Conferences in SOP?

[cooperstreet]

I am busy preparing my SOP, and am looking to beef it up and 'sell' myself. I was fortunate enought in the past to present my MA thesis at a big national conference, and will be doing another presentation on the same paper at another conference in London next year

Comments

[anonymous]

I would mention it in your SOP and emphasize it even if it is on your CV only if you can work it in smoothly. That is, you don't want it to look like padding or out-of-place boasting, but if it's relevant to your research or the development of you as a scholar or if it helps illustrate the direction that your studies have gone, I would say go for it. Just make sure it's all relevant and fits with the larger purpose of your SOP.

[kleis]

I suppose it's merely a matter of preference, but I personally wouldn't put it in my SOP. I preferred to use my SOP as a space to discuss my future research plans, and my fit for each school. My qualifications and experiences were sequestered to my CV. But I'm sure no one would bat an eye if you wanted to include conference experiences in your SOP -- just try to tie it in as seamlessly as possible with the rest of your SOP narrative. If you can't make it seamless, I'm sure it won't "make or break" your application anyways. Good luck!

[sociolograd]

If it's unusual in your field to have already done this -- it would be in mine -- then I would absolutely mention it.

Remember how your application will be read: QUICKLY. Don't assume that because something's on your CV it will be absorbed. Use the SOP to highlight what you want them to notice about you.