SOP Specifics

[firstsight]

Hey guys,

Is everyone else as tired of working on these suckers as I am? I think my eyes are crossing from all the revisions!

So, two things: first, when discussing something like "school psychology" or "social psychology" or "health psychology" within a SOP, should those be capitalized or not? I don't /think/ they qualify as proper nouns... >.> (It's after midnight! My brain isn't working!)

Second, does anyone have any tips or tactics on graceful ways to close a SOP?

My layout as it stands now is kind of:

Paragraph A: What attracted me to the field and introducing research as the end goal

Paragraph B: What experiences prepared me for independent research

Paragraph C: What I've learned from independent research and how it's shaped me for further independent research

Paragraph D: Articulated career goals and how graduate studies at X school will allow me to achieve that, then specific potential research avenues and fit with professors.

And now I'm at the end kind of.. mentally flailing, because without something to close it out, it feels kind of ... abrupt.

Any thoughts?

[ChitownSVL]

Not sure, I think it is different for everyone. I will say this, I think it is best to close in a strong and memorable way.

Also, how is everyone's word count? I am wondering if mine too long, almost 1500 words,

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

My full SOP is 1271. Those with a word limit (UNC and ASU), my abridged SOP is 716 and 648, respectively.

It was really tough to cut it down. I had to nix information on my lab experience, teaching experience, and publication. I had my recommendors cover it.

Prof A agreed to go into detail on my lab coordinating and teaching experience. Easy enough because he was supervising all of it.

Prof B agreed to go into detail on our research collaboration

And, I'm including the pub as a writing sample.

Pretty much, I had to cut anything that I could address elsewhere.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Quant_Liz_Lemon

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

As for closing SOPs, I used some variation of "I would love to contribute to Arizona State University’s excellent quantitative methods program." for all of them at the end of my fit paragraph(s).

[firstsight]

As for closing SOPs, I used some variation of "I would love to contribute to Arizona State University’s excellent quantitative methods program." for all of them at the end of my fit paragraph(s).

I like this type of mentality for the close - I ended up going with something similar. I think ending on a "this could and should be a mutually beneficial proposition" is the right tone -- at least for what I've got.

As far as length -- I had about 1200 at first, and I've tightened the language down to around 800, total statement, with about 150~ word half-paragraph that could be optional as I know a LOR will be addressing it as well.

[LuckyCat]

Another option for closing your SOP: If you opened with an anecdote that was related to why you're interested in the research phenomenon you discuss in your SOP, you can link back to this at the end with a brief sentence or two. In my own SOP, I did this and found that it tied the narrative together into a complete whole.

[ohgoodness]

I like this type of mentality for the close - I ended up going with something similar. I think ending on a "this could and should be a mutually beneficial proposition" is the right tone -- at least for what I've got.

Why be vague and open-ended in your concluding lines ? All you achieve by putting it this way is making someone go "Yeah true but so would any of the other 500 propositions". It might be ok if your message is sold and taken by the reader but why even include it then? it's redundant. Better to include a phrase that makes the reader go "yup" and be happy with what they got.