Oh god, please help/judge me (UC Berkeley Personal Statement)

[Yoni]

Here are samples from Cal's English department. I like that the examples are footnoted to indicate why the reviewers thought these were particulalry good essays. Although I am applying to Anthropology, I did use these samples as a guide.

 

http://ls.berkeley.edu/social-sciences/diversity/apply/personal-statement-1

 

Who's "Louis VIV"? It's on page 2.

 

Anyways, I can't believe I caught a spelling mistake on an exemplary SOP.

 

/edit

 

Found another on page 3:

 

"Yet every academic needs his or he own niche"

Edited November 12, 2013 by Yoni

[chocolatecheesecake]

I am applying for UC Berkeley's GSPP program for MPP, and I was wondering if it is okay if the SOP and the Personal History statements kind of overlap. Is the SOP mainly for the past, present, future prompt they asked, and the PHS is more to describe what adversities have you gone through and how it affects you wanting to pursue graduate school (barriers, racial minorities, underrepresented ethnicities, inequality, etc.)? 

 

Also, for MPP prospective students, the Policy Statement of Purpose should be exactly the same as SOP, right? I read on the GSPP website saying to ignore what the SOP prompt says on the grad application and to use their prompt instead (which is the Policy Statement of Purpose). Is anyone writing two separate ones for these, or is anyone recycling his/her SOP for the Policy SOP?

 

When you actually get into filling out the application, they say yes, it's okay for the SOP and Personal History to have overlap. On the second question, yes, the Policy Statement of Purpose should be exactly the same as the SOP. Here's the text directly from the app:

 

Please note: The instructions below supersede the instructions for the general Statement of Purpose from the main menu. You do not need to write two different statements, instead you should respond to the questions below and then upload this response for the Policy Statement of Purpose to both statement sections (both here and the main menu).

[Loric]

I keep seeing this topic and my mind is just a bit baffled..

 

What is it about Berkeley that's so compelling?

 

My primary letter-of-rec writer got his PhD from Berkeley. I mean, he's brilliant and really was a great professor.. but people seem to be very enamoured with the school. What's up with that?

 

(Edit: There appears to be more e's in Burh-kel-lee than I had originally assumed.)

Edited November 16, 2013 by Loric

[cy213]

When you actually get into filling out the application, they say yes, it's okay for the SOP and Personal History to have overlap. On the second question, yes, the Policy Statement of Purpose should be exactly the same as the SOP. Here's the text directly from the app:

 

Please note: The instructions below supersede the instructions for the general Statement of Purpose from the main menu. You do not need to write two different statements, instead you should respond to the questions below and then upload this response for the Policy Statement of Purpose to both statement sections (both here and the main menu).

 

Thanks chocolatecheesecake! I just wanted to confirm.

[esimanon]

Hello All-

 

Where are you guys finding examples of PHS? Are you just asking people to send you theirs? I am nearly done with mine but would reallllllly love it if someone could proof read mine! Please contact me and I will happily swap!!

 

 

Good luck everyone!

[hj2012]

Hello All-

 

Where are you guys finding examples of PHS? Are you just asking people to send you theirs? I am nearly done with mine but would reallllllly love it if someone could proof read mine! Please contact me and I will happily swap!!

 

 

Good luck everyone!

 

I'll PM you!!

 

I'm applying to Ph.D. programs in English Lit and American Studies. 

 

Anyone else who wants to swap, let me know.

[Loric]

Seriously, is no one ever going to explain why everyone loves Berkeley to me?

[Loric]

I'm starting to think no one actually knows why everyone wants to get into Berkeley other than "it's the thing to do."

 

Just a thought.. if you cant easily articulate why you want to attend.. you dont stand much of a chance writing it out in your PS/SOP/etc.

[Sigaba]

A question.

 

If one were planning to climb a mountain but had never done so before, should that person seek advice from people who been there and done that, or should that person ask others who had also not climbed the mountain?

[Loric]

You assume those who have done it before are willing to discuss the matter. Sometimes the elite clubs want to stay that way. Everest is ripe with teams who have tried to sabotage each other. Not to mention the locals have gotten plenty of press lately for endangering and threatening the lives of climbers who weren't willing to pay their blackmail/ransom.

[Sigaba]

You assume those who have done it before are willing to discuss the matter.

 

My assumption is that aspiring graduate students will lean forward, show initiative and ingenuity, and put themselves in the best position to achieve their goals regardless of the obstacles they face--including finding ways to get information/guidance.

 

During previous application seasons, members of the Grad Cafe have discussed this topic.  While they may be long gone from this BB, the threads and posts in which they discuss what they did and share the results remain available to all. (The search string "Berkeley personal history" yields 179 results dating back to 2008.)

 

An aside. In the coming years, you are going to experience many moments when those who are further along in the process appear unwilling to discuss this matter or that one. Now is as good a time as any to start developing the skills and the motivation to get such individuals either to point you in the right direction or to send you to someone who will.

[Loric]

Oh i'm not even considering Berkeley and the opinion of anyone who is would be useless to me.

 

I'm just morbidly curious as to why it matters so much to these people. There, as yet, appears to be no rational explination outside of "because it's the thing to do."

[excusemyfrench]

I'd take a wild guess and say it's because Berkeley is consistently highly ranked with a great reputation PLUS public in-state tuition... We all know it's a pretty good school in many subjects overall. But it's also probably something akin to why people apply to Harvard. Because it's Harvard. HBS/HKS/Law must make tons of money just from people who think "what the hell I'll apply it's Haaaahvaaad for gawd's sake!" You can't ignore the fact that many people will be impressed if you get into and attend a program at Harvard, including employers.

Edited November 26, 2013 by excusemyfrench

[esimanon]

PLEASE someone swap with me! Message me...