Graduate school applications are due soon. So here are my tips for how to craft a strong statement for a neuroscience PhD program
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Explain what got you into neuroscience.
Keep this brief. IMO, you shouldn't feel obligated to discuss some traumatic life experience or make some elaborate story about why you're into neuroscience. The 🧠 is inherently cool.
Keep this brief. IMO, you shouldn't feel obligated to discuss some traumatic life experience or make some elaborate story about why you're into neuroscience. The 🧠 is inherently cool.
Then describe your research experience(s) and how this shaped your interests
When describing your research include:
what we knew
what we didn't know
what you did to solve this problem
what you found
what it means,
what you did next etc.
what we knew
what we didn't know
what you did to solve this problem
what you found
what it means,
what you did next etc.
If you had some challenges along the way, or things didn’t work out as planned. That’s A-ok, it shows your tenacity. Describe it.
Remember some of the people reading your application will be in
very different areas of neuroscience than you, so describe your research for a broad audience.
very different areas of neuroscience than you, so describe your research for a broad audience.
If you don't have research experience, don't sweat it. Write about the experiences you do have and how they prepared you for graduate study.
E.g., coursework, volunteering, work experience.
E.g., coursework, volunteering, work experience.
Whatever your experience, own it. Be confident. Probably you've done some pretty cool stuff, tell the committee that.
Explain what you want to study and learn in graduate school. Tell the readers what approach to neurosci you want to take and why.
Briefly describe what your ultimate career goal is and how graduate study will help get you there. You don’t have to have it all figured out, but it helps to know you’ve at least thought about it.
Explain why you are a good fit for their specific program- e.g., what specific faculty you want to work with and why. Each statement should be tailored to the school you're applying to.
Have someone else read your statement. A mentor, colleague, friend, roomie, mom, grandma, anyone willing.
And then (this is important) actually listen to and use what they say to improve your statement.
And then (this is important) actually listen to and use what they say to improve your statement.
Disclaimer: This is just my one opinion based on my experience with
neuroscience PhD programs at one R1 institution. This is what I like to see in
a statement.
neuroscience PhD programs at one R1 institution. This is what I like to see in
a statement.
Good luck!
