I'm currently in the process of finalizing my personal statements. I'm applying to five schools, and I'm likely writing a separate statement for each. Just like a business you apply to, it seems these schools want to hear not only why you're good enough for them, but how I'll make a good fit at their school - in short, how I'll help them.
I've always found it awkward trumpeting up my own achievements, but that's what must be done on these things. Shameless research is also necessary into the faculty at each institution, and what the strongest point of each institution is (whether classical archaeology, comparative linguistics, Greek tragedy, etc.), and mention these things in the statement. It's good to mention that you'd like to study under a certain professor as well - perhaps one who has published a book that you used in class.
Most of all though, you have to demonstrate to these people why you want to be a classicist. Is it a passion? Something that you're truly willing to spend the rest of your life with? Are you ready to spend years upon years in graduate school doing little but research and translation? These are the sort of things that must be demonstrated to the application committees.
More to follow soon - my other main occupation is studying for my GREs, which I take this Friday.
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Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit. Virgil, Aeneid I.203
Someday it will be joyful to remember perhaps even these things.
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