When should I apply to a

graduate school?
 Right after undergrad

 Work in industry first

 Apply, then defer for a year

 Didn’t get into the schools you wanted? Take

a year to get more research experience as a
lab tech in a lab.
 What do I need to apply?
1. Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Why are you applying to grad school?
• What activities are important to your story?
• What is your research story (if you have one)?
2. Resume
3. Transcripts
4. Recommendations
5. GRE score
6. IELTS/TOEFL
7. Application Fee
How to write an SOP?

 two pages long

 uses a maximum
of 12 point font
and is double
spaced in normal
margins

 Hence,
depending on the
font type, a
standard SOP w
ould be about
800 to 1000
words.
Task
Question
1. How long it took for you to read it?

2. Did you have any difficulty in reading it?

3. Did it sound like a complete story?

4. Was there any unknown or difficult word

that you were not familiar with?
 SOP writing strategy
1. Keep your sentences simple and short. The first sentence is the most important
part of the paragraph. First paragraph should not be very long (5-6 sentences)
and will give a summary of the entire SOP.

2. Be specific. Focus on what you are planning

to do with that university's education after
your graduate study.

3. Make good logical derivation.

4. Do NOT make one general SOP, change university name and send it out.
Every SOP should be customized for that university.

5. There are no right and wrongs in these cases. Some essays compel a reader to
read from first to last, and some are plain boring and informative. A good SOP is
always standing out and has a punchline.

6. The admission committee is reading hundreds of SOPS. So, it is courteous to

thank them for their time.
 Some Tips
1. Get a good friend or trusted person to
read it. Good writing is ALWAYS
accompanied by good editing
2. Do not use passive voice!
3. Talk up your accomplishments and take
credit where deserved
4. Craft a narrative (not a list of
accomplishments)
 Additional Tips
 Go back and read your SOP again and again

 Put it away for a bit and come back to it later

 Don’t be afraid to ‘start over’

 Trim down your essay and omit unnecessary

sentences

 Convey the same message but with less

words

Best letters are almost

always subsequent re-writes
What research topic do I want to
pursue?

How many advisors at a

certain school research in
that area?
Anything
Materials Engineering

Biomaterials
Hydrogels
for
fibrocartilag
e repair
 SOP during the COVID19 pandemic
• If you had plans to do
research/internships that were
cancelled due to COVID19, still
indicate that you were accepted
for a position and/or planned a
project! This is a significant
achievement!
• If your time in lab as an undergrad
researcher was impacted by
COVID19, think creatively about
your outside-of-lab research
activities. Some examples may
be…
– Conducting literature searches
– Doing a computational project
– Interviewing other grad
students/professors
• Reflect on how the pandemic has
changed/will change the world.
What issues, current or future,
have you thought about during the
pandemic? How will you as a
researcher make an impact
towards tackling these issues,
either during or after your
MS/PhD? Some examples may
be…
– Health disparities
– Climate change
• Consider sharing how COVID19
has impacted you personally, and
how these events have shaped
your dream about being a
researcher