I’ve advised my research and classroom students on their grad school applications, and found myself giving basically the same response. The most common request? Advice on writing the “Statement of Purpose,” and examples in science disciplines. Here are the resources I tend to share:
“So you want to go to grad school? Nail the inquiry email.”
Great advice from Prof. Jacquelyn Gill on how to prepare before the application season.
Female Science Professor’s “Writing to Me”
Insight on how inquiry emails come across to professors – and how she tends to respond.
Dreaming of Chickens blog – “On That Personal Statement”
Another faculty perspective on how SOPs might be read, spurred by recent conversations on social media and the question – how personal is too personal?
“Writing the Statement of Purpose”
advice from UC Berkeley Graduate Division
Catherine Sledge Moore (Psychology) – Application Essays advice, and link to her own SOP
The Unlikely Grad (Geochemistry) – “A Winning (?) SOP”
“Applying to Grad School – Statement of Purpose”
Laura E. Mariani (Neuroscience) has nicely storified several of the above links at her blog.
The Grad Cafe
Online community populated with prospective applicants, current graduate students, and the occasional professor.
Updates to these “Resources” pages are ongoing. Please contact me with any questions, and suggested additions.
Katherine C. Glover, Ph.D. 