Writing the Statement of Purpose for Graduate School Student Academic Success Center

Writing the Statement of
Purpose for Graduate School
Student Academic Success Center
111 South Hall
(530) 752-4475
What is a Statement of Purpose?
The central aim:
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Clearly discuss the reasons you are interested in
attending a specific graduate program
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Illustrate your reasons by demonstrating that you have had
experiences which have prepared you for graduate school
Show the admissions committee that you have potential
for success in graduate school
Nuts and Bolts
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Well-organized
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Concise
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Free of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors
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Original and interesting
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Typically 3-4 pages, typed and double spaced
Keep in Mind . . .
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There is no one right way to write an essay
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Remember your audience – experts in the field
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Establish your voice
q  Confident, straightforward
q  Do not make excuses
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Answer the question
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Turn weaknesses into strengths
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May serve as a writing sample
Organization
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How did you become interested in the field?
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What kind of activities or experiences have
contributed to your preparation for or understanding
of this field?
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What is your career objective?
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What are your research interests?
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Matching statement
How Did You Become Interested In
the Field?
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When and how did you originally become interested in this
field?
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What have you since learned about your field or yourself
that stimulates your interest in graduate study?
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Specific example or experience
Motivation to pursue a graduate degree
Convince the committee that you are well-suited to the
field.
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Genesis and evolution of your research interests
Show that graduate school is the next logical step
What Activities or Experiences Have Contributed
To Your Preparation for or Understanding of the
Field?
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Typically the longest section
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Discuss relevant experience
q  Research project, internship, summer job, volunteer experience
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What did you do?
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What did you learn?
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If several, discuss how they are related to each other
What skills, abilities, values did you gain and/or develop
Relate back to graduate school and future goals
What sets you apart from other applicants?
What is Your Career Objective?
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Degree
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Master s or Ph.D.
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Sub-discipline
Career
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Professor
Industry
Private Practice
Public Service
Other?
What Are Your Research Interests?
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State topics of interest to you
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What you plan to accomplish while in graduate school
Don’t confine yourself too narrowly
But don’t appear to have so many interests as to be
unfocused
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Do not state an interest too broadly or too narrowly
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Make clear how your research interests parallel
those of the faculty
Matching Statement
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Explain why admittance to a program is necessary
q  Why you need this program
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Find out specifics about each graduate program from websites
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Write different matching statements for each program
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Name a research area, institute, faculty member(s), or special
program
q  Shows you have researched the institution
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Highlight institutional fit
q  The better the match, the higher the chance of being admitted
End Result
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The reader should be able to:
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Ascertain the origin of your interest in a field of
study
See the growth of that interest over a period of
time
Clearly see that graduate school is your next
logical step
Difficult Circumstances
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Fold into the body of the paper
OR
Add an addendum (depending on the
situtation)
Turn negatives into positives
Getting Help
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Be sure to get several perspectives/responses to your drafts
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Statement of purpose critiques
q  Pre-Graduate Advising, 111 South Hall, (530) 752-4475
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Help with writing skills
q  Learning Skills Center, 2205 Dutton Hall, (530) 752-2013
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Books
q  How to Write a Winning Personal Statement by Richard Stelzer
q  Graduate Admission Essays, What Works, What Doesn t and
Why by Donald Asher