Statement of Purpose

[Katie0013]

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Hey guys,

I'm a couple of drafts into my Statement of purpose for graduate Psychology and Neuroscience programs. Would anyone mind reading it for me and giving a critique? If any one else is in the same situation I would definitely read/help with yours in return 🙂. Thanks!

 

[Phipps]

Hey guys,

I'm a couple of drafts into my Statement of purpose for graduate Psychology and Neuroscience programs. Would anyone mind reading it for me and giving a critique? If any one else is in the same situation I would definitely read/help with yours in return 🙂. Thanks!

Hi:
When I did my SOP last year I gave them to two of my professors who also wrote recommendations. I found that very helpful and they were happy to help. Just a thought. G'luck!!

 

[anonymousrae]

I am applying to Clinical Psychology programs, and I am stuck on the SOP. I have done a lot of editing before even finishing my first draft, but I'd be glad to share and critique!

 

[Psych2011]

ugh, I'm working on my SoP as I write this too. It makes me so frustrated as I feel like anything I write is SO unoriginal.

I'd be happy to help read other's statements and would love if someone would read mine over when I have a rough draft ready (and according to my rigid schedule, that should be by Sunday).

If there's an interest, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to put together SoP groups of about 4 people in each to read over and comment each others SoPs. What do you guys think?

 

[Katie0013]

Definitely! Like I said, I'm up for swapping critiques 🙂. Can you guys PM me your email?

 

[LHDMMD]

I'm working on my SOP as well for clinical psych. Feel free to PM me.

 

[spafticus]

Count me in.

I'm having a tough time answering "Why this program?" other than speaking about a similar research interest with a POI. 🙁

Looks like I'm going to have 2 templates. The one I working on now that talks about my development as a scientist vs a shorter, more typical one that will fit within the 500 word limit that some of my schools require.

/ugh.

 

[Psych2011]

Great, feel free to pm me your email and we can set up a proof-reading group 🙂

 

[JuniperTree]

Please let me join! I love editing,.

My SOP really really really needs help on the research part - I'm having a very hard time stating my interests and connecting it to my experience.

Anyone wants to partner?

 

[Psych2011]

Ok, so I have a couple of email addresses, but I have also heard that some might not be comfortable sharing their email. Can anyone think of a good way to do it without emailing? I don't know if we can copy and paste into a message here, but it might be too long. I was also thinking of setting up a gmail account where all of us can share the SoPs, but I don't know if that's a good idea.

Any other thoughts?

 

[spafticus]

So, people want to be part of a group of SOP editing, but they don't want to share their contact information? I don't quite understand...

It takes a minute to create a new email just for this purpose if people don't want to share their regular email.

 

[Psych2011]

Yeah, but if most do feel comfortable sharing their emails, we can just stick to that. I have three email addresses so far (mine included) so if anyone else wants to join in, let me know and I will send out an email to all of you guys tonight so that we can start sharing drafts. 🙂

Of course you can always be added to the list after tonight too!

 

[yeti2213]

dude, i'm totally in on this SOP group action.

sending a pm with my email in a min. is everyone in question applying to PhD programs? I'm applying to Masters only this time around but the SOP's don't look different

 

[Psych2011]

I sent out an email for those who have given me their emails so far. Let me know if anyone wants to be added to the list.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I'd be happy to look over SOPs, if anyone wants. Feel free to PM me. 🙂

 

[GreenAcademe]

Guys, I am such a nerd.

I am sitting here, trying to eek out another paragraph in my personal statement when my cats start verbally harassing me for food. I tell myself that I will finish one more paragraph before I feed them, thereby stopping the endless meows. Then I mentally congratulated myself on effectively using negative reinforcement to keep writing.

Thought fellow nerds in similar situations might find this episode funny. Good luck reinforcing your writing behavior!

P.S. Writing these things SUCKS!

 

[psychdocstudent]

Hey guys,

I'm a couple of drafts into my Statement of purpose for graduate Psychology and Neuroscience programs. Would anyone mind reading it for me and giving a critique? If any one else is in the same situation I would definitely read/help with yours in return 🙂. Thanks!

count me in. feel free to PM me as well! Thanks.

 

[Jegg]

I am sitting here, trying to eek out another paragraph in my personal statement when my cats start verbally harassing me for food. I tell myself that I will finish one more paragraph before I feed them, thereby stopping the endless meows. Then I mentally congratulated myself on effectively using negative reinforcement to keep writing.

I'm not sure that would qualify as negative reinforcement. If the cats stopped meowing anytime you typed, and thus you keep typing so they won't meow, it would qualify.

You could possibly say that your anxiety is triggered by the meowing and then is alleviated when you convince yourself to type more, so that you can feed them later, as long as this process causes you to keep typing in order to avoid the anxiety; thus your cognitions are responsible for the negative reinforcement in this scenerio. But Skinner definitely wouldn't approve since cognitions are not an overt behavior.

 

[GreenAcademe]

I'm not sure that would qualify as negative reinforcement. If the cats stopped meowing anytime you typed, and thus you keep typing so they won't meow, it would qualify.

You could possibly say that your anxiety is triggered by the meowing and then is alleviated when you convince yourself to type more, so that you can feed them later, as long as this process causes you to keep typing in order to avoid the anxiety; thus your cognitions are responsible for the negative reinforcement in this scenerio. But Skinner definitely wouldn't approve since cognitions are not an overt behavior.

Touché. I have been corrected and out-nerded!

 

[syzergy]

Just wondering if I could also get on this SOP reading bandwagon. I'll send out a PM for emails to those who said they were cool with looking over SOPs! Thanks all. 🙂

 

[suzypep]

.

 

[spafticus]

I'm a bit stuck.
I like my overall story of why psychology and why research, but I'm having a tough time writing significantly about why this particular program. Any tips on how to address this?

 

[Autism]

Hi all,

I'd also like to get on the bandwagon. I'm down for trading edits.. PM I guess. I have a draft going so far but need help making it clearer and less repetitive etc.. adhering to the actual questions of the statement etc.

 

[suzypep]

You guys, I am so stuck on my personal statement! Everyone says I should be "creative", but "professional", and "write a narrative", but "don't get maudlin and weird". I have written three different half-essays. I'm so confused. How do you start your statement? Are you writing a creative but professional narrative that's not weird? Please let me know. Thank you in advance, and you are all awesome and I want to hug you.

 

[deuce22]

You guys, I am so stuck on my personal statement! Everyone says I should be "creative", but "professional", and "write a narrative", but "don't get maudlin and weird". I have written three different half-essays. I'm so confused. How do you start your statement? Are you writing a creative but professional narrative that's not weird? Please let me know. Thank you in advance, and you are all awesome and I want to hug you.

I wrote probably 12 different opening paragraphs until I found one that worked (all of my programs are essentially the same and so I knew I just needed to discover one good opener). The key is to keep it succinct (3-4 sentences max) and make sure that you can tie it in with the rest of the content you will include. I'm interested in sleep research so I open with a specific experience that I had while working in a sleep lab that informed my current research interests (treating insomnia comorbid with other psychiatric disorders). I guess its creative because I use some poetic language to talk about sleep, but for the most part I want to convey my understanding of the field before talking about why I want to work in it and why I'm choosing this program, etc.

I've been told by numerous people to craft the whole SoP into a narrative, so if you just keep a common theme that you touch on at the beginning and end of the essay it should feel cohesive. I hope that helps to answer your question. It took me probably 2-3 weeks of sitting down and banging out different angles before I found something that stuck. One thing I did was to just write down a list of a couple of different ideas (like what got me interested in psychology, unique aspects of my academic background, leadership experiences, etc.) and then clustering different topics around them until they were fleshed out enough to adequately address all of the topics for each school's SoP requirements while still including personal details that I want them to know.

Good Luck!

 

[riceowl2012]

*

 

[Member03326588]

for clinical psych phd programs, should research experience be the sole focus? i've heard that one should stay away from mentioning anything clinical.

 

[ddsooner]

I've been told SOPs or personal statements are fairly different between counseling programs and clinical programs. Any thoughts? I am currently finishing up a general statement for counseling psychology programs and would appreciate any information. Thanks!

 

[sossboss]

Hello, I am new to the SDN and I may be too late behind the rest of you all to help much, but I was wondering whether anyone might be available to help review my SOP. I am having a tricky time knowing what is the best info to include and what I should omit. I would be more than happy to review other's SOPs as well!

 

[Jegg]

I'm having a tough time answering "Why this program?" other than speaking about a similar research interest with a POI. 🙁

Read the student manual (or at least portions of it...). There is usually plenty of stuff in the manuals to incorporate into your SOP.

 

[MarshmallowsNOM]

I've been told SOPs or personal statements are fairly different between counseling programs and clinical programs. Any thoughts? I am currently finishing up a general statement for counseling psychology programs and would appreciate any information. Thanks!

I have this question also! Has anyone responded to you?

Also, for counseling programs, if they don't say to mention a specific research match with professors, should you still do it? One of my programs states that they are training generalists, and that a faculty mentor will be assigned after you begin the program, but it's not the same as the specific research mentor relationship as in many clinical programs. So, should I just write a general statement of my experience, and reasons why I am drawn the the overall program instead of mentioning specific research interests and specific faculty?

 

[ddsooner]

I have this question also! Has anyone responded to you?

Also, for counseling programs, if they don't say to mention a specific research match with professors, should you still do it? One of my programs states that they are training generalists, and that a faculty mentor will be assigned after you begin the program, but it's not the same as the specific research mentor relationship as in many clinical programs. So, should I just write a general statement of my experience, and reasons why I am drawn the the overall program instead of mentioning specific research interests and specific faculty?

Never received a response. However, I focused a lot less on research experience and accomplishments.

Some schools said nothing about mentioning specific faculty members but I still mentioned at least two. It's always good for them to know that there is faculty among them who would be interested and competent in your research interests. Plus, faculty members tend to attract applicants so it'd be yet another reason why you'd like to be admitted into their programs. 😀

 

[thepug]

Anyone here think the SOP is worthless and ridiculously obscure?

OK what is it saying about you?

1) A writing sample

2) A snapshot of your CV

3) Your personality (sort of)


----Why don't they just:

1) Go off GRE writing score 😱 "What's that?"

2) The CV for credentials (and letters of course)

3) The Interview

I know you have to specify who you want to work with, but that can be covered in the online application.

I'm sorry, I just found it to be 90% generic and 10% individualized to my goals at the actual institution. How about giving the applicant an article and have them very briefly propose an extension to the findings in that study?

 

[roubs]

Anyone here think the SOP is worthless and ridiculously obscure?

OK what is it saying about you?

1) A writing sample

2) A snapshot of your CV

3) Your personality (sort of)


----Why don't they just:

1) Go off GRE writing score 😱 "What's that?"

2) The CV for credentials (and letters of course)

3) The Interview

I know you have to specify who you want to work with, but that can be covered in the online application.

I'm sorry, I just found it to be 90% generic and 10% individualized to my goals at the actual institution. How about giving the applicant an article and have them very briefly propose an extension to the findings in that study?

If an advisor is going to take you on for 5-7 years I think they have an interest in evaluating your writing themselves instead of relying on some random GRE graders. And with the # of applicants they're going to want to read something that should be a page long as compared to an actual research paper, even a short extension study proposal.

 

[Psychadelic2012]

How about giving the applicant an article and have them very briefly propose an extension to the findings in that study?

👍 Great idea. Good luck with getting it started in the annals of entrenched academia, though!!

 

[thepug]

If an advisor is going to take you on for 5-7 years I think they have an interest in evaluating your writing themselves instead of relying on some random GRE graders. And with the # of applicants they're going to want to read something that should be a page long as compared to an actual research paper, even a short extension study proposal.

I see where your coming from, but I've had professors openly say the SOP is an outdated concept. I mean when you have 20 applicants a letter-like SOP seems appropriate, with 300 it's just a waste of trees.

 

[Ollie123]

This is true, but at least here (and I'd guess many places) the SOP is probably only going to be (thoroughly) read by the person you are applying to. That means they are probably only going through ~20 since the committee weeds out the folks with no chance based primarily on the more objective criteria (i.e. what you said) prior to that. I'm sure they look at the SOP to make sure it isn't a train wreck, but my understanding is that it matters a lot more for the "final" cuts once the pool has been whittled down. So basically, the main premise is to get at #3 (though I'd frame it a bit more broadly: personality, goals, research direction, etc.) pre-interview, so they don't end up interviewing 25 people for every opening when many of them likely aren't a good fit.

That said, I did hate writing them. Just finished an F31 and those of you applying just you wait - there are probably 4-5 separate "Personal-statement-like" sections that have somewhat vague instructions and all seem to be slightly redundant. I like the idea of proposing a follow-up study, but I do think there are merits to seeing what people can do without any sort of prompt - not to mention the difficulty of coming up with something that would appease everyone - would it be lab specific?

 

[turtlebutt]

I didn't actually mention "why this program" in my personal statements beyond discussing research match, and had lots of success, so I wouldn't worry too much--something very brief will likely suffice.