Since it’s nearing the end of November, and application deadlines for our intrepid readers applying to graduate programs are fast approaching, I thought circulating an outline of my thoughts on writing a successful statement of purpose might prove a helpful addition to the blog. Any academic with even a modicum of compassion for the aspiring graduate student recognizes that the process of generating a statement of purpose is a tremendously stressful and anxiety-producing challenge. How does one even begin to go about imagining and persuasively describing one’s past, present, and future academic selves in what frequently amounts to fewer than two pages of text? However, what I hope this post accomplishes is to make concrete and believable the idea that the act of crafting the statement of purpose is, actually, a tremendous opportunity–and even something to be enjoyed. You get the chance to envision who you want to become in grad school (the greatest process of self-actualization I’ve ever experienced), the intellectual communities in which you wish to take part, and what your ideas might conceptually offer to others asking similar questions and working in disparate fields and areas.
The following should be helpful for anyone applying to any humanities M.A. or Ph.D. program. I begin with some general points, followed by a paragraph by paragraph breakdown of one way of structuring the statement. However, it is also important to realize there is no set formula or template for such a document. These are merely the strategies that worked for me. Accordingly, I invite further comment, conversation, and advice from others on how they’ve gone—or are currently going through—the process.