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Graduate Personal Statement Tutor Near You and Online

Graduate School Personal Statement Help — Expert Editing and Tutoring

Lauren Hammond, graduate school personal statement tutor

Lauren Hammond, graduate school personal statement tutor

Table of Contents

  1. Personal statement tutoring with Lauren
  2. What a strong personal statement does
  3. How the process works
  4. Meet Lauren Hammond
  5. Reviews
  6. Personal statement help by program
  7. Video: 7 ways to write a crappy personal statement
  8. Frequently asked questions

Graduate School Personal Statement Tutoring

Lauren Hammond is our grad school admissions essay expert and has been helping people write their graduate school personal statements for several years. Whether you just want feedback on a draft, or you're staring at a blank Word doc and don't know where to begin, she is happy to help you write a compelling statement that actually increases your chances of acceptance.

She works with people online via Zoom and via email / Google Docs.

Contact Lauren directly at 951-395-4646 (phone or text), or send us an email.

What a Strong Graduate School Personal Statement Does

The graduate school personal statement can seem like the most daunting part of your application. But a well-written essay can:

  1. Wake up a bored admissions committee (most essays they'll read are extremely similar)
  2. Convey your real personality and make you come alive to your readers
  3. Depict your experiences in movie-like clarity and detail
  4. Show your best qualities and values
  5. Help the reader see why you and their program are such a great fit

Simply put, the essay is not a to-do — it's a powerful tool to help you get accepted.

A lot of applicants treat the personal statement like a résumé in paragraph form. That's usually a mistake. A strong graduate school personal statement does three things at once:

  1. It shows who you are
  2. It shows what you want
  3. It shows fit

What it's not: a chronological list of everything you've ever done, a "hero story" where you learned 12 life lessons, or a generic essay that could be sent to any program with only the name swapped out. If your statement can be pasted into 10 different applications with only minor edits, it's probably not doing its job.

How the Process Works

Lauren works with you on Zoom and in Google Docs, so you get both real-time coaching and clean, trackable revisions. Most people fall into one of two categories:

1) You already have a draft. Lauren will tighten the structure, cut things you don't need, make the voice sound like you, and improve clarity, flow, and use of standard written English.

2) You have nothing yet. Lauren will help you identify the experiences that actually belong in the essay, build a simple outline, get a first draft written quickly, and revise until it feels sharp.

Sessions can be used for brainstorming, restructuring, trimming, editing, or all of the above — depending on where you are in the process.

Meet Lauren Hammond

Lauren: I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Literature and Writing, with a concentration in Writing, at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and my Master's Degree in English and Comparative Literature at San Diego State University (SDSU). I recently completed my PhD in English at the University of California Riverside (UCR) in September 2023. Upon graduating, I began my current position as UCR's Graduate Writing Center Specialist and Fulbright Program Advisor last summer.

I have been a writing consultant for nearly 10 years now, and I've helped people with research writing, thesis/dissertation projects, rhetorical and literary analyses, writing in the humanities, grammar/sentence mechanics, and more. My focus for VKTP centers on graduate school application materials — including personal statements, diversity statements, and research statements — as well as job market materials for academic and alt-academic positions: resumes, CVs, cover letters, etc.

During my downtime, I love hanging out with my husband, 2-year-old daughter, and our two dogs, Link and Leia! My favorite activities are going on the boat, cruising on the golf cart, and making our way through all of the local eateries. When we aren't out and about, I typically enjoy reading and watching movies.

Working with Lauren is $225 per hour or $995 for a package of 5 hours. You can reach her at 951-395-4646 (phone or text), or by sending us an email.

P.S. Our partner Julie can also help you prepare for your grad school admissions interviews! Learn more about her professional voice training for interview prep.

What People Say About Working with Lauren

Fiona Wang: "I had about 6 sessions with Lauren Hammond to go over my personal statements for PhD/PsyD Clinical Psychology applications. I had different goals for each of my statements (e.g., trim, content development, brainstorm ideas), and she tailored each session to meet my needs. An hour might seem short, but she was very productive and sometimes went over two short statements in one session. I thought my writing skills were already good, but the final product, including her revisions, turned out even better than I expected." — See review

Lily Annino: "Lauren helped me out SO much with my MFT graduate school essays. I've already gotten an interview from two schools, and I was incredibly happy with the essay results. 110% would recommend her!" — See review

Nicolina Patin: "I had the pleasure of working with Lauren Hammond on my Master of Public Health statement of purpose essays, and I'm thrilled to share that I was accepted into all my MPH programs! Her guidance on restructuring my writing was incredibly valuable and her in-line edits helped refine my language, ensuring clarity and conciseness. I highly recommend working with Lauren!" — See review

Mira Park: "Lauren Hammond was so incredibly helpful with my personal statements for grad school. I really needed help with organization, staying focused on a coherent narrative, and content-building — which she was phenomenal with. She's also a really sweet person and a pleasure to work with! Can't recommend her enough." — See review

Renee Begin: "Lauren Hammond was amazing. She provided me with thoughtful feedback that structured and strengthened my graduate school application essays. You can tell she genuinely cares about her students and wants to see you succeed. I was accepted into my top school choice and appreciate Lauren for her help in the process." — See review

Personal Statement Help by Program — 48 Program-Specific Pages

Lauren helps applicants across a wide range of graduate and professional programs. Click any program below for examples, tips, and a breakdown of what makes a strong statement in that field.

Healthcare — Clinical and Allied Health

Healthcare — Imaging, Technology, and Lab

Healthcare — Movement, Performance, and Rehabilitation

Mental Health and Behavioral Health

Public Health, Administration, and Policy

Business, Law, and Graduate Research

Video: 7 Ways to Write a Crappy Graduate School Personal Statement

 

 

For more personal statement tips, check out Vince's video: 7 Ways to Write a Crappy Graduate School Personal Statement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does personal statement tutoring cost?

Working with Lauren is $225 per hour or $995 for a package of 5 hours. Most clients use 2–4 sessions total, depending on how developed their draft is when they start and how many programs they're applying to. Text or call Lauren at 951-395-4646 to get started.

When should I start working on my personal statement?

We recommend starting 6–8 weeks before your first application deadline. That gives you time to draft, revise, and tailor statements for different programs without rushing. Starting early also means Lauren is more likely to have availability when you need her.

Can Lauren help with diversity statements, research statements, and letters of intent?

Yes. In addition to personal statements, Lauren helps with diversity statements, research statements, statements of purpose, and other graduate application materials. If you're applying to a program with multiple essay requirements, she can help with all of them.

What programs does Lauren have experience with?

Lauren has helped applicants across healthcare, mental health, law, business, public health, research, and many other fields. See the full list of 48 program-specific pages above. If your program isn't listed, contact us anyway — Lauren very likely can help.

Can I use AI to write my personal statement?

AI tools can help you brainstorm or break through writer's block, but admissions committees are increasingly able to identify AI-generated writing — and more importantly, AI cannot accurately represent your specific experiences, your genuine motivations, or your actual voice. A statement that sounds polished but generic is less effective than one that is specific and authentic. Lauren helps you develop your own voice rather than replace it.

Does Lauren work with international applicants?

Yes. Lauren works with applicants anywhere in the world via Zoom and Google Docs. She has extensive experience helping applicants for whom English is a second language, and she is particularly effective at preserving your authentic voice while improving clarity and standard written English.