Tell graduate schools about yourself at a deeper level with your statement of purpose. What undergraduates learned in the previous Newton Knows post generally applies here as well. Give yourself time, follow directions, go beyond basics covered elsewhere in your application, and produce a polished, uncliched piece of writing that highlights your unique voice and experience.
The primary difference is that while undergraduate applicants may write about something fairly general, graduate applicants are expected to be more focused and knowledgeable about their study direction and future careers. As indicated by the commonly used term “statement of purpose,” these essays will typically focus on the applicant’s long-term purpose in applying to graduate study, along with their fit with a specific graduate program. How to succeed on this level? Here are some tips.
- The statement of purpose is not a resume or CV. Do not simply recite accomplishments. Instead craft a convincing discussion of how your interest in your field developed and how your experience fits your planned goal.
- One purpose of the statement of purpose is to help faculty determine if your academic interests can be accommodated in their program, for instance whether they have someone doing similar research who could advise you. Therefore know the program, its strengths and research, its individual faculty members. Even establish advance (positive, non-demanding) communication with relevant faculty if you can. You want to be be specific in your statement. Do not simply say you admire the program for its “international reputation” or quote paragraphs out of the catalog.
- Remember that the statement will be read by highly trained professionals. Do not lecture them or bore them with too much that they already know. At the same time, know your field, including English language terminology related to your interests. You want to be able to use the language of your field without either being pedantic or overly simplifying.
- The admissions committee will want to know here about “positives” (special preparation, achievements, etc.) that make you more qualified than other applicants. The statement of purpose may also give you opportunity to explain “negatives” apparent elsewhere on your application and/or special conditions that would not otherwise be known. For example, perhaps your grades were poor one semester because of a family emergency. Be careful; ideally any negatives will be balanced or followed by “positives.” Perhaps the many tasks you had to handle during that family emergency developed your time management skills so that you were able to improve your grades the next semester and even take on new research.
- Keep your statement relatively short, to the point. Typically personal statements are no more than two pages long though some fields and schools may have different specifications.
Happy writing! If you haven’t already, we do suggest taking a look through our post on undergraduate essays for more on working through the process. The University of Sussex offers some further good tips while California State University, Channel Islands provides examples of four successful personal statements, with comments on strengths and weaknesses, as part of its “Graduate School Bound” series, And if you’d like individual guidance, our expert advisers are glad to help.