SOP Preparation Worksheet

The SOPs are an essential part of your application packet and require you to not only be
extremely clear about your goals both professional and personal but also concise and
eloquent. SOPs are your chance to talk to the admissions commitee and convince them
that you are a suitable candidate for their university.

To get started on your SOPs, the wrong approach would be to start off chronologically i.e:
with the first SOP and then the second SOP and so on and so forth. A better strategy would
be to first prepare the raw material, so to speak, and then use that raw material (points) in
various SOPs. Basically, do a lot of introspection and collation of ideas over an extended
period of time and when ready you can pick up the points for your SOPs. The SOP writing
process becomes much faster and far more coherent.

The worksheet given below contains the necessary questions that need to be answered to
prepare this raw material. Do take time to answer these questions and introspect over
them in depth. This isnt the final draft of your SOPs; therefore, feel free to rework and
reword any idea, or to look to people and books for ideas and inspiration. The questions
may seem obtuse but the points that will emerge will be a revelation and will also be useful
in discussing letters of recommendation with your recommenders, besides lending focus to
the application itself. Treat this worksheet as the sole foundation on which you will build all
your application packets.

All the Best!

POPEYE

SOP Worksheet
1. List down three of your strengths
a. Analytical Thinking
b. Creative Inclination_____________________________________________________
c. Wide field of experience. Worked as summer intern for the largest steel company in India,
Single handedly managing the computer dept of an NGO, made dbase packages for Govt of
India Research Lab.(Medicinal Plant Division) and other projects while in
college.________________

2. List down three of your weaknesses

a. Not necessary________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________

3. List down the ten most important events in your life in chronological order. Please state
your reasons for choosing these.
a.

4. What department / degree are you applying for?

a. Masters in Computer
Science___________________________________________________

5. In what subject will you specialize in your degree program?

a. Computer Science__________________________________________________

6. When did you first find this subject interesting? (it may be more than one event / person
/ project / lecture / book / etc.)

During my 1st year in college I was introduced to language C, though I had the initial
knowledge of language BASIC, the versality of C left me enthralled.
Then I got my hands on a worn out book of Bjorn Stroussops( creator of C) on C which
made me wanting more.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

7. What projects (or technical papers) have you worked on in this area? Clarify which of
them was a part of the curriculum.
Device Driver in C
dBase in Oracle for projects like inventory control & data handling for Regional Research
Lab
dBase in C
Though I was exposed to the prog. Language BASIC in school, programming really caught
my attention and when I was in my 1st yr of engg , and I was introduced to C. The
versatility and facile nature of C made it even more interesting and really left me spellbound
and enthralled. As the depth of study computers increased I was more and more interested
in it. Subjects like Algorithms, Programming, OS & Adv OS, OR and internet really
fascinated me.
______Seminar on Wireless Fidelity & its Implications in India

8. Any other notable projects or industry experience Explain the project or assign ment and
your role in it.

_______________________________________________________________________

9. How do you think you will change after your MS?

I will be two years older.
I would be able to make myself more knowledgeable & technically advanced than my
current peers. It would make me better suited to join industry or to take up entrepreneurial
venture or maybe go in for research. The MS would make things clearer for me.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
10. What are your plans after an MS? (Hint: Pursue Ph.D. studies / Come back to India and
apply the knowledge gained / Work in the industry to further your understanding of the
subject / Start your own business, etc)

Work in industry or Comeback and start a software development firm or could go for PHD,
MS will make the picture clearer.

11. What is your greatest dream in life?

To make a commendable contribution to the computing world either by staring an
innovative venture or doing research which would change the dimensions of future
computing and the way we perceive the computers. My role model is Bill Gates and the way
he turned his innovative ideas to the revolution in the field of computing.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

12. What extra-curricular activities did you pursue in college? Any notable achievements in
any of them?

a. 1st in Univ. Badminton championship

b. NGO work
c. Made a dbase for Govt Lab RRL
d. Essential member of the university volleyball team( under the Sports Authority of India)
e. ___________________________________________________________________

SPORTING ACTIVITIES : (Starting with the most active)

Sports / Games Played.....Level (University / College / School) Position Played
Badminton Univ 1st
Volleyball Univ Participation

SOP BINDER
For all graduate and undergraduate applicants to US schools, SOP is an important part of
their application packet. The admission committee gives the applicant a chance to, project
ones best qualities, justify the inconsistencies in the academics or test scores and
convince the committee that one has the spark, the thirst for knowledge that could add
value to the existing student community.
Writing a reasonably good Statement of Purpose is not an impossible task. It requires care,
attention and patience. It is necessary to put in this hard work to come up with an essay
that is uniquely yourself.

SOP contains: (The order of the content varies from student to student)
1. A mention of your career goal or future objective
The schools seek to admit candidates who have an informed interest in the subject and will
successfully apply their education in challenging jobs. The study program should add value
to your current profile.

2. Description of your personality as a person and more importantly a student

Some of the Qualities that one could speak about are:Creativity and Curiosity Pride in your
work and an enthusiasm for learningA capacity for teamwork The ability to think
independently Show yourself as a well-balanced person

3. Reflection on your undergraduate education, learning, your research interests and

research work
Academic performance
Courses that interested you beyond class
Class participation
Readings through journals

4. Description of projects and seminars done beyond the course curriculum

Internships and Summer projects
Workshops and Seminars attended
Learning from the above

5. Work experience details

Role in the Company
Important Projects in line with your research interests
Contribution to research

6. Reasons for choice of the university for further studies.

Faculty Profile
High intake of international students
Research areas the university is active in
Low cost of living
Cultural diversity
Resources for students
Low student faculty ratio

7. Concluding with a conviction of proving an asset to the university.

Sound confident about successful completing the course
Demonstrating your motivation and determination
 Integrity, common sense, reliability, and personal capacity to excel in a challenging
program

Background work Required to be done to write an SOP:

1. Fill up the SOP worksheet provided to you sincerely.
2. Research on schools you are trying to apply and learn about the school and the work in
areas of your interest.
3. Write to students at the universities and find facts about the school and the
requirements.

Writing Tips:
1. Start of the SOP needs to be strikingly interesting. One could start with a famous quote,
some proverb that you very strongly believe in etc
2. Break up the content into paragraphs or sub headings under which you would elaborate.
3. Each paragraph should make a complete statement independently. Start a new
paragraph whenever discussion goes to a new issue.
4. There should be a logical flow of ideas between paragraphs. In other words there should
not be an abrupt shift of ideas in paragraphs.
5. Avoid slang and abbreviations, remember the reader is an international person and might
not be familiar with some terms we normally use.
6. Do not put information that is already available through transcripts and application form.
7. Highly personal content and emotional stuff should be avoided unless it makes a unique
and creative point.
8. You can mention extra-curricular activities that would help you become a better graduate
student. Example: Membership in associations like IEEE, ASME etc.
9. The SOP needs to touch all the relevant points but at the same time be concise and crisp
in its contents. Ideally it should be around 500 words long.
10. You can add anecdotes, quotations and talk about your mottos and principles but that
should make your SOP more interesting and readable.

University remarks on SOP

UC Berkeley
Usually the purpose is to persuade the admissions committee that you are an applicant who
should be chosen. You may wish to show that you have the ability and motivation to
succeed in your field, or you may wish to show the committee that, on the basis of your
experience, you are the kind of candidate who will do well in the field.

MIT
SOP gives a chance for MIT to get to know you as a student. It helps the Admissions staff
get acquainted with you as a whole person. What excites you? What motivates you? What is
your career plan?

Cornell
The statement of purpose is of particular importance. We seek to admit students who have
an informed interest in the subject and will successfully apply their education in challenging
jobs.
San Jose State University
You are the subject of the statement. The school is interested in the following:
Your purpose in graduate study
The area of study in which you wish to specialize
Your future use of your graduate study
Your special preparation and fitness for study in the field
Any problems or inconsistencies in your records or scores

TOP 10 RULES TO WRITE BY

***************************
1 DO strive for depth rather than breadth; narrow your focus to one or two themes, ideas,
or experiences.
2 DO tell the reader what no other applicant could honestly be able to say.
3 DO provide the reader with insight into what drives you--what makes you "tick."
4 DO be yourself rather than pretending to be the ideal applicant.
5 DO get creative and imaginative, particularly in your opening remarks.
6 DO address the particular school's unique features that attract you.
7 DO focus on the affirmative in the personal statement itself; consider using an addendum
to explain deficiencies or blemishes.
8 DO evaluate your experiences rather than merely recounting them.
9 DO enlist others to proofread your essay for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage,
and style.
10 DO use a highly readable typeface with conventional spacing and margins (if you're
submitting a paper-based application).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP 10 PERSONAL-STATEMENT PITFALLS
***********************************
1 DON'T submit an expository resume; avoid merely repeating information that you've
provided elsewhere in your application.
2 DON'T complain or whine about "the system" or about your circumstances in life;
however, constructive criticism is fine as long as it relates directly to your career goals.
3 DON'T get on a soapbox and preach to the reader; while expressing your values and
opinions are fine, avoid coming across as fanatical or extreme.
4 DON'T talk about money as a motivating factor in your plans for the future.
5 DON'T discuss your minority status or disadvantaged background unless you have a
compelling and unique story that relates directly to it.
6 DON'T remind the school of its ranking or prestige among the various programs of its
type.
7 DON'T waste your personal statement opportunity with a hackneyed introduction or
conclusion.
8 DON'T use a gimmicky style or format.
9 DON'T submit supplementary materials unless the admissions office requests them.
10 DON'T get the name of the school wrong!

Wes Huang Assistant Professor

Department of Computer Science
Home Other

Statement of Purpose Advice

I've read many applications to our graduate program, and I've seen a lot of statements of
purpose that, frankly, aren't very good.
Here are some thoughts and comments that will hopefully help you write a better statement
of purpose. These are merely my own thoughts and should not be construed as official
guidelines of any sort.

What the statement of purpose is not

Many students (particularly foreign students) think that the statement of purpose is about
character. While honesty, sincerety, conscientiousness, etc. are important attributes, I
assume students with good academic records applying to graduate school have these traits.

Many students think that the statement of purpose should be an autobiographical sketch.
Believe me, the story of your first computer when you were 10 years old and how it inspired
you to devote your life to Computer Science does not make particularly interesting reading,
nor does it tell me the things I want to know.
Questions that your statement of purpose should answer
When I read a statement of purpose (which I think is one of the most important parts of a
graduate application), I have the following questions in mind.
Don't structure your statement with these questions! (I can just see the applications
pouring in now with my questions used as section headings.)

Your statement of purpose should be a cohesive piece of prose. (Some use of section
headings is OK, but not with my questions.) It should present yourself to the reader. One
way you can think of your statement is as an extended (and somewhat more formal)
answer to the interview question, Tell me about yourself...

While some of my questions below can (and should) be answered directly, the rest should
be addressed by relating relevant experiences and accomplishments.

Why do you want to get a PhD (or MS)?

What are your research interests?

Be as specific as possible, but keep in mind who will be reading your application.
In the Rensselaer CS department, research groups read applications the one(s) you
specify on your application. At other schools, a department committee may read all
applications and decide upon admissions on behalf of the whole department.

For the Rensselaer CS department, unless you are an exceptional student with a broad
range of experience/accomplishments, you should target your application to just one
research group a student who specifies interest in robotics and networking, for example,
may not be taken seriously by either group.

Multiple faculty within a research group will read your application.

Why are you interested in these research topics?

Don't write an autobiography!

Do you have the motivation/perseverence to complete a PhD?

If you have an undergraduate degree in something other than Computer Science or

Computer Engineering, then another question is: do you have the background to pass the
PhD qualifiers?
The statement of purpose is also an opportunity to describe some of your accomplishments
and their significance. The reader will not be familiar with the programs, competitions,
examinations, etc. for all parts of the United States, not to mention other countries.

Other things to keep in mind

Format: Single spaced (or maybe even "one and a half" spacing, but definitely not double
spaced) with at least a 10 point font and reasonable margins (at least 1 inch on all sides,
preferrably more on the left and right with a 10 point font).

Length: Definitely not more than 2 pages! (Who has time to read more than that?)
When I was applying to graduate schools, I was advised to keep my statement of purpose
to a single page. I now think that this was not good advice one page tends to be too
short if you're covering everything you should.

Don't try to "cram" more into your two pages using typographical tricks (line spacing, font
size, margins, etc.) You're not fooling anyone. Inability to write a concise statement of
purpose indicates a lack of critical thinking skills.

I should duly note that most undergraduate Computer Science students confuse "concise"
with "short". "Concise" means that you have given thought to the composition of your
statement to make it a clear and cohesive piece of prose (with a natural/logical flow) that
covers all the necessary points and doesn't cover unnecessary points. "Short" pieces of
writing are usually too short because they omit important points, aren't cohesive, etc.
Spell check it! Get someone else to proofread it!
Special note to Chinese (and some Indian) faculty...
Fer cryin' out loud, stop saying that every student is your favorite student!
I never really believe it anyway...

The Statement of Purpose required by grad schools is probably the hardest thing you
will ever write. (Incidentally, the statement of purpose may also be called an
Application Essay, Objectives for Graduate Study, Personal Background, Cover
Letter, or some comparable title.)

I would guess virtually all grad-school applicants, when they write their first draft of
the statement of purpose, will get it wrong. Much of what you have learned about
writing and also about how to present yourself will lead you astray. For example,
here's an opening to a typical first draft:

I am applying to the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at the

University of Okoboji because I believe my writing will blossom at your
program since it is a place where I will be challenged and I can hone my
writing skills.

How's that? It's clear, it's direct, and it "strokes" the MFA program, right? Wrong. All
of it is obvious and extraneous.

The admissions committee knows you are applying to their MFA program because
everyone in the stacks of applications they are reading is applying for the same thing.
The admissions committee will also know that your writing will "blossom" there since
they feel they have a strong program. Of course you will be challenged all
undergrads going on to a grad program will be challenged, no matter how well-
prepared they think they are. And of course the new grad student will "hone [her]
writing skills" isn't that the main purpose of the MFA program?

Let's assume the required length of this particular program's statement of purpose is
300 words. Well, with this opening you will have used up 15% of your space saying
virtually nothing. 15%!

In fact, not only is this opening paragraph obvious, extraneous, and space-stealing,
it's boring!Imagine who's reading this and where: five professors "locked" in a room
with 500 applications. Do you think this opening paragraph will command their
attention? Will they read the rest of this statement of purpose with an open mind that
this applicant is the kind of student they want? Will they remember this application
later? You be the judge.

Remember what you learned in first-year composition? You need a "hook."

A former student of mine applying to enter a master's program in library science had a
great hook. I don't remember Susan's exact words, but the opening paragraph of her
statement of purpose went something like this:

When I was eleven, my great-aunt Gretchen passed away and left me

something that changed my life: a library of about five thousand books.
Some of my best days were spent arranging and reading her books. Since
then, I have wanted to be a librarian.

Okay ... it's clear, it's direct, it's 45 words, and, most important, it tells the admissions
committee about Susan's almost life-long passion not just for books but for taking
care of books. When the committee starts to discuss their "best picks," don't you think
they'll remember her as "the young woman who had her own library"? Of course they
will, because having had their own library when they were eleven would probably be
a cherished fantasy for each of them!

Suppose Susan had written this opening paragraph instead:

I am honored to apply for the Master of Library Science program at the

University of Okoboji because as long as I can remember I have had a love
affair with books. Since I was eleven I have known I wanted to be a
librarian.

That's 45 words too. Do you think the admissions committee will remember this
application among the 500 applications they are wading through? Probably more than
half of the applications, maybe alot more than half, will open with something very
similar. Many will say they "have had a love affair with books" that phrase may
sound passionate until you've read it a couple of hundred times.

All of us have had some event, some experience, like my student's personal library at
eleven, which drives us toward the discipline(s) we inhabit. I was speaking to a group
of students recently about this. One student let's call her Jennifer said she
wanted to get a master's degree in speech therapy. When I asked her why, Jennifer
said she had taken a class in it for fun and really loved it. But then I pressed her: was
there some personal reason she found that field significant enough to spend her whole
life doing it? At first Jennifer said no, but after more questioning she revealed that her
brother had speech problems. This was a discovery to her; she had not entered the
field with that connection in mind at least not consciously. But there it was;
Jennifer now had her hook.

You have to really dig. Be introspective. Don't settle for "I love this field." Why do
you love this field? Why do you want to work in this field for the rest of your
life? Why does it complete you? Cut through the bull you tell your parents and
relatives and friends. What is your truth? Find it and then find a memorable way to
say it. Grad schools require the statement of purpose not only because they want to
find about you as an applicant, they want you to really think about why you are taking
such a life-changing step truly and profoundly why.

Okay, back to the scene of the five professors surrounded by stacks of applications,
maybe more than 500. Do you know who they are? What they want? What they like
to eat? Obviously, no. Conversely, do they know you? Well, no. But ... the statement
of purpose is your chance to help them get to know you! Your statement of purpose
should portray you as a person, not just an application among hundreds of others. Not
just paper and ink.

Here's one way to do it. When I was an undergrad senior first applying for grad
schools, I knew a grad student I'll call him Nigel who told me he had written a
three-sentence statement of purpose to get into Stanford:

I want to teach English at the university level. To do this, I need a PhD. That
is why I am applying.

That was the whole thing. That's only half of 45 words. It certainly portrays Nigel as
brash, risk-taking, no-nonsense, even arrogant. If this is how you want to portray
yourself, then by all means do this. But you should also know that Nigel's statement of
purpose is an all-or-nothing proposition. You can bet there will be members of
probably any admissions committee who will find Nigel's statement of purpose
offensive, even disrespectful. And they might not want such a student at their school.
But then I suppose Nigel wouldn't want to be a student at that school, either.

Try to make your paper-and-ink self come alive. Don't just say, "I used to work on an
assembly line in a television factory, and one day I decided that I had to get out of
there, so I went to college to save my own life." How about this: "One Thursday, I had
soldered the 112th green wire on the same place on the 112th TV remote, and I
realized the solder fumes were rotting my brain. I decided college would be my
salvation." Both 35 words. Which narrative do you think will keep the admissions
committee reading?
Tell stories (briefly). Use vivid language. Be specific. Be dynamic. Liven up a
moment in the lives of those five professors trapped with those 500 applications.
Maybe 600. Maybe more.

At the same time, be careful not to be glib. Don't be slick. Don't write your application
in a sequence of haiku. Don't put in photos. Just be yourself, but a more heightened
version of yourself in words (since face-to-face nuance and gestures won't be there to
help).

Remember your statement of purpose should portray you as (1)

passionately interested in the field;(2) intelligent; (3) well-prepared academically and
personally; (4) able to take on the challenges of grad school; (5) able to have rapport
with professors and fellow grad students in other words, collegial; (6) able to finish
the graduate degree in a timely fashion; and (7) a potentially outstanding
representative of that grad school in your future career.

That's a lot to cover in a few hundred words (the length of a statement purpose, as
required by different schools, tends to be around 300 to 1000 words). "Passionate
interest in the field" will be covered by the kind of hook I have described above.
"Intelligence" will be conveyed by the overall writing, organization, expression, etc.
of your statement. Being "well-prepared" can be demonstrated by using the lingo of
the field (theory, craft, etc.), describing the specific kinds of coursework and other
accomplishments you have in the field. Ability "to take on the challenges of grad
school" can be shown by describing the rigor of the work you have done.
"Collegiality" is not particularly important but is nevertheless a factor if you can
show yourself as a generally nice and cooperative person, that will do just be true
to your own style. Ability "to finish the graduate program" can be conveyed implicitly
by your success thus far and more explicitly if you can tell some (brief) story about
adverse obstacles you have overcome. Being a "future outstanding representative" can
be implied by your being an outstanding representative of your undergraduate school
for example, don't "bad-mouth" your current college or professors.

Often, grad schools will ask you to address other or similar qualities as I've listed
above. Just use common sense in focusing on each. Don't address them in the same
order as the grad school has listed. Combine them; rearrange them; do whatever you
need to do to show yourself as an imaginative person, not a parrot following a line of
Brazil nuts to crack.

If you have some problematic academic background, address that as well to reassure
the admissions committee. For example, let's say that you got all C's one semester.
Take a (brief) paragraph to explain that you had some emotional setback that semester
but then demonstrate how your grades have been sterling since then, and that you now
have a 3.83 grade-point average in the discipline. If you spin this well, your story will
enhance the admissions committee's image of you as someone with the abilities to
"take on challenges" and "to finish on time."

Here's an organization I would recommend: (1) passionate hook; (2) segu to your
background in the field; (3) specific classes by title and professors you have had
(especially if well-known in the field); (4) related extracurricular activities (especially
if they hint at some personal quality you want to convey); (5) any publications or
other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or
public readings); (6) explanations about problems in your background (if needed); and
(7) why you have chosen this grad school (name one or two professors and what you
know of their specific areas or some feature of the program which specifically attracts
you).

I should probably expand on item 7. This is a practical issue as well. If you are
applying to ten grad schools, it's a mismanagement of time to write ten separate,
tailored statements of purpose. Items 1 through 6 above can be exactly the same for all
the statements. Then when you get to item 7, put in a different paragraph for each
school. Remember this means the ten statements will all be as long, in terms of word
count, as the shortest required length among the ten schools. If the shortest length is
300 words, probably that length will be okay for the 500-word school (in fact the
admissions committee at the 500-word place may see you as savvy for not going on
and on). But those 300 words will clearly not work for the 1200-word school, so you'll
need to expand that one. Don't pad. Find other engaging material in your background.

About mentioning professors at each grad school: doing this will portray you as
someone "who has done her homework," as someone who is genuinely interested in
the field, enough to have done some prefatory work in that area. Don't just mention
their names (anyone who can browse a web site can do that). Say something of
substance about each professor by name, something that reveals you know and
appreciate that person's work. Don't necessarily pick the most famous professor at the
grad school; chances are many other applicants will do the same, and the admissions
committee members will soon be unconsciously filtering those mentions out.
(Besides, the most famous professor doesn't always work with all graduate students or
may be out of town half the year, and you may come off as naive if you say you're
looking forward to working with her.) Find a lesser-known professor whose work
truly intrigues you (and truly is the operational word here). Then say something about
what you know of that professor's work remember that person may be on the
admissions committee. Don't suck up don't be a sycophant. Be fair and honest.

Be sure to show your statement of purpose to several professors. Remember they will
have different ideas about what constitutes an appropriate and effective statement of
purpose. If one of your professors has a connection with a specific grad school, she
may have some inside knowledge about what kind of statement of purpose will work
best at that school. Make your final editing decisions based on what will convey you
most accurately as you see it. Again, be specific, be dynamic, come alive on paper.
Continue to get advice from your professors on later drafts.

Proofread your statement of purpose. Copyedit for consistency, accuracy, and style.
Ask your friends to copyedit and proofread your statement; perhaps you can do the
same for them if they are also applying for grad school.

Remember that style in writing can be parallel to style in dress: the second affects
your image in person while the first affects your image when you may not be present.
Leaving in typos and misplaced commas is like dressing in your grubbies for a coat-
and-tie / cocktail dress event. Being too wordy is comparable to dressing in an
evening gown or a tuxedo for a casual get-together. Being too glib, too mannered,
may be like wearing a furry rabbit costume to a party which turns outnot to be a
Halloween bash. Be careful. Be a perfectionist.

Keep working on your statement of purpose even after you have sent it to the
school(s) with the earlier deadline(s). You might have a later epiphany about your
personal and academic background, your motives for applying for grad school, your
long-term plans, and this epiphany may be just the thing that gets you into the
school(s) with the later deadline(s).

To close, the statement of purpose, in the eyes of Department Heads, Program Chairs,
and Admissions Committee members, can be the most important document in the
application. Other parts of your graduate-school application test scores, transcripts,
letters of recommendation, writing samples do not say as much about you as a
person as the statement of purpose can: your proudest accomplishments alongside
your fondest hopes and dreams.

Checklist for Writing a Statement of Purpose

Vince Gotera | University of Northern Iowa
[ ] Organization ...

[ ] A "hook" that demonstrates your passion for the field

[ ] Segu to your background in the field

[ ] Description of your academic background in the field

[ ] Specific classes you have taken, given by name

[ ] Specific professors you have had, especially if well-known in that field

[ ] Extracurricular activities in the field

[ ] Publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference

presentations or public readings)

[ ] Explanations about problems in background (if needed)

[ ] Explanation of why you have chosen the specific grad school

[ ] Mention one or two professors in that school and what you know of and appreciate
about their work

[ ] Specific features of the grad program which attract you

[ ] Get advice from several of your professors philosophical advice as well as specific writing
advice

[ ] Proofread and copyedit; ask friends to proofread and copyedit as well

[ ] Keep working on the statement of purpose, even after you have already sent it to school(s)
with earlier deadline(s)

o be taken on a lighter note

The SOP clichs to avoid

1. The Prodigy.
To quote a friend Please dont tell me about how you were born out of your mothers womb
with a PC in hand. Unless of course that actually did happen, in that case, please do tell us
more about it. But for most of us, it wasnt the case. So do not start your SOP by telling me
how as a 5 year old the fact the computer works on binary system fascinated you or how
while playing road rash, you were thinking about the inner workings of a game and decided
then to take up computer science.
2. The Achiever.
Please dont fill up the limited space you have in your SOP yapping about how you did this
and that and this and more of that and then again this. Unless you can relate the things you
did in the past to what you want to do in a masters program, dont waste space on it.
Remember you have a Resume to put all your wonderful achievements.
3. The GOD.
Yes, your SOP is a place to show the adcom that you are capable of doing this course but do
not wax lyrical about how amazing you are. Do not make statements saying how dedicated
you are, how hardworking you are, in short how GOD-like you are but back it up with an
anecdote. Show them that you are hardworking and dedicated.
4. The Narrator.
Please fight the urge to use your SOP as an abridged auto biography. No the adcom is NOT
interested to know that, Once upon a time in a land far far away, you peed your pants and
how overcoming that was a pivotal moment in your life. Tell them about the things, by
which I mean the important things that steered you in this direction.
5. The ET (ExTra circular) Kid.
You might have been the kid that did it all. Cricket, Chess and everything in between - AKA
the Complan kid. And yes you should mention it; it gives you the extra edge. But please
dont dedicate paragraphs explaining the complexities of cricket.
6. The Connect the dots game.
Yes, you want the adcom to be engaged while reading your SOP, you want your SOP to grab
their attention but please dont play the Connect the dots game with them. Have a flow to
your SOP. In your 5th para, please do not go back to something you mentioned in the 1st
para without relevance.
7. The English high tide
Yes, you just did brilliantly well in GRE and you learned a LOT of English words. That does
not mean you want to fill in your SOP with every word youve ever learned! You dont have
be I talk English, I walk English, I eat English kind.
8. The Extra, Extra, read all about it
Even the most controversial newspaper articles stick to a word limit, and so should your
SOP. You might have a lot to say, but do remember the adcom goes through a lot of SOPs
so choose what to have it and chose it wisely!

I am sure I missed out on a lot of cliches and would love if the seniors would add them!

I review SOP's, but please DO NOT put them as body in the PM. PM me first to get email id.
Thank you!
CMU UMN TC USC UIC ASU CUB RIT UTD
Infobank
My VI
The SOP cliches to avoid
Medievalmaniac, I really don't think that the SoP is the right place to explain your coursework, unless
it has direct relevance to the narrative you're writing about your development. I just attached a sheet
with all my applications called "Undergraduate Coursework in Literature" or "Relevant Coursework,"
and then divide it up into "English" and "French." Under each category, I had the course number, the
actual full title, the prof, and my grade in it. That way they can cross-reference with my transcript if
they want, but they have the important info that they'll really be mining my transcript for isolated for
them already. And I didn't have to take up precious space in my SoP explaining them.

As for what I did in my SoP that I think worked, I have some perspective on that, having been
roundly rejected two years ago and pretty decent success this round (though UVa and U
Washington, what is UP?! Still waiting on them). I really think the difference between my two SoPs is
the big thing that made the difference, as my numbers and other qualifications (and even most of my
writing sample, though I edited it) are the same. So here's what I think made the difference, in three
alliterative categories:

1. Focus. Like it or not, they want to be able to categorize you. You can have secondary interests,
but they have to be clearly secondary and bear some relation to your main focus. Last time I tried to
tell too many stories of my development, and there were too many directions I could go in. This was
partially a reflection of where I was at the time, and honestly I think they were right to reject me
straight out of undergrad - I needed some time to reflect, to think about what I actually wanted to do
in the field. Now that I have, my SoP reflects that clearer sense of direction and purpose.

2. Fit. Everyone tells you this, but it's true. I spent a lot more time really researching profs on the
websites, then looking up and scanning through a few key articles, and skimming through the
courses they taught. It really gives you a better idea of whether their interests and methodologies
ACTUALLY fit yours, or whether it just looks like that on paper. I then tailored my fit paragraph to
show how multiple faculty members could support my research interests (this may be English-
specific, as in other non-humanitites disciplines you are applying to work with one advisor). Also, if
the department has a pet methodology, it's helpful to know that - they'll look for students who fit that
bill. Interdisciplinary programs that faculty are involved in and subfield/methodologically-specific
colloquia, etc. are also things to look for.

3. Future. This could vary, depending on how much of an academic past you have, but for me what
helped was focusing discussing even my past towards showing how it formed a trajectory for the
future. I've said in other places around here that the best advice I got for my SoP was that you
should think about demonstrating that you are capable of conceiving of a larger project; whether or
not you end up doing that project is irrelevant, as you probably won't and the adcomm is well aware
of that - the point is that you are CAPABLE of conceiving of a future direction for yourself. I focused
on telling a story (i.e. "I'm interested in the relationship to place in Modernist literature") and cutting
all details of my past that didn't mesh with that. So by the end I was able to say look! What I
discussed doing in paragraphs x (gloss of relevant coursework/advisors, focus), y (challenges and
triumphs of writing my thesis and learning theory), and z (teaching, living different places) all feed
into the project I'm proposing in this last paragraph (though the project was sufficiently broad so as
not to pigeonhole me). I said that I wanted to go in certain different directions, but it was clear that it
would be a continuation of my development, not starting anew. They want to see that you are
capable of functioning independently as an academic (should be demonstrated by your past and by
the fact that you can independently come up with good future directions), but that they have
something to offer in terms of guiding you.
Hope that helps!

his is the exact way to go.

Most first drafts of SOPs I've seen start with a narrative of the person's past and background, and
only get around to their current/future interests towards the end of the essay. To have a good SOP,
however, the focus should be on your current and (mostly) future research plans, and it should be
apparent what your interests are as early as possible. It's the same advice I get now for writing
papers - don't recount the history of all your failed attempts and bad starts, tell me the path that
succeeded and show me what you can do with it.

For a good, focused SOP, you should be able to demonstrate that you are familiar with the inner
workings of your field. Address strengths and weaknesses in current thought about your topic, or
suggest a fresh way of looking at it; choose a project that is feasible in size for the degree you're
applying to; aim to have similar interests/methodology/both as the researchers in the department
you're applying to. Remember that you're not committing yourself to actually doing the project, you
just want to show the adcom that you can think through the details of a possible project within your
area of interest. Choose no more than 1-2 interests as your main interests and spend most of your
time talking about them. It's OK to have secondary interests, but it should be clear where your
interests lie.

Aside choosing the right kind of interests to discuss, fit is also understanding your intended
department's attitude towards things like collaborations, innovation, going in unexplored directions,
doing quantitative/qualitative/theoretical/practical/etc work. Talk about things that make sense for
that department. Mention anything unique that the program offers - resources, reading groups, any
kind of opportunity like an exchange or a diploma. If it's not a school that emphasizes teaching, don't
dwell on that. If you're not sure that you'll be encouraged to take courses at other departments,
make sure before you mention "resources" that are not really going to be there.

If you want to mention coursework in more detail, most applications will allow you to e.g. upload a
summary as a supporting document or as part of your CV. You can also attached it to your
transcript. Include a list of course names/numbers, the instructors, and a one-paragraph description
of each course (+optionally, the grade and nr of credits, but that should be on your transcript;
optionally2: the topic and short description of term papers you wrote for each course). All those
details don't really have to be in your SOP, unless they're directly tied to your current/future interests.
If you've caught the adcom's eye, they'll go look at your credentials anyway. Optionally: give a link to
a website that contains all the work you're comfortable with the adcom seeing. It can be a simple
googledocs-based site, I hear they are easy to make. If they're really interested, the adcom might
want to know more about your work, and that's a great easy way to give them that extra information.
I agree with the advice others have given. Do not list your awards in terms of what you've earned
from your previous work. That's what your CV is for.

However, you can use your SoP to give your awards greater context; to frame them not as mere
compliments to your work (again, they'll be the judge) but as extraordinary privileges you are grateful
for.

Instead of just listing awards as outcomes of your work, show productive benefits: that each award
and opportunity has led you to greater personal achievement.

For example, if certain scholarship programs (yes, that admire your work) have helped you on your
way, humbly give them credit and explain how they have helped to elevate you to this moment,
where you are applying to graduate school.

Let the school know that your past privileges were beneficial investments in the future you foresee --
with the program you are applying to. Let them know they will become part of a greater narrative by
accepting you. You have generated momentum -- and this school can keep you going!

In this way, your awards can be an exciting and meaningful part of your application, not an example
of arrogance.

If you have contributed back to the organizations that have given you awards, try to mention your
efforts. It is proof of your caring, understanding of your privilege, gratefulness and dedication.

Without saying so explicitly, let the school know that, by accepting you, they are helping put you in
an even better position to give back...and hint that you won't forget to give back to them someday,
either! (Examples are volunteering, producing more fine work in the program's name, speaking on
their behalf, or just by being a good "face" for the program.)

This speaks to your ability to take advantage of your opportunities, learn, work hard, improve, and,
overall, to be honorable. Which is why you got the awards in the first place, right?

Not only can this help you get accepted, it can also put you in a better financial aid situation. It says
you are a worthwhile investment.

It is always good to show that other people have believed in you, entrusted you with opportunities,
and that you consider it your responsibility to continue to do them proud! You consider this program
to be the next step that, in turn, helps you pay back all the previous steps.

Then the school knows you aspire to excellence on behalf of people who invest in you.

Who wouldn't want to be part of that?

I'm willing to bet the committee doesn't even look at your transcript beyond a verification of your
GPA. Heck, it takes me 5 minutes to figure out my own and I took the darn classes. How on Earth
could they even begin to divine what all that mumbo-jumbo means? I take that to mean you're in no
better or worse shape than anyone else. If you feel that you got passed over, it's more than likely
NOT because you left out the names of your classes. I'm under the impression (and several
professors have confirmed this) that the classes you took are less interesting to them than a sense
of whether you "speak the language" and how you got to that point. When you write about your
project, do you convey that sense of "I know what I'm doing and I don't have to mention a bunch of
names to prove it"? Is your interest in the topic personal enough that you'll stick it out? Why do you
want to study this? Why are we the school to do it at? Who here is going to help you and how are
you going to help them?

A boring recitation of what you did can be a death knell in my opinion, especially if you don't stand
out from everyone else who's applied and provided a list. I handled my "qualifications to do
research" section by crafting a kind of personal story of how I studied this with that professor but also
supplemented my studies with this other prof and how it informed my ongoing decision to follow my
current project. I spoke briefly about how my lackluster performance in the MDiv was offset by a
solid GPA for my ThM. BUT, this was barely two paragraphs (if you put it all together) and was
definitely interwoven with the overall "story" of my SoP.

In the end, my strong sense of this is that your transcripts are only important for your GPA. The
names of the classes you took are meaningless to the committee if you can't talk about your project
with a commensurate level of competence (not saying you can't, mind you). Spend too much time
talking about the names of classes and profs and you'll shorten the amount of time you can talk
about what you plan to do (and bore profs who are now reading the 100th SoP in two weeks).
Certainly mention why you're qualified, but keep in mind that taking a class in no way qualifies you to
do more advanced research. The knowledge and understanding you synthesized from the class is
what matters. One can take a class all day with Cornell West, for example, and still come out just as
dumb as he/she went in. Your SoP needs to stand out. If it's interesting and engaging and keeps the
profs' interest, you're in great shape. If it bores them with lists of achievements, you're in trouble. No
matter what you provide, they've seen more impressive rsums. What they're looking for is "will this
person be someone I can stand to have in my office weekly for the next 5 years?"

PS the name of the class is nowhere near as important as the name of the prof. "I studied with
Cornell West" is a far more important sentence than "I took 'History of the Civil Rights Movement
from 1962-1963' and 'The Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr' and got A's in both." (And please note
that I totally made all that up, so don't kill me if I said something wrong.)

PPS I'm not suggesting that the OP is aiming for a "boring" SoP, just that too much information can
sink an app far faster than not enough. Boredom is your #1 worst enemy.
At this time of year, many professors at universities with graduate programs are
poring over applications. Those applications usually include at least one narrative
statement in which candidates describe their academic experiences and explain why
they want to pursue graduate study.

In those statements, applicants have a chance to show their interests, motivations, and
goals. Unfortunately, some applicants to graduate programs in the sciences simply
don't know what to write. Some students seem to view the statements as a creative-
writing exercise and spend more time sharing how they feel about science than
describing their scholarly experiences and interests.

At the risk of sounding like a cranky old science professor, I will state emphatically
that when I read an application to our graduate program, I do not want to hear about
your second-grade teacher (with all due respect to excellent second-grade teachers).
Neither do I want to read about a star-gazing experience at age 8 (even on a cold,
windswept hill), a childhood chemistry set (no matter how beloved), a fantastic
documentary that someone happened to find when a televised golf match was
canceled (serendipity!), or anything that is supposed to convince the graduate faculty
that you have really, truly, profoundly loved science for a long time.

It's fine if an applicant mentions an early inspiration. I can deal with that, but it should
not be the centerpiece of the statement, presented as a compelling explanation for your
motivation to pursue graduate research. Presumably you have had other experiences
later in life that can also explain a sustained interest in the chosen field. I don't believe
that the depth of your love for science, or any pursuit, correlates with how early you
discovered that love, so I find such descriptions of childhood inspiration unconvincing
in an application for graduate study in the sciences.

Some applicants start their narrative with a quotation from a song, a poem, or a
beloved book, including children's books. Whether that's because the applicant wants
to convey that we can find profound wisdom in Dr. Seuss even after we grow up, or
because the applicant has not read any other books, I do not want to know. The
quotation is typically mentioned early in the statement, and then, following some rule
 of creative writing, is mentioned again at the end, wrapping up the text in a neat and
annoying bundle.

A few years ago on my FemaleScienceProfessor blog, I organized a "Statement of

Purpose (SOP) Contest" in which readers competed to write the worst such
statements. It was akin to "The Bad Hemingway Contest," only my version was for
graduate-application essays.

Many of the entries, including my own, were somewhat unkind in their parodies, but
they all contained one or more classic elements of the genre, such as:

A quotation that is supposed to be deep or cute.

An expression of the applicant's great respect for the university and its faculty
(adjectives like "prestigious" and "world class" are particular favorites).
Mention of childhood (that inspiring second-grade teacher; the chemist uncle; a
memorable science fair).
Name-dropping a famous scientist. Einstein is too obvious, but some applicants think
Feynman is not a clich and Marie Curie is useful to make a point about diversity.
Another element of some statements: The inadvertent mention of a university that is
not the recipient of this particular application ("And that's why my greatest dream is to
pursue graduate work at Other University"). Yes, we know that students apply to more
than one graduate program, but it would be best to avoid that error in your narrative
statement.

I include here, for illustrative purposes, one of my own attempts at a fake Statement of
Purpose:
How many roads must a man walk down, before they can call him a man?

Bob Dylan wants to know the answer to this question and so do I. I have always loved
quantifying impossible things, and I want to continue to do so in graduate school. I
would not stop at counting roads, though, because counting roads means looking
down. I also want to look at the sky.
How many times must a man look up, before he can see the sky?

That's another thing that Bob wants to know, but in this case we disagree about the
important question. I want to know how many times must a man look up before he
can really know the sky and what is in it. The sky has always been a mystery to me
ever since I was a child. What is the sky? We must know this before we can count
things in it. I do not like science fiction though. I love science.

In the classes I have taken as an undergraduate, my professors have attempted to teach

me many things, but the things I want to know are not in books.

I have always collected things: shells, pebbles, cats. I even tried collecting staplers for
a while to try to get over my fear of them, but although that didn't work well, it shows
that I am not afraid to face obstacles and at least try to overcome them. Now my
passion will be collecting data.

I think that the graduate program at the University of X is the best one for me because
you have a lot of faculty who count the atoms in our universe and our planet. Some of
these atoms even make up Bob Dylan, his roads, and the sky we both want to look at
and know.

There are many reasons why that fake essay is awful, but the most important one is
that it doesn't say anything.

There is no information about the applicant's academic record, research experiences,

or specific interests for graduate study. Although mine is an extreme example, I have
read countless statements from applicants who spend paragraphs trying to convey
their love of science and their unique personalities rather than describing their
qualifications for graduate study.

An applicant who writes a creative but uninformative statement is at a disadvantage

relative to a student with a professional statement that clearly explains the applicant's
academic record (including research experiences), motivation for graduate study (in a
particular field or program), and career goals.

It's not necessarily fatal for an otherwise strong application to include a Dr. Seuss-
quoting statement of purpose. Most of us reading the applications know that students
are not always well advised about the application process. Even so, I can't help
sighing when I read yet another "cute" statement of purpose. In fact, I just read one
that started with a little rhyme. I am sure that my own graduate application would
make me cringe if I saw it again, but I am also certain that I did not include a rhyme.

A statement of purpose need not be a dry document that consists of lists of names and
dates. I can appreciate a well-written narrative about someone's life and goals, even if
it mentions some personal details. Just leave Dr. Seuss out of it, please.