Writing the
Statement of Purpose for
Graduate School
Michael J. Spivey
Cognitive Science
University of California, Merced
Contributing authors:
Evan Heit, Psychology and Cognitive Science, UC Merced
Alex Whalley, Economics, UC Merced
Factors for Admissions
• GPA
• GRE
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview/Visit
• STATEMENT of PURPOSE
• Complete Application
Statement of Purpose
• Idea of your research/study
interests
• Sample of your ability to write
• Proxy for interview
• Can be the difference between
getting in or not
• Opportunity to sell yourself!
Central Theme
• Reasons for your interest in
attending a specific program at a
particular institution
• Statement is tailored for the
program & institution
The Key Idea
• Look like you will be a success in graduate
school.
– coming in, you are prepared, motivated, focused,
have needed skills (writing, math, research)
– once there, you will successfully complete all
requirements and you will progress as a
researcher
• This is about potential: You don’t have to
already have a PhD to get into graduate
school!
Important to keep in mind:
• Audience: admission committees are
professors in your discipline - no
need to define basic terminology.
• Establish your voice: confident, but
not arrogant
- straightforward tone: explain how you
are prepared for graduate school
- acknowledge poor performances (GPA,
GRE scores etc.) then focus on
achievements not failures
Important to keep in mind:
• Answer the question: most graduate schools
don’t give much instruction about SoP, but if
application asks a specific question, make sure
to address it
• Get feedback: At your current school, talk with
professors and graduate students about
graduate school and the application process,
and get suggested revisions from them on your
draft SoP.
Writing an Effective Statement
• How did you become interested in your field?
- describe how research experiences, courses,
professors, internships, work experiences,
community service, things you’ve read, other
independent studies, or life experiences have
stimulated your interest
• What are your interests and career
objectives?
- be specific about discipline and objectives
- for example, if psychology, what area? teaching vs.
research?
Writing an Effective Statement
• What are your research interests?
- research is the essence of a PhD—should be reflected
in statement
- introduce a few topics of interest
- don’t need to make a specific thesis or dissertation
proposal, but should be able to pose 1 or 2 questions or
problems
• What attracts you most to the institution/
program and why are you a good match?
- interests should parallel those of the faculty in the
program you are applying to—read their articles, mention
their names
- the better the match, the better the chance of getting
admitted
Statement Should Be…
• Well organized
• Concise
• Free of grammatical, punctuation and
spelling errors
• Convincing that you will be
successful graduate student
• 2 or 3 pages in length
• Including a last paragraph that mentions
the names and work of potential advisors
• Proof-read!!
Statement Should Not Be…
• An undergraduate application
– not too focused on extracurriculars, life
history, hobbies, general world view
• About your convenience
• Unclear
Discipline-specific:
Economics
• Be prepared: math background
• Know what area you want to study
• Show economic reasoning
Discipline-specific:
Psychology and Cognitive
Science
• Be prepared: research experience,
statistics
• Know what area you want to study
• Show awareness of how topics are
researched
In Conclusion,
The reader should be able to:
• see what you are interested in, and
why
• see that you know what graduate
school is about (research)
• see that you will be a success
Questions???
