Contacting POI's, Writing SOP's and other questions...

[jpngrl]

Hi All!

Gradcafe has been an invaluable resource over the past through months, and you all have been really great with answering my questions about the application process for grad school. As September approaches, I'm really gearing up to begin and I would love your input on a couple of issues.

To recap, I'm a recent grad with a 3.8 from a liberal arts college, seeking to study material culture and decorative arts, with a particular focus on collecting in 19th/20th century America and material exchange with non-Western countries. As some of you may have guessed, my number one choice is Bard Graduate Center, with Winterthur, Cooper Hewitt, UPENN and (suggestions??) maybe one other.

I'm wondering what the etiquette is for contacting POIs, especially since the majority of programs I'm applying to have a more specialized MA program, and are smaller. Should I present the highlighted features of my SOP (as seen above) and ask if there are resources and scholarly guidance available by so-and-so professor at so-and-so school? Is anyone willing to send me a copy of their letter (preferably one that got a reply) so I can see how it's typically done?

Secondly, I just spent a year working at an auction house in nyc, working in the Japanese Art department. Before that, I was an intern at a design museum, but my academic focus for undergrad was primarly Japanese art. However, for three summers I worked at the Edith Wharton Historic Home, which really sparked an interest in decorative arts and material collecting. This went along with a project I did for my college at a Vanderbilt Mansion, where I curated an object for an online exhibition of dec. arts. My question is this: my SOP needs to be 500 words, so of course I can't mention all of this. I want to emphasize my Wharton/Vanderbilt connection, as it connects with my aspired area of study, but should I also mention my auction house/museum internships? I still want to 'tell a story,' and not get muddled down with details. Any advice? Leave it for the C.V.?

Lastly, my boss at the auction house agreed to be one of my references (two others are professors). Is this acceptable, especially if some schools frown upon auction houses as being too commercial?

Anyway, if you took the time to read this (and I thank you!) I would love to hear your advice and feedback. If anyone wants to swap SOPs for edit, I'd be glad to help out!

Thanks

[LLajax]

Strange suggestion- but have you talked at all with Robert St. George at UPenn? He's technically in the history department these days (he's also been appointed in the Art History and Folklore departments), but your interests seem to align very closely with his. Also, he's just about the nicest person I've ever met, and if you're interested in getting to know people, I imagine he'd be very willing to chat with you- departments, general advice, zany ideas, introductions to people, anything.

[fullofpink]

All your SOPs are 500 words? I thought most apps allotted 2 pages.

Anyways, if your SOP must be that condensed, just focus on your dec. arts/material studies and relevant internships/experience and nix the irrelevant things.

My emails were a brief introduction - 1st paragraph (2 sentences about my degree, experience, and current job (relevant)); 2nd paragraph (what experiences I've had at internships/jobs or research I've conducted in their field and why it has prepared me for more advance study); 3rd paragraph (1 sentence on the material of theirs I've read, how it relates to my interests. "Are you taking students this fall?"). Then a sentence of thanks and I hope to hear from them soon.

220 words.

[jpngrl]

Well, not ALL the SOPs are 500 words--just the Bard one, which is the one I'm working on now. Thanks for the advice about POIs--your format sounds perfect, and I'll definitely use it later one.

I'll look into Robert St. George--he sounds great! Mostly I've looked in the Art History department, but I'm guessing it's best to find a professor that will allign with your interests, right?