Can I tell a program that it's my dream program?

[MtrlHstryGrl]

Hello, hello.

I found a program that has literally everything I want in a program, with a potential advisor with an incredible fit and other faculty members I would like to work with, and I believe that it is a perfect fit for my interests and methodology. Basically, it is my absolute dream program. Would it be unprofessional or looked down upon if I explicitly said that in my statement of purpose?

[Sigaba]

4 minutes ago, MtrlHstryGrl said:

Hello, hello.

I found a program that has literally everything I want in a program, with a potential advisor with an incredible fit and other faculty members I would like to work with, and I believe that it is a perfect fit for my interests and methodology. Basically, it is my absolute dream program. Would it be unprofessional or looked down upon if I explicitly said that in my statement of purpose?

I would suggest applicants not describe programs in terms of "dream" or "perfect." 

I recommend that you find ways to express how you are an ideal fit for the program. I would (and have successfully) described how I would fit in by writing about faculty members' areas of practice and specialization without naming names. (On doesn't always know if Professor Xavier is going to be there or elsewhere.)

I do not recommend that you make the case that the program fits your interests and methodology. To many, being an academic historian is about serving a profession.

[annarchy666]

On 4/11/2020 at 4:33 PM, Sigaba said:

I would suggest applicants not describe programs in terms of "dream" or "perfect." 

I recommend that you find ways to express how you are an ideal fit for the program. I would (and have successfully) described how I would fit in by writing about faculty members' areas of practice and specialization without naming names. (On doesn't always know if Professor Xavier is going to be there or elsewhere.)

I do not recommend that you make the case that the program fits your interests and methodology. To many, being an academic historian is about serving a profession.

I wan to counter this with my perspective. My philosophy towards my applications was to write as honestly as possible and to be clear about my intentions. I did name specific professors in my SOP's because I did not want to attend a program if it wasn't going to provide me with exactly what I was looking for. Committing to a PhD for 5-7 years is a big deal and I did not want to go to a school where I would have to fight for legitimacy in my studies. In fact, one program I applied to admitted me but immediately let me know that the professor I stated that I wanted to work with was retiring at the end of the year, which had not been announced publicly yet. For me, the professor was a dealbreaker. I framed my SOP with phrases such as "so and so's mentorship would be a great asset for my studies." 

I think this might be a difference in personal philosophy when it comes to the application process. As I stated above, my strategy was to apply to a wide swath of schools where I could see myself as a graduate student and make my honest case about my objectives. If the schools didn't agree with my objectives, then I didn't want to go there so I was happy to take the large number of rejections I received. To me, the whole point of the SOP was to argue that you were qualified and a good fit for that specific program. If the school disagrees, then they disagree. But not going to your "dream school" because it would have been a terrible fit feels to me like dodging a real bullet.

I also recommend casting a wide net. I applied to 9 PhD programs and will be attending one that came to me as a recommendation from my undergrad advisor and I had never actually considered, beyond my research interest match. When I got an interview, I started researching the program more in depth and found it was much more of a dream program for me than any of the other schools I fantasized about. This is to say, stay open to other programs in addition to your "dream school," because you'll never know what program actually suits you.