Writing A Statement Of Purpose.pdf 6i1k5x

WRITING A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE What is a statement of purpose? http://careercenter.cofc.edu/documents/statementofpurpose.pdf The Statement of Purpose (often called “letter of intent” or “application essay” by various educational institutions) is one of the most important components of your application process. This document provides the issions committee with information that allows them to become more acquainted with who you are; what you want to study at graduate school and why; experiences you have in the field; and what you plan on doing with the degree once you have mastered it. A statement of Purpose also serves as a writing sample and interview. Tips on Writing a Statement of Purpose 1. Be Yourself. Be mindful that you are seeking a program that is a good match for you. Do not disguise who you are or second-guess what the committee is looking for. 2. Write a Strong Opening. You want to stand out from the multitude of other applicants. Write an opening that grabs the reader’s attention. 3. Frame the points you wish to make in a positive light. You do not want to reveal weaknesses in your personality. 4. Describe an important experience that is relevant to the program of interest. It is usually good to place this portion of the essay towards the opening. This experience may have contributed to the person that you are today. Make a point to note that in your writing. 5. Be Specific, Concise, Honest and Unique. 6. Describe why you are a good match for their program. Tell the committee about your skills and interest in that particular program. Be specific and thoughtful. 7. Talk about your goals. Explain how a graduate degree will help you accomplish those goals. 8. Explain any shortcomings in your background. (i.e. You had a poor GPA during your freshman year in college. Put a positive spin on this explanation and illuminate how your GPA has improved as you matured.) When writing a Statement of Purpose, your thoughts and ideas can become quite overwhelming as you struggle to create an effective essay that captures who you are and why you are applying. The following advice is another friendly measure in helping you write that winning essay:    

Follow the Institution’s instructions on how they want the Statement of Purpose to be written. 1. Word Count 2. Number of Pages 3. Format (spacing, margins, font size, etc.) Write a first draft. Read the questions again. Make sure that you have effectively answered the questions provided by the institution. Ask a professor, counselor or someone that you trust to read your first draft and provide any on its content. Once you have received adequate , make the necessary changes to your essay and prepare your final draft. The final draft should contain strong sentence variety and be free of spelling and grammatical errors.

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Make sure that you have established your voice in your final draft. Your tone in the essay should reflect what is special, diverse, unique, or impressive about you. Save! Save! Save! Be sure to keep a backup file of your document. A portion of this essay may be useful for writing another letter of intent to another college or university. You definitely do not want to submit the same essay when applying to multiple schools.

If you find that you are still having difficulties completing your Statement of Purpose, do not stress. Take a few days and put this task aside. You will find that other activities will jog your mind and creativity, providing you with ideas and content to incorporate into your paper. A Statement of Purpose requires time and thoughtfulness. You want to sell yourself to the committee and in order to do that you need to put your best foot forward. Be honest. Most importantly, be yourself. Things to Avoid When Writing a Statement of Purpose  Errors, misspellings, poor English  Submit a handwritten essay (unless requested)  “Talk down” to your audience. Your audience does not need to have basic terminology defined for them.  Be mindful that they are already experts in the program that you are applying for.  Be too personal in your essay. Do not focus on deep personal problems or excuses for past performances or experiences.  Be repetitive or too general in your statements.  Criticize other school programs  Use uncommon words that look like they came from a thesaurus.  Write an autobiography. You want to give the committee a sense of who you are but they do not want to hear about your entire life story. Be specific and mindful of your personal details.  Submit untruthful or irrelevant information in your essay.  Plagiarism. You do not want to copy and submit another student’s letter of intent.  Be overly informal General Formatting for a Statement of Purpose We encourage the following:    

Maximum Page Length: 2 (do not exceed the limit) Double-spaced 1-inch Margins Times New Roman 12 pt. Font (preferred)

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/2/ Questions to ask yourself before you write:  

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story? What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?

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When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained? How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field? If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth? What are your career goals? Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)? Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life? What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, comion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess? Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants? What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the issions committee to be interested in you?

General advice Answer the questions that are asked  

If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar. Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story 

Think in of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the issions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific 

Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle 

If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph 

The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know 

The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects 

There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed 

If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly 

Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many issions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés 

A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from oftenrepeated or tired statements.

Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules 1. Strive for depth rather than breadth. Narrow focus to one or two key themes, ideas or experiences 2. Try to tell the reader something that no other applicant will be able to say 3. Provide the reader with insight into what drives you 4. Be yourself, not the 'ideal' applicant 5. Get creative and imaginative in the opening remarks, but make sure it's something that no one else could write 6. Address the school's unique features that interest you 7. Focus on the affirmative in the personal statement; consider an addendum to explain deficiencies or blemishes 8. Evaluate experiences, rather than describe them 9. Proofread carefully for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage, and style 10. Use readable fonts, typeface, and conventional spacing and margins Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Pitfalls 1. Do not submit an expository resume; avoid repeating information found elsewhere on the application 2. Do not complain or whine about the "system" or circumstances in your life 3. Do not preach to your reader. You can express opinions, but do not come across as fanatical or extreme 4. Do not talk about money as a motivator 5. Do not discuss your minority status or disadvantaged background unless you have a compelling and unique story that relates to it 6. Do not remind the school of its rankings or tell them how good they are 7. Do not use boring clichéd intros or conclusions o "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is..." o "This question asks me to discuss..." o "I would like to thank the issions committee for considering my application." o "It is my sincere hope that you will grant me the opportunity to attend your fine school." o "In sum, there are three reasons why you should it me..." 8. Do not use unconventional and gimmicky formats and packages 9. Do not submit supplemental materials unless they are requested 10. Do not get the name of the school wrong 11. Do not incorporate technical language or very uncommon words How to Write a Great Statement of Purpose Vince Gotera English Language and Literature University of Northern Iowa, January 2006 The Statement of Purpose required by grad schools is probably the hardest thing you will ever write. (Incidentally, the statement of purpose may also be called an Application Essay,

Objectives for Graduate Study, Personal Background, Cover Letter, or some comparable title.) I would guess virtually all grad-school applicants, when they write their first draft of the statement of purpose, will get it wrong. Much of what you have learned about writing and also about how to present yourself will lead you astray. For example, here's an opening to a typical first draft: I am applying to the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at the University of Okoboji because I believe my writing will blossom at your program since it is a place where I will be challenged and I can hone my writing skills. How's that? It's clear, it's direct, and it "strokes" the MFA program, right? Wrong. All of it is obvious and extraneous. The issions committee knows you are applying to their MFA program because everyone in the stacks of applications they are reading is applying for the same thing. The issions committee will also know that your writing will "blossom" there since they feel they have a strong program. Of course you will be challenged — all undergrads going on to a grad program will be challenged, no matter how well-prepared they think they are. And of course the new grad student will "hone [her] writing skills" — isn't that the main purpose of the MFA program? Let's assume the required length of this particular program's statement of purpose is 300 words. Well, with this opening you will have used up 15% of your space saying virtually nothing. 15%! In fact, not only is this opening paragraph obvious, extraneous, and space-stealing, it's boring! Imagine who's reading this and where: five professors "locked" in a room with 500 applications. Do you think this opening paragraph will command their attention? Will they read the rest of this statement of purpose with an open mind that this applicant is the kind of student they want? Will they this application later? You be the judge. what you learned in first-year composition? You need a "hook." A former student of mine applying to enter a master's program in library science had a great hook. I don't Susan's exact words, but the opening paragraph of her statement of purpose went something like this: When I was eleven, my great-aunt Gretchen ed away and left me something that changed my life: a library of about five thousand books. Some of my best days were spent arranging and reading her books. Since then, I have wanted to be a librarian. Okay ... it's clear, it's direct, it's 45 words, and, most important, it tells the issions committee about Susan's almost life-long ion not just for books but for taking care of books. When the committee starts to discuss their "best picks," don't you think they'll her as "the young woman who had her own library"? Of course they will, because

having had their own library when they were eleven would probably be a cherished fantasy for each of them! Suppose Susan had written this opening paragraph instead: I am honored to apply for the Master of Library Science program at the University of Okoboji because as long as I can I have had a love affair with books. Since I was eleven I have known I wanted to be a librarian. That's 45 words too. Do you think the issions committee will this application among the 500 applications they are wading through? Probably more than half of the applications, maybe a lot more than half, will open with something very similar. Many will say they "have had a love affair with books" — that phrase may sound ionate until you've read it a couple of hundred times. All of us have had some event, some experience, like my student's personal library at eleven, which drives us toward the discipline(s) we inhabit. I was speaking to a group of students recently about this. One student — let's call her Jennifer — said she wanted to get a master's degree in speech therapy. When I asked her why, Jennifer said she had taken a class in it for fun and really loved it. But then I pressed her: was there some personal reason she found that field significant enough to spend her whole life doing it? At first Jennifer said no, but after more questioning she revealed that her brother had speech problems. This was a discovery to her; she had not entered the field with that connection in mind — at least not consciously. But there it was; Jennifer now had her hook. You have to really dig. Be introspective. Don't settle for "I love this field." Why do you love this field? Why do you want to work in this field for the rest of your life? Why does it complete you? Cut through the bull you tell your parents and relatives and friends. What is your truth? Find it and then find a memorable way to say it. Grad schools require the statement of purpose not only because they want to find about you as an applicant, they want you to really think about why you are taking such a life-changing step — truly and profoundly why. Okay, back to the scene of the five professors surrounded by stacks of applications, maybe more than 500. Do you know who they are? What they want? What they like to eat? Obviously, no. Conversely, do they know you? Well, no. But ... the statement of purpose is your chance to help them get to know you! Your statement of purpose should portray you as a person, not just an application among hundreds of others. Not just paper and ink. Here's one way to do it. When I was an undergrad senior first applying for grad schools, I knew a grad student — I'll call him Nigel — who told me he had written a three-sentence statement of purpose to get into Stanford: I want to teach English at the university level. To do this, I need a PhD. That is why I am applying. That was the whole thing. That's only half of 45 words. It certainly portrays Nigel as brash, risk-taking, no-nonsense, even arrogant. If this is how you want to portray yourself, then by all means do this. But you should also know that Nigel's statement of purpose is an all-or-

nothing proposition. You can bet there will be of probably any issions committee who will find Nigel's statement of purpose offensive, even disrespectful. And they might not want such a student at their school. But then I suppose Nigel wouldn't want to be a student at that school, either. Try to make your paper-and-ink self come alive. Don't just say, "I used to work on an assembly line in a television factory, and one day I decided that I had to get out of there, so I went to college to save my own life.”Tell stories (briefly). Use vivid language. Be specific. Be dynamic. Liven up a moment in the lives of those five professors trapped with those 500 applications. Maybe 600. Maybe more. At the same time, be careful not to be glib. Don't be slick. Don't write your application in a sequence of haiku. Don't put in photos. Just be yourself, but a more heightened version of yourself in words (since face-to-face nuance and gestures won't be there to help). your statement of purpose should portray you as (1) ionately interested in the field; (2) intelligent; (3) well-prepared academically and personally; (4) able to take on the challenges of grad school; (5) able to have rapport with professors and fellow grad students — in other words, collegial; (6) able to finish the graduate degree in a timely fashion; and(7) a potentially outstanding representative of that grad school in your future career. That's a lot to cover in a few hundred words (the length of a statement purpose, as required by different schools, tends to be around 300 to 1000 words). "ionate interest in the field" will be covered by the kind of hook I have described above. "Intelligence" will be conveyed by the overall writing, organization, expression, etc. of your statement. Being "well-prepared" can be demonstrated by using the lingo of the field (theory, craft, etc.), describing the specific kinds of coursework and other accomplishments you have in the field. Ability "to take on the challenges of grad school" can be shown by describing the rigor of the work you have done. "Collegiality" is not particularly important but is nevertheless a factor — if you can show yourself as a generally nice and cooperative person, that will do — just be true to your own style. Ability "to finish the graduate program" can be conveyed implicitly by your success thus far and more explicitly if you can tell some (brief) story about adverse obstacles you have overcome. Being a "future outstanding representative" can be implied by your being an outstanding representative of your undergraduate school — for example, don't "bouth" your current college or professors. Often, grad schools will ask you to address other or similar qualities as I've listed above. Just use common sense in focusing on each. Don't address them in the same order as the grad school has listed. Combine them; rearrange them; do whatever you need to do to show yourself as an imaginative person, not a parrot following a line of Brazil nuts to crack. If you have some problematic academic background, address that as well to reassure the issions committee. For example, let's say that you got all C's one semester. Take a (brief) paragraph to explain that you had some emotional setback that semester but then demonstrate how your grades have been sterling since then, and that you now have a 3.83 grade-point average in the discipline. If you spin this well, your story will enhance the issions committee's image of you as someone with the abilities to "take on challenges" and "to finish on time."

Here's an organization I would recommend: (1) ionate hook; (2) segué to your background in the field; (3) specific classes by title and professors you have had (especially if well-known in the field); (4) related extracurricular activities (especially if they hint at some personal quality you want to convey); (5) any publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or public readings); (6) explanations about problems in your background (if needed); and (7) why you have chosen this grad school (name one or two professors and what you know of their specific areas or some feature of the program which specifically attracts you). In relation to 7 mentioning professors will portray you as someone who is genuinely interested in the field. Don't just mention their names, say something of substance about each professor by name, something that reveals you know and appreciate that person's work. Don't necessarily pick the most famous professor, find a lesser-known professor whose work truly intrigues you .Then say something about what you know of that professor's work. Don't suck up — don't be a sycophant. Be fair and honest. Proofread your statement of purpose. Copyedit for consistency, accuracy, and style. that style in writing can be parallel to style in dress: the second affects your image in person while the first affects your image when you may not be present. Leaving in typos and misplaced commas is like dressing in your grubbies for a coat-and-tie / cocktail dress event. Being too wordy is comparable to dressing in an evening gown or a tuxedo for a casual get-together. Being too glib, too mannered, may be like wearing a furry rabbit costume to a party which turns out not to be a Halloween bash. Be careful. Be a perfectionist. Checklist for Writing a Statement of Purpose Vince Gotera | University of Northern Iowa [ ] Organization ... [ ] A "hook" that demonstrates your ion for the field [ ] Segué to your background in the field [ ] Description of your academic background in the field [ ] Specific classes you have taken, given by name [ ] Specific professors you have had, especially if well-known in that field [ ] Extracurricular activities in the field [ ] Publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or public readings) [ ] Explanations about problems in background (if needed) [ ] Explanation of why you have chosen the specific grad school

[ ] Mention one or two professors in that school and what you know of and appreciate about their work [ ] Specific features of the grad program which attract you [ ] Get advice from several of your professors — philosophical advice as well as specific writing advice [ ] Proofread and copyedit; ask friends to proofread and copyedit as well [ ] Keep working on the statement of purpose, even after you have already sent it to school(s) with earlier deadline(s)

EDITING AND REWRITING Language Guidelines Flow While each paragraph should make a complete statement on its own, the essay should logically progress from paragraph to paragraph. Read your essay for flow, or have someone else read it, and ask yourself if there seems to be an abrupt shift between ideas in two consecutive paragraphs. Structure This follows naturally from flow. Do all the paragraphs mesh together to form a cogent whole? Does the essay, through a logical progression of ideas, demonstrate your interest, enthusiasm, and fit in the department you have applied to? Language Avoid slang and abbreviations. For acronyms, use the full form the first time and show the acronym in parentheses. Use grammatically correct English and ALWAYS read your essay carefully for spelling mistakes before you send it off - your computer's spellcheck may not flush out all the errors. Try to make your essay crisp, cutting out unnecessary adverbs, articles and pronouns (for instance, a careful reading may yield several "the's" that are superfluous). Tone Use a consistent tone throughout the essay - it will only confuse the issions officers if you alternately sound like Ernest Hemingway and Shakespeare, and is hardly likely to endear you to them! While you should avoid flowery language and cliches, there is no harm in looking for the most apt phrase or sentence. Be careful while using humor - it can misfire and harm your chances. POLISHING YOUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE POLISHING - THE 'IN THEIR SHOES' CHECK Put your essay away for a day or two. When you take it out, lay it face down for two minutes while you put yourself in the issions committee’s place. Imagine yourself to be a professor or graduate student who is going through a few hundred applications and

classifying them into ‘yes’, ‘maybe’ and ‘no’ piles. Think of how you would look at SoPs and try to read yours through a stranger’s eyes. What do you see? 

that what the school is looking for is a competently written statement of goals and interests that demonstrates how you think, whether you have thought through this decision to apply, and whether your interests and strengths fit in with the program you are applying to. To this end, they expect to see the following in an essay:   

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What areas are you interested in and why, How well defined your interests are, Are these interests based on experience (academic or on the job) that the school may find useful,  Where do you see these interests taking you,  How do you think graduate school will help you,  What experience have you had that will help. Does your essay cover these points? Does it do so in an honest and interesting manner? Many of the students applying will have backgrounds similar to yours, so avoid cliched ideas. Are you repeating information that is available from the resume? Do so very sparingly, and only if you are making a point about your learnings or achievements during that experience. Weed out all other information that sounds like repetition (it will only irritate the reader), or can be included in your resume, or does not actively contribute towards making a point in your essay. Does your essay have an interesting beginning? This need not be witty, but should persuade the reader to stay with you. Have you talked about specific incidents that illustrate your interest or familiarity with the subject, or show something about you? These incidents might include, for example: A college or work project that was instrumental in confirming your interest in the field (be sure to include a recommendation from your guide!) Extra-curricular activities that brought out useful aspects in you (leadership skills or team activities are particularly helpful for business school applications!), a book or person who had a strong influence on you. Does the essay bring out your personality? Or could it have been written by just about anybody? Have you mentioned why you are applying to that particular school? Does this section of the essay demonstrate that you have researched the school and the program? DON’T stop at the standard formula phrase, ‘I am applying to XYZ because of it’s great reputation in _______. Does your essay flow smoothly? If it is choppy and abruptly jumps from paragraph to paragraph, your readers will have a tough time keeping up. Make it easy on them – smoothen the transition between paragraphs. Is the tone too formal or not formal enough? Be professional yet informal – the tone you would take with your Principal or Head of Department, for instance. Does the essay end well? Does it leave the reader with a sense of completion? Avoid usage of cliches like, ‘ I hope the issions committee finds my application up to their expectations’.

POLISHING - SHOWING YOUR STUFF AROUND It is essential to show your SoP to a few people whose opinion you respect – an English teacher from school, a professor, an older friend, a parent or a relative. Include among these, 2-3 people who know you well. Ask your readers to pay particular attention to the following points: The beginning and the end – do they hold interest? The logical and smooth flow of ideas – does each paragraph smoothly give way to the next?  The structure – does each paragraph bring home a central idea and contribute to the overall ‘feel’ of the essay? Are the paragraphs in proper positions?  The style and language – are they appropriate and consistent? Does the essay have too many cliches? Does it repeat particular words or phrases too often? Does it have too many superlatives?  The tone – is it unnecessarily boastful or overly modest?  The quality of the essay – is it boring? Does it bring out the writer’s personality? Does it include superfluous information? Or conversely, are there incidents or aspects the essay should mention? Ask your readers to write their comments on the essay. Also, spend some time discussing it with them. Listen to their suggestions carefully but that this is your essay. You don’t have to implement every suggestion, only those that make sense to you.  

POLISHING - THE FINAL PRINTOUT Once you have the final draft ready, do the following before you take a final printout:    

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Run a spelling and grammar check. Read the essay carefully two-three times for spelling or grammar errors the program did not detect. Look for and correct any anomalies in spacing, font and margins. Choose a readable font and size, nothing fancy. Avoid special effects like underlining, boldface and italics (except in the title, if you have one). Don’t use colors. Don’t use special stationery or your letterhead. Make sure that the school and program mentioned in the essay are correct. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Include a header in the top right-hand corner with your name and the name of the program you are applying to. Use a smaller font size for this. Take a rough print and show it to someone else who can read it over carefully for errors and anomalies. As far as possible, print out your SoP on a separate sheet of paper. Make sure that the printer cartridge is good enough to print clear, crisp copies. Put in a good-quality sheet of white paper. Keep the printed copy carefully in a folder till you are ready to transfer it to the application envelope.

If you must print or write your essay on the application form itself, take a photocopy of the form. Print or write the essay on the copy first, to ensure that it fits easily in the space provided. If it doesn’t, and you don’t have the option of attaching more pages, cut portions of the essay to reduce its length. This is painful, but a much better idea than reducing font size to unreadable levels or using tiny, cramped handwriting – the essay should never cause

strain while reading. While writing by hand, use a good pen, write slowly and carefully and if necessary, draw light pencil lines on the form to ensure that your letters are uniform and in a straight line. Examples of Successful Statements Statement #1 My interest in science dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in physics, chemistry, and math. When I was a senior, I took a first-year calculus course at a local college (such an advanced-level class was not available in high school) and earned an A. It seemed only logical that I pursue a career in electrical engineering. When I began my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the full range of engineering courses, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in engineering. I've also had the opportunity to study a number of subjects in the humanities and they have been both enjoyable and enlightening, providing me with a new and different perspective on the world in which we live. In the realm of engineering, I have developed a special interest in the field of laser technology and have even been taking a graduate course in quantum electronics. Among the 25 or so students in the course, I am the sole undergraduate. Another particular interest of mine is electromagnetics, and last summer, when I was a technical assistant at a worldfamous local lab, I learned about its many practical applications, especially in relation to microstrip and antenna design. Management at this lab was sufficiently impressed with my work to ask that I return when I graduate. Of course, my plans following completion of my current studies are to move directly into graduate work toward my master's in science. After I earn my master's degree, I intend to start work on my Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Later I would like to work in the area of research and development for private industry. It is in R & D that I believe I can make the greatest contribution, utilizing my theoretical background and creativity as a scientist. I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your school, and my conversations with several of your alumni have served to deepen my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your excellent faculty, your computer facilities are among the best in the state. I hope you will give me the privilege of continuing my studies at your fine institution. (Stelzer pp. 38-39) Statement #2 Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature. I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relationship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I

plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication. In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements. Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past. In of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire. Further, earning a Ph.D. in English and American literature would advance my other two career goals by adding to my skills, both critical and creative, in working with language. Ultimately, however, I see the Ph.D. as an end in itself, as well as a professional stepping stone; I enjoy studying literature for its own sake and would like to continue my studies on the level demanded by the Ph.D. program. Adapted by Nohra Vargas