Gaps to explain....help needed

[aaniboy]

hi guys,

             I am 24 right now and am applying to university of arizona, ASU. I am really not sure what to put in my SOP, the thing is i started off as a bio tech undergrad and then switched to electronics after like two years and finally realized i like programming and now i am applying for cse. I know i am allover the place and this is where my confusion starts ...what should i put in my sop?? I really do like programming and have some experience in it(internship at GE). To be honest, I was lacking focus but when i was studying biotech, i realized i like programming better and there was some overlap between the electronics and cse programs at my university. 

my question can i be honest and tell this or just leave it out completely and jus tell them i discovered programming while studying electronics?? Thanks in advance guys.

 

[nugget]

I would tell your story as simply as possible so that you have enough room to explain why you are a good fit for their program and highlight your strengths and accomplishments. Explaining why you switched programs so many times should not be done at the expense of not being able to adequately cover the most important parts of the application. It is your call to make. 

[aaniboy]

thanks jenste....i wanted to ask something else i never had any financial difficulties thanks to my mom but last year she fell into a gambling problem and lost all her money, while unfortunate it really put things in perspective for me....i can even admit that i was irresponsible and nonchalant till then but that has been some what a wake up call for me and now i really want to make a difference.....

again my question is this too much of my 'personal history' for them or will it actually help my case?? gimme your opinions....

[danieleWrites]

You don't really have gaps to explain in the SOP. You're to young for academic/employment gaps to be a big deal. Students take a year off all the time. Couple that with the fact that your undergrad transcript will clearly show that you changed majors, your time off is something your SOP can ignore. Rather than gaps, think of it as extra training. I'm starting an English PhD with a BA and MA in English *and* a BA in sociology, along with enough creds for a BA in Korean and a bunch of mox-nix junk in my failed attempt at computer science. I have classes in calculus, java, and three more sciences than I need. I'm about 30 credits from a BA in math, actually. I didn't explain any of the time I spent not in English or not in school. I explained, rather, how my degree in sociology makes me a great phd candidate. I didn't say anything about the math, science, and engineering. Even though the computer science turned my undergrad transcript into a minefield of crappy grades. I didn't have to because it didn't have any  bearing on English.

 

Rather than approach your varied experience as 'gaps', think of them as advantages. Find your thesis statement, which will answer the simple question: "Why should you accept me into your program with full funding?" The answer (thesis statement)" I would be a great addition to your program because I...., and then elaborate on why. Look at the program and how you fit into it. What can you bring to their table? What can they do for you? How can biotech apply to programming? How can your electronics experience apply? What do you want to do in the program and how does your experience help?

 

You don't have "gaps"; you have advantages. It's not like applying for a job where you have to explain gaps in employment away in some manner, because employers seem to find unemployed people are icky for some reason. You're applying to learn. You have to explain to them that you're ready to be taught at an advanced level, that you have great credentials, and what they have to teach you. For every SOP you write, do some research and write yourself a brief analysis of the audience. Who is going to read it? The professor in charge of graduate studies and his/her committee. Read what they've published recently. Learn who they are. Write the SOP directly to them.

[aaniboy]

that sounds like a great idea....infact if i am not wrong botech, elctronics and computer science do have many overlapping areas ....thanks  daniele