Outline your ideas. Brainstorm and research any particular points of interest or applicable life experiences you may want to mention before writing your paper.
Be aware of specific courses or professors that present inspirational ideas that are scholastically attractive so that you can mention them in your letter and demonstrate your knowledge of the school or program.
Write your introduction. If you don’t catch the reader's attention in the first paragraph, it’s more than likely that you’ll lose her interest. You’ll become a number in their pile of applications. Introduce yourself in a memorable way.
Get personal. Engaging your reader with a brief personal anecdote can be a bold beginning, yet remain professional. This is the only opportunity for the admissions committee to visualize you as a person, get a sense of who you are beyond grades and standardized test scores on a piece of paper.
Use a theme. The admissions committee reads hundreds and thousands of these letters, so you must make yours stand out. Be unique, and above all refrain from being generic or using cliches.
Answer questions. Some graduate school applications list very specific questions as to your background and future goals. Be sure to answer the questions listed throughout the body of your letter. The school is guiding you as to what kind of answers they want addressed in you letter.
Write the body. Usually this consists of two or three paragraphs. Explain why you want to attend the school, what you can get out of the program, what you can contribute to the program and how this particular school impacts your future career goals. Describe the value and meaning of this experience.
Focus on your strengths. Convince the school that you are capable of successfully performing graduate-level work.
Proofread your letter. Check your letter for grammar and content errors. Show it to a friend, colleague or undergraduate professor. Getting feedback from others is the best way to improve your letter.
Rewrite. If you are applying to multiple schools, you don’t necessarily have to write another letter. Simply tweak two paragraphs in the body of the letter to address the specifics of each school.