10 Tips for Writing an Effective Statement of Purpose
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- Опубліковано 20 бер 2018
- Getting ready to apply to grad school? Watch this video for expert tips on creating a powerful statement of purpose. Here Debby Bacharach, writer and tutor of DebbyBacharach.com, revisits her popular tips for writing a statement of purpose, which she previously shared as part of a Navigating Grad School as a Working Professional event hosted by UW Professional & Continuing Education. www.keeplearning.uw.edu
10 Tips for Writing an Effective Statement of Purpose
1. Put your face on the page.
2. Don't panic -- brainstorm.
3. Get another perspective.
4. Let it all flow and edit later.
5. Keep your writing lively.
6. Make it clear you've done your homework.
7. Show you care.
8. Answer every part of every question.
9. Make sure your essay reflects your work.
10. Give yourself time.
Video Transcript:
I’m Debbie Backrack, I’ve been a college writing instructor for over 25 years. And I’ve helped hundreds of people write their statements of purpose successfully. I’ve also been on the other side of the desk and I’ve read these statements for admissions committees. I have a good sense of what people are looking for and how to get started with it and how to do this successfully. The main goal of the statement is to make all these numbers about your, your transcripts, your GRE scores, take all these numbers and make them come alive, make you alive as a person. We call this putting your face on the page. You’re here because you did not take a direct route to grad school and admissions is excited about that. They want to know about that, maybe you were a cook in Alaska and from talking to people you decided “oh I wanted to be a social worker”, or maybe you’ve been a midwife your whole career and you realized there’s not enough research to support how you want to help your client and you decided to become an epidemiologist so that you can create that research. These are the “ah moments” they are looking for, when did you get inspired, what excited you about coming into their program? That’s what they’re looking for.
So here’s how not to get started: don’t put the question in front of you and stare and stare and panic and look at your watch, and go” it’s due in three”, don’t do that to yourself. Many of us have done it but I want to give you 2 ways you can avoid that. Number one: think about categories, jobs you’ve had, skills you have, awards you’ve won, 10 things that related to this career you’re thinking about that you think really would really fit. 10 things from your life that have nothing to do with this potential career and make all these categories and just fill them in, fill them in with whatever you think of including things that are probably bad ideas and won’t come into your essay but just give it to yourself. And then let it sit a little bit and have a friend come and look at it with you and pick out what might help tell your story and focus who you are. Because you are often can’t see what in your own story might help tell it.
So I have a personal example of this; I was writing an essay about failure and I’ve thought about times I’ve failed, a job I didn’t get, an award I didn’t get, and a friend of mine said “oh how do you cope with all that failure?” I thought “what are you talking about” but I’m at poet and I send out hundreds and hundreds of poems all year and maybe I get 3 accepted. And she was just amazed that I wasn’t distressed by this. I thought “oh I don’t think of that as failure” that’s interesting, that makes for a much more interesting essay and a new focus on it that I wouldn’t have thought of myself. So bring someone in to help you figure that out. I also recommend free writing and this is a technique where you have to ask your personal editor you know the one that tells you that’s a stupid idea, you spelled that wrong, you’re never gonna get into grad school- that person. Tell them to go you know take a break, take a cup of coffee, they’ll get a chance to proof read but not right now. And then you sit down and you set a timer for maybe ten minutes and you write. And you just write and write and you just whatever comes whatever connecting ideas that you didn’t think of you just let it all flow. You’re kind of tapping into your subconscious a little bit and what happens is images you didn’t think would come, there’s a lot of power in your writing that wasn’t there before. Again, this is not your final draft, I understand you are writing a professional document but this is a way to get moving with it...
How come this video has only 900 something views? This is by far the most crisp video I've come across.
sahee galh aaaahe
I was thinking the same thing. She helped me a lot, I was having some trouble on how to start writing this paper
stella pongnon Good luck with your SOP. I submitted mine like 2 days ago and felt this contentment after clicking on submit. Haha! This SOP was driving me nuts for God knows how long.
I'm rooting for you Mansi, you are going to be great. If you don't mind me asking, what degree are you pursuing?
Ah that means so much stella :')
Im pursuing MA Psychology. How about you? And where are you applying?
Debby has cleared my skin and cured my depression
These are the best 7 and a half minutes I have spent while researching for content to help improve my essay. SUPER HELPFUL.!!!!
"Put your face in the paper", that's all I needed to hear. Now I have so much to say I can't stop myself but I will not go over 500 words. Thanks a million for sharing, you help me a lot.
Thee best educational material in 7 minutes. Wow! Thank you Madam Bacharach!
I am Impressed, that was an amazing speech, I never ever come across anyone in my life speak clearly as she does.
I just laughed your statement off. Go and subscribe to tedtalk
@@OsundareToheeb Easy. He is a child.
Dew
I feel so inspired now. Thank you, Debby!
all her tips were actually original and valuable, never watched such an informative video, thank you!
Hands down the best tips that I can actually incorporate into my writing! Thank you very much! I wish you could proofread my SOP before I submit it.
Thank you so much Debby! Straight-forward and super helpful!
Excellent points and the best video I came across, this was extremely helpful. Thanks for the information.
Wow this is SO helpful!! Thank you!! I was digging through videos trying to find direction for my essay and this is the only one that is clear, concise, and straightforward! Thank you!
finally, a whole video is worth watching..no extra annoying, dramatic talkings..straight to the points..thank u
This is one of the best videos I've found on writing SOP.
Thanks for the Video Debby.
Thank you. Extremely helpful.
Love Your Energy!!!! Thank You!!!
You're awesome!! Thanks a million
Many thanks. I'm writing my statement now and will get rid of the verb to be now.
This is so helpful every inch of the minutes. Thank you!!!!
What great advice!! Thank you!
Thank you so much. One of the best videos i have watched . Thanks once again
Thank you ! I appreciate it.
very clear and fast, the best advices ever=)
VERY helpful and encouraging! Thanks!
Absolutely brilliant and helpful. Thanks a lot for the video!!!!!
i absolutely love this lady! Omg
“You are never gonna get into grad school”- my Dad lmao
this is a short video you can watch at 1.25 speed and I feel it's the best video on this topic. this deserves millions of views.
This video helps me super a lot. Many thanks!!
I just wrote my first draft, and while searching for some useful tips, I came across this video. This is a hidden gem. I can't thank you enough for this.
This was super good...I've been looking at videos for weeks and this one really spoke to me. Thank you so much for helping. God Bless!!
Brilliant tips here. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much for sharing these excellent tips! Would you consider a list of references included after the SoP body as part of the word count?
Very useful tips that every student must consider while writing a statement of purpose or essay for admission to grad school.
Masha'Allah; thank you fo much for your precious help.
thank you so much for saying that!! while watching this entire video I kept waiting for something to resonate with me so I could finally start writing my essay but that last sentence stuck the final chord
Amazing video, thank you
Thanks!
Superb. Very helpful video. Served the purpose.
This helped me A LOT, thank you.
U are fabulous
Thank you
Thank you so much, Prof. Bacharach! I'm getting my SOP ready for the Fall 2021 cycle and I've already finished taking my GRE and getting my letters or rec in order, it was just this last step that was really setting me back. Your advice was so concise, helpful, and empowering!
thank you. this was reasonable and balanced.
this video is so helpful. Thanks!
this was freaking amazing
thank you great video thanks a lot
Thank you
Thank you :)
Thanks a lot, it was very helpful.
Hello mam , this video is very useful also you tell tips nicely so the other person or students prepare their own sop more effectively.
Great!
Bro thank you so much
Really helpful video.thanks maam
Very constructive. Thank you very much.
very helpful one! thank you lots!!!!
thank you
This is fudging awesome
Very informative.
The last sentence hit me. Because I'm looking this up the night before. lol
so insightful and inspiring! Feeling all pumped!
A true SOP tips. Loved it Mam. They are extremely helpful and your words has so much of power.its so adrenaline. This is called a true motivational tip. 🙏👏👏 good job
Wow 🤩...God bless you soo much ...Please Must you add your name when writing your statement of purpose since your Curriculum Vitae will be required?
Please check with Debby Bacharach directly to see what she would prefer.
Brilliant!!!! Do you also help prof with the statement of purpose.??
I do want to know the reason 41 creatures at this point in time gave this video a thumb down. lots of useful tips. Debby you're the best.
Could someone provide an example of the third point? The one about changing the BE verb (was, were, is) for ACTIVE verbs instead? I
Instead of saying "My second year of college was difficult for me" say "I struggled my second year of college."
Pleaae could aomwbody assist me with a study plan for Canada please
well, and here is me the night before the deadline not even having started my application letter
The problem I'm having most is being a fresh-out-of-school graduate; no job or work experience. And schooling in Africa (Nigeria) doesn't really give room for university awards so your CV/resume/statements are somewhat empty, at least to me. It's been my struggle so far. I don't want to have to say things that didn't happen, yet I also don't want to sell myself short because I don't have proof to back up my supposed capabilities.
I was searching so much but I can’t find an answer to mu question anywhere. I had a game addiction in my freshman year and that ruined my gpa. Every next year I dropped games my gpa was 3.7+ but overall score is 3.27. Should I tell them abt my addiction or find another reason I wAs so bad at my first yeArs? should I highlight how I fighted against this problem or not? Honestly, tips are nice but nobody gives a tip about making a sensitive and true letter.
I’ve been told to leave this out of the personal statement, but upload an explanation under supplemental documents
Gabby R hmm, now when I think about it, it looks like a nice option. Thank you, I think I will do it so
Do you help professionally for Fulbright spp
Sop
You are brilliant,research scholar
I'm from India
✅✅
thank yoou from pakistan
Berkeley sent me here. Hmmm....
I have applied in hamad bin khalifa university in Masters
they are asking me a graduation statement
I think it is SOP
I am not sure
kindly guide me
I am applying for an abroad scholarship and written the purpose of Statement to best of my knowledge... If you could check and notify the shortcomings I will be grateful to you. I like to share through Gmail. I need your help and guidance so plz reply 🙏...
05:09
03:10
07:07
Why is post graduation important.... How do I answer that question??? What is the importance of post graduation???
If you do not understand the importance of post graduation. Then that right there shows you are not prepare for post graduation.
Statement of Purpose is Money what else ... even the SOP of universities is Money ... still don’t understand all these nonsensical formalities ...
Your purpose during a PhD? To advance science and to earn a degree. Everything else is a lie. Don't lie in your applications, kids. The professors can tell anyway. ;-)
Articulate a clear, realistic research purpose. Set you apart from other applicants. Demonstrate evidence of relevant experience and preparation. Convince the committee of your fit and suitability to the specific program to which you are applying. Need help with your assignments? email me.
Thank you
Thank you