Statement of Purpose

[Kuriakos]

Anyone have any good advice on structuring these things? I feel like I am either blathering on or I sound arrogant. Am I the only one struggling with this part of the application?

[sacklunch]

Head over to the SOP section. There are quite a few really helpful writeups other folks have done, or if you have something specific to ask you may do so there.

best

[Kuriakos]

Thanks, I saw that section of the forum, but I thought I'd ask here for advice more focused on religion programs.

[11Q13]

If you're applying to a lot of programs like me, one technique I employ is to reuse (with minor tweaks) the same statement for each school, except for one "fit" paragraph where you, well, show that you fit the program. My results are unproven of course.

[sacklunch]

If you're applying to a lot of programs like me, one technique I employ is to reuse (with minor tweaks) the same statement for each school, except for one "fit" paragraph where you, well, show that you fit the program. My results are unproven of course.

Seems to work. Most of the people I know in doctoral programs have told me they did something similar. It would be too difficult, I think, to construct an original SOP for every school.

[AbrasaxEos]

Difficult, yes but not impossible and not the worst idea in the world. I am two years out of the process by now, but in my own experience, along with a number of others with whom I applied, the best results (i.e. multiple acceptances) were from those who literally restarted each letter for each school. It takes some extra time and feels a bit frustrating, especially if you feel as though you are writing a similar letter for each, but I think each letter ends up sounding a bit more genuine and it eliminates the chance of you accidentally leaving something like "my interests in apocalyptic literature would make Prof. John Collins a perfectly suited advisor" in your SOP for Duke. Once you get past the window dressing of good GREs, GPAs, and LORs your SOP is what will really distinguish you from the 10-15 other candidates that probably have similar "hard" stats. Don't cheat yourself out of a chance at admission because you don't feel like putting in a couple of hours of extra work. The field becomes increasingly competitive every year, and with the inflation of so-called achievements, the hard stats of applications start becoming more of a name on the guest list if you will - the invitation to the VIP lounge comes only with the SOP.

[The Pierre Menard]

Difficult, yes but not impossible and not the worst idea in the world. I am two years out of the process by now, but in my own experience, along with a number of others with whom I applied, the best results (i.e. multiple acceptances) were from those who literally restarted each letter for each school. It takes some extra time and feels a bit frustrating, especially if you feel as though you are writing a similar letter for each, but I think each letter ends up sounding a bit more genuine and it eliminates the chance of you accidentally leaving something like "my interests in apocalyptic literature would make Prof. John Collins a perfectly suited advisor" in your SOP for Duke. Once you get past the window dressing of good GREs, GPAs, and LORs your SOP is what will really distinguish you from the 10-15 other candidates that probably have similar "hard" stats. Don't cheat yourself out of a chance at admission because you don't feel like putting in a couple of hours of extra work. The field becomes increasingly competitive every year, and with the inflation of so-called achievements, the hard stats of applications start becoming more of a name on the guest list if you will - the invitation to the VIP lounge comes only with the SOP.

Very well said, AbrasaxEos.

I might also add one additional caveat. some confuse their SofP with a prose version of their CV. They are not the same thing. Let your SofP tell who you are as a scholar; let your CV enumerate your academic credentials and awards. Remember: schools are seeking to create a reading culture and your best bet is, in my humble opinion, to be yourself in your SofP and narrate who you are as a scholar, how you arrived at that place, what you take to be the marks of good scholarship, and why ____ school is an ideal fit.