Statement of purpose: brutally honest?

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Should the SOP be an opportunity to spill my guts and soul to the grad committee?

 

I'm worried about revealing my true self to these people. I've been told that my way with words can be a little scary, and as much as I don't want to be off-putting, I feel like this is the best way to engage whomever ends up reading this. Reading a few hundred essays has got to become droll quickly for those people. 

 

Do we have a responsibility to keep our cards close to the chest? I mean, this isn't a therapy session after all.

 

...or is it? 

 

 

Fuck. 

[smg]

I'm not applying for an MFA but I am trying to be honest enough to stand out amongst the hundreds of other applicants.   In my SOP draft I mention some sketchy shit to make myself appear more adventuresome than your average anthro student.  

[jujubea]

You're doing an arts program? Seems fitting to me... but I don't know much about arts programs' SOP guidelines. I guess it depends also on what you mean by spilling your guts and soul, certainly you have a lot of both, so it wouldn't all fit in a measly SOP -- which parts in particular are you worried about? What do you go into exactly?

 

I'm amused that both of you have cussed for this thread ... it's so appropriate! I felt the need to cuss also, but damn if I couldn't figure out somewhere to fit it in to my response...

[beriredux]

You already seem to spill your guts in your work  , I wouldn’t over do it in your SOP.

 

What you include in the SOP will depend on wether the program also asks for a personal statement and what they specify on their website. Generally, you want them to know why you do what you do, but I think you need to make sure to also allow enough space for other things like situating your work within contemporary practice materially and conceptually, why you want to go to grad school and why the particular program will be of benefit to you. I do think allowing your personality to show through is pretty important as long as it doesn’t overwhelm the work in your portfolio.

 

Some programs want a project proposal as well.

 

So as jujubea pointed out, there isn't a whole lot of room for too much gut spilling anyway.

 

The best case scenario is that the reader discovers someone with a shared passion.

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Thanks for the feedback (and the lulz). I've decided that my earlier draft was much too personal, biographical, and didn't leave enough room to expand on what I'm doing/where things are heading. 

 

I think selective honesty might be the key, and finding a way to hook the reader in the opening. 

 

What does your hook sound like?

[beriredux]

So far, my "hook" refers to my motivation or over arching concern, but it is short...only one sentence. That may change—as it is still a work in progress. 

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What's the consensus on dropping faculty names? 

 

e.g. "I was first drawn to your program for the chance to work with So-and-So. Their work has been a huge influence, yadda yadda etc."

[jujubea]

Some programs, it's mandatory. Some programs, it's not mandatory, but if you do it, it helps your chances a lot. Other programs, it will get you thrown out. 

Best to check with your programs whether or not it's best.

[seeingeyeduck]

Don't spill your guts just to spill your guts. If you have to explain how you got to where you are now in a personal statement, then go for it, but if they only require an artist statement then don't include too much autobiography. Do it only if it is meaningful in how it has changed or formed how you make work, not to prove a point about what type of person you are.

Always keep the tone professional and reflective - you wanna talk about heavy things but not in a way that suggests that they are still overwhelming or that you can't regulate your own emotions. I mean, they have to feel like they can handle dealing with you personally on a regular basis for you to a accepted. It's one thing for it all to come out in ragingly emotional art but if you seem too unhinged it's an alarm bell. Tell them what you learned and how you're a better person for the lessons, not just adding stuff for flavor or character or something. There has to be a point, right?