Sample SOP

[newenglandshawn]

Is any person(s) willing to send me a sample PhD SOP - especially if you've been successfully accepted into a program? I am not applying for another year, but the SOP has been, to some degree, a "black box" for me that I'd like to really wrap my mind around once and for all.

 

Thanks!

[Theophilos]

Much like you I'm another year out, so I don't have any "here's what worked" advice. But I did find this blog over in the Philosophy board:

http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/2012/05/applying-to-phd-programs-in-philosophy.html?m=1

Seems to offer some good advice and also gives 3 samples from admitted students. Granted, this is a different field, so it may not all apply. This is where the more experienced folks would have to weigh in. Thoughts? Decent advice?

[marXian]

I read the first part of the link and skimmed the rest (didn't look at any of the examples) but the beginning, at least, is dead on in terms of what not to do. It's not a sales pitch, a brag sheet, etc. A lot of people worry about scraping together every meager accomplishment of their academic lives to show committees. You have to be unafraid to let that stuff go. Get to the relevant parts about your preparation, interests, and what makes you a fantastic addition to a particular program.

 

Also, in terms of stating one's interests, the advice is really fantastic; i.e. stating what you're interested in, not what you are going to set out to prove, solve, demonstrate, etc.

 

It seems to me that much or all of it is relevant to applicants in our field.

[newenglandshawn]

What about his cautionary remarks about tailoring our SOP to a specific program or POI? He essentially says that it may be best to avoid doing so, lest we mischaracterize a particular program or POI, or the potential for our tailored SOP to be disharmonious with the form letter that our recommenders will be sending. 

 

On the one hand I understand his cautionary tone because of the potential pitfalls; on the other hand, it seems to contradict a lot of the advice I have read elsewhere which has said that we should demonstrate in our SOP that we are a good "fit" for the particular program.

 

Where is the balance and how do we walk that fine line?

[Lux Lex Pax]

There's a lot of good advice there. However, I'd caution about imitating the sample statements too much since philosophy and religious studies are very different in some respects. To state it strongly (and most controversially), philosophers tend to view themselves as disembodied intellects, caring only about good arguments, so their SOPs are going to be geared in that direction. Religious studies is a bit more holistic, caring about your research interests but also about you as a person since they're going to be stuck working with you for many years. As an example of the different approaches, the philosophy department at my school doesn't conduct interviews when hiring new faculty; they just read their work and choose the person with the best arguments, regardless of how they might comport themselves in the classroom or socially with faculty. That kind of thing would never fly in religious studies departments.

[newenglandshawn]

philosophers tend to view themselves as disembodied intellects, caring only about good arguments, so their SOPs are going to be geared in that direction. 

 

Yes, I was a little surprised with how the SOPs seemed to cut right to the chase, providing very little personal reflection and explanation. On the other hand, while a Religious studies SOP should provide some of this, they obviously don't want to hear about our cat, Winston. So, again, finding the balance seems to be a tricky venture.

[sacklunch]

Agreed. They also seem a lot shorter, ya?

[Kleets712]

Yes, I was a little surprised with how the SOPs seemed to cut right to the chase, providing very little personal reflection and explanation. On the other hand, while a Religious studies SOP should provide some of this, they obviously don't want to hear about our cat, Winston. So, again, finding the balance seems to be a tricky venture.

 

For the record, I'd like to hear about your cat, Winston - he sounds cute.

[newenglandshawn]

For the record, I don't have a cat Winston (or any cat for that matter)!! :-)

[Balatro]

That's sad. While a student adcom reader at Yale, anyone that mentioned their cat in their SoP got +5 from me. Unfortunately once they learned of this I was not invited back