NYU SOP

[debsinenglish]

“What we accept in life we cannot accept in story,” protests Susan Barton, the heroine transcribed from William Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe into J.M. Coetzee’s Foe. I describe Susan’s remark as a “protest” deliberately; Susan condemns Defoe for imposing order and meaning in his translation of her narrative, for refusing to acknowledge the ambiguity and

Comments

[blastulababe]

I think NYU has a particularly strong Renaissance lit program. A lot of their profs have an early modern-ish background. They also have some courses through Comp Lit with Avital Ronell, who's really into trauma, which I know is valuable for you. I think they also have some good profs in American lit. And telling NYU that you want to be in NY is, I would say, a good thing. They're all about how NY is their campus. But be careful - because those things are just as available to Columbia or other NY schools.

[naandika_kuota]

Not to be mean, but if you don't know what the program is noted for, why are you applying? It doesn't matter to mention what they're great at if they're not great for what you want to do.

As for mentioning the geographic area, I think it depends on the reasons you give. If it's to be close to Broadway, I wouldn't. If there's a career benefit for you, I would.

[debsinenglish]

It's a valid question- I picked it because of the resources available in the New York area for my subject, and also because of the affiliation with the Steinhardt School.

[naandika_kuota]

Maybe you should reconsider applying then?

[yenniemonster]

I applied to the creative writing program, but I don't know anything about their general English lit. I did mention that part of my writing involved having a relationship with New York City and its inhabitants to gain perspective. It's the same reason why I'm applying to FSU; in fact, I'm applying to FSU because of very specific research points that do not actually involve the school or the faculty but rather the environment surrounding the school. I'm hoping that mentioning these specific motives will be intriguing to them.

If your motives for applying to NYU are to be around the publishing industry, I think it's worth mentioning, but bear in mind that many people probably apply to the program for the same reason. If your interests lie in the literary history there (Edith Wharton, Henry James, the Beats at Columbia, J.D. Salinger. etc.), then definitely mention this because you can show that a New York education is important to your research.

[judydarkness]

nyu english has an especially strong faculty in 19th century american literature, post-colonial and transatlantic literatures, and late-medieval/renaissance.

this is a fairly theory-heavy department, so if you have background/interest in a particular critical methodology, the committee will like you to talk about it.

i will warn you that saying you want to go to nyu because you want to live in new york is fine for an undergrad--that's how nyu gets to be the "#1 dream school" in the expensive princeton review books. but it is not fine for a grad student--bluntly put, the department will not care unless it is *directly* related to your field. talk about what you know, what you want to learn, what you think this particular department can teach you.

good luck to you.