Statement of Purpose for MA applicant

[bck203]

Hello, I am starting (rather late, I know) the process of applying to MA programs in English lit this fall. The part of the application that scares me the most is the statement of purpose, and I'm seeking resources/suggestions for how to go about writing it. How specific should my statement be, considering that I don't really know yet what subfield of lit I want to specialize in? I have some possible areas of interest that I explored in undergrad, but they're very diverse and fluid. What do schools want to see in an MA applicant's statement? Do they expect me to have well-defined interests, or is it OK that I'm still very undecided? And is it appropriate to bring in my nonacademic writing work experience?

Also, this is an unrelated question, but: can I still be a competitive candidate even though I did not write an undergrad thesis or have a close faculty mentor? My GPA was very high, from a nationally prestigious school, and I won a couple departmental awards (in creative writing, though I'm not applying to MFA programs). I also have substantial work experience in writing/publications. Haven't taken the GRE yet, but I've been getting around 700-720 verbal on my practice tests, so I think I'll be OK there. But I worry that I'll be at a disadvantage compared to applicants who wrote honors theses. I'm not really sure what tiers of schools I should be applying to...a mix, I guess. Thoughts?

I'm still pretty lost at this point and would appreciate any advice. I really appreciated the "Funded MA" thread lower on this page and am researching all those schools...looking for more resources like that one. Thanks!

[Alette]

How specific should my statement be, considering that I don't really know yet what subfield of lit I want to specialize in? I have some possible areas of interest that I explored in undergrad, but they're very diverse and fluid.

This will be the kiss of death. You must state some focused interest. Why do you want to go to graduate school? If you're looking for a continuation of your undergrad, you're not going to find it. If that's the only answer you can provide for that question, your SOP will flounder.

My MA institution was attended by those who wanted to continue to PhDs and those who just wanted an MA. But we all had a reason for being there. Otherwise it's a waste of everyone's time.

Keep in mind that whatever you state as your interest in your SOP does not have to stay the same. It's expected in fact that your interests will change. But if you present a wishy-washy approach in your application, it's unlikely you'll ever find out.

Also, if you don't know what you want to study, how are you selecting schools to apply to? If you're just in it for the funding, they'll sniff it out real quick.

There's a good subforum over in the "Applications" forum on SOPs - go check it out.

Hope this helps! I don't meant to sound harsh, but the sooner you leave misconceptions behind the better.

[bck203]

Thanks, that is helpful. Can you explain a little more, though? I thought that MA-only applicants (NOT PhD applicants) were not always expected to have very specific research interests. This is why I want to go to grad school--to increase my skills within a field that I love and figure out a more specific interest. I loved studying lit in undergrad but never honed in on one particular period...I was always just too interested in everything (Victorian, Shakespeare, contemporary fiction, it was all great). Aren't there MA programs out there for people like me? A program that would allow me to begin as a "generalist." So far, the two criteria I have been using in searching for schools are these: they fund most/all MA applicants, and they allow you to start out as a generalist. Am I way off base here, or is that possible?

Certainly there are themes I've been attracted to over and over again, across different periods and areas of lit (i.e., nature writing, racial identity) - perhaps I can develop those in my statement, giving specific examples of related work I did and directions I might want to go. but it's hard to be specific when I am not yet a "specialist."

[Sparky]

Alette is right. Pick one--the SOP isn't a binding contract; you can change once you're there. Likely you will have to take intro classes in multiple eras/themes of lit, and some of the profs will be trying to 'evangelize' for their particular era.

But for the SOP, pick one. Something like, 'as an undergrad, I developed a strong interest in 18th century nature writing and hope to pursue this further' or whatnot. It shows that you have actually put some thought into what you might want to do and are not just applying to grad school for the heck of it. I think the difference between this and a PhD SOP is that for an MA you don't have to be AS specific, not that in an MA SOP you can say "I want to study EVERYTHING!!eleventy-one!!).

I applied to MA schools telling them in my SOP that I wanted to study modern Africa; I showed up that fall saying I didn't know what I wanted to do and no one complained the least bit; I am now in a PhD program in (Western European) medieval studies. Go figure.

(Oh, and I basically followed what I said above--for my MA SOP, I more or less said "I want to study religion in modern West Africa;" my PhD SOP mentioned a very specific sub-sub-geographically-focused topic within medieval history, and a possible direction towards a dissertation idea I might consider. I'm pretty firmly set in my sub-sub-topic, because it's the awesomest thing ever, but I doubt I'll pursue that particular research angle).

[bck203]

Thanks, Sparky, that's really helpful. Sounds like I should just pick something and run with it even if I am still really unsure. I do want to go to grad school "for the heck of it," though - because I like it a lot more than working, because I value intellectual thought and inquiry, and because it seems like more education often leads to good places. I have several family members and friends who went to grad school because they liked school and didn't know what else to do or couldn't get a job, and it worked out well for all of them, even if in ways they couldn't predict.

But I'm feeling so conflicted because there are other people telling me "don't apply until you really know what you want to do," and "an English MA will make you a worse job candidate." I'm feeling really lost about it all, but still thinking I should apply anyway just to have more options. I have really low confidence about the whole thing, but I've passed up opportunities in the past (like applying for fellowships, or writing an honors thesis) because I didn't think I was good enough, and then regretted not going for it as I watched more confident peers excel. I feel like this time next year (when I finish my one-year Americorps position), better to maybe have some options than run the gauntlet of trying to get a job (any paying job, let alone one I'd find challenging and fulfilling) with my BA in English.

(None of that backstory is going in the SOP, of course! haha. just explaining why I have this lack of focus that makes it tricky to approach the SOP.)

[Alette]

Thanks, Sparky, that's really helpful. Sounds like I should just pick something and run with it even if I am still really unsure. I do want to go to grad school "for the heck of it," though - because I like it a lot more than working, because I value intellectual thought and inquiry, and because it seems like more education often leads to good places. I have several family members and friends who went to grad school because they liked school and didn't know what else to do or couldn't get a job, and it worked out well for all of them, even if in ways they couldn't predict.

But I'm feeling so conflicted because there are other people telling me "don't apply until you really know what you want to do," and "an English MA will make you a worse job candidate." I'm feeling really lost about it all, but still thinking I should apply anyway just to have more options. I have really low confidence about the whole thing, but I've passed up opportunities in the past (like applying for fellowships, or writing an honors thesis) because I didn't think I was good enough, and then regretted not going for it as I watched more confident peers excel. I feel like this time next year (when I finish my one-year Americorps position), better to maybe have some options than run the gauntlet of trying to get a job (any paying job, let alone one I'd find challenging and fulfilling) with my BA in English.

(None of that backstory is going in the SOP, of course! haha. just explaining why I have this lack of focus that makes it tricky to approach the SOP.)

I would cruise through some Chronicle of Higher Education articles before you invest any more time or money into what is an admittedly foolish enterprise (and I do realize I'm a hypocrite here).

If the reason why you're applying is just for the heck of it, because you can't think of anything better to do, yet you can't think of a worthwhile project, reconsider. I think you are very naive to the level of competition in the application process and to what graduate school - "even" a two-year MA - is actually like. I wish grad school was like undergrad, but I figured out within a week that they are very, very different enterprises - as different, or more so, than high school and undergrad. Grad school is not fun. But I love my subfield, I love my project, and I love literature, and that makes the pain worth it.

It's a little misguided to say, "well, I'm not going to choose because I love all literature - all of it!" Everyone here has a deep love for all literature! That's why we're pursuing graduate school!

Good luck.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Alette