Sample SOP's

[chernline]

hey everyone! I am applying to PhD programs this fall and I am really struggling with my statement of purpose.  I received a lot of different, sometimes contradictory advice that has left me confused and unsure of how to proceed. I feel like what would be most helpful at this point is reading some exemplary sample SOP's to give me a better idea of what a good one looks like.  I have only found one sample art history SOP on the internet and I was hoping to find a few more.  So, I was wondering if anyone has sample SOP's that they would be willing to share? Either SOP's that you successfully applied with in the past or other samples that are floating around that I haven't found yet.  Obviously, I promise I won't plagiarize or distribute whatever you choose to share.

More about me: I work in Modern and Contemporary Art and New Media Studies. My top choices for programs at the moment are Duke and CUNY.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

[ProspectiveProspective]

Don't be insane. 

[WRS]

Send me a private message; I may be able to help.

[Ian Takaes]

Hi, I’ve also struggled with this last year, finding sample SOPs (and people willing to share).

 

I’m currently a 1st year Ph.D. student at Columbia (I was also approved to the IFA). If you want, I can send you my approved SOPs (and also the “flunked’ ones). Send me a private message if you will.

[Arthistoryiscool]

Hi Chernline, I am also having the same issue! I am applying to MA programs with a focus in modern and contemporary AH, but it is really tough to find any samples and I want to be sure that I am doing things correctly! Columbia is my first choice and one of my profs who is writing my recs went there awhile back and advised to focus on mostly conceptual research interests. Is this true? I don't know how specific to be and how to go about outlining these interests. I have already put a lot of time into my statement but I still feel like it needs work. Ian Takaes, would you be willing to also send me these statements to look over?

[Modconart]

On 12/2/2019 at 4:51 PM, Arthistoryiscool said:

Hi Chernline, I am also having the same issue! I am applying to MA programs with a focus in modern and contemporary AH, but it is really tough to find any samples and I want to be sure that I am doing things correctly! Columbia is my first choice and one of my profs who is writing my recs went there awhile back and advised to focus on mostly conceptual research interests. Is this true? I don't know how specific to be and how to go about outlining these interests. I have already put a lot of time into my statement but I still feel like it needs work. Ian Takaes, would you be willing to also send me these statements to look over?

Hey, I did my MA at NYU and currently applying to PhDs. Happy to swap SoPs with you! 

[Arthistoryiscool]

5 hours ago, Modconart said:

Hey, I did my MA at NYU and currently applying to PhDs. Happy to swap SoPs with you! 

That would be great, I'm down! I am really struggling to keep things tight and specific and to "show my intellectual profile" as my prof suggested and Columbia is due on the 12th ah! I'll message it over