Career Center Article - What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School? Part I. What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School?
Part I November 12, 2004 The statement of purpose is a critical part of the application process for graduate school. Three experienced admissions officials from Harvard, NYU, and Yale offer their thoughts and wisdom on writing a great statement of purpose. Career Center (CC): How important is the statement of purpose in the overall application process? David P. Gregg Glover (GG), Associate Director of Admissions, Harvard Graduate School of Education - For our process at HGSE, it is very important.
Dr. CC: What are you looking for in the statement of purpose? DG - NYU: It should be typed. GG - Harvard: The statement of purpose should demonstrate excellence in writing and clarity of thinking. Perhaps more importantly, the statement is an opportunity for an applicant to describe his or her purpose in pursuing graduate study. CC: What would you consider red flags? Career Center Article - What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School? Part II. What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School?
Part II November 19, 2004 Our three admissions experts from Harvard, NYU, and Yale return to offer additional insight into what should and should not be a part of your statement of purpose. Career Center (CC): How should an applicant deal with discrepancies in their record (grades, test scores, etc.)? David P. Gregg Glover (GG), Associate Director of Admissions, Harvard Graduate School of Education: The statement of purpose can be a useful place to discuss discrepancies in your record if no other appropriate place in the application exists to do so. Try not to leave any doubts or questions in the minds of the admissions committee.
Dr. CC: Are there any special topics that should be covered in the statement of purpose? DG: Applicants should discuss educational objectives, career plans, how their past experience contributed to future goals, why the particular program interested them, and how they will relate to the program. WRITING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. Writing the Statement of Purpose. Home » Admissions » Graduate Application » Writing the Statement of Purpose by Carla Trujillo, Ph.D.
A) Things to Keep in Mind: 1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.3. B) Writing the Statement of Purpose: Part 1: Introduction Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. Part 2: Summarize what you did as an undergraduate a) Research you conducted. Part 3: Indicate your current activities. If you graduated and worked prior to returning to grad school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company or non-profit, your work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. Part 4: Elaborate on the topic you wish to pursue for graduate school Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in greater detail. Statement of Purpose for graduate school Tips. SOP Words to avoid using without an explanation- Prof.SJSU Keep to the Page Limit Number!!!
Reviewers have to read hundreds of these applications, don’t overburden them with extra pages. Do not leave in typographical errors. You don’t want to be taken less seriously due to a typo, rite? How to ask a professor to do research with him: i. Sample SOP Template:- Graduate School Wisconsin-Madison Opening Paragraph. Qualifications. Explain why you chose this field. Your undergraduate studies in general and how they relate to what you intend to do in graduate school. Your specific experiences that demonstrate your motivation and inspiration for continued study.
Other relevant experiences (i.e., jobs, community activities, leadership in school organizations, awards, honors, etc.). Explain (briefly) any discrepancies on your transcript which would include having a lower GPA in a particular semester or year. Mention specific faculty you are interested in working with. Closing Paragraph.