Writing a successful Statement of Purpose for postgraduate study in the USA

What is a Statement of Purpose? The objective of a well researched and written Statement of Purpose (SoP) or Personal Statement is to tell the admissions committee who you are, how you think and what you can do. They are looking for people who will not only be successful on the programme, making full use of the opportunity, but also in their careers that follow. It is your opportunity to stand out from all the other applicants who may have grades, test scores and letters of recommendation as good as, or even better, than yours. Specifically, they expect to see the following in your SoP: What areas of study/research you are interested in and why How well defined your interests are Are these interests based on experience (academic or work) that the school may find useful How do you want your career to develop after your studies, e.g. go on and do a PhD, develop a career in academia, research, development, the public sector, consultancy etc. How do your interests and goals match with the programme you are applying for How do you think graduate school will help you to achieve your career goals What experience have you had that will help you make the most of the programme and achieve your goals

If you are also applying for a Graduate Assistantship (administrative, teaching or research) then you should also provide evidence that you will be able to do this role well. Preparing to write a Statement of Purpose Before you start writing you need to get to know the university and in particular the graduate school, department and programme you are applying for. The web can be a useful resource in this process, but do not limit your research to the institutions web pages; research the academics involved in your target programme. Dont be afraid to get in touch with administrators and academics if you have questions you want to ask. It is expected that applicants make contact in this way in the USA. Also note if you are asked to cover any particular issues in your SoP, some institutions require you to answer specific questions. The other core area of preparation is reviewing what you want to communicate about yourself in the SoP and the connections you want to make with the programme you are applying for. Prepare your CV and make notes of the relevant knowledge and skills your academic, work and extracurricular experiences have enabled you to develop, e.g. has working part-time during your studies helped you learn how to manage a heavy workload and multiple priorities? Note down evidence of your interest in your subject, e.g. are there any relevant books, electives or conferences that you have accessed beyond your required work which show your interest Note down evidence of your ability to learn at graduate level, e.g. work you have undertaken independently, research work you have done Is there anything in the information that you have provided elsewhere that needs explanation, e.g. an inconsistent grade

September 2006 LSE Careers Service www.lse.ac.uk/careers

If you are applying for an Assistantship you will need to include relevant evidence that you can do this role, including evidence that you will be able to juggle your studies and Assistantship work, more specifically for : - Teaching, e.g. teaching experience, mentoring, student assessment , supervision of student research or projects; - Research, e.g. research you have done or assisted in, both within and outside of academia, working to deadlines; - Administrative experience of office work, working in a team.

Writing your Statement of Purpose (SoP) Having completed your research decide what information you want to include in your SoP and how you would like to present it. The SoP should be written in essay form. It should have: a clear structure with sentences and paragraphs that flow; an introduction, middle and conclusion; and a consistent and positive tone, which communicates your individuality without being too personal. When you start writing, dont worry about the length, you can edit it later. However, dont repeat information which is already available elsewhere in your application unless it is very relevant or needs further explanation. Avoid using jargon and abbreviations. Do not try to complete the SoP in one sitting, leave it for a few days and then come back to it. Remember you are applying for a graduate programme and this means that the tone of the SoP needs to be more professional than it would be for undergraduate study, i.e. focus on your academic experience and interests rather than on work experience or extra curricular activities. Only include the latter where they are relevant to the programme or any Graduate Assistantship or other institutional funding you are applying for. You should not include activities prior to the start of your undergraduate degree unless these are particularly relevant. Check spelling and grammar and for errors, do not rely on spellcheck. When it is beginning to look like you want it to, show it to friends who know you but who will give constructive criticism and maybe a class tutor or careers adviser for their opinions. Sit down and go over it again bearing in mind the feedback you have received, you should now be working towards the final draft. At this point it would be a good idea to show it to the people writing your letters of recommendation to get their comments and to inform them of what you have said. When you have what you regard as the final version proof-read it before you send it off.

Helpful resources Statementofpurpose.com www.statementofpurpose.com Writing the personal statement, from the online Writing Lab at Purdue University http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/pw/p_perstate.html This has examples as well as good general advice and comments from a range of academics who make admissions decisions. Writing a winning statement of purpose, by Glenn M. Callaghan, Department of Psychology, San Jose State University www.sjsu.edu/faculty/gcallaghan/graduate/winningstatement.htm Advice on writing a personal statement, by Andy Jones, Department of English, UC Davis (University of California) http://cai.ucdavis.edu/sop/sopadvice.html How to Write a Successful Statement of Purpose for Graduate Schools, based on a presentation in Madras by: Professor Hower, Cornell University, Department of English http://www.fulbright.co.uk/eas/studyus/postgraduate/statement2.html

September 2006 LSE Careers Service www.lse.ac.uk/careers