5 Tips for Writing a Statement of Purpose for Graduate Programs

Many graduate school applications are due next month and we know most applicants are asked to write a Statement of Purpose to accompany their application.  While the Statement of Purpose will vary somewhat depending upon your field and the program to which you apply, there are some points every person writing one should keep in mind:

  1. A Statement of Purpose should be…purposeful.  That is to say, you should be direct about why you are applying to graduate school and what you plan to do there and afterwards.  There is no need to convey your entire educational background or write oodles about how much you love your field of interest.
  2. Be clear about the scope of your experiences in your field.  If you did research on something, for example, you might convey what research methods you used, whether you worked individually or collaboratively, describe any end results of the work, or share any important things you learned from the project.  Saying you researched a topic or area is not enough, you need describe your work with some (but too much) detail.
  3. Be sure to write about your experience, your future in the graduate program, and your career objectives.  Everything should make sense.  Someone can describe some wonderful experiences, but not a clear vision of what they hope to gain from graduate studies.  Another person might skip mentioning any professional life after graduate school.  Cover all areas.
  4. You should communicate a high level of understanding of the field.  This means sharing the particulars of your experiences in way that doesn’t merely report facts or repeat the obvious, but shows that you are actively thinking about significant issues and areas for further exploration.  You want to sound like someone who is ready to move forward, not someone who wants to take more undergraduate courses or continue to assist graduate students in a lab.
  5. Be sure you are at the center of the Statement.  Writing a great deal about your love of the subject, the high quality of program to which you are applying, or quoting other people doesn’t address the questions in your readers’ minds:  Why do you want to go to graduate school?  Are you a good fit for their program?  Are you motivated and, if so, for what reasons?

Author: Carol Hagan

Carol Hagan is a pre-health and pre-grad advisor in Career Services. She has a Ph.D. in art history from Penn and did her undergraduate work at Wesleyan University.