Records and references
Master’s applications: what goes in your statement, CV and references?
FREE TCO GUIDESYour statement, CV and references should contribute different evidence to the same accurate picture. Give each document a job instead of repeating your strongest project everywhere in identical language.
Separate the record from its meaning
Michigan’s Rackham Graduate School distinguishes the academic statement of purpose from the personal statement and CV. The academic statement connects preparation, interests and goals; the personal statement explains experiences that motivated graduate study.
Imagine you analysed bus delays for a final-year project. Your CV might record the project, methods and your contribution. Your academic statement could explain why missing observations made the first analysis unreliable and what you want to learn next. A personal statement might explain the experience that drew you towards transport questions, if that addresses its prompt.
This is an illustrative example, not a template to copy.
Give your claims useful detail
Describe the question, your own actions and a limitation you recognised. If your team produced the analysis together, distinguish your contribution. If the project is unfinished, say so. Honest detail gives the application texture without overstating the result.
Then connect preparation to the programme’s actual learning opportunities. Read the current curriculum and access conditions before naming a module, research group or supervisor.
Choose evidence and referees deliberately
Cornell’s graduate guidance distinguishes references for research degrees from those for professional master’s programmes. Research-degree applicants normally need faculty familiar with their academic work; professional programmes may accept people familiar with professional performance. Check the specific field’s rules and any permitted exceptions.
A suitable referee could discuss the decisions behind your project, while your statement explains their significance to you. Give them factual context, but let them write their own assessment.
Check whether the programme requests a writing sample or portfolio and follow its exact rules. Before submitting, open every final file and compare dates, titles and contributions across the application. Consistency makes your story easier to trust and understand.
References
We use official admissions and university guidance. Rules can change between application cycles. Check the current instructions for your course, applicant category and entry year before applying or booking a test.
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