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If you have no idea where to start with your SOP, download my Ultimate SOP Starter Kit. It’s short. It’s sweet. It tells you exactly what to write, and where. Oh, and it’s completely free. Then, the following questions will be a lot more useful.
You might also consider reading my old article: Structure is Magic – A Guide to the Graduate SOP. Personally, I think the SOP Starter Kit is more effective, but thousands of applicants have used the Structure is Magic template to earn admission to amazing universities, so you might give it a try.
General Questions
- What to write if I got fired from my job?
- Is it bad to start my SOP with a quotation?
- Should international students mention career plans in the potential host country?
- How to circumnavigate the fact that you’re not from a top university in a SOP?
- Which font and font size should I use in my SOP?
- Should I get political in my personal statement?
- Should I mention my ADHD in my SOP?
- Is mentioning extracurriculars in the SOP not advised?
- How to write a 250-word SOP for a master’s program?!
- Got rejected from every school I applied to! What should I do next?
SOP Section 1 – Frame Narrative
- Should I mention stories from the distant past if they’re relevant to the course?
- How to frame a narrative if I’ve got broad or intersecting research interests?
- Can I include 2 stories in my introduction frame narrative?
- Should my opening paragraph explain how personal problems and depression hindered my performance?
SOP Section 2 – Why This Program
- How to write what I like about the program without sounding fake?
- How to answer “Why this school in particular?” in my SOP?
- Writing About Professors in Your SOP: Don’t Screw It Up
SOP Section 3 – Why I’m (Overly) Qualified
- “What do you expect to contribute as a student?”
- How can I articulate how my prior educational and professional qualities will allow me to be successful in the program?
SOP Section 4 – Closing Frame Narrative
**Still waiting on questions. Send me some!
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