Questions tagged [statement-of-purpose]

Concerning an individual, what influences them, professional interests, and plan for the future, typically described as part of a college applicant's application for admission.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
10 votes
5 answers
2k views

Pronouns of professors in Statement of Purpose

In recent years, we have seen the emergence of numerous pronouns beyond the regular he/him and she/her, such as they/them, Xe/xem, Ver/vir, and many more. However, the issue arises when browsing ...
Nahid Hossain Shihab's user avatar
-1 votes
0 answers
80 views

Is a 3 page Statement of Purpose for Course-based Graduate Program too much?

I have a short-term goal of improving a current Machine learning model in loan disbursements for the unbanked as well as integrating explainable AI (XAI). And my long-term goal is to work on ...
wonderer's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
80 views

How important is to show Extracurricular or Leadership skills in SOP apart from academic background and research interests?

I have an 83-word small paragraph in my SOP (computer science, PhD) mentioning that I am the honorary moderator of a computer club and how I organize events and motivate students to participate in ...
Nahid Hossain Shihab's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
230 views

I can't afford to pay for Statement of Purpose (SOP) proofread. What should I do?

Reliable SOP proofreading services are very costly, almost around $150-$200. I have written an SOP for my Ph.D. program in the USA, which is almost 1400 words, but I need to reduce it to 1000 words. ...
Nahid Hossain Shihab's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
86 views

In my Statement of Purpose (SOP), is it best to write about my specific area of interest, or to broaden my options?

I am currently a 4th year CS undergrad student. If I tailor my Statement of Purpose (SOP) around my research interests (which are related to the research project I am working on with my professor), I ...
Jacqueline's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
5k views

Statement of Purpose for Math PhD's with a fairly complicated mathematical history

TL;DR: I'm applying for a PhD program in mathematics, but my academic performance was bad for a long while and I already have a PhD attempt that I ended early. (However, I now have good enough ...
bears's user avatar
  • 91
0 votes
1 answer
154 views

Is it better for a statement of purpose for a physics PhD program to be straightforward as opposed to attempting to make the style interesting?

Consider a statement of purpose of a physics PhD program. Some people say that the statement of purpose does not matter, but a horrible one can hurt you. So, all that is necessary is to write a decent,...
Silly Goose's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
67 views

How to prioritize which content to mention and what not in the Statement of Purpose

I am applying for the CS Ph.D. program in the USA. While writing my Statement of Purpose (SOP), I realized I have a multitude of accomplishments to convey. For instance, I hold both undergraduate and ...
Nahid Hossain Shihab's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
439 views

What does this personal essay prompt mean?

I am in the middle of my application to Princeton physics graduate school. Princeton requires a personal essay, with the prompt: Princeton is strongly committed to welcoming students from diverse ...
David Raveh's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
697 views

Should I write a personal statement that is department-oriented or research-oriented?

I majored in computer science and I am writing a personal statement to apply for a PhD in computer science. The research direction I'm interested in is somehow related to computational biology in ...
siran Lee's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
277 views

What to do if a professor with whom I have worked with for a long time is unable to provide a letter of recommendation for medical reasons?

I have been working with a professor for almost 2 years of my undergraduate degree and shared a nice bond with them. The work done under this professor is the soul of my Statement of Purpose and how ...
Avii's user avatar
  • 145
1 vote
1 answer
139 views

Should I mention in CS PhD apps that I was accepted into Math PhDs?

I am applying to CS graduate programs, coming from a background in mathematics. As an undergraduate I developed research experience and a strong background in mathematics and was accepted into math ...
user148768's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
126 views

Using figures from papers in PhD applications

Is it okay to use figures from other papers when writing a statement of purpose for a PhD application, after of course citing the paper? Or do I have to ask for permission from the author?
Lilla's user avatar
  • 945
0 votes
1 answer
138 views

Is it reasonable to mention that you would certainly attend a school if accepted in statement of purpose?

When discussing graduate school and PhD programs, I had a professor mention to me that some schools will not accept a student because they do not anticipate that student accepting the offer. This ...
yungtoad's user avatar
  • 101
0 votes
0 answers
83 views

SOP highlighting a change in career path

I am eager to pursue a postgraduate diploma course in supply chain management, a path I believe aligns perfectly with my analytical thinking capabilities. Now I neither have relevant experience nor an ...
Nihan Rizvi's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
30 views

Can a statement of interest be a narrative storytelling kind of style? I'm doing this for a program

More specific is the prompt here: Share why you want to serve on this committee! Your statement of interest should describe your background, knowledge, and any experience that would add value to the ...
Richard Nam's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
282 views

When asked about my topic of interest, I don't have a story to tell. How do I make my answer sound interesting and convincing for the position?

I am currently doing master's in mathematics and am applying for summer research projects in various institutes where they ask a particular question: What is your topic of interest and why? I asked a ...
user519535's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
357 views

I want to do a research project in Mathematics. But I am getting rejected due to no research experience. How should I proceed?

I completed my undergraduate in Mathematics in 2018 and masters degree in 2020. After that, I taught in a college for two years. I was not satisfied with my masters degree, and also was getting ...
user519535's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
864 views

How would PhD Admissions committee read Statements of Purpose?

I am referring to PhD admissions in US here. I've been always told that SoP's are important and require some commitment in writing. But in the meantime I hear a lot of such voices that PhD programs ...
OpticalQuantumEngineer's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
72 views

In my statement of purpose, how much should I elaborate on my project/thesis plans?

I’m applying to schools for my Masters in Computer Science and I’m writing my statement of purpose. I don’t really know what I want to do for my project/thesis, but in their prompts, the schools ask ...
Jake Oliver's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
1k views

What motivates requiring a diversity statement from minority applicants?

Applying for many academic positions in North America often requires a diversity statement. As someone who is a disabled, racial, sexual and religious minority, immigrant, and someone who grew up poor,...
Sin Nombre's user avatar
  • 1,029
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Addressing the shortcoming in IELTS results

I'm applying for fall 2023 and I took the IELTS Academic but scored an overall of 7 with a writing 6. I'm planning to retake the test. Should I mention this in the sop? I wrote this: Despite having ...
Ali Moradi's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
174 views

Best way of mentioning specific non-famous/named theorems in my Statement of Purpose (SOP) for PhD math

In my SOP for PhD math in US grad schools, I am mentioning a specific instance where I came up with an easier solution to a problem using elementary theorems, instead of using more complex theorems. ...
ZSMJ's user avatar
  • 544
0 votes
1 answer
90 views

SOP: Should I mention that I was accepted before for a similar course but decided to drop out?

Due to my above average performance in my Bachelor's, my university (which is the toppest one in my country) allowed me to enroll a master's course directly. This is really a great opportunity and is ...
RANA's user avatar
  • 3
1 vote
3 answers
174 views

How to call a paper that has been submitted to a journal? [duplicate]

For my statement of academic purpose I want to highlight that I have a work on arXiv which has been submitted to a journal. How would I call such a work? Is the term "submitted publication" ...
Welcome_Green's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
102 views

Can I mention my current grad school in my PS for PhD application to other schools?

I am currently a master's student at upenn, and I am trying to apply for phd in other schools. Would it be okay if I explicitly mention upenn in personal statement because I was trying to talk about a ...
user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
479 views

Should I mention in my Statement of Purpose that this university is my "top" choice

I am applying to graduate schools this year for a master's degree. I've read that some universities will reject some "strong" applicants because they believe this student would be accepted ...
whoisit's user avatar
  • 611
1 vote
2 answers
221 views

Guideline for Statement of purpose

In the guidelines for the statement of purpose for a PhD one of them says this: "A self-assessment of any past research experience and analytical skills.". This is my first ever statement of ...
elenaga18's user avatar
28 votes
8 answers
10k views

Humor in a personal statement

As I write personal statements for graduate school, I want to highlight my hard work through humor and also just show my personality. As someone who works full time (in order to fund my education) as ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

Indicating professors from a different department in a PhD application statement of purpose

I am applying for US PhD's this December. I have a BS in mechanical engineering and an MS in artificial intelligence. The common advice is to mention advisors you would like to work for in the ...
tonyd629's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
4k views

Life story on Ph.D SOP

I am applying to math Ph.D programs from U.S universities for next fall. Frankly, I was not a good student during my Bachelor's degree. Instead, I did many things towards finding my real dream: what I ...
JAEMTO's user avatar
  • 213
1 vote
1 answer
644 views

How to write statement of purpose with study gap and unrelated work experience?

I'm having difficulty in writing my statement of purpose for my MA political science. I had a degree in political science, then a 10yrs study gap. All my work experience are not related to my field of ...
adeyemi adeitan's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
391 views

Best website for giving details of a book mentioned in a Statement of Purpose

I want to mention a book in my SOP/PS and would like to provide a link so that the reader can easily get more details about the book instead of googling it. What would be the ideal website for this ...
ZSMJ's user avatar
  • 544
2 votes
1 answer
331 views

Is it better to merge my SOP and PS into a single essay or just join the two files one after the other to create a single file?

I'm applying to grad schools in the U.S. for a Ph.D. in mathematics and I recently read about the key differences between an SOP(Statement of Purpose) and a PS(Personal Statement) after noticing a few ...
ZSMJ's user avatar
  • 544
0 votes
0 answers
116 views

Should I explain the reason why I am still taking basic computer science courses when applying for graduate school?

I am an undergraduate student double majoring in computer science in my last year of college, but I am still studying data structure, operation system and will study algorithm and computer ...
高造擎's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
266 views

On Writing Statement of Purpose for Grad school Applications

I'm currently preparing a Statement of Purpose (SoP) for my grad school applications this year, and I have some questions about the content and organization of SoP. Some people say that SoP should ...
HelloWorld's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
171 views

What to write in a motivation letter where the template says "In a few lines, specify your professional project"

My program is structured such that I have to do two years at one institution, then transfer to a different institution for the third and final year. I am now finishing the second year and filling out ...
Amine M's user avatar
  • 11
6 votes
5 answers
7k views

Will it hurt my chances if I state I want to study Theoretical Computer Science instead of something like AI/ML for PhD?

I will be applying to CS PhD programs coming fall. I have a BA in Mathematics right now. I am hearing that it is harder to get into a CS PhD program if I state I want to study Theoretical Computer ...
prestonphilly's user avatar
-3 votes
2 answers
211 views

We are applying for Australia and my wife wants to pursue her diploma? [closed]

My wife and I want to go to Australia. She wants to pursue her diploma in hotel management and so we are on the verge of writing our SOP. Should I state that she is single or married, as we heard that ...
Yooman's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
1 answer
220 views

Write up on preparation for pursuing a PhD degree in your subject of interest

I am applying Ph.D. in Mathematics. In the form I found the question. Please write about your preparation for pursuing a PhD degree in your subject of interest? How should I write the answer? What ...
user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
1k views

PhD personal statement include controversial past

I grew up in an abusive family wherein some family members continuously manipulated and exploited me. And around 10+ years ago I engaged with some violent resistance. Later I reflected on this ...
Momobee's user avatar
  • 35
0 votes
1 answer
258 views

I'm a working professional. How do address my lack of (recent) research experience in my SOP?

I am working as a senior computer vision engineer in a startup. Two years back I worked as an intern at DRDO (national defense institute) where I published two papers related to computational ...
Amarnath's user avatar
  • 101
3 votes
1 answer
157 views

Computer Science PhD Application Process Confusion

I am looking for PhD programs in CS in the US. I am currently a junior at a liberal arts college in the US. I have started looking at programs that I am interested in by reading some of the research ...
prestonphilly's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
128 views

Do only faculty members mentioned in the Ph.D. application system review that particular application? [closed]

Some departments in US STEM universities require the applicant to mention the names of faculty members with whom they are interested in working with within the online Ph.D. application system. So do ...
Andrew Dane's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
88 views

How should I approach writing my statement of purpose if I intend to apply for PhD in CS without a master's degree or any relevant research?

I have an undergraduate degree in CS from UK. I have a good GPA and a decent GRE score (164 Quantitative, 159 Verbal). I hope to apply to some PhD programs, most in the US, but am afraid that my lack ...
niripir's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
348 views

Can I include another university's name in my SOP?

I am writing my SOP for MSc in computer science, in a paragraph, I'm explaining about things I did to learn more about the field of study I am interested in. Is it alright to write that I watched a ...
SMMousaviSP's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
268 views

Forgetting to use a title when referring to professors

When I was checking my SoP for grad school, I noticed that I didn't use a title when referring to specific professors. For example, instead of writing: "I spoke to Prof. X and Prof. Y" I ...
Matej Neumann's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is 2500 words an appropriate length for Statement of Purpose?

Usually, for Statement of Purpose (Ph.D. application), the standard length is 1000 words or 2 pages. However, the University of California, San Diego asked for a 2500 words limit. Does this mean I am ...
Reilly Ward's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
190 views

Mentioning Masters GPA vs Undergrad GPA in SOP?

I'm applying for Astronomy/Astrophysics PhD programs in the U.S. My undergrad GPA at UT Austin is 3.1/4, but my Master's GPA with all graduate-level classes is 3.85/4 so far, which is a very big ...
Adamzen's user avatar
  • 43
3 votes
1 answer
174 views

Potential supervisor didn't reply to my email, can I still show my interest on my SAP?

I am an undergraduate student applying to graduate schools. I tried to get in touch with a potential Ph.D. supervisor (in Electrical Engineering) but haven't heard back from him. In my application ...
IGY's user avatar
  • 1,221

1
2 3 4 5
11