Statement of Purpose

It should present the research that you intend to pursue in graduate school. While you may not know what you doctoral research will be, consider what questions you will investigate, what research methodologies you will use, and what conclusions you expect to draw. This material demonstrates that you have a handle on the central questions of your field. Ask yourself, why is this research important? What contribution will it make to your field?

Second

Remember that departments specialize is particular research areas, and they will admit graduate students to work with specific faculty mentors who specialize in those areas. No matter how good a student you are, they probably won’t admit you if you don’t fit with the research agendas of their department.

So, you should identify the schools you want to apply to based on these criteria, and make a strong and persuasive case for why your research agenda would be best served by admission to a particular program. You can imagine that this means you will have to modify the statement to make a unique case about your “fit” with the strengths of each school.

You should identify faculty mentors, labs, archives, research centers, research groups, and any other resources that a department or institution has that can enable and enhance your research.

Make each department sound like your first choice, and be very persuasive about why you feel they should give you one of their few coveted graduate admission spots. Many of these departments are going to invest a great deal in their graduate students, so they want to be sure that you are the right one. Be bold! Tell them why you are the one!

Third

You should spend a limited amount of space discussing your leadership and service work and the ways this they’ve made you a skilled professional.

Fourth

You should briefly discuss your long-range career goals and how earning this advanced degree will serve those goals. You can also discuss what you plan to do in your career to serve your academic/scientific field, and how you plan to use your research to serve society. But only state these things briefly. At least ½ to 2/3 of your statement should focus on the first two items.