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The Statement of Purpose
(Based on a guide from Dr. Carla Trujillo, UC Berkeley College of Engineering.)
Things to keep in mind:
What the admissions committee reads between the lines: motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.
Emphasize everything from a positive perspective.
Demonstrate everything by example. Don't simply state, for example, that you're a persistent person; you must demonstrate it.
You don't want to make excuses, but you can talk about the mistakes you've made as a learning experience.
If there is something important that happened (poverty, illness, excessive work, etc.), which affected your grades, go ahead and state it but write it affirmatively; that is, in a way that shows your perseverance.
Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus.
500-600 words, 1 to 1-1/2 pages typed, single-spaced.
The Statement of Purpose has 3 or 4 parts:
INTRODUCTION
Tell us what you want to study. For example, Physics Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Experiment.
UNDERGRAD EXPERIENCE
Summarize what you did as an undergraduate:
Important classes which stimulated your desire for graduate study; specific project or class?
Research you might have done. Indicate with whom, the title of the project and what your responsibilities were. Write technically, since professors will be reading this.
Work experience, especially when relevant to experimental techniques, computer programming, etc.
JOB EXPERIENCE
If you graduated and worked for a while before returning to grad school, then describe your work experience: company, work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned.
RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST
Explain in greater detail what you want to study in graduate school; this is an elaboration of your opening paragraph.
Describe your area of interest, and why you chose it. There is no need to be over-specific; it's ok to be undecided, or to indicate flexibility.
Contact the department (e.g. look through our website) to learn about specific professors' research. If someone's research interests match your own, then mention this connection. (Be sincere; don't make up something bogus just to impress people.)
