Your statement of purpose is one of the best ways you can sell yourself to the admissions committee as an original, well-qualified, and purposeful candidate. A strong statement of purpose will demonstrate your knowledge of and suitability for your chosen field, as well as your intellectual development, maturity, and ability to write and think clearly. Further, it will prove that you understand what you’re getting yourself into and show that you are committed to attending and completing a demanding academic program. This is important, because graduate admissions committees want to know that you understand and are realistic about your academic and professional goals and about how your chosen program will serve you in reaching those goals.
As a first step in planning the content of your essay, think about your motivations for your career choice. First, what got you interested in this course of study? What experiences have confirmed that this academic focus is ideal for you? When did you realize that this wasn’t just a casual interest but a serious and sustained one that has become the basis of a career? Additionally, identify the specialty areas that interest you most. If you are applying for an art history master’s, for example, name artistic traditions, historical time periods, admired artists, and methods of analysis that appeal to you. Refer to particular scholars who have shaped the field and to professors at your target school who will play a critical role in your academic training.
Share some “snapshots” of the experiences that have led you to want to enter this field. As you consider which anecdotes to share, pay particular attention to ones that reveal your career motivations, including the financial aspects. Additionally, write about elements of your background that make you stand out from the crowd of other applicants who want to achieve the same thing.
Show your prep work
Your undergraduate major might be a good starting point from which to reveal the foundation you’ve already laid, but you might also have taken post-graduate courses, earned a certification, or gained practical work experience for a period of time. These activities provide a track record of your commitment to your chosen career or field of study. Explain not only what you know about your field but also what you don’t know. Openly conveying this awareness shows that you’ve done your homework about why you need the academic program you’re applying to and how you will use the knowledge after you graduate.
In addition to answering the school’s prompt, you’ll need to discuss your research interests as well as your passions and motivations for applying. And be specific! For example, if you are applying to English literature programs, think about – and share – the works, eras, and writers you want to study, and why.
More broadly, strive to answer the question of what you hope to accomplish, either during or after the program. Is there any particular project you want to do? What skills do you want to develop or improve? What field do you want to break into or advance within?
Incorporate your personality
Being well suited to a career involves much more than just academic talent. Your personality, aptitudes, and interests also play a role. For example, some people enter the academic world because they have a burning desire to teach; others are born researchers whose dream job would involve spending all day in a lab. For example, if you are applying for a social work degree, can you see yourself handling the constant demands of listening to people’s serious, often heartbreaking problems? Do you have the balance of empathy and boundaries that this career requires? Think about your personality and how you discovered the field and role you now believe you would fit into.
Consider your “fit”
You might have always dreamed of getting your degree from an Ivy League school, but remember this: The best school for you is the one that fits your needs and where you can help fulfill the needs of the program.
How do you assess whether there is mutual “fit”? Read the program’s website closely, read student profiles and blogs, and read faculty profiles to identify individuals who have done work in your field of interest, written related books, and/or taught courses that appeal to you. If you plan to apply for a teaching or research assistantship, make sure to contact faculty members with experience or publications in your area of interest who could sit on your committee. Also, create a short list of courses that will bring you closer to your career goals.
Look into what sort of departmental opportunities exist, such as special labs, study abroad programs, internships, clubs, and monthly workshops. Consider how the location of the program suits your academic, professional, and personal goals. Make sure it is clear to both you and your target school why you are a perfect match.
Determine your post-graduate plan
How well-versed are you in the career options available to you after you have earned your degree? Be prepared to identify potential places of employment and/or job roles you could enter after completing the program. Your research can involve internet and library searches, talking to people already working in your field of choice, and reading articles on industry websites.
If you are headed into academia, do you envision yourself on the “tenure track,” teaching and researching at a large university? Or do you anticipate teaching at a community college and possibly having a private practice on the side? Will you be able to achieve your career goals with your master’s degree, or will a PhD be the natural next step? Be clear in your statement about where you hope to land professionally or academically at the end of the program.
Remember that graduate school is one step in an ongoing and flexible process. No school requires that you “promise” them you’ll assume a certain career post-graduation. Still, even if you anticipate that your career could take you in several different directions, try to commit to a single clear career path in your application. You can always change your mind!
If you would like the guidance and support of experienced admissions consultants as you work on your statement of purpose or other parts of your grad school application, Accepted is here to help. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with Dr. Sundas Ali and get tailored advice.
Dr. Sundas Ali has more than 15 years of experience teaching and advising students, providing career and admissions advice, reviewing applications and conducting interviews for the University of Oxford’s undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, Dr. Ali has worked with students from a wide range of countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, and the Middle East. Want Sundas to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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