Framing my interests in statement of purpose

[riverscuomo]

I'm considering applying to sociology grad programs this fall, and I'm having a little trouble tying up my statement of purpose. The general consensus (here, anyways) seems to be that demonstrating your fit with the type of research done in a given program, both in terms of methodology and general research topics, is something admissions committees really want to see in a SOP. I come from a math / economics background, so I would imagine that I'll probably do quantitative stuff, which is probably not a problem when it comes to fit. I don't really have one specific research area that I'm set on pursuing, though - maybe because I am a neophyte in the field. There's a lot of different areas that interest me and that I could see myself doing research in, and I'm sure that the first two/three years of grad school will help me figure out what direction I want to pursue. My plan is basically to apply to many of the top-ranked schools, in large part because they are strong in a lot of different areas I'm interested in.

 

So, my question is - is it a bad idea to say that I want to go to in program A in my SOP because they're strong in several areas I'm interested in, rather than picking one specific area that program A is strong in and referencing some people there I'd be interested in working with and learning from? I'm worried the former option might lead to admissions committees thinking that I'm not a serious applicant because I don't know exactly what I want to study.

[ohgoodness]

So, my question is - is it a bad idea to say that I want to go to in program A in my SOP because they're strong in several areas I'm interested in, rather than picking one specific area that program A is strong in and referencing some people there I'd be interested in working with and learning from? I'm worried the former option might lead to admissions committees thinking that I'm not a serious applicant because I don't know exactly what I want to study.

 

Very few people do know what they want to study and so on.  It is the job of the school to help you become a good researcher and find exactly what you want to pursue within your interests and they will do that during the first two years.   A lot of people move disciplines and have a general feel of what they want to do but not much more and they are just fine. 

 

Better just be clear about what you want and why you want to be there and things will go well. 

[surefire]

I'm considering applying to sociology grad programs this fall, and I'm having a little trouble tying up my statement of purpose. The general consensus (here, anyways) seems to be that demonstrating your fit with the type of research done in a given program, both in terms of methodology and general research topics, is something admissions committees really want to see in a SOP. I come from a math / economics background, so I would imagine that I'll probably do quantitative stuff, which is probably not a problem when it comes to fit. I don't really have one specific research area that I'm set on pursuing, though - maybe because I am a neophyte in the field. There's a lot of different areas that interest me and that I could see myself doing research in, and I'm sure that the first two/three years of grad school will help me figure out what direction I want to pursue. My plan is basically to apply to many of the top-ranked schools, in large part because they are strong in a lot of different areas I'm interested in.

 

So, my question is - is it a bad idea to say that I want to go to in program A in my SOP because they're strong in several areas I'm interested in, rather than picking one specific area that program A is strong in and referencing some people there I'd be interested in working with and learning from? I'm worried the former option might lead to admissions committees thinking that I'm not a serious applicant because I don't know exactly what I want to study.

 

I agree with ohgoodness that the process of parsing out your research interests largely becomes refined while IN grad school. There are a couple of mechanisms in place that will, in a way, force you to keep (re) articulating until you arrive in an area that both interests you and has identifiable gaps that you can address with your research - grant applications, research assistantships, classes, and talks with prospective supervisors are just a few of these.

 

That being said, my experience as both an applicant and adcomm member has been that refencing specific people in the programs helps to aid adcomms in picturing you, and your place, in their program (my context is Canadian, for reference, but I think that the sentiment generally stands). I think that you can work with what you have though by looking at some faculty pages and figuring out which profs in the program (1) work in one of your areas of interest AND (2) works predominately in quant sociology. For example, there are several very talented faculty members working in ethnic stratification in my department, but there is a big difference between the ones doing quant work and the others that do, say, ethnographic work. Once you have that list, you can whittle it down further by contacting faculty members to see who is in a position to take students. There's some good advice on how to, as an applicant, contact profs here: http://science-professor.blogspot.ca/2011/10/writing-to-me-reprise.html

 

Many people work at "intersections" of particular areas (like gender/immigration, for example), so different areas of interests don't necessarily indicate a lack of direction, and you don't have to pick "just one area" at a given school. But, I always tell people, "fit" is largely about why you want to do your studies, not just in a particular discipline, but AT a particular institution. This means sussing out BOTH how you will contribute to a department AND what resources you will draw upon from said department in order to thrive as an academic. Specific institutions want to get excited about the prospect of having you, and they want you to do well there (and, you know, finish, someday), and that's what the "fit" discussion ideally accomplishes.

 

If you haven't already, I would suggest having a sit-down meeting with a former professor (one who will be one of your letter-writers, perhaps) and talk through some of your interests. You may find that they can help you arrive at a "for now" articulation of your interests that is broad enough to allow some movement but specific enough to allow you to pinpoint areas and faculty in programs. Also, if you are still within proximity of your undergrad/MA school, you can look into whether or not they offer workshops on SOP-writing or grad school applications. My previous institution offered this type of support to alumni up to two years post-convocation.

 

Good luck!

[riverscuomo]

Thanks for the advice, ohgoodness and surefire - seems to vibe with what else I've been reading.

[seekingsun]

Keep in mind about what the SOP is supposed to do.  You don't need to narrow down your specific dissertation topic yet (that nearly always changes), but you do want to give the AdComm an idea of the sorts of questions that are interesting to you.  Michigan's website has a good description about the content of the SOP.  It's a lot to pack into a small space.

 

"Academic Statement of Purpose - The Statement of Purpose is the single most important item in your application. The purpose of this essay is to give the faculty a clear idea of a) why you want to pursue a career in sociology; what questions or problems interest you; c) how you want to address these questions; d) your subplan interest(s), if applicable (see section below); and e) why you want to pursue your graduate degree at the University of Michigan.   This statement should be about 2 pages long."