How did you prepare/write your SOP?

[Macrina]

I'm applying for PhD programs next fall and I'm already thinking about my SOP. When you wrote yours, were there specific things you did to prepare? Ways you worked on narrowing your focus and demonstrating fit?

I know this isn't very clear, but I'm really trying to ask how you got started on your application, especially the writing sections. It all seems a bit overwhelming at this point, and I want to make sure that I think about and include the essentials.

[torontonian27]

Hey Macrina,

 

I will applying this upcoming season as well. I started writing sketches of my SOP in December and occasionally I just go back and re-touch it. I find that the more I read (in preparation for grad school), the better I am able to express what I want to study and therefore my current SOP is far more eloquent and competitive than the original one I wrote. I usually just get random revelations of inspiration (a line or two at a time) and I try to incorporate them into my SOP. 

[idol.chatter]

I got kind of lucky with the writing statement process. There's an organization at my school for Honors students, and I basically had one faculty member who coached me through the process. I had to apply for a big scholarship that was due in October, and I had to have a SOP ready for that. Having that earlier deadline helped force me over the hurdle and be more prepared for applications. 

But for me, I think the best advice is just to look around all of those websites with advice about SOP's, and collect a list of questions from them (they often have lists of questions to kickstart your inspiration, like, "Why are you interested in religious studies?"). Start just writing out the answers to those questions, and see if any themes emerge. Keep in mind if there are any of your answers that you feel are particularly good, or relevant. Then tentatively organize those ideas into a kind of outline. Once you feel pretty comfortable with the general idea of what you might like to say, just start writing. Just write at least one draft, all the way through. Don't edit it, and if it sucks, just let it suck. Then go back, pick out the parts you liked, nix the parts you didn't, and then do it again. Once you have at least one draft, the process becomes so much more manageable. Eventually, when you have a draft you think is pretty good, take it to your advisor and let them edit the hell out of it. 

Edited February 13, 2014 by idol.chatter

[theotokos1]

Prior to writing, I kept track of key themes that emerged during my visits.  I also kept a running list of advice that each place gave me on their preferences for SOP (no more than 2 pages, address languages, etc).

 

When I wrote mine, I framed it all around my guiding question (for me, that is "who/what is ©hurch?").  I basically structured it as:

I. Framing Questions

II. Approach to Question/Refining

III. Faculty at the Institution

IV. Fit in the larger Institution

 

I wrote it out and got something on paper, and then revised non-stop.  Once I got that to a place where I could show it to others, I sent it out to mentors, advisors, friends, etc and got feedback.  Only about 10% of the original made its way into the final product.  I tend to revise a ton when I write, so this process was helpful.

[MBIGrad]

Read at least 4 or 5 different sources for what one ought to do for humanities/religion SOPs in particular. Then, if you can swing it, email current graduate students in the programs to which you're applying (and maybe try to meet them, if you're to visit) and carry on a conversation in order to "fish" for one of them to offer to read your SOP and criticize it.

[sacklunch]

Find a lot of people to read your statement. Have them tear it apart, repeat. I honestly spent around 100 hours writing my 'skeleton draft.' It would not appear that way if you read it, but because of countless rewrites, it ended up being a huge time sink. On the bright side, I have heard back from four schools already, all very positive, so I'm very glad I spent that many hours slaving over the damn thing. 

[awells27]

My faculty advisor for my MA program got admitted to Harvard, Emory, Yale, and Princeton when he applied.  He also reviews apps every year.  So I consulted with him about what he looks for in reviewing SOPs.  While I ended up getting admitted into a history program (due to POI), my other 7 apps were in religion.  My opening paragraph was clear about what my desired emphasis was and what specific research areas were related to that field.  I then made a case for how my MA degree prepared me in ancient languages, historiography, critical methods, and handling of both primary and secondary sources.  I then zeroed in on my POI and why I wanted to work under them, citing the work they have done in my desired research emphasis and how there was a match in both content and methodology.  I then mentioned a couple other professors in the program whose mentoring would also be valuable.  I then finished with a statement about my career goals and how I hoped my PHD program would want to bridge gaps between the university and lay people, such that research could ultimately have a broader outreach.  Then I had my faculty advisor revise it until he said it was acceptable.  

 

Remember, if you don't demonstrate a match between yourself and a POI in both content and methodology, they will likely trash your application.  And obviously, if they ask for specific info on their website, give it to them.  I found, however, that the basic format I did for UCLA, with slight variation, worked for every other application.  

Edited February 15, 2014 by awells27

[newenglandshawn]

My main question about the SOP is how on earth are you supposed to start the thing? What do you write for the introduction? How do you grab the attention of admissions in the first few lines (without seeming over the top, of course)? I always struggle with my introduction of any piece of literature I'm writing (papers, articles, sermons). So getting off the launch pad is my issue, and any incite into this would be greatly appreciated!

[awells27]

My main question about the SOP is how on earth are you supposed to start the thing? What do you write for the introduction? How do you grab the attention of admissions in the first few lines (without seeming over the top, of course)? I always struggle with my introduction of any piece of literature I'm writing (papers, articles, sermons). So getting off the launch pad is my issue, and any incite into this would be greatly appreciated!

If you want, I can PM you my opening paragraph for my SOP, just to give you an idea of what has netted so far two acceptances and, I'm sure, some upcoming rejections.  

[newenglandshawn]

If you want, I can PM you my opening paragraph for my SOP, just to give you an idea of what has netted so far two acceptances and, I'm sure, some upcoming rejections.  

 

Yes, please do!! That would be huge for me. It seems as though there is some intersection with your area of interest with mine as well (HB/OT), so that would be extra helpful.

[sacklunch]

It helps a lot if your academic record has some measure of continuity (and of course if your record is good!). I have been more or less 'building' on my interests since college, mostly in the same field. This made writing the statement, while still taking a ton of time, much easier in that I didn't have to 'explain' having, for instance, an undergrad degree in something completely unrelated. You might just start with something like an 'intellectual genealogy.' Just start writing, beginning with college and move through whatever has happened 'intellectually' up until this point. Again, for those of us who have several advanced degrees, this sop 'model' is a bit more straight forward!

Edited February 20, 2014 by derewigestudent

[Pavani]

I'm applying for PhD programs next fall and I'm already thinking about my SOP. When you wrote yours, were there specific things you did to prepare? Ways you worked on narrowing your focus and demonstrating fit?

I know this isn't very clear, but I'm really trying to ask how you got started on your application, especially the writing sections. It all seems a bit overwhelming at this point, and I want to make sure that I think about and include the essentials.

Hi,

 

I found this blog (beyond.insofe.edu.in) where the author clearly explains how to make an Exciting one page SOP and other SOP's like Good, Poor, Ugly. Please click on the following link to see different types of SOP's and higher education planning. It would be really a great help to you.

 

http://beyond.insofe...cation-package/

 

All the best!  

[Macrina]

Hi,

 

I found this blog (beyond.insofe.edu.in) where the author clearly explains how to make an Exciting one page SOP and other SOP's like Good, Poor, Ugly. Please click on the following link to see different types of SOP's and higher education planning. It would be really a great help to you.

 

http://beyond.insofe...cation-package/

 

All the best!  

Thanks for posting. Unfortunately, that's an engineering website and of very limited use for religion/theology applicants. We don't tend to use graphs in our SOPs