How did you organize your SOP?

[noodles.galaznik]

Because mine is turning into "Grad School Related and Somewhat Jumbled Word Vomit" by the Thing That Wouldn't Shut up.

I know what I need to include in mine, but I'm having trouble with the order I need to put it in. I've written a really, really rough draft, which I'm probably going to end up completely scrapping, but I feel like there are a few portions that just don't have the flow I'm looking for. They say all the things I need them to say, but then my writing just kind of jumps over into the next portion. It starts awkwardly, I fumble through it awkwardly, and then I end it as abruptly and awkwardly as it began. Not really something I want to send to a grad school.

For those of you who have written a SOP that you're proud of, what's an order that you found flowed well and worked for you?

[qbtacoma]

Taking a look back at my SOP for history, here is my general formula:

P1: Brief overview of my academic interests - the grand "this is my region, time and subtopics" summary

P2: More details on my first subtopic, including why X University fits my interests well

P3: More details on my second subtopic, again with the fit

P4: Why it is nifty that I'm into both of these subtopics (e.g., this is where I show I can ask insightful questions which unite my interests - this may not be relevant for you if you are interested in obviously related things)

P5: Scholarly works which influenced me - this demonstrated a grasp of current historiography and where my work would fit in with that, but I don't know that most people include this and it may not be relevant for other fields

P6: Thesis proposal - this should be well-conceived, reasonable, and focused. You don't necessarily have to do this exact project but you should demonstrate that you know how to create a proposal

P7: Conclusion, restating why I fit so well with X University

All of this was slightly more than 1000 words. I moved the sections around a lot and in my earlier drafts I had an intro and conclusion which emphasized why I fit into X University. But the structure above is the one I sent to the one school which accepted me. Make of that what you will - my advisor told me that, at least in my case, my writing sample was what really impressed the adcomm.

[ZeeMore21]

The advice my advisor gave me as far as the structure of my SOP was concerned was to write it in narrative form...the SOP flowed a lot more naturally when I took this approach. I started the first paragraph detailing my research interests and included a little bit of my personal background. The next couple paragraphs dealt with giving a narrative of how I became interested in my field: What courses i took and projects I did during undergrad that sparked my initial interest, how I built upon my undergrad interests while pursuing my masters degree (namely how I developed a theoretical framework), and how I refined my interests during a fellowship program after my M.A. The next to last paragraph dealt in explaining why the school I was interested in was a good fit, and which professors I wanted to work with. The very last paragraph dealt with my goals after pursuing a PhD and why my research would is important in my field. My statement was about 1 page and 1/2 single space I think.

You definitely can organize your SOP whatever way you want, but I did find it easier to understand for myself why and how I became interested in my field by organizing my SOP the way I did. I do think members of the admissions committee are interested in the story of your intellectual development...you come off a lot more personable and definitely more genuine. I did get into 6 doctoral programs with my statement, so that should count for something I guess.

Edited July 21, 2011 by ZeeMore21

[Bennet]

I made a bulleted list of everything I knew I needed to include so I wouldn't forget anything, then tried to figure out a logical outline from there. However, I received advice from my advisor to sell your strongest point first, so my first sentence was not a general answer to why I'm interested in the field - it jumped right into how I decided to apply to graduate school so I could continue the research I'd started, followed by a discussion of what I've done so far and then why I'm interested in studying issues in that field. That way I stand out, unlike every other SOP that starts out "I have always been interested in this field since I was a tiny baby child in the womb...." and I grab their attention by immediately giving them what they want to know: I can handle the graduate level research they expect from their students. So you might want to organize your list of points to include by putting the most important first and working backwards.

[Kitkat]

With the SoP questions that I have been looking at, what I have basically done was this. I talked about what brought me to where I am now, applying to the program. This includes why I want to apply to this field, what I have done in terms in course work, teaching, research and the like. Then I have talked about why I think that school/program is one that I am applying to. This includes who I would want to work with in that program and why, and what i would be interested in looking at.

[noodles.galaznik]

I really appreciate everyone's answers. I think I can definitely put everyone's advice to use and form a statement that's a lot stronger, and has much better organization. Thanks, thanks, thanks!!

[qbtacoma]

I really appreciate everyone's answers. I think I can definitely put everyone's advice to use and form a statement that's a lot stronger, and has much better organization. Thanks, thanks, thanks!!

Well, thanks for asking! I find it really interesting to see how other people go about the process of writing the SOP - it is so individual.

With all this said, the very best thing you can do is to ask a professor to read it over for you, perhaps multiple drafts of it, or a grad student already in school. They can help you tailor the work in the best way possible to show off your voice and your academic talents.

[Bonkers]

Here was how I did it:

(P1) General statement of what I am interested in and where the interest came from. General statement about the education that has prepared me to be a competitive applicant (most recent school and what I got out of it). General statement about my research interest and why I want to go to grad school.

(P2) Described the rigorous academic training that I have received and pursued myself outside of coursework (so, research, teaching, conferences etc.). The academic work that is related to research interest...

(P3) THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL: What is it? Why is it important? Other similar research--what others have done (how does the proposed research fit with similar works--contextualize research interest), and more importantly, what others have NOT done that I am going to do with the experience and knowledge that I have already cultivated. Why am I the best person to conduct this research?

(P4) Conclusion. Why this school is right for me. Who I want to work with and why.

Bibliography

Done.

I hope this was helpful.