Thread by @bestman_academy

Here is the response of an Associate Professor to our friend's SoP.

In your estimation, what are the chances of this candidate for a PhD position in her department?

Good or Goooooood?
#gradschool #phdchat #AcademicTwitter

If you are still in the process of developing a captivating statement, here are the comprehensive resources this candidate used.

Paragraph 1- How to start your statement of purpose

Paragraph 2- How to explain your educational and research background

Paragraph 3- How to explain your work/volunteer experience and related skills

Paragraph 4- How to explain your interest in a university or program (spoiler: it's not just about ranking)

Paragraph 5- How to conclude and leave the best impression in the mind of the reader

Please note that the above resources were initially designed for competing at Top US institutions but several candidates who got non-US scholarships have reported their relevance

The examples described for each paragraph are from successful students in different fields. This reduces the temptation to plagiarise, however, the rationale for every statement was explained so you can easily write your own unique story.

If there are no specific instructions on how to structure your statement, this works anywhere. Even when there are specific pointers, you can still learn how to argue certain points from these resources, like how to explain your academic background, University interest, etc.

Good luck!
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