SoP Help for Fall 2016 Applicant

[blomnosgrad]

Hello,

I am an aspiring PhD applicant looking to apply to English Programs in US and Canada in Fall 2016. I am currently pursuing an M.Phil in English Literature (research degree in between an MA and a PhD) after doing both a BA and an MA in English Lit as well. Right now, I am working on the narratives born out of the national ruptures. Our GPA is measured on a 10 point scale and I have always been at a 9.5-9.75 zone.

 

I have, over the course of my time in Grad School in India, held several research positions, including a fellowship with the1947 Partition Archive at Berkeley. I took my GRE and TOEFL exams last year and I have good scores. I have over a dozen conference presentations and a few publications as well. However, being an international student, I am led to believe that I am still at a disadvantage.

I am shortlisting schools at the moment, with equal focus on US and Canada (perhaps a tad bit more on Canada since I finished high school in Toronto). My research interests are broadly postcolonial studies, but I am interested in seeing how it interacts with genres of speculative fiction. I have, in particular worked with postcolonialism in crime fiction and science fiction. My M.Phil research has also nuanced my interest in migration studies as well how gender interacts with nation-building and rupture.

All of that being said, I am still having trouble drafting an SoP. Now I understand that I have to tailor it according to the school and its strengths, relate it to faculty members that I have corresponded with etc. In my attempt to form a skeleton for the same, I came up with a structure akin to this:

1. What you want to do (e.g. I want to pursue doctoral studies in uni XYZ)
2. Why you want to do it (because it will help me achieve these particular short and long term goals)
3. How prepared you are to do it (I have taken these courses / completed these readings / participated in these conferences / published these articles)
4. Why you have chosen university XYZ (it fits my area of interest the best / the correspondence with faculty was positive)

I was hoping for some feedback with regards to this rather reductive sketch of an SoP. In addition, I was wondering if any current PhD scholar could tell me what degree of details would work. I can make my research interest very specific, with n number of sub-sets put into it, and end up seemingly with a very niche specialization. But would that seem limited in a sense? I also certainly do not want to be vague and unspecific in my approach.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[ProfLorax]

I think your skeleton outline looks about right. But before you get started, I'd start with the big question for yourself: what is your narrative? For example, in mine, I wanted to present myself as a scholar, teacher, and activist who wanted to meld those interests in my studies and teaching. Once I realized my thesis, so to say, I moved on from there, choosing examples and experiences that supported the narrative I wanted to put forth. 

 

So, what's your narrative? Start there and the rest may fall into place (and still need like twenty revisions because the SOP is a beast that will not be tamed). 

[lyonessrampant]

I think that narrative needs to be part of your SOP, though less about a personal story and more about an organizing structure that links the four parts of the SOP that you've identified (which sound good to me).  The archival focus really makes you an interesting candidate because you have experience working with archives, and, if you're applying to any comp lit programs, that will be a nice advantage.  

As far as applying to US schools as an international student, search this forum and you'll find some threads on that subject that list schools who seem to consistently accept international students (my university is one of them).  Generally, private universities have more international students because they don't have to manage the extra expense of an international student like public universities.  Good luck!

[blomnosgrad]

I think that narrative needs to be part of your SOP, though less about a personal story and more about an organizing structure that links the four parts of the SOP that you've identified (which sound good to me).  The archival focus really makes you an interesting candidate because you have experience working with archives, and, if you're applying to any comp lit programs, that will be a nice advantage.  

As far as applying to US schools as an international student, search this forum and you'll find some threads on that subject that list schools who seem to consistently accept international students (my university is one of them).  Generally, private universities have more international students because they don't have to manage the extra expense of an international student like public universities.  Good luck!

Thank you! I will try and work that into my SOP narrative.

I am looking at the Comparative Lit Program at Emory, but that has so far been the lone non-English department I looked at. But I will look at more of those to see if they match my research interests.

Aside from Emory, the other US schools I have been looking at are CUNY, NYU, GWU, UPenn, Brown and Binghamton. They all have a strong postcolonial focus. What do you think of these?

[lyonessrampant]

They're all great programs, but GWU often has funding issues so that might be an issue there.  I'd say still apply if you can afford it.  CUNY's funding situation has improved recently, but they've also had funding issues the last few years.  Again, great school so definitely apply, and there are fantastic people there.  Being in New York also offers tons of resources.  Best wishes!

[bhr]

If you are applying to CUNY, consider addressing any DH work or interests you may have, as that's a big focus on that campus.

[blomnosgrad]

They're all great programs, but GWU often has funding issues so that might be an issue there.  I'd say still apply if you can afford it.  CUNY's funding situation has improved recently, but they've also had funding issues the last few years.  Again, great school so definitely apply, and there are fantastic people there.  Being in New York also offers tons of resources.  Best wishes!

Thank you for the feedback. I had heard about GWU's funding issues as well, but some of their ongoing research is so in sync with my own interest that I cannot resist applying. But I had no idea CUNY has been having funding issues as well.


Do you know any schools with a strong postcolonial/transnational interest that has better funding?

[blomnosgrad]

If you are applying to CUNY, consider addressing any DH work or interests you may have, as that's a big focus on that campus.

I do have an interest in DH but in terms of specific work in the field ... well, I have experience working with two digital archives. And the school I go to has a School of Cultural Texts and Records, and I have taken a few courses with them. Do you think highlighting that would help?

[lyonessrampant]

CUNY doesn't have funding problems exactly.  They bumped their stipend, which used to be super low given living costs in New York, but it is a large state school so the increased cost for an international student could be a factor.  Definitely still apply because it's a great school.  I'm pretty far away from your interests, so I think someone who works in your subfield would be able to give you much better program recommendations than me.