JessePinkman

Hey guys! I am applying for a Teaching Assistantship position in my Department. The application includes an essay in which I've to describe how the teaching assisant position would enhance my career aspiration. The essay should be about 500 words long. I have started preparing a draft and I've only been able to write about 250 words. Any ideas/suggestions? I have to submit it by the end of this week. I would appreciate any help. Thank you.

I think you guys are right. I'll wait till I get an admit!

Hi. I am about to e-mail a professor at a University about possibility of working with him/her. I've applied to this University but haven't got a decision yet. I dont want the e-mail to hamper my chances. I don't have previous research experience but really want to do research during my graduate studies. Is someone here willing to review the e-mail for me. I'll PM it to you. Thank you.

Thanks for the reply guys. That really gives me confidence. Goodluck to all of you!

Same here! I didn't mention it in the SOP! But answered 'Yes' where it was specifically asked!

Hi. I've applied to four same Universities this year from which I got a reject last year. The more I think about it, the more I get thoughts such as 'They'll reject me anyways since they rejected me last year without paying much attention' even though I've made some significant improvements this year. I just wanna know how many of you here got into the program of your choice on a 2nd, 3rd attempt etc. That would boost up my confidence! Thank you!

Hey guys thanks for your advice. I was able to bring it down to 650 words which makes it a 1 page SOP which I think wouldnt be a problem as the University only mentions that the SOP should be around 500 words and need not be too long. They do not use any strict words and we have to upload the SOP and not copy paste it. So I guess 1 page would work. I'll PM my SOP to both of you guys. Tell me what do you guys think of it, so I can go ahead and apply! Thanks again.

Hello. So one of my schools requires a 500 words SOP and I'm finding it pretty difficult to cut down my existing SOP to 500 words. My current SOP has 7 paras as following: 1st para - Why I want to pursue my Masters in this field? (122 words) 2nd para - A bit about my background which led me to major in my field. (135 words) 3rd para - What I learnt in and during the course of my Bachelors program and how I tailored it to suit my Masters field. (171 words) 4th para - My final year project. (thought only remotely related to my Master's field) (150 words) 5th para - My work experience in the relevant field, where I work, about my current project, my responsibilities and how it has helped in honing my technical skills (161 words) Note : the responsibilities are repeated in my Resume so i'll cut it out..so it will reduce about 30 words 6th para - My research interests and professors I'd like to work with (85 words) 7th para - why this University suits me (108 words) Now how do I curtail this to a 500 words SOP? What all should I reduce as I think everything mentioned above is an important part of your statement of purpose. Please help. Need to apply within a week to this University. Thanks a lot!

Thank you guys..that gives me immense confidence!

Hi, I applied last year to Virginia Tech for Master's in Construction Engineering Management program. I was denied. This year I was thinking of reapplying. The Graduate Admissions page mentioned that if I wished to be reconsidered I should contact the graduate department. So I had emailed a professor of the department who is the graduate area co-ordinator of CEM and asked him if I should create a new application or the process was different. Here is his reply: "You would need to submit a new application. However, if you were denied admission last year, then the likelihood of being admitted for next fall is very low – unless something very significant has changed in your record or experience between then and now." Is this a standard reply of all schools to people who are reapplying or are they indirectly telling me not to apply! Now I had applied last year while I was still in my seventh sem! So I had submitted transcripts of only first 6 semesters. The changes in my application that they will see this year are: 1. I scored a near 4 gpa in my final year and graduated with the highest grade. ( my first year gpa 3.59, second year was 2.81, and third year was 3.15. This is what they saw in my transcripts. This year they'll be seeing my final year gpa too) 2. I also presented a national level conference paper! 3. I am currently working and I will have a year of work experience before I leave for my Master's in the relevant field. So is this a very significant change? Or I shouldn't bother applying and look at other schools? Also should I email this doubt to the professor telling him all these changes? Or would that be non-professional as I'm indirectly asking my chances of being admitted? Please help guys. I need to apply soon! Thanks!

Anybody willing to critique my SOP? I'll PM it to you. I want to finalise it in 2-3 days and want to get done with the applications by the weekend! Thanks!

Hi! I am reapplying this year and am taking LORs from the same professors. Do they need to completely redraft and rewrite the LORs or only adding 1-2 lines about my progress in this 1 year is enough? Thank you.

thanks..anyone else with any advice?

Hey thanks. Yeah I was thinking about elaborating more! I'll certainly do that. And any advice on which opening should I choose? 1 or 2?

I've redrafted my SOP from last year. However I'm still not happy. I've tailored it according to one of the University I'm applying! Any advice? And please tell me which is the better opening for the SOP! I have always been gifted with a keen mind and an unquenchable desire to learn. India, being a developing nation, is undergoing major infrastructural developments. Civil Engineering will play a major role in these developments and the most important part of these developments would be management. Proper management is a fundamental need of every project, be it any field. I believe I possess good interpersonal, organizational and problem solving skills and the ability to motivate a team towards a common goal. All these qualities will help me in becoming a good leader and hence I feel specializing in Construction Management would suit me. That is why I have decided to take up Construction Engineering & Management as my graduate field of study. (Opening 1) The world is witnessing a boom in the reality and construction sector since the beginning of the century. People aspire to reach higher and seek to express themselves and their individuality for the world to see in stone. This has led to the construction of numerous edifices which are iconic and breath-taking. In this land of the Taj Mahal there is an ever increasing need for quality professionals in the construction sector. There is a clear paucity of quality manpower and the sky is the limit for those who will, those who can and those who dare. This is the reason for my seeking admission to the Graduate Program in Civil Engineering with specialization in Construction Engineering & Management from a university in the USA. (Opening 2) I hail from a family where the bread winner is a civil engineer. I often accompanied my father to the construction sites he worked on. Watching the frantic activities on site and the buildings rise on bare land gave me a great sense of excitement and curiosity. With the passage of time my fascination for the fantastic metamorphic capability of this discipline of engineering became entrenched. Thus, my life’s goal became defined at an early age. In pursuance of my firm intent, I decided to become a Civil Engineer. I chose the science stream in Junior College in order to pursue my dream. After completing my Junior College, I was able to land a seat in XXX College of Engineering affiliated to the University of Pune, India where I completed my Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering. The Bachelor’s Program in Civil Engineering has helped sharpen the edge of my understanding of complex engineering theories and helped putting the theories into practice. Enthusiasm coupled with my keen interest enabled me to complete my graduation with a grade of ‘First Class with Distinction’. During the sixth semester course in Project Management & Engineering Economics, I learnt the basics of the subject and saw its great possibilities through the glimpses of different aspects of management, such as, Project Planning, Scheduling, Time Planning, Cost Control, Materials Management, etc. It was then that I decided to pursue my Master’s with a specialization in Construction Engineering & Management. In the final year of my Bachelor’s program I chose elective subjects such as ‘Total Quality Management & Management Information Systems’, ‘Systems Approach in Civil Engineering’ and ‘Construction Management’ to gain in-depth knowledge about construction project management. I also attended workshops on Construction Management during the course of my Bachelor’s program. I’ve also completed certified courses in the use of MS Project and Primavera P6. In the final year, I worked on a project, 'Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices in Pune City'. The aim was to study the existing system, which is quite inadequate and suggest ways to improve it. The project was primarily based on finding the per capita generation, type of waste collected, density of garbage, solid waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal methodology at present adopted in Pune City and suggesting some ways of improving it. I was applauded for the insight and approach to the irksome issue as also for the recommendations to 'sorting' the issue. Since graduation, I’ve been working with XXX Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd as a Junior Planning Engineer. I am currently deployed on an industrial project where we are building the XXX Technical Center India. It is a huge project with the building having a built up area of about 7 lakh square feet. My responsibilities include tracking daily progress of the project, preparing Daily, Weekly and Monthly Progress Reports and working out quantities as required. By the time I start my Master’s program I will have a year of experience working in a professional environment. Though I lack research experience, I believe XXX University will provide me with good opportunities of research in my interest areas such as Project Controls, Building Information Modelling, Project Information Management, Risk Analysis etc. The work of Prof. XXX with the XXX group and some of the projects pursued by Prof. XXX have impressed me. I’d certainly relish the opportunity to work under such renowned faculty and contribute to the industry. I believe now is the right time for me to take up a Master’s program because I’ve acquired all the basic knowledge and I’ve also worked at the professional level. While I can pursue my subjects of interest under able guidance of the distinguished faculty, the opportunity of carrying out research at the xxx Research Center and xxx Institute excite me. These opportunities will play a vital role in developing my abilities and aid me in becoming a sound construction professional. I look forward to doing my Masters at the XXX University to enable me to contribute to efficient management of development of state-of-the-art infrastructure in India and other developing countries.

Hi. I have been admitted to two masters programs for Fall 2014, but I've deferred them to Fall 2015. I didn't get any funding last time. I'm planning on e-mailing one or two professors whose research areas interest me and ask for a possible RA. I've not had any research experience before so I know it's hard. But, can i just mention to them that I have some time on my hands till Fall 15 and though I've not had any prior experience, I can study some things about their research area which could possibly make me ready for a RA or a TA? Do professors encourage such kind of e-mails? Thank you.

Hi! I have a very good friend of mine studying at a University I'm applying to and he's also studying the same program which I'm applying to. So can I mention his name in the SOP and write that how he's told me that the university, the department and the faculty are good? And you'll have been of great help to me. Thanks!

Hey, thanks for your detailed reply! I knew my SOP needed a lot of work and you've highlighted it pretty well. I'll definitely look into all these points and refurnish it in a better way. I have one more doubt though. You've mentioned about not trying to impress them with the vocabulary. Does vocabulary not matter at all? I've tried to use better vocabulary just because, there's a conception in India that the SOP should show you've a good vocabulary. I really feel that I could do a better job using simple English.

I know i've used 'I' a lot of times, but don't really know how to replace it with anything else! :/ Also I know the start is pretty common but that is what really made me choose Civil Engineering. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father! :/

Statement of Purpose Being the son of a civil engineer, I was introduced to this profession at a very early age. I often accompanied him to the construction sites he worked on. I watched the frenetic activity at site and the buildings rise on bare land, with great excitement and curiosity. The fascination for this discipline of engineering deepened as I gained better understanding and my observation became keener. I decided to become a civil engineer quite early and, as a result of the firm decision, I pursued the degree of Bachelor of Civil Engineering from a College affiliated to the University of Pune, India. I count my interest and career decision as most fortunate, because my graduation as a civil engineer coincides with a worldwide boom in construction. This boom is sustained by the economic compulsion to develop infrastructure to encourage economic growth, which, in turn, will improve the standards of living all over the world. In India, in particular, the paucity of high quality infrastructure is proving a hurdle for economic growth and the Government’s efforts for it are proving less than effective even at great cost on account of lack of professional management at every level of project planning and implementation. There is a felt need for civil engineers versed in construction management, which is the reason for my seeking admission to the Graduate Program in Civil Engineering with specialization in Construction Engineering & Management from a university in the USA. USA is renowned for skill at executing huge and complex projects in every field from space to civil engineering, from putting a man on the Moon to building the Empire State Building, the Hoover Dam and the Panama Canal. After considerable research on the Internet through websites of several universities, I prefer to apply to the University of XXXX for its renowned Civil Engineering Department. It boasts of such faculty as aaaa and bbbb whose work in the area of Construction Engineering & Management breaks new ground. In the four years of my Bachelor’s Program, my strong interest in Civil Engineering put a sharper edge on my understanding of complex engineering theories and the effort at putting the theories into practice. I stood 2nd in the department in the first year. However, in the second year I suffered a few setbacks. I did improve my score in my third year, but was still disappointed as I felt I could do better. Learning from my disappointments in the second and third year, I managed to significantly improve my score in the final year and graduated with grade ‘First Class with Distinction’. During the post sixth-semester break, I found internship with Reelicon Shelters Pvt. Ltd., a renowned construction firm in Pune. While working with them, I made use of my academic knowledge, particularly of construction management, in practical applications. I have also attended workshops on ‘Construction Management’ and have completed courses in the use of MS Project and Primavera. From the sixth semester course in Project Management & Engineering Economics, I learnt the basics of the subject and saw its great possibilities through the glimpses of different aspects of management, such as, Project Planning, Scheduling, Time Planning, Cost Control, Materials Management, etc. With a good score in the subject and intense interest, in the seventh semester I opted for ‘Systems Approach in Civil Engineering’ as an elective. It covers topics like Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Analysis and Mathematical Optimization relating to management. As the other elective course, I chose ‘Total Quality Management & Management Information Systems’. In the eighth semester, I chose ‘Construction Management’ as one of my electives to enhance my knowledge of construction management practices. My keen interest in the subject helped me secure a good score. During my third undergraduate year, I worked on a seminar on 'Disaster Management'. Application of management principles for this special and crucial purpose of managing and mitigating the effects of a calamity helped me better understand the principles in a concise fashion. I covered aspects of the topic, namely, the goals of disaster management, important principles to be followed, waste or debris management, mitigation and preparedness. In the final year, I worked on a project, 'Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices in Pune City'. The aim was to study the existing system, which is quite inadequate and suggest ways to improve it. The project was primarily based on finding the per capita generation, type of waste collected, density of garbage, solid waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal methodology at present adopted in Pune City. As a sportsman, I learnt teamwork and leadership on the soccer field and as a member of the College Sports Committee. I’ve represented the College at the University level. I was also chosen to lead the College soccer team in the final year. Currently, I am working in XXX Construction Company Pvt. Ltd., a well-known construction firm in Pune, as a Junior Planning Engineer. I am currently deployed at the Cummins India Technical Center site in Pune. The Technical Center is a large scale project having four floors with each floor having an area of around 20000 square meters. My responsibilities include scheduling, tracking daily progress of the project, preparing daily, weekly and monthly progress reports. I am also involved in planning the installation sequence of the precast elements. Working with construction professionals at various levels of the industry has improved my communication skills and I have learnt the jargon of the various trades in the industry. I am hoping that this work experience will further enhance my knowledge in the field and make me well-prepared for my graduate studies. The primary reason why I am keen to apply to XXX University is its strong reputation for academic excellence built over the years and research carried on in its various departments. Especially, the Civil Engineering Department is recognized for well-structured courses taught by expert faculty. The course contents of the University also match my needs, which assure me that the challenging curriculum will bring out the best in me. I look forward to doing my Masters at the University of XXXX to enable me to contribute to efficient management of development of state-of-the-art infrastructure in India and other developing countries.

Hi. I am reapplying to 2 same unis which I applied last year! Do my professors need to change the LOR they wrote for me last year? They will make some minor changes now that I've graduated but my question is do they need to redraft the whole thing?

Okay..should I email them now or is it too early?

Hi. I had applied for Fall 2014, but decided to attend Fall 2015. I am an international student. I have deferred admits from University of Colorado-Boulder and Purdue University. I need help regarding applying for funding this year and how do I go about it as it is a deferred admit. I have improved my GPA significantly in the final year and will also have 9 months work experience by the time I leave for Fall 2015 in the relevant field. Would I automatically be considered for funding? Getting a RA/TA would be of great help to me. Please advise me on how to secure some sort of financial aid. I would also like to apply to part time jobs from here so that I start earning as soon as I land there. Is this possible guys? Please help! Thanks in advance.

Hi, I had applied for Masters for Fall 2014. However, I was disappointed by my admits/rejects. So, I decided to take a break and try again this year. Now my question is this, Should I completely redraft my SOP? Or can I keep it as it is and just add a few lines about what I've improved? I had applied before my final year for Fall 2014. I have significantly improved my grades this year (3.94 GPA in final year) and I have landed a job in the relevant field. I will have about 2 months job experience by the time I apply and about 9 months by the time I leave for my Masters. So should mentioning my improved GPA and about my job without changing anything else be enough? Or do I have to write a brand new SOP? Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi! I'm reapplying this year for MS in Civil Engineering! I just wanted to know how much of a difference there is between my new profile and old profile so I can select Universities accordingly! My gpa when I applied last year was 3.17..this year it would be 3.37 due to my GPA this year which was 3.94! I also didnt have any work experience when I applied last year as I was still doing my undergrad..this year while applying I would have 2 months work experience and by the time I go for my MS I would have a total of 9 months work experience in the relevant sector! So how much of a difference do you guys think would my work experience and 3.94 GPA in my final year make? Thanks!