Can (And Should) You Discuss Personal Experiences in Your Personal Statement?
Many applicants’ desire to pursue a career in social work is driven by their lived experiences. When schools of social work ask applicants why they are choosing this path, it often leads to wondering whether it is appropriate to discuss these personal experiences in a formal statement. The short answer is yes! Personal experiences are valid and can be used to strengthen your statement when done correctly. In this article, I will discuss how to include personal experiences in your statement and what to avoid.
Why include personal experiences in the personal statement?
There are several reasons to share lived experiences in the personal statement, but three key reasons often arise when I read applicants’ statements.
The applicant’s lived experience introduced them to the social work profession, or a social worker impacted them during this experience.
The applicant’s personal experience is directly related to what they plan to do with their MSW.
The applicant's lived experience gives them a unique understanding of their social issue of interest.
Now, let’s expand on these reasons further.
The applicant’s personal experience introduced them to the social work profession or a social worker that impacted this experience.
Applicants may have previously worked with a social worker, which showed them how valuable this role is and eventually led them to pursue it. This is great to include in a statement because it shows that the applicant understands the field and the importance of competent practice. In this case, personal experiences may be included to explain why the applicant worked with a social worker and their impact. However, the emphasis should be on what the client learned about social work and the value of social work rather than providing many details about why they worked with a social worker in the first place.
Or maybe it wasn’t a social worker who impacted the applicant but another helping professional. The same concepts of emphasis on learning and impact apply here, but this should go one step further to explain why the applicant is choosing social work versus the profession they are discussing. This can provide an opportunity to build on what they experienced and how social work may have supported them. This can also apply if a person did not receive support and now recognizes how a helping professional or a social worker may have helped them during their experience.
Here are a few examples of this reason:
An applicant was a hospital inpatient as a child, and a social worker supported their family.
An applicant struggled with their mental health as a child and believes they could have benefited by working with a social worker or mental health professional.
An applicant received mental health support from a psychologist but now feels they could have benefited from a holistic social work approach.
The applicant’s personal experience is directly related to what they plan to do with their MSW.
Lived experience is valuable because it helps social workers understand their clients. Therefore, if an applicant’s lived experience is directly related to their career goals in the profession, sharing this can show the applicant’s understanding of the intricacies of that experience or population. While personal experiences do not always have to be directly the same, the transferable qualities should always be indicated. Here are a few examples of this reason:
An applicant is a survivor of intimate partner violence and plans to work with those experiencing intimate partner violence.
An applicant lost a parent growing up and plans to work with children, specifically those experiencing grief.
An applicant struggled with their mental health and plans to work as a therapist.
An applicant has been a caretaker for an elderly family member and plans to work in long-term care.
When applicants have extremely similar lived experiences to the population they plan to work with, addressing the risk of retraumatization, overidentification, and countertransference can be helpful. It is also valuable to note that each person will have different experiences, and we can never entirely understand what another person has faced, even if we have faced a similar challenge.
The applicant's personal experience gives them a unique understanding of their social issue of interest.
Often, those who are best able to articulate social issues are those who have been directly impacted by them. While not every applicant will have lived experience with their social issue of interest, those that do can provide unique insight about the impact of this social issue and pose potential solutions. The balance between personal insight, facts about the issue, and an analysis of current solutions and approaches is crucial. Here are a few examples of this reason:
An applicant discusses the housing crisis and discusses their experiences of being unhoused.
An applicant discusses children’s mental health and reflects on their struggles accessing mental health support for their child.
An applicant discusses the lack of support for individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system and shares their personal experience as the child of an incarcerated parent.
Trauma Dumping in the Personal Statement
Trauma dumping is when an individual shares extensive details of their experience unsolicitedly (Forbes, 2023). When writing a personal statement, trauma dumping can be avoided by ensuring you are providing only enough details to offer context and articulate the connection to your goals. Throughout the writing process, analyze why you are sharing the information and how it relates to your pursuit of a career in social work. When editing, evaluate the personal information you have included based on what details are necessary and those that can be omitted. The balance between trauma dumping and sharing personal experiences is a delicate one, but when done correctly, it can enhance your personal statement significantly.
Connect personal experiences to the “bigger picture”
Everything you discuss in your personal statement should connect to the big picture—your goals within and beyond the program. By writing your statement, your objective is to tell the admissions committee why you are a strong applicant for the program and how you will use your degree in the future. Lived experience plays a role in your ability to be empathetic, knowledgeable, and successful when working with clients and addressing social issues, and the focus should be on how your experience enables you to do this.
For example, maybe an applicant experienced cultural barriers and differences when trying to access mental health support. By pursuing an MSW this applicant can fill a much needed gap providing culturally relevant mental health support to fellow members of their culture.
Should I include personal experiences in my personal statement if I am uncomfortable with it?
You definitely do not need to include lived experiences in your personal statement. Sometimes applicants are led to believe (on forums and through the rumor mill) that applicants with lived experience have a better chance of getting accepted to MSW programs.
This is definitely not the case. Lived experiences should only be discussed if they are connected to your perspectives and goals as a social worker. Many applicants initially pursue social work because of personal experiences, but as their career develops they feel less connected to their personal experiences as motivation for becoming a social worker so they decide not to talk about those experiences at all in their personal statement.
Word counts are often quite limited in the personal statement, so it’s important to be discerning about what the admissions committee needs to know about you to understand your skills, strengths, and potential for the MSW program.
More Personal Statement Questions?
As mentioned, it is important to share your lived experience in a way that enhances your application, which can be a challenge, so MSW Helper is here to help! Attend a free webinar for further information about appropriate personal disclosure and other topics related to crafting a strong MSW personal statement.
