modernity Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 As I am sifting through my google searches for "good SOPs" or SOPs that got students accepted into programs to compare mine to - I thought you guys might be a good resource for this. Know of any school websites or others that have some good examples and suggestions?
JohnBom Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 I was also frustrated with the total lack of them out there. Of course, it is not hard to find hundreds of mediocre ones. But it seems like the really go writers keep the sops to themselves.
ridgey Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 I hope she doesn't mind me saying this, but I was hugely impressed with the one coyabean just put up on her gradcafe blog.
captiv8ed Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 I had found some successful applicants' SOPs from (I think) Stanford or Berkeley in (I think) anthropology. I have been going crazy trying to find them again. I thought I had printed them out and I will dig and dig and dig some more. If I turn it up, I will post the link. I agree, coyabean's was absolutely awesome. But we won't know if it was successful until the end of the application cycle.
captiv8ed Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 Okay, I was in the right field but the wrong side of the country! On this page is a link to the statements of purpose from 4 successful applicants at Duke http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/grad/appinfo.html
captiv8ed Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 Hm, this is interesting. It says there were four and on my copy there are four, but now on the website there are only three.
coyabean Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 I had found some successful applicants' SOPs from (I think) Stanford or Berkeley in (I think) anthropology. I have been going crazy trying to find them again. I thought I had printed them out and I will dig and dig and dig some more. If I turn it up, I will post the link. I agree, coyabean's was absolutely awesome. But we won't know if it was successful until the end of the application cycle. Ain't that the truth! And you guys have read the ones on Duke's website, yes? http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/grad/GraduateStudentStatements.html
glasses Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 Berkeley has a good one for history -- I've lost the link and I don't know if it's still around, but do I know that as of a year ago, it was out there.
modernity Posted December 3, 2009 Author Posted December 3, 2009 http://ls.berkeley.edu/soc/diversity/apply/samplestatement-1.html This one? I found this site to be a pretty useful tool so far. Duke's also.
glasses Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 http://ls.berkeley.edu/soc/diversity/apply/samplestatement-1.html This one? I found this site to be a pretty useful tool so far. Duke's also. Yes! Thanks!
rising_star Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 I think "good" really depends. In re-reading my SOPs last year (at the request of someone that asked something similar), I realized that I don't think my own SOPs were very "good". As in, I can reread them and tell that I didn't have a clear research direction or reason for wanting a PhD. I didn't have a strong personal voice, use a compelling anecdote, or sound (read?) witty. But, obviously other people thought differently about it since I got in everywhere I applied. I think the SOP is really about being you. What is your research? Why do you want to do it? And how can that department and its faculty (and in some cases, the broader institution) help you get there?
coyabean Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 I think "good" really depends. In re-reading my SOPs last year (at the request of someone that asked something similar), I realized that I don't think my own SOPs were very "good". As in, I can reread them and tell that I didn't have a clear research direction or reason for wanting a PhD. I didn't have a strong personal voice, use a compelling anecdote, or sound (read?) witty. But, obviously other people thought differently about it since I got in everywhere I applied. I think the SOP is really about being you. What is your research? Why do you want to do it? And how can that department and its faculty (and in some cases, the broader institution) help you get there? happy to hear this. maybe there's still hope for my earlier apps. it's difficult because you know yourself and what you are capable of. the reader does not, but that's cold comfort when you go into panic mode.
pea-jay Posted December 5, 2009 Posted December 5, 2009 THanks for the link. The content is mostly irrelevant to my subject matter but tone and structure ideas have been what I have been looking for. This helps
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