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Free Sample Personal Statement in Social Work
I am applying to (Name of School) for the Masters of Social Work
program. My career goal is to work with underprivileged adolescents,
especially those with a history of behavioral and emotional problems. I
have significant background in this area; in addition to a full-time
position with a recruitment firm, I am a relief counselor for this
target group in a residential treatment setting. I want to complement
this practical experience with specialized training in order to best
serve these individuals.
My desire for this profession springs from the troubles of my childhood.
In my youth, I was a ward of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts--in
essence, a foster child. Both of my birth parents abused me physically
and emotionally, prompting the courts to permanently remove me from
their power. I subsequently moved through a succession of foster homes
and adolescent shelters. My high school years were therefore highly
traumatic; I could not have survived them without the aid of the
counselors and social workers that were so kind to me. Yet my problems
did not end at the emotional level. I constantly battled financial
difficulties in order to graduate high school and embark on a college
career. I was essentially paying my way through college on minimum
wage--a monumental task. My first two years of college proved quite
difficult because of this. But I persevered, and achieved an overall
G.P.A. of 3.5 during my final two years at school. I also dedicated much
time to campus activities, in which I held a number of leadership
positions. Today, I work with an international recruitment firm that
allows me to travel through the United States and Europe. This has given
me a sense of accomplishment and maturity, yet I feel a deep void in my
life.
I need to give back to the community that helped me so much. I know what
it is like to be on the "receiving end" of social work--I was the one
who stayed with foster families after the social workers had gone home.
I am thus in a unique position to understand the conflicts within the
hearts of troubled adolescents. I comprehend, for instance, the
importance of such issues as trust. And a child in this setting would be
naturally more inclined to trust someone who has already experienced
"the system" firsthand. My background, my ambition, and my
resourcefulness are ample demonstration of the valuable addition I would
be to your social work program. I share close bonds of understanding
with my target community, and feel that I can make a significant
difference in their lives with the aid of a Master's Degree in Social
Work from your institution. |
