500-word SoP: Just not enough?!

[VincentH]

Hey, everyone!

Final part of my app process is trying to finish up these damn statements of purpose... but I'm really struggling to get my 1000-word SoP down to 500 words and still say everything I want to say, answer all of the questions, and talk about the program in question. I honestly can't believe some of these schools ask you 6 questions and expect you to answer adequately with 500 words! Luckily, only three are being so stringent... and another two ask for "brief" statements, without any defined word limit. What does "brief" mean? 500 words? 750? 1000?

And any tips on how to cut the fluff? I'm struggling massively with this... Thanks!

[Cryss]

5 minutes ago, VincentH said:

Hey, everyone!

Final part of my app process is trying to finish up these damn statements of purpose... but I'm really struggling to get my 1000-word SoP down to 500 words and still say everything I want to say, answer all of the questions, and talk about the program in question. I honestly can't believe some of these schools ask you 6 questions and expect you to answer adequately with 500 words! Luckily, only three are being so stringent... and another two ask for "brief" statements, without any defined word limit. What does "brief" mean? 500 words? 750? 1000?

And any tips on how to cut the fluff? I'm struggling massively with this... Thanks!

One school that I'm applying to specified 500 words, while most of the others were 1000. But this school also had a box with a question which required a short-ish answer in the application itself. I basically answered the questions they specified for the SoP in 500 words and whatever was left, I added it to the short answer space.

You can also try shortening it by removing extended info about your past. I think removing an entire "point" would be the easiest way to go. But if you don't want to lose any idea/points, you can cut it down the hard way by shortening sentences, removing whole sentences, removing unnecessary words (as well as --> and; is able to ---> can), and removing adjectives that just add fluff. 

If you're really pressed and can't see yourself destroying your 1000-word SoP, then you might as well do a 500 word rewrite. Chances are, in rewriting, you'll subconsciously keep the most prominent things and leave out what your mind considers a little less important. 

[VincentH]

1 hour ago, Cryss said:

One school that I'm applying to specified 500 words, while most of the others were 1000. But this school also had a box with a question which required a short-ish answer in the application itself. I basically answered the questions they specified for the SoP in 500 words and whatever was left, I added it to the short answer space.

You can also try shortening it by removing extended info about your past. I think removing an entire "point" would be the easiest way to go. But if you don't want to lose any idea/points, you can cut it down the hard way by shortening sentences, removing whole sentences, removing unnecessary words (as well as --> and; is able to ---> can), and removing adjectives that just add fluff. 

If you're really pressed and can't see yourself destroying your 1000-word SoP, then you might as well do a 500 word rewrite. Chances are, in rewriting, you'll subconsciously keep the most prominent things and leave out what your mind considers a little less important. 

Yep, definitely think I'm going to have to lose a "point" or several... sigh. I don't usually struggle with cutting during editing but I guess since it's more personal it's harder? Thanks for the tips - this is super helpful! 

Any thoughts on the "brief" SoPs? What would you consider brief? 

[Cryss]

19 minutes ago, VincentH said:

Yep, definitely think I'm going to have to lose a "point" or several... sigh. I don't usually struggle with cutting during editing but I guess since it's more personal it's harder? Thanks for the tips - this is super helpful! 

Any thoughts on the "brief" SoPs? What would you consider brief? 

Not sure about anyone else, but if it says "brief," I'm still gonna submit my 1000 words SoP. (it's only a page and a half single-spaced anyway). That's brief to me. 

[VincentH]

1 minute ago, Cryss said:

Not sure about anyone else, but if it says "brief," I'm still gonna submit my 1000 words SoP. (it's only a page and a half single-spaced anyway). That's brief to me. 

Oh, perfect - that was my exact plan, too. I posed the question to a friend and they side-eyed me, telling me that 1000 words isn't "brief." But they're not a writer by any stretch of the imagination, so I suspect they were just reacting to how they would feel having to write 1000 words! Meanwhile, I feel like I blink and my wordcount triples... Different worlds, I guess. haha

Thanks for your help!

[HenryJams]

26 minutes ago, VincentH said:

Any thoughts on the "brief" SoPs? What would you consider brief?

Agreed, 1000 words is brief.  I think the only rule is don't turn it into a "large, loose, baggy monster."

[Cryss]

Just now, VincentH said:

Oh, perfect - that was my exact plan, too. I posed the question to a friend and they side-eyed me, telling me that 1000 words isn't "brief." But they're not a writer by any stretch of the imagination, so I suspect they were just reacting to how they would feel having to write 1000 words! Meanwhile, I feel like I blink and my wordcount triples... Different worlds, I guess. haha

Thanks for your help!

No prob! I totally understand. When asking my non-lit friends to read my SoP, they always act like I'm telling them to read the Lord of the Rings series or something.  

Good luck on your apps! I'm trying to send them in by the end of this month *crosses fingers*

[VincentH]

3 minutes ago, HenryJams said:

Agreed, 1000 words is brief.  I think the only rule is don't turn it into a "large, loose, baggy monster."

Ha! Honestly, I've been staring at these SoP drafts for so long they're tormenting me like only monsters could... Glad to hear my 1000-word guesstimation was in the right range.

Just now, Cryss said:

No prob! I totally understand. When asking my non-lit friends to read my SoP, they always act like I'm telling them to read the Lord of the Rings series or something.  

Good luck on your apps! I'm trying to send them in by the end of this month *crosses fingers*

Oh my gosh, I know. I've given up asking any of my classmates/friends to read anything for me... regardless of the length of whatever it is, they make me feel so guilty! 

I'm on the same schedule - hopefully submitting everything early next week so I can finally relax over Thanksgiving! Best of luck to you, too!

[Brown_Bear]

3 hours ago, VincentH said:

Hey, everyone!

Final part of my app process is trying to finish up these damn statements of purpose... but I'm really struggling to get my 1000-word SoP down to 500 words and still say everything I want to say, answer all of the questions, and talk about the program in question. I honestly can't believe some of these schools ask you 6 questions and expect you to answer adequately with 500 words! Luckily, only three are being so stringent... and another two ask for "brief" statements, without any defined word limit. What does "brief" mean? 500 words? 750? 1000?

And any tips on how to cut the fluff? I'm struggling massively with this... Thanks!

I'm in the same application cycle, and feel you here. I just took the most important points from my "master" SOP, and made sure to have ample room to tell the program why I'm a good fit, my research interests, and future goals. I don't think it is possible or viable to keep everything. I am under the impression that it is just the name of the game. With "brief" or non-descript ones, I just used my judgement and made it in the 750-1000 words range. I tried to only shorten when specifically asked. But this is my strategy, and you may approach it differently, and so just do what you think is right for you!

Edited November 22, 2019 by Hasspurple

[VincentH]

5 minutes ago, Hasspurple said:

I'm in the same application cycle, and feel you here. I just took the most important points from my "master" SOP, and made sure to have ample room to tell the program why I'm a good fit, my research interests, and future goals. I don't think it is possible or viable to keep everything. I am under the impression that it is just the name of the game. With "brief" or non-descript ones, I just used my judgement and made it in the 750-1000 words range. I tried to only shorten when specifically asked. But this is my strategy, and you may approach it differently, and so just do what you think is right for you!

Great advice, thank you! I'm glad folks are saying "brief" = 750-1000 words because honestly, the 500-word limit has been excruciating for me! 

Best of luck on your applications! Hopefully we'll both end up on the other side of this cycle with some good news and bright roads ahead.