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Writing The Statement of Purpose For Graduate School

The document provides guidance on writing an effective Statement of Purpose for graduate school applications. It should be 2-3 pages and convince the admissions committee that the applicant will be a successful graduate student. The statement must demonstrate interest in the specific program and institution by addressing factors like research interests, career goals, and fit with faculty research. It should establish the applicant's preparedness and potential for completing graduate-level work through relevant experiences and acknowledge any weaknesses in their application. The statement is a key factor in admissions decisions.

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Erwin Fadli Kurniawan
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45 views15 pages

Writing The Statement of Purpose For Graduate School

The document provides guidance on writing an effective Statement of Purpose for graduate school applications. It should be 2-3 pages and convince the admissions committee that the applicant will be a successful graduate student. The statement must demonstrate interest in the specific program and institution by addressing factors like research interests, career goals, and fit with faculty research. It should establish the applicant's preparedness and potential for completing graduate-level work through relevant experiences and acknowledge any weaknesses in their application. The statement is a key factor in admissions decisions.

Uploaded by

Erwin Fadli Kurniawan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing the

Statement of Purpose for


Graduate School
Michael J. Spivey
Cognitive Science
University of California, Merced

Contributing authors:
Evan Heit, Psychology and Cognitive Science, UC Merced
Alex Whalley, Economics, UC Merced
Factors for Admissions
• GPA
• GRE
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview/Visit
• STATEMENT of PURPOSE
• Complete Application
Statement of Purpose
• Idea of your research/study
interests
• Sample of your ability to write
• Proxy for interview
• Can be the difference between
getting in or not
• Opportunity to sell yourself!
Central Theme

• Reasons for your interest in


attending a specific program at a
particular institution

• Statement is tailored for the


program & institution
The Key Idea
• Look like you will be a success in graduate
school.
– coming in, you are prepared, motivated, focused,
have needed skills (writing, math, research)
– once there, you will successfully complete all
requirements and you will progress as a
researcher
• This is about potential: You don’t have to
already have a PhD to get into graduate
school!
Important to keep in mind:
• Audience: admission committees are
professors in your discipline - no
need to define basic terminology.

• Establish your voice: confident, but


not arrogant
- straightforward tone: explain how you
are prepared for graduate school
- acknowledge poor performances (GPA,
GRE scores etc.) then focus on
achievements not failures
Important to keep in mind:
• Answer the question: most graduate schools
don’t give much instruction about SoP, but if
application asks a specific question, make sure
to address it
• Get feedback: At your current school, talk with
professors and graduate students about
graduate school and the application process,
and get suggested revisions from them on your
draft SoP.
Writing an Effective Statement
• How did you become interested in your field?
- describe how research experiences, courses,
professors, internships, work experiences,
community service, things you’ve read, other
independent studies, or life experiences have
stimulated your interest

• What are your interests and career


objectives?
- be specific about discipline and objectives
- for example, if psychology, what area? teaching vs.
research?
Writing an Effective Statement
• What are your research interests?
- research is the essence of a PhD—should be reflected
in statement
- introduce a few topics of interest
- don’t need to make a specific thesis or dissertation
proposal, but should be able to pose 1 or 2 questions or
problems

• What attracts you most to the institution/


program and why are you a good match?
- interests should parallel those of the faculty in the
program you are applying to—read their articles, mention
their names
- the better the match, the better the chance of getting
admitted
Statement Should Be…
• Well organized
• Concise
• Free of grammatical, punctuation and
spelling errors
• Convincing that you will be
successful graduate student
• 2 or 3 pages in length
• Including a last paragraph that mentions
the names and work of potential advisors
• Proof-read!!
Statement Should Not Be…
• An undergraduate application
– not too focused on extracurriculars, life
history, hobbies, general world view
• About your convenience
• Unclear
Discipline-specific:
Economics
• Be prepared: math background
• Know what area you want to study
• Show economic reasoning
Discipline-specific:
Psychology and Cognitive
Science
• Be prepared: research experience,
statistics
• Know what area you want to study
• Show awareness of how topics are
researched
In Conclusion,

The reader should be able to:


• see what you are interested in, and
why
• see that you know what graduate
school is about (research)
• see that you will be a success
Questions???

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