Contest for "best" SOP & LOR

[alexis]

This was probably posted last year on here, but it's pretty funny (best aka worst SOP, there are more in the Dec 2008 archive):

http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2008/12/sop-contest-entry-1.html

And now it's looking like there's a contest this year for the "best" LOR, THAT should be interesting:

http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2009/12/letters-of-reference-contest.html

[ridgey]

The blogger has put names up with the SoPs. No way to know if they're the real names, but ouch! I'm really paranoid that my stuff is going to end up in something similar - this feeds my paranoia.

Oh wait. Just reading the first one now. It's fake, yes?

Edited December 19, 2009 by ridgey

[alexis]

Oh wait. Just reading the first one now. It's fake, yes?

Yeah, they're fake, I'm pretty sure.

[coyabean]

Oh NO!!! LOL This is awesome. THIS is what i need while waiting. It's horrible and small and petty but this makes me feel like I'm still in the game. May all of them be this bad or only slightly better.

[iamwhoiam]

Oh NO!!! LOL This is awesome. THIS is what i need while waiting. It's horrible and small and petty but this makes me feel like I'm still in the game. May all of them be this bad or only slightly better.

I wish I hadn't read these. I used the horrifying "putting a quotation in your SOP" rule, and I feel bad. I even managed work my entire essay around it. The only reason for keeping it was that everyone who read my SOP told me to use the quote. Oh well, it's too late now.

[alexis]

I wish I hadn't read these. I used the horrifying "putting a quotation in your SOP" rule, and I feel bad. I even managed work my entire essay around it. The only reason for keeping it was that everyone who read my SOP told me to use the quote. Oh well, it's too late now.

I'm sure you're okay, I think the point they were making is that some people force quotes into it or use ones that are cliche or aren't really relevant. If yours was meaningful and related to your field of study etc, you'll be fine

[Venetia]

I wish I hadn't read these. I used the horrifying "putting a quotation in your SOP" rule, and I feel bad. I even managed work my entire essay around it. The only reason for keeping it was that everyone who read my SOP told me to use the quote. Oh well, it's too late now.

Don't worry, I used a quote too and was thinking the exact same thing! But somehow I think C. S. Lewis beats John Lennon in the quoting hierarchy...

[ColorlessGreen]

The blog's been updated with the "winners" of the LOR contest now.

http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2009/12/letter-of-reference-contest-results.html

http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2009/12/lorr-results-continued.html

http://science-professor.blogspot.com/2009/12/more-lor.html

Let me tell you, these make me feel a lot better about my own LORs. Nothing could be as bad as the real (!) excerpts given in the second link.