WRITING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

What is a statement of purpose?

http://careercenter.cofc.edu/documents/statementofpurpose.pdf
The Statement of Purpose (often called letter of intent or application essay by various
educational institutions) is one of the most important components of your application
process. This document provides the admissions committee with information that allows
them to become more acquainted with who you are; what you want to study at graduate
school and why; experiences you have in the field; and what you plan on doing with the
degree once you have mastered it. A statement of Purpose also serves as a writing sample
and interview.
Tips on Writing a Statement of Purpose
1. Be Yourself. Be mindful that you are seeking a program that is a good match for you. Do
not disguise who you are or second-guess what the committee is looking for.
2. Write a Strong Opening. You want to stand out from the multitude of other applicants.
Write an opening that grabs the readers attention.
3. Frame the points you wish to make in a positive light. You do not want to reveal
weaknesses in your personality.
4. Describe an important experience that is relevant to the program of interest. It is usually
good to place this portion of the essay towards the opening. This experience may have
contributed to the person that you are today. Make a point to note that in your writing.
5. Be Specific, Concise, Honest and Unique.
6. Describe why you are a good match for their program. Tell the committee about your skills
and interest in that particular program. Be specific and thoughtful.
7. Talk about your goals. Explain how a graduate degree will help you accomplish those
goals.
8. Explain any shortcomings in your background. (i.e. You had a poor GPA during your
freshman year in college. Put a positive spin on this explanation and illuminate how your
GPA has improved as you matured.)

When writing a Statement of Purpose, your thoughts and ideas can become quite
overwhelming as you struggle to create an effective essay that captures who you are and
why you are applying. The following advice is another friendly measure in helping you write
that winning essay:

Follow the Institutions instructions on how they want the Statement of Purpose to be
written. 1. Word Count 2. Number of Pages 3. Format (spacing, margins, font size,
etc.)
Write a first draft. Read the questions again. Make sure that you have effectively
answered the questions provided by the institution.
Ask a professor, counselor or someone that you trust to read your first draft and
provide any feedback on its content.
Once you have received adequate feedback, make the necessary changes to your
essay and prepare your final draft. The final draft should contain strong sentence
variety and be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
 Make sure that you have established your voice in your final draft. Your tone in the
essay should reflect what is special, diverse, unique, or impressive about you.
Save! Save! Save! Be sure to keep a backup file of your document. A portion of this
essay may be useful for writing another letter of intent to another college or
university. You definitely do not want to submit the same essay when applying to
multiple schools.

If you find that you are still having difficulties completing your Statement of Purpose, do not
stress. Take a few days and put this task aside. You will find that other activities will jog your
mind and creativity, providing you with ideas and content to incorporate into your paper. A
Statement of Purpose requires time and thoughtfulness. You want to sell yourself to the
committee and in order to do that you need to put your best foot forward. Be honest. Most
importantly, be yourself.

Things to Avoid When Writing a Statement of Purpose

Errors, misspellings, poor English
Submit a handwritten essay (unless requested)
Talk down to your audience. Your audience does not need to have basic
terminology defined for them.
Be mindful that they are already experts in the program that you are applying for.
Be too personal in your essay. Do not focus on deep personal problems or excuses
for past performances or experiences.
Be repetitive or too general in your statements.
Criticize other school programs
Use uncommon words that look like they came from a thesaurus.
Write an autobiography. You want to give the committee a sense of who you are but
they do not want to hear about your entire life story. Be specific and mindful of your
personal details.
Submit untruthful or irrelevant information in your essay.
Plagiarism. You do not want to copy and submit another students letter of intent.
Be overly informal
General Formatting for a Statement of Purpose
We encourage the following:
Maximum Page Length: 2 (do not exceed the limit)
Double-spaced
1-inch Margins
Times New Roman 12 pt. Font (preferred)
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/2/

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that
have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better
understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
 When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it
(and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your
conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
How have you learned about this fieldthrough classes, readings, seminars, work
or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership
or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
What are your career goals?
Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain
(great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward
pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example,
economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or
persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the
field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these
characteristics?
What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate schooland more successful
and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee
to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application
that are somewhat similar.
Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to
answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you
should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the
question being asked.

Tell a story

Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the

worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is
fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you
distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can
back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or
whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your
statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.
Find an angle

If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make
it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you
grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the
rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your
particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people
graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field
they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the
field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to
experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field,
books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific
information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have
to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an
indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example,
references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally
not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example,
controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do
some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or
programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural
change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions
officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are
important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and
concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichs

A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help
other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-
repeated or tired statements.
Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls

Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules

1. Strive for depth rather than breadth. Narrow focus to one or two key themes, ideas
or experiences
2. Try to tell the reader something that no other applicant will be able to say
3. Provide the reader with insight into what drives you
4. Be yourself, not the 'ideal' applicant
5. Get creative and imaginative in the opening remarks, but make sure it's something
that no one else could write
6. Address the school's unique features that interest you
7. Focus on the affirmative in the personal statement; consider an addendum to
explain deficiencies or blemishes
8. Evaluate experiences, rather than describe them
9. Proofread carefully for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage, and style
10. Use readable fonts, typeface, and conventional spacing and margins

Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Pitfalls

1. Do not submit an expository resume; avoid repeating information found elsewhere

on the application
2. Do not complain or whine about the "system" or circumstances in your life
3. Do not preach to your reader. You can express opinions, but do not come across
as fanatical or extreme
4. Do not talk about money as a motivator
5. Do not discuss your minority status or disadvantaged background unless you have
a compelling and unique story that relates to it
6. Do not remind the school of its rankings or tell them how good they are
7. Do not use boring clichd intros or conclusions
o "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is..."
o "This question asks me to discuss..."
o "I would like to thank the admissions committee for considering my
application."
o "It is my sincere hope that you will grant me the opportunity to attend your
fine school."
o "In sum, there are three reasons why you should admit me..."
8. Do not use unconventional and gimmicky formats and packages
9. Do not submit supplemental materials unless they are requested
10. Do not get the name of the school wrong
11. Do not incorporate technical language or very uncommon words

How to Write a Great Statement of Purpose

Vince Gotera
English Language and Literature
University of Northern Iowa, January 2006

The Statement of Purpose required by grad schools is probably the hardest thing you will
ever write. (Incidentally, the statement of purpose may also be called an Application Essay,
Objectives for Graduate Study, Personal Background, Cover Letter, or some comparable
title.)

I would guess virtually all grad-school applicants, when they write their first draft of the
statement of purpose, will get it wrong. Much of what you have learned about writing and
also about how to present yourself will lead you astray. For example, here's an opening to
a typical first draft:

I am applying to the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at the

University of Okoboji because I believe my writing will blossom at your
program since it is a place where I will be challenged and I can hone my
writing skills.

How's that? It's clear, it's direct, and it "strokes" the MFA program, right? Wrong. All of it is
obvious and extraneous.

The admissions committee knows you are applying to their MFA program because everyone
in the stacks of applications they are reading is applying for the same thing. The admissions
committee will also know that your writing will "blossom" there since they feel they have a
strong program. Of course you will be challenged all undergrads going on to a grad
program will be challenged, no matter how well-prepared they think they are. And of course
the new grad student will "hone [her] writing skills" isn't that the main purpose of the MFA
program?

Let's assume the required length of this particular program's statement of purpose is 300
words. Well, with this opening you will have used up 15% of your space saying virtually
nothing. 15%!

In fact, not only is this opening paragraph obvious, extraneous, and space-stealing, it's
boring! Imagine who's reading this and where: five professors "locked" in a room with 500
applications. Do you think this opening paragraph will command their attention? Will they
read the rest of this statement of purpose with an open mind that this applicant is the kind
of student they want? Will they remember this application later? You be the judge.

Remember what you learned in first-year composition? You need a "hook."

A former student of mine applying to enter a master's program in library science had a great
hook. I don't remember Susan's exact words, but the opening paragraph of her statement
of purpose went something like this:

When I was eleven, my great-aunt Gretchen passed away and left me

something that changed my life: a library of about five thousand books. Some
of my best days were spent arranging and reading her books. Since then, I
have wanted to be a librarian.

Okay ... it's clear, it's direct, it's 45 words, and, most important, it tells the admissions
committee about Susan's almost life-long passion not just for books but for taking care of
books. When the committee starts to discuss their "best picks," don't you think they'll
remember her as "the young woman who had her own library"? Of course they will, because
having had their own library when they were eleven would probably be a cherished fantasy
for each of them!

Suppose Susan had written this opening paragraph instead:

I am honored to apply for the Master of Library Science program at the

University of Okoboji because as long as I can remember I have had a love
affair with books. Since I was eleven I have known I wanted to be a librarian.

That's 45 words too. Do you think the admissions committee will remember this application
among the 500 applications they are wading through? Probably more than half of the
applications, maybe a lot more than half, will open with something very similar. Many will
say they "have had a love affair with books" that phrase may sound passionate until
you've read it a couple of hundred times.

All of us have had some event, some experience, like my student's personal library at eleven,
which drives us toward the discipline(s) we inhabit. I was speaking to a group of students
recently about this. One student let's call her Jennifer said she wanted to get a master's
degree in speech therapy. When I asked her why, Jennifer said she had taken a class in it
for fun and really loved it. But then I pressed her: was there some personal reason she found
that field significant enough to spend her whole life doing it? At first Jennifer said no, but
after more questioning she revealed that her brother had speech problems. This was a
discovery to her; she had not entered the field with that connection in mind at least not
consciously. But there it was; Jennifer now had her hook.

You have to really dig. Be introspective. Don't settle for "I love this field." Why do you love
this field? Why do you want to work in this field for the rest of your life? Why does it
complete you? Cut through the bull you tell your parents and relatives and friends. What is
your truth? Find it and then find a memorable way to say it. Grad schools require the
statement of purpose not only because they want to find about you as an applicant, they
want you to really think about why you are taking such a life-changing step truly and
profoundly why.

Okay, back to the scene of the five professors surrounded by stacks of applications, maybe
more than 500. Do you know who they are? What they want? What they like to eat?
Obviously, no. Conversely, do they know you? Well, no. But ... the statement of purpose is
your chance to help them get to know you! Your statement of purpose should portray you
as a person, not just an application among hundreds of others. Not just paper and ink.

Here's one way to do it. When I was an undergrad senior first applying for grad schools, I
knew a grad student I'll call him Nigel who told me he had written a three-sentence
statement of purpose to get into Stanford:

I want to teach English at the university level. To do this, I need a PhD. That
is why I am applying.

That was the whole thing. That's only half of 45 words. It certainly portrays Nigel as brash,
risk-taking, no-nonsense, even arrogant. If this is how you want to portray yourself, then by
all means do this. But you should also know that Nigel's statement of purpose is an all-or-
nothing proposition. You can bet there will be members of probably any admissions
committee who will find Nigel's statement of purpose offensive, even disrespectful. And they
might not want such a student at their school. But then I suppose Nigel wouldn't want to be
a student at that school, either.

Try to make your paper-and-ink self come alive. Don't just say, "I used to work on an
assembly line in a television factory, and one day I decided that I had to get out of there, so
I went to college to save my own life.Tell stories (briefly). Use vivid language. Be specific.
Be dynamic. Liven up a moment in the lives of those five professors trapped with those 500
applications. Maybe 600. Maybe more.

At the same time, be careful not to be glib. Don't be slick. Don't write your application in a
sequence of haiku. Don't put in photos. Just be yourself, but a more heightened version of
yourself in words (since face-to-face nuance and gestures won't be there to help).

Remember your statement of purpose should portray you as (1) passionately interested in
the field; (2) intelligent; (3) well-prepared academically and personally; (4) able to take on
the challenges of grad school; (5) able to have rapport with professors and fellow grad
students in other words, collegial; (6) able to finish the graduate degree in a timely
fashion; and(7) a potentially outstanding representative of that grad school in your future
career.

That's a lot to cover in a few hundred words (the length of a statement purpose, as required
by different schools, tends to be around 300 to 1000 words). "Passionate interest in the field"
will be covered by the kind of hook I have described above. "Intelligence" will be conveyed
by the overall writing, organization, expression, etc. of your statement. Being "well-prepared"
can be demonstrated by using the lingo of the field (theory, craft, etc.), describing the specific
kinds of coursework and other accomplishments you have in the field. Ability "to take on the
challenges of grad school" can be shown by describing the rigor of the work you have done.
"Collegiality" is not particularly important but is nevertheless a factor if you can show
yourself as a generally nice and cooperative person, that will do just be true to your own
style. Ability "to finish the graduate program" can be conveyed implicitly by your success
thus far and more explicitly if you can tell some (brief) story about adverse obstacles you
have overcome. Being a "future outstanding representative" can be implied by your being
an outstanding representative of your undergraduate school for example, don't "bad-
mouth" your current college or professors.

Often, grad schools will ask you to address other or similar qualities as I've listed above.
Just use common sense in focusing on each. Don't address them in the same order as the
grad school has listed. Combine them; rearrange them; do whatever you need to do to show
yourself as an imaginative person, not a parrot following a line of Brazil nuts to crack.

If you have some problematic academic background, address that as well to reassure the
admissions committee. For example, let's say that you got all C's one semester. Take a
(brief) paragraph to explain that you had some emotional setback that semester but then
demonstrate how your grades have been sterling since then, and that you now have a 3.83
grade-point average in the discipline. If you spin this well, your story will enhance the
admissions committee's image of you as someone with the abilities to "take on challenges"
and "to finish on time."
Here's an organization I would recommend: (1) passionate hook; (2) segu to your
background in the field; (3) specific classes by title and professors you have had (especially
if well-known in the field); (4) related extracurricular activities (especially if they hint at some
personal quality you want to convey); (5) any publications or other professional
accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or public readings); (6)
explanations about problems in your background (if needed); and (7) why you have chosen
this grad school (name one or two professors and what you know of their specific areas or
some feature of the program which specifically attracts you).

In relation to 7 mentioning professors will portray you as someone who is genuinely

interested in the field. Don't just mention their names, say something of substance about
each professor by name, something that reveals you know and appreciate that person's
work. Don't necessarily pick the most famous professor, find a lesser-known professor
whose work truly intrigues you .Then say something about what you know of that professor's
work. Don't suck up don't be a sycophant. Be fair and honest.

Proofread your statement of purpose. Copyedit for consistency, accuracy, and style.
Remember that style in writing can be parallel to style in dress: the second affects your
image in person while the first affects your image when you may not be present. Leaving in
typos and misplaced commas is like dressing in your grubbies for a coat-and-tie /
cocktail dress event. Being too wordy is comparable to dressing in an evening gown or a
tuxedo for a casual get-together. Being too glib, too mannered, may be like wearing a furry
rabbit costume to a party which turns out not to be a Halloween bash. Be careful. Be a
perfectionist.

Checklist for Writing a Statement of Purpose

Vince Gotera | University of Northern Iowa

[ ] Organization ...

[ ] A "hook" that demonstrates your passion for the field

[ ] Segu to your background in the field

[ ] Description of your academic background in the field

[ ] Specific classes you have taken, given by name

[ ] Specific professors you have had, especially if well-known in that field

[ ] Extracurricular activities in the field

[ ] Publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps

conference presentations or public readings)

[ ] Explanations about problems in background (if needed)

[ ] Explanation of why you have chosen the specific grad school

 [ ] Mention one or two professors in that school and what you know of and
appreciate about their work

[ ] Specific features of the grad program which attract you

[ ] Get advice from several of your professors philosophical advice as well as specific
writing advice

[ ] Proofread and copyedit; ask friends to proofread and copyedit as well

[ ] Keep working on the statement of purpose, even after you have already sent it to
school(s) with earlier deadline(s)

EDITING AND REWRITING

Language Guidelines

Flow
While each paragraph should make a complete statement on its own, the essay should
logically progress from paragraph to paragraph. Read your essay for flow, or have someone
else read it, and ask yourself if there seems to be an abrupt shift between ideas in two
consecutive paragraphs.

Structure
This follows naturally from flow. Do all the paragraphs mesh together to form a cogent
whole? Does the essay, through a logical progression of ideas, demonstrate your interest,
enthusiasm, and fit in the department you have applied to?

Language
Avoid slang and abbreviations. For acronyms, use the full form the first time and show the
acronym in parentheses. Use grammatically correct English and ALWAYS read your essay
carefully for spelling mistakes before you send it off - your computer's spellcheck may not
flush out all the errors. Try to make your essay crisp, cutting out unnecessary adverbs,
articles and pronouns (for instance, a careful reading may yield several "the's" that are
superfluous).

Tone
Use a consistent tone throughout the essay - it will only confuse the admissions officers if
you alternately sound like Ernest Hemingway and Shakespeare, and is hardly likely to
endear you to them! While you should avoid flowery language and cliches, there is no harm
in looking for the most apt phrase or sentence. Be careful while using humor - it can misfire
and harm your chances.

POLISHING YOUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

POLISHING - THE 'IN THEIR SHOES' CHECK

Put your essay away for a day or two. When you take it out, lay it face down for two minutes
while you put yourself in the admissions committees place. Imagine yourself to be a
professor or graduate student who is going through a few hundred applications and
classifying them into yes, maybe and no piles. Think of how you would look at SoPs and
try to read yours through a strangers eyes. What do you see?

Remember that what the school is looking for is a competently written statement of
goals and interests that demonstrates how you think, whether you have thought
through this decision to apply, and whether your interests and strengths fit in with the
program you are applying to. To this end, they expect to see the following in an
essay:

What areas are you interested in and why,

How well defined your interests are,
Are these interests based on experience (academic or on the job) that the
school may find useful,
Where do you see these interests taking you,
How do you think graduate school will help you,
What experience have you had that will help.
Does your essay cover these points? Does it do so in an honest and interesting
manner? Many of the students applying will have backgrounds similar to yours, so
avoid cliched ideas.
Are you repeating information that is available from the resume? Do so very
sparingly, and only if you are making a point about your learnings or achievements
during that experience. Weed out all other information that sounds like repetition (it
will only irritate the reader), or can be included in your resume, or does not actively
contribute towards making a point in your essay.
Does your essay have an interesting beginning? This need not be witty, but should
persuade the reader to stay with you.
Have you talked about specific incidents that illustrate your interest or familiarity with
the subject, or show something about you? These incidents might include, for
example: A college or work project that was instrumental in confirming your interest
in the field (be sure to include a recommendation from your guide!)
Extra-curricular activities that brought out useful aspects in you (leadership skills or
team activities are particularly helpful for business school applications!), a book or
person who had a strong influence on you.
Does the essay bring out your personality? Or could it have been written by just
about anybody?
Have you mentioned why you are applying to that particular school? Does this
section of the essay demonstrate that you have researched the school and the
program? DONT stop at the standard formula phrase, I am applying to XYZ because
of its great reputation in _______.
Does your essay flow smoothly? If it is choppy and abruptly jumps from paragraph
to paragraph, your readers will have a tough time keeping up. Make it easy on them
smoothen the transition between paragraphs.
Is the tone too formal or not formal enough? Be professional yet informal the tone
you would take with your Principal or Head of Department, for instance.
Does the essay end well? Does it leave the reader with a sense of completion? Avoid
usage of cliches like, I hope the admissions committee finds my application up to
their expectations.
POLISHING - SHOWING YOUR STUFF AROUND

It is essential to show your SoP to a few people whose opinion you respect an English
teacher from school, a professor, an older friend, a parent or a relative. Include among these,
2-3 people who know you well. Ask your readers to pay particular attention to the following
points:

The beginning and the end do they hold interest?

The logical and smooth flow of ideas does each paragraph smoothly give way to
the next?
The structure does each paragraph bring home a central idea and contribute to the
overall feel of the essay? Are the paragraphs in proper positions?
The style and language are they appropriate and consistent? Does the essay have
too many cliches? Does it repeat particular words or phrases too often? Does it have
too many superlatives?
The tone is it unnecessarily boastful or overly modest?
The quality of the essay is it boring? Does it bring out the writers personality? Does
it include superfluous information? Or conversely, are there incidents or aspects the
essay should mention?
Ask your readers to write their comments on the essay. Also, spend some time discussing
it with them. Listen to their suggestions carefully but remember that this is your essay. You
dont have to implement every suggestion, only those that make sense to you.

POLISHING - THE FINAL PRINTOUT

Once you have the final draft ready, do the following before you take a final printout:

Run a spelling and grammar check.

Read the essay carefully two-three times for spelling or grammar errors the program
did not detect.
Look for and correct any anomalies in spacing, font and margins.
Choose a readable font and size, nothing fancy. Avoid special effects like
underlining, boldface and italics (except in the title, if you have one). Dont use colors.
Dont use special stationery or your letterhead.
Make sure that the school and program mentioned in the essay are correct. THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT.
Include a header in the top right-hand corner with your name and the name of the
program you are applying to. Use a smaller font size for this.
Take a rough print and show it to someone else who can read it over carefully for
errors and anomalies.
As far as possible, print out your SoP on a separate sheet of paper. Make sure that
the printer cartridge is good enough to print clear, crisp copies. Put in a good-quality
sheet of white paper. Keep the printed copy carefully in a folder till you are ready to
transfer it to the application envelope.

If you must print or write your essay on the application form itself, take a photocopy of the
form. Print or write the essay on the copy first, to ensure that it fits easily in the space
provided. If it doesnt, and you dont have the option of attaching more pages, cut portions
of the essay to reduce its length. This is painful, but a much better idea than reducing font
size to unreadable levels or using tiny, cramped handwriting the essay should never cause
strain while reading. While writing by hand, use a good pen, write slowly and carefully and
if necessary, draw light pencil lines on the form to ensure that your letters are uniform and
in a straight line.

Examples of Successful Statements

Statement #1

My interest in science dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in physics,
chemistry, and math. When I was a senior, I took a first-year calculus course at a local
college (such an advanced-level class was not available in high school) and earned an A. It
seemed only logical that I pursue a career in electrical engineering.

When I began my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range
of engineering courses, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in
engineering. I've also had the opportunity to study a number of subjects in the humanities
and they have been both enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different
perspective on the world in which we live.

In the realm of engineering, I have developed a special interest in the field of laser
technology and have even been taking a graduate course in quantum electronics. Among
the 25 or so students in the course, I am the sole undergraduate. Another particular interest
of mine is electromagnetics, and last summer, when I was a technical assistant at a world-
famous local lab, I learned about its many practical applications, especially in relation to
microstrip and antenna design. Management at this lab was sufficiently impressed with my
work to ask that I return when I graduate. Of course, my plans following completion of my
current studies are to move directly into graduate work toward my master's in science. After
I earn my master's degree, I intend to start work on my Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Later
I would like to work in the area of research and development for private industry. It is in R &
D that I believe I can make the greatest contribution, utilizing my theoretical background and
creativity as a scientist.

I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your school, and my conversations with several
of your alumni have served to deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to
your excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in the state. I hope you
will give me the privilege of continuing my studies at your fine institution.

(Stelzer pp. 38-39)

Statement #2

Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to
concentrate on English and American literature.

I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon

poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some
combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I
specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relationship between
"high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni
Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I
plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a
paper suitable for publication.

In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship
between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language
and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between
folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to
resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements.

Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just
begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a
working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems
that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order
to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry
draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a
place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking
part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past.

In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing
or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your
teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I
am eager to acquire. Further, earning a Ph.D. in English and American literature would
advance my other two career goals by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in
working with language. Ultimately, however, I see the Ph.D. as an end in itself, as well as a
professional stepping stone; I enjoy studying literature for its own sake and would like to
continue my studies on the level demanded by the Ph.D. program.

Adapted by Nohra Vargas