Comments | applyingtograd: SOP advice

sub_textual in applyingtograd

SOP advice

Oct 10, 2009 19:02

I've been trying to write my SOP, but it's been very difficult for me to know what exactly I should include. I've looked at other samples posted here, as well as Duke's guide on their website, but I just don't seem to know what to put in, given my interest in indisciplinary studies and my educational and professional background ( Read more... )

english literature, sop, statement of purpose

Comments 6

greekdaph October 10 2009, 23:21:43 UTC

You might want to check out the more targeted English communities, wgi_lounge_2010 and wgi_lounge_2009, for some more discipline-specific anecdotes and strategies ( ... )

sub_textual October 10 2009, 23:46:42 UTC

Thank you for your response ( ... )

greekdaph October 11 2009, 04:52:18 UTC

I'm not expert on the personal statement-SOP hybrid since mine was a more firmly traditional SOP (read: my life sounds far less interesting than yours), but I think that as long as your research experience is prioritized over the life experience, you should be just fine. That is, make the SOP a description of your research interests rather than a college admissions-style essay. I can already tell from your brief statement of your interests that there's a lot of good material to work with, so that shouldn't be a problem. But that's why I think you should lead with your research interests and only then talk about how those interests shape you even beyond your academic work. I'm happy to offer more specific feedback if you post a draft on here or PM it to me ( ... )

circumfession October 13 2009, 20:06:28 UTC

"To be honest with you, all of the schools I am applying to actually conflate SOP with personal statement -- it is one and the same, so I have a bit of a challenge there (if you can consider it that)"

Are you sure about this? Similar/confusing terms do not necessarily indicate conflated concepts. The SoP is focused on research, the PS on how your personal life affects your research focus. Many programs (I'm looking at you, Brown!) that ask for a "personal statement" actually want (and ONLY) want an SoP, which you might discover if you read their description of the so-called personal statement carefully.

homericlaughter October 11 2009, 00:42:41 UTC

Not specific to your SOP, but I'll just share some of the tips on SOP writing that I've compiled. I found reading lists of tips like this helped me find a point of departure ( ... )

greekdaph October 11 2009, 04:53:27 UTC

Oh wow, this is fantastic! Wish I had read this last year before writing mine...