summer.

This is the most important component of your application (in my opinion). Most REUs require 1–2 letters of recommendation, and some will require a letter from a previous REU advisor if you’ve participated in an REU before. It’s very important that you find someone who can write you a detailed and enthusiastic letter, and it’s useful to show them your application before they write the letter so they know how you’re presenting yourself. It is better to have a glowing letter from a less senior person who knows you well than it is to have a lukewarm letter from a famous person who doesn’t know you.

It’s ok to ask for letters from postdocs, but I would avoid asking graduate students for letters. Don’t ask for letters from people whose classes you didn’t excel in—you want someone who can speak positively about your mathematical ability and potential to do research!

Some potential letter-writers could include:

• Someone who you have directly done research with already, e.g. previous REU mentors or a faculty member at your institution with whom you did a project during the school year. This doesn’t have to be limited to math, for example if you’ve worked in a lab before a letter from the PI would make sense. According to a professor I talked to before writing this, “People want to see the ability and drive of the applicant. In some sense, math knowledge is not as important as these things.”
• Instructor of a math class who you directly interacted with and who remembers you, e.g. a class where you asked a lot of questions or went to office hours, someone who oversaw an independent reading course
• Other faculty members who you know and have interacted with, if they have something concrete to say.

Please request your letters at least a month in advance of the deadline—your letter writers are busy people! Make sure you have your documents prepared in advance, since, to repeat Ravi Vakil’s advice, it is in your interest to make your busy letter writer's job as easy as possible . It is also helpful if your letters mention what you are like as a person, since teamwork and collaboration are important parts of an REU and so coordinators may be less likely to choose someone who does not work well with others. ( Thanks for Colin Defant for this tip! )

If your letters haven’t been submitted close to the application deadline, send a friendly and polite reminder—it is your responsibility to remind your letter writers of the deadline. Be sure to thank your letter writers afterward, and keep them updated.

Links to other peoples’ advice about recommendation letters: Professor Ravi Vakil , Professor A.J. de Jong

• Why do you like math? Be specific about why you find it interesting and how you became interested in it. Citing specific examples (e.g. a class or a theorem) is better than something generic and broad like “math is beautiful”; presumably everyone else applying for the REU thinks so too.
• Why do you want to do research this summer? Don’t write a generic statement that doesn’t mention any of the specific projects and why you are interested in those projects in particular. It’s tempting to reuse the same statement for different programs, but you should make sure your statement for each program that you apply to includes specifics and makes it clear that you really do want to attend that particular REU.
• Talk about your previous research experience (if any)—what did you get out of the experience, what was the problem studied, what results did you get, and how did you go about solving the problem?
• Talk about why you are interested in the specific project or area of research that the REU is about. Try to be specific rather than generic. ( Thanks for Colin Defant for this tip! )
• Mention any previous coursework and independent reading you’ve done that directly relates to the research project. Again, specifics are good.
• If you’ve had previous experiences where you’ve worked with others on a research team, it’s good to mention this teamwork. Most REUs have students working together in groups with one another, so it’s important for the organizers that you be able to work the other participants.
• What are your plans after graduation? How will this REU contribute to them?
• This (and potentially letters) is the place on your application where you can explain poor grades if needed, but don’t spend too much space on it.
• Ask another person to proofread it!
• Mattie Ji, UMich 2023 [statement of interest]
• Anonymous student, UMich 2022 [cover letter]
• Anonymous student, [University of Maryland 2021 personal statement] , [DIMACS 2021 personal statement] , [UCLA CAM 2021 personal statement] , [UC Davis 2021 personal statement]
• Kenneth DeMason, UChicago 2019 [statement of interest]
• Ryan Alweiss, Duluth 2016 [personal statement]
• Sarah Fleming, Emory REU 2016 [cover letter] [research statement]
• Daniel Vitek, SMALL 2013 (knot theory) [academic summary] [personal statement] [research statement]

If you have a personal statement that you are willing to share and would like for it to be posted to help other future REU applicants, please email me at lenaji [at] umich [dot] edu. (These essays can also be anonymized and have identifying information removed.)

Many programs have agreed to the Common Reply Date agreement, which means that students accepted to these programs will not be required to accept or to decline an offer until a fixed date that’s the same for all REUs in the agreement (usually in early March). This means you have until this date to make a decision—it’s a bad idea to accept an offer and then back out later.

If you have questions about a program and you cannot find the answers on the website, it may be reasonable to email the program administrator about them, especially if you've been accepted to the REU. If you’re waiting to hear back from somewhere else before giving a program a response, let the program director know this! In some situations it’s also appropriate to ask for updates on the status of your application, for example if you have to respond to an offer from another program by a certain deadline. Also, don’t give up hope if you don’t hear back for a while—sometimes more offers will be sent out if the initial ones aren’t all accepted. On that note, if you’ve been admitted to an REU that you are certain you will not attend, you should decline it as soon as possible so that they can admit other applicants.

If you’re having difficulty deciding where to go, don’t hesitate to talk to people who’ve participated in the past or attend the institution where the program is hosted. Emailing is a good way to get specific information too—some people might ignore your email, but others may be happy to reply and share their experiences or link you to the project that they worked on.

Good luck with your applications!!

How to Write a Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement is an important part of the Maryland Sea Grant REU application. This is your opportunity to distinguish yourself from the other applicants. And it allows the committee to get to know you on a more personal level. Remember, since this is an important part of your application, don't leave it until the last minute.

To help you get started, consider answering these questions in your statement:

• Who are you?
• Why are you interested in marine science?
• What are your career goals?
• Why do you want to apply to this particular REU program?
• What skills do you possess?
• Why should the Maryland Sea Grant REU program be interested in you and why are you interested in us?

When you write a personal statement, make sure to focus on the place where you are applying. For example, you should look at Maryland Sea Grant’s REU website to get an idea of what other students have done in our program. Using this information, please mention in your essay what mentors and topics are of primary and secondary interest to you.

Here are some helpful guidelines for writing a personal statement:

• Use spellcheck.  Spelling and grammar mistakes will DOOM your essay and your application, so proofread your personal statement carefully.
• Start with an outline and then expand it.
• Keep it short and concise.
• Type (rather than handwrite), using at least an 11-point font.
• Be honest and positive, and be yourself.
• Ask a friend, teacher, or writing support group at your university to read your essay and make comments/edits.

Be Informed

Get information, guidance, and examples on writing a great personal statement by using the web. The web is a great place to find LOTS of guidance. We selected a few websites to help get you started. Writing a personal statement for an REU application is similar to what you will do if you apply to graduate school.

These websites offer useful guidance to help you write your REU personal statement and some good lists of "Do's and Don'ts":

• Organize and Write Your Graduate Admissions Essay
• Graduate Admissions Essay Dos and Don'ts

Sciencecareers.org

• Sell Yourself: Guidance for Developing Your Personal Statement for Graduate School Applications

Purdue University

• Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls

Accepted.com

• Writing Your Grad School Personal Statement

Back to How To Apply

RECENT REU FELLOWS

Eight students will be presenting the summer work at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in March 2022!

• Olivia Saliger won a student presentation awards for talk at the 2019 Coastal Estuarine Research Federation Meeting. Her REU mentor was Judy O'Neil.

Congratulations to 2015 REU Alison Aceves  for being selected as an honorable mention in the 2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program competition.

In February 2016, seven REUs from the 2015 cohort presented their research findings at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Congratulations to 2015 REU Hope Ianiri on receiving the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2016)!

Jeanette Davis , Ph.D. (REU '06) published a children's book, Science is Everywhere.

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What is the personal statement?

Many applications for research opportunities require a personal statement. This is an opportunity for you to show your critical thinking skills in a creative format. It is where you get to add your voice to the mix of materials that reviewers see when you apply for fellowships. Use the personal statement to highlight positive aspects about yourself that may not be apparent in other parts of your application.

The personal statement is your place to ask and answer questions about your past, present and future, including:

• What has brought you to this point in your life?
• What have you learned from your past experiences?
• What do you want to do with your studies?
• How will this fellowship help you pursue you goals?
• Why should this fellowship want to invest in you?

The personal statement should not be a simple list of your activities and accomplishments. Instead, try to craft a narrative that shows the review committee reader that you have the qualities the fellowship is looking for.

How to write a personal statement

You can approach the personal statement in many different ways. Some students like to start with an outline, while others start by brainstorming. The main points are: What are a few things you want people to know about you? Why is this fellowship right for you?

Writing improves with successive drafts. It is not unusual to write several drafts of the personal statement. As long as the fellowship rules allow it (and most do), you should bring your writing to the URF advisers. We can discuss your ideas at any stage and talk in-depth with you about your statement. We don't try to fit you into a mold. Instead, our goal is to help you write a statement that you feel best represents you!

Keep these ideas in mind as you write:

• Use specific examples from your life to highlight your positive qualities--the more concrete the better.
• Include stories from your life, your favorite quotes, or anecdotes that reveal how you define yourself and see the world
• Show your reader that the issues that move you are important. Get them to want to "fight the fight" with you.
• Describe the ways you want to make an impact in the world.

Once you have written your personal statement, invite friends and family to read it. Do they think it portrays the person they know? Selection committees value authenticity above all other qualities. Make sure your statement reflects your true values and aspirations.

Related Articles

• Letters of Recommendation
• Applying for a Research Opportunity
• Applying as an International Student
• Research Proposal
• Resume or CV

University of Missouri

• Bias Hotline: Report bias incidents

Undergraduate Research

How to write personal statements, what is the purpose of the personal statement.

Admissions committees review a lot of applications. The personal statement (like a cover letter for a job application) is your time to take your experience and personality and draw a direct line from their program to you! Use the personal statement to fill in any gaps in your resume or other information and pull disconnected pieces of your story together. You do not want to make your application reviewers do more work than necessary. It is not always as easy to connect the dots about someone else as we think it is. Present your story in your own words and reference other things in your application packet (for example: “as you will see on my resume I…”). Be careful, however, to not simply rehash your resume. A personal statement should provide a new and interesting take on what you have in your resume. This is your first (and possibly only) chance to show reviewers who you are and why they should care about you.

What will an admissions committee care about?

• Leadership, People skills
• Clubs and activities, Volunteer work, and Hobbies
• Teaching experience
• Research experience and application of knowledge and skills learned in the classroom or through firsthand experience
• Communication skills — no typos or grammatical errors
• How you became interested in the field
• Genuine interest in the field, and your career plans/ideas
• Brevity — if you can be straightforward and to the point, you will impress the reader more than if you take 10 pages to get around to the same idea.
• That you answered any questions that were asked of you
• Unique and interesting individuals who will be a pleasure to work with

Before you begin, you must determine what any given committee is looking for and tailor your statement — and entire application — to that particular school, program, or job’s needs. Review the application requirements and any other information available to you and put yourself in the reviewer’s shoes. Then, ask yourself these questions:

• What are you applying for?
• How will the personal statement be used?
• What are you trying to accomplish with the essay?
• How competitive is the process?

Once you know what reviewers are looking for, take some time to think about your story. What makes you unique, what are your interests and influences, etc.

Take some time to think about what makes you unique. Make a list of ten things that someone else may find interesting — get help from family, friends, professors, or your mentor if needed.

• Do you have any interesting experiences or talents?
• Was there anything special or unusual about where/how you grew up or where you went to college?
• Did you take an unusual journey to where you are now? (Did you start college as a theater major and change to biochemistry? Why? What happened?)
• Does your family history give you a different perspective than the average applicant?

Brainstorm about what excites you and what motivates you to continue on your educational or professional journey. Admissions officials want to know that you will be a good investment for their institution. Think about times you showed grit or tenacity.

Make a list of your intellectual influences.

• What scientists and articles have influenced your thinking?
• Who were your favorite professors/mentors? Why?
• What is the best paper/exam you have had and what made it good?
• What do you think is the most important “work” in your field?
• What is the most important concept you have learned in college?
• Other educational milestones or guideposts.

Make a list of your “light bulb moments”.

• Where were you/what were you doing when it crystallized in your mind that you wanted to pursue this particular field at a graduate/professional level?
• How has your interest evolved? What were the turning points?
• What experiences have led you to believe you would LIKE to do “this”?
• What experiences have led you to believe you would be GOOD at doing “this”?

Clearly define your career goal or path. List what attracts you to this path and why you think you would be successful in this career.

Explore your educational and research background.

• How have you prepared yourself for success in graduate school?
• What body of relevant knowledge will you take with you?
• What skills are you proficient in? What skills are developing?
• What personal attributes make you likely to succeed in your field of choice?
• List your major projects (when, what) and what your role was What did you really learn?
• Who did you work with? Where?
• Was your research published or presented? (or will in the future?)
• Ramifications of your project…’who cares? so what?’ (important to put your work in the bigger context!)
• What has been your biggest accomplishment/ what are you most proud of? Don’t limit this to just research
• What encouraging words others have said to you?   Write down the “actual words” and when they were said to you (and by whom).

Opening Paragraph/Lines

This is your first (and potentially only) chance to grab the reader and excite them about your application.

• Interesting info about you
• Unusual experiences
• Epiphany experience
• Be vivid in your description
• Career statement
• Phrases such as “ever since I was a little girl/boy” and “my grandfather/grandmother taught me” tend to be over used. You can tell a story from your childhood, but find a more interesting way to introduce it.

This is the time to sine and show the reviewers that you are mature, experienced, and dedicated but not without personality.

The body should answer these questions:

• Why are you here?
• How did you get here? What was your journey?
• What is inside of you that makes you want to do this?
• What comes next?
• What will you spend your time doing between now and graduate school, starting the program, or beginning the job in question?

Successful Essays Offer :

• Specific academic preparation and knowledge
• Demonstration of an understanding of what the student is “getting into”
• Sense of maturity, compassion, stamina, teamwork skills, leadership (indirectly)
• Names of specific potential mentors and aspects about the program that show a good fit
• How the applicant will use the advance degree in a career
• Demonstration of an understanding of the student’s role in the “big picture”

Tell the reviewers what conclusions they should make about you based on your experience, uniqueness, and personality. Politely let them know that you look forward to working with them.

Please remember that you can seek assistance with any of your writing needs at the  MU Writing Center . Their tutors work with students from all disciplines on a wide variety of documents.

Undergraduate Research & Prestigious Scholarships

Developing a personal statement for summer research.

Before apply for summer research position, there are a few items that you should be reviewed.

• To share your interest and enthusiasm for the specific work you are applying to do
• To demonstrate what you can contribute to the program to which you are applying
• To state the specific lab you want to work in and why
• To state your professional goals and what or how you hope to contribute to this program

First Steps:

• Read the personal statement question carefully and analyze what it is asking for
• Visualize your audience: will this be read by a scientist? A physician? An administrator?
• Make yourself as desirable to the selector as possible while being honest about yourself

The Basics:

• Your research interests as they relate to the work you are applying for
• Year of study and current major, related academic and career goals, impressive academic credentials

Experience in the Field:

• Any special connection to this work such as prior experience or family background
• Something unique about your research interests or an idea that fuels your own research interests.

Your Proposed Contributions to the Program and Benefits of the Program to You:

• Personal qualities that would benefit the program, demonstrated through examples
• What you can do for them; what you seek to gain from the opportunity
• How this specific work fits into your academic and research goals

Writing and Mechanics: ~ The correct usage conveys your attention to detail

• Use strong word choices, particularly verbs and adjectives
• Use the more powerful “I am,” rather than “I have always been”
• Make positive statements: “I have experience in…” not “I don’t have experience in x, but do have…”
• Craft clear, engaging opening and closing sentences
• Check that the opening statement is supported in the body and consistent with the closing statement
• Organize the statement so it flows from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, paragraph breaks, and correct punctuation

Ask Yourself:

• Does this statement show my interest in this specific program, or could it be sent to any program?
• Does this statement describe me specifically, or could any good student in my field use this?

Additional Suggestions:

• Reread the personal statement multiple times out loud for clarity, logic, and flow
• Have someone else read the statement. Visit the UMBC Writing Center .
• Share your finished personal statement with the faculty member writing your recommendations
• Limit the statement to one and a half to two pages with at least one and a half spacing
• Include a header with your name on each page, which will be numbered as well
• Restating the question / topic, Rewriting your transcript or resume
• Clichés such as “to make the world a better place”; instead, explain exactly how such a lofty goal will be achieved
• Providing unrelated information, e.g., explaining when you learned you were not interested in computers
• Using phrases like “this opportunity will be fun and interesting for me”; focus on what you can contribute
• Any background earlier than high school

How to write a Personal Statement

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