How Personal in the SOP

[Timshel]

So, I am conflicted as to whether or not I should really include a personal anecdote or connection in my statement of purpose. I have seen SOPs from people who are now in programs, some had them and some didn't, so there doesn't seem to be a yes or no answer. Some of the schools I am applying to ask you to explain why you are interested in whatever your interest is, and I'm just wondering if I should connect it to my life or if I should keep it surface. Now, don't get me wrong, I totally understand that you aren't supposed to put "I've loved to read since I was 3 years old," but if there is a particular thing in my life that makes me interested in what I am, should I make that connection? One of my LOR said to have a "hook" or something interesting, so I'm wondering if that could be it.......Thoughts?

[truckbasket]

If it's an "overcoming diversity" or "challenge-to-get-where-you-are" narrative, then it might work. It's such a tenuous thing, though, who knows what will appeal to the reader? The only thing I'd do is watch out for hackneyed cliches. I read a few "how to write an SOP" texts (even attended a free seminar) and the examples were excruciating.

I took a risk and referenced a relatively obscure performance artist--completely outside of my field--who incorporate mixed media into her work, and I threaded that throughout as a sort of intellectual funneling. It allowed me to talk about my own diverse history and whatnot. So whatever you choose, I'd approach it not just as a "hook," but more as a foundation.

Edited November 15, 2011 by truckbasket

[Timshel]

Right. Yeah, I've read some SOP that actually got someone accepted, and they used that anecdote as a "thread" to explain how and why they became interested in what they did, and on occasion it would reference back to that. As I have stated before, I am interested in trauma studies, and there is a particular reason why I think it resonates so much for me, so I thought about referencing that.....I'm just so nervous about getting too personal.

[Sparky]

Now, I don't have the vaguest clue what you are defining as trauma or even to whose trauma you refer, but I'd be reeeally careful on this if I were you. In that "SOP kiss of death" article, pretty much the #1 lesson is "don't act like grad school will be your therapy." I have ZERO belief that you are planning to do that , but that's a really fine line to walk. Bottom line, you don't want to make the adcom (1) pity you (2) feel uncomfortably like they are eavesdropping on a discussion with your therapist (4) worry that you're so emotionally wrapped up in your topic that when things inevitably start to go badly you will collapse into dust or explode spectacularly.

If you're not 100% confident that you need ( =emotional/spiritual need, not "but will it help me get in" need) to share it, it's probably better not to. You could always try writing one version with the anecdote and one without it, and see which version makes you feel more at peace with yourself. (I'm not qualified to pass absolute judgments in a case like this; I had an SOP opening best characterized as, um, risky, but I was at the point emotionally/mentally where I knew that if the adcom didn't want me after reading the first six lines, I didn't want that program, either).

Edited November 15, 2011 by Sparky

[Sigaba]

I'm drifting from my lane to re-enforce briefly a point I've made elsewhere. Authenticity matters. If the inclusion of a personal anecdote does not fit in with who you are as a person at this time in your life, count on readers figuring out the disconnect.

[Timshel]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. It is definitely not MY trauma that I planned to discuss. It wasn't like I was going to divulge some issue I had, but rather why this area piqued my interest. It was more or less what in my life made me want to study this area of literature. One of the schools I am applying to asks "why are you interested in this area of study," so I was just wondering if I should be truthful.....

I think I will try with or without and see which is stronger....

[bdon19]

I know this might not be super helpful or pertinent to your situation exactly, but for what it's worth, the first few times I attempted to draft my SOP, I tried to tie personal things into my academic interests and something never seemed to work. This weekend, I finally had a breakthrough and was able to really hone in on my academic interests--I'm hoping to have a full draft finished in the next few hours, but what I have so far is already much more compelling than anything I've tried to do with my personal history. In my case, I'm using my very field as my "hook"--it sounds weird, but I do think it works much better than anything I came up with before.

So, my suggestion would be, definitely try writing both...and when in doubt, research! Just reading a few articles did a WORLD of difference for me (okay, maybe it was more than a few). Nothing helps me figure out how to write something original and interesting like more research, even if that's somewhat of a paradoxical idea!

[hermia11]

As I trudge through draft #34,509,856 of my personal statement here, I can't help but add to this thread somewhat tangentially.

While my initial drafts were "warm" and had a personal thread through them (not "I love literature!" but explaining specific gateway or lightbulb moments that led me to my subject area/wanting to teach), I'm staring at my latest draft and realizing it's concise, content-based, sharp, and... cold. Somewhere along the way, I took out all that "personal" stuff, and touched on only specific MA coursework in my subject area and teaching achievements. And I kinda like it. It says everything I wanted it to say and emphasizes my area of interest and professional work over all else.

I realize there is no real "right" and "wrong" way to approach a personal statement, but... is the "cold" SOP really the kiss of death? Aren't we selling ourselves to the ad comms on a professional level (i.e. cover letter to a potential employer sort of thing)?