Should I pay $100 for SOP review?

[MCS_aspirant]

The title says it all. Lot of other applicants have the same question. Is it worth paying almost $100 to an essay review site like essayedge.com?

Especially, if you used such a site, was it helpful at all?

I am an engineering student hoping to start graduate school in fall 2012. Thank you!

[Bukharan]

The answer is too obvious to spell out.

... NO?

Why would you? Ask your best friend(s) to read your SOP. Or someone you know already in the Ph.D. programme or in academia. For free!

[Sigaba]

IMO, you should not.

From your posts, I know you're apprehensive about the whole process. Nerves aside, you've worked hard for everything you've earned thus far in your academic career. This letter is just another challenge for you to overcome.

You've got a year to get solid feedback from a variety of sources and to make revisions. A secondary objective to working on the letter is to diversify your writing skills.

I recommend that you save that $100 so that you can treat yourself and a disinterested reader to some beverages while you work out how you want to write the document.

Best of luck!

[runonsentence]

I can say with about 99% confidence that free feedback—especially from those IN academia like professors or fellow students—would be more helpful. And also, did I mention, free?

I paid my friends in beer. I think it was money much better spent.

[psyched for psych]

My blunt answer is NO..

[dimanche0829]

NONONONONO

Your SOP is supposed to be a "personal" statement about yourself. A stranger knows nothing about you or your circumstances and will be completely unable to guide you on this aspect of the application, regardless of how professional they seem and how much or little they charge.

IMO, you should only have the SOP reviewed by people who know you and your situation, and those who know how to best tailor the SOP (i.e. a professor, or grad school friend).