Avoiding platitutdes...suggestions?

[Anoushka]

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to phrase why a department would be an ideal fit without stating the obvious "faculty are interested in the same thing I am"? Obviously for grad school most applicants are going to be interested in what the faculty are interested in-- that is why they are applying to that specific department. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to state good fit in a nuanced, interesting, and compelling manner? One that would set one apart from a very similar pool of applicants? I was thinking about a including a few sentences that state how I could enrich the research of the faculty, but I am weary that this will present me as arrogant and pretentious. In short, how to be a good fit beyond all the other good fits? Shouldn't it be something more than just similarity of interest or similar methods... something deeper, more compelling?

[Soheyl]

I think a match between interests is the maximum possible fit. I'm not sure if all applicants are equal in how good they demonstrate that their interests are in line with the professors'

I mean not all applicants become specific enough; many just mention the topic or, at most, a subtopic. In short, IMO fit really IS all about the similarity of the interests or/and methods but it does not mean that all SOPs demonstrate the same fit.

In addition, I think fit is not all that matter. Another issue is strength. The adcom will figure out how deeply you have understood a subject by seeing how you have talked about it in your essay.

[Strangefox]

I was thinking about a including a few sentences that state how I could enrich the research of the faculty, but I am weary that this will present me as arrogant and pretentious.

Yeah, I would not do that exactly for this reason.

If you want to show that the program is the ideal fit for you, mention all things that are great about the program. Talk about its vast resources: various facilities, labs, libraries, research centers - and explain how all of that will help you to conduct your research.

Browse the school's website and find everything that makes it special and that the school can be proud of. They will be happy to know that you have noticed those features and that they are important for you.

Good luck!

[Mr. Tea]

My strategy for university fit was to research some of the work done by professors at the university and mention specifics. You don't have a lot of space so keep it brief. E.g., "My research interests in [X topic] fit well with [Y professor]'s. I am especially interested in her recent work on [Z topic]." Or "When I had [A class/experience] I became very interested in [b topic], which matches [C professor]'s work on [D topic] well."

Don't take a shotgun approach. The department has to read through tons of SoPs, so they will appreciate it if you write something shorter and strong (if they provide a word limit feel free to meet it or fall short). I also looked for unique opportunities that certain departments offered. For example, I am applying to psychology PhD programs and it is very uncommon for them to offer a decent amount of stats courses. If they offered stats courses on new topics, I mentioned that as a compelling reason for choosing their university. Or if they mentioned that there were opportunities to take marketing courses I mentioned how this is a good fit for my interest in social psychology interventions because many intervention strategies overlap with marketing strategies. I think mentioning specifics about two or three professors (more if you want, as long as you don't go too long and you're being honest) is most important, and if you find unique opportunities offered by the program, mention one or two of those as well.

Think about it this way: if you turned to a romantic partner and asked, "Why do you like me?", what would you want to hear? "You're hot?" "You're smart?" "You have a good sense of humor?" These are all flattering and they apply to many other people than you. I want to hear, "I really like it when you talk about the things you're passionate about. I may not always understand everything you're saying, but I'm really attracted to you at those times." "I love that you always laugh at my dumb jokes and that you make me life, like the time you said/did such and such." These are communicating the same information, but they are personal. They describe the unique ways in which there is a good fit.

Lots of programs will fit a profile that will be good for you, and you have multiple good options. Explain how each one uniquely meets what you're seeking, even if all of them meet it in different ways.

[Nurse Wretched]

I looked at what faculty were studying and described how that could be expanded and synthesized in my research; I have specific reasons for wanting to study with different faculty and each of them brings something valuable to me. Essentially, without saying so, I laid out my prelim committee and explained why each member's work was significant to the research I want to do.

[SimilarlyDifferent]

In my SOP for a small liberal arts school, I spoke about having visited the school and enjoyed the conversations and the people that I had met as well as the beautiful campus. I said that after the visit, I knew that it was a community of scholars and an atmosphere that I would love to be a part of. I also mentioned academic research interests, and the fact that the library at the school houses archives that would be important to my research, but I figured most other people would be mentioning these things, and I think there is more to "fit" than merely academic fit. Every other applicant is going to tell them how they have similar research interests, but not everyone is going to tell them how they fit in with the community on a more personal level.

[wanderlust07]

I think you might be surprised by how many applicants DON'T tailor their SOPs to specific schools very well...

That said, you do want to best those fellow applicants who DO. I agree with Mr. Tea (nice handle btw) that you should feel free to address resources in and around the department. These might include (in my field, at least), specific archives, lecture series, student/faculty reading groups, journals, consistent funding for important conferences in your subfield, groups/activities that indicate like-minded people (that's kind of vague, so for example I do a lot queer theory and disability study. This means I'm interested in evidence that the campus and department are LGBTQ friendly, equal access, etc. This could include anything from social groups to film series to interdepartmental research groups). I also looked around for things like interdisciplinary certificates or the chance to do interdisciplinary coursework (since a lot of my work bounces out of the English department and into places like Philosophy, Women's and Gender Studies, etc).

I wouldn't necessarily be afraid of saying something like "faculty at Awesome U are doing research in X interesting subfield." As long as you are being focused about your interests and paying attention to the nuances of theirs, I think they prefer direct and to the point (I would after reading a couple hundred of these things) rather than hunting for flowery phrases. Yes, they know what they research, but they still need to know that YOU know, and that that's why you're interested. If you're worried about looking presumptuous, you could try phrasing your connection to their work in terms of their helping your (further) explore X, etc. If you are not doing exactly the same thing as they are, they will hopefully be as excited as you to welcome fresh ideas. If you've done your homework, a close alignment of your interest with numerous faculty can open surprising doors. This is especially true if your writing sample showcases the areas of interest you name (I speak from pleasantly surprised experience).

I chose not to name specific faculty (I am not sure if that was the right move or not, and you'll see varying opinions here). My two cents on tone is to let your enthusiasm for your own work and their program be clear without crossing the line into creepy/excessive fangirling.