Wacky SOP Topics

[Sunshine5535]

Hi All,

Has anyone had to deal with a strange topic to write about for their SOP? I am currently applying to one school that is asking a question about what time in history I would stop at if I could travel back in time. I'm a little confused on how I can answer this: am I supposed to relate this to the program I am applying to somehow? Or just give them a genuine answer and my reasons? If so, am I still supposed to include standard information about myself and the program I am apply to as well?

H-E-L-P... This is so stressful.

[dcare]

This might just be an additional question to answer for the program. I have found when applying that you are supposed to follow the general graduate school guidelines for admissions, and if the program you are applying to has additional criteria, you apply those to your application pieces. That is a little strange, but I would make sure that its an SOP topic, and not just a general essay question that they want in addition to the SOP.

[octopussongs]

Sorry, that's tough. If I did it for anthro, I would tie it in to what I'm studying but it may be different for something more applied. Damn them for asking such trick questions! Could indeed be an extra essay. I'm perterbed that UCSD asked for another essay within the application itself, aside from the SOP and fellowship essays. What more do they want from us! So now i have to extract some things from my SOP to not sound repetitive.

[TakeruK]

I would answer it honestly and probably not try to relate it to my research. But, I am not in the humanities (but this is posted in the general forums), so it's pretty unlikely that I could tie in time traveling with my research (unless I choose to view the Universe right after the Big Bang or whatever). I would think this is one of those "show your personality/thought process" type questions like "If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be and why?" that are asked at some job interviews.

Personally, I'd probably travel to something that interests me -- maybe go see some dinosaurs, or finally figure out how the Mayans built their temples etc. I don't think this question has a "right answer", but the idea is to convey qualities that they would like to see in their students. Show that you are curious and can articulate an idea as well as defend/justify it logically.