Minnesota Application

[rems]

Has anyone or is anyone applying to Minnesota? I can't seem to find any information about what they require for SOP's. The actual application software stays to upload two "statements" and gives generic information for each one, but this is for the graduate college at large.

I emailed them about it Tuesday night, but I still haven't heard back. I'm trying to do the polite thing, and give them a few days to get back to me, but I'm starting to do the graduate student thing instead and freak out about it.

Does anyone out there have any experience with their admissions process? And/or does anyone have any experience with what they're looking for regarding their SOP's? It appears as though they require two -- one statement, one personal statement -- and an option to write an entirely separate document explaining extenuating circumstances to explain rough patches in your application. Long story short, WAY TOO MUCH WRITING.

A huge THANK YOU to anyone out there who has any advice about this situation.

[nada.am]

I am applying as well, so I'm basically in the same boat as you in terms of information. From what I can gather statement 1 is the traditional personal statement/ statement of purpose and statement 2 is just a glorified species of diversity statement. If you hear anything back with more specifics or if anyone else has any comment I'd definitely be interested as well!

[bfat]

I was considering their American Studies department for a while, and they had a bit more info about the two statements (my guess is that you can substitute "English" for "American Studies" in this guide).

Applicant Statements

Statement 1

• Statement of your relevant goals and experiences and how these would be served by a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota
  
• Name 3-5 particular faculty members with whom you wish to study
  
  Statement 2
  • Statement of distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would bring to the American Studies graduate program and to the education of fellow students
    

Edited November 8, 2012 by bfat

[rems]

bfat -- that's great! Thanks for the info!

I find it kind of strange that they have so little information on their webpage about it, and I only found out about the two statements by signing up for the application software and clicking through it until I found the page asking for the two documents with very brief descriptions of each one.

nada.am -- If I hear back from them in an email (still no reply! It's been over 48 hours! grad school panic attack!) I'll post it on here. I'm assuming their SOP's are no different than anyone else's, so I just need a "fit" paragraph tailored to them which I've already written. I'm hoping that it's not "too" late to really work on that SOP because their apps are due, gulp, Dec. 1.

[anoveldave]

UMN's portal is a bit messy. I'm applying to the comp lit department and have confirmed that I should ignore those statements and upload to the department specific page at the end of the application. Of course these are two different departments, and I saw the bfat's right. I suppose all I can offer is that a handful of my schools also require two statements, as bfat outline, one about your academic self and one about your personal self. I suppose you want to portray yourself as a (potential) scholar in one and speak to research interest fit, and then write about your 'person' in the other and shade that more towards how you'd [uniquely] contribute to the community['s diversity] at the school/department.

[ghijklmn]

@ anoveldave: I was also planning on applying to Minnesota's Comp Lit program, but the site is so messy and the application odds got me so down (I heard from the DGS that it's 3-5 out of 90-110 apps) that I've scrapped it. I am however applying to another program at MN that requires THREE admissions essays! It's like they're trying to kill me!

[anoveldave]

@ anoveldave: I was also planning on applying to Minnesota's Comp Lit program, but the site is so messy and the application odds got me so down (I heard from the DGS that it's 3-5 out of 90-110 apps) that I've scrapped it. I am however applying to another program at MN that requires THREE admissions essays! It's like they're trying to kill me!

Those are pretty ridiculous odds, but I figure most schools have similar admission rates? 1 out of 30 does seem better than what the odds probably are at HYP. I suppose we just have to be confident in our applications (which is in part ourselves).

[rems]

FINALLY heard back. Cut and pasted from email:

"There are no specific requirements about length and format of the statements."

There you have it folks.

[nada.am]

FINALLY heard back. Cut and pasted from email:

"There are no specific requirements about length and format of the statements."

There you have it folks.

Fabulous...everything is entirely clear now!

[skybythelight]

FINALLY heard back. Cut and pasted from email:

"There are no specific requirements about length and format of the statements."

There you have it folks.

Oh god what does that even mean.