370 likes | 504 Views
Statements of Purpose and Letters of Recommendation. GSPI Reality Series October 15, 2008. Statements of Purpose. Recipient’s multiple goals Evaluate the fit of your interests, values, personality, and priorities with their program
E N D
Statements of Purposeand Letters of Recommendation GSPI Reality Series October 15, 2008
Statements of Purpose • Recipient’s multiple goals • Evaluate the fit of your interests, values, personality, and priorities with their program • Evaluate your background and goals to complement the quantitative and factual other information • Evaluate the quality of your background and preparation for their program • Identify deficiencies, how you intend to or have addressed them • Evaluate your writing skills
In Context – the Narrative • GPA, GRE, other numerical • Coursework, efficiency, breadth • Extracurricular activities • Skills – writing, math, statistics, research, clinical or context-specific skills (schools, industry, foster care) • Letters of recommendation • STATEMENT should tie all of these together, make you a coherent person • Statement is especially important if you have weaknesses and/or idiosyncratic interests
Mechanics • Be concise, clear, don’t obfuscate, BE CLEAR! • Use chronological and logical organization • Don’t be too vague, evaluative, be more specific • Sound confident but not arrogant (open, humble, grateful) • Every single word must be spelled correctly • Pay special attention to apostrophes, capitalization, syntax • First paragraph should be written last, it is your best work • Attend, 100%, to instructions • If no page limit specified, suggest 2-3 pages
Who Am I, Anyway? • More difficult than simply accounting for your actions, thinking about who you are and how this fits in with your goals is tremendously important. • What choices (easy vs. difficult courses, extracurricular activities) have you made so far about your academic life? • What courses do you most enjoy? Why? • What do you most enjoy about your chosen field? • What are you doing when you feel most competent and engaged in your chosen field? • What books or articles do you spontaneously pick up and read? • When you think about what you want to do in your daily life, what is it that you’d like to be doing in 10 years in your career?
Modules • Personal background • Career goals • General area of interest • Academic objectives • Clinical/practicum experience • Research/other academic experience • Special skills • Fit with program • Fit with faculty members
Beginning the Essay • Yikes! This is REALLY hard! (yes, self-reflection is hard, especially when you’re actively developing!) • Write free-form on each module • Fill in with specific information (use CV as a method) • Polish and look at overall organization • Write first paragraph, synthesizing • Write an individual paragraph for each school about your fit with the program and faculty
Personal Background • Don’t make yourself into a victim. Be empowered by your downfalls and how you responded to them, learned from them • Be somewhat objective, describe family history, how early experiences influenced who you are now • Link personal background to goals for the future – helping others in your community – what is the impetus for your goals?
Career Goals • Be informed: • What types of careers are there? What do people do who are working in that career? • What education do you need for your career goal? • What qualifications do students need to enter graduate school in that area? • What settings, populations, research questions do you hope to be working with?
General Areas of Interest • Be organized and coherent with other materials • Cite literature, don’t be afraid to use concepts and theories from your courses to interpret your own goals • Be clear and concise – many decisions are made on clarity of goals!
Academic Objectives • What do you want to get out of your graduate program? • What types of coursework, internship, research, and other experiences will help you to prepare for your career? • Can the program help you to meet your goals? • Does the program have sufficient flexibility to work realistically into your life?
Clinical/Practicum Experience • If possible, stay in a setting for a year or more (continuity, maturity, responsibility) • Keep careful track of the number of hours you work on different responsibilities • Keep careful track of all training you have received and given • Keep careful track of all skills you have gained • Keep careful track of all of the products that you have generated (procedure manuals, conference papers, etc.)
Research Experiences • Stay in a lab for a year or more • Diversity in skills is critical • Show leadership skills after learning the basics • Be as helpful in providing research assistance (library, web-based), data collection, data entry, data management and analysis, writing as possible. • Offer to assist with conference papers, publications once you’ve been in a lab for 6+ months
Other Academic Experiences • Student clubs and organizations (Psi Chi, Multicultural Psychology Association, Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, etc.) Member or officer • Awards or recognition • Volunteering for the department • Special experiences
Special Skills • Bicultural/multicultural • Bilingual/multilingual • Statistics and methodology • Conferences, publications, public speeches • Testing, assessment • Software, specialized techniques (E-Prime, Neuroscan, LexiCor)
Fit • Know their program well! • Never ask a question before looking at web pages and all publicly available information • Describe how the program’s mission, courses, and experiences match your graduate education and career interests • Describe how the faculty and other specifics (medical center, other) will facilitate your meeting your goals • Describe how you are qualified and ready!
Anything Else? • Low GREs, GPA, other weaknesses should be addressed directly, but ONLY if they truly are a weakness (better to ask faculty to address) • If you have done something extraordinary – managed a family, aging parent during your undergraduate years or survived a tragedy and persevered, be vocal!
Letters of Recommendation • Usually 2 - 3, sometimes 4 letters required • Don’t add extra letters just because, but if you have 4 referees who have something meaningful to say, it probably won’t hurt; Especially if the 4th has meaning
Letters of Recommendation • Forms ask time known, good candidate, academic record reflect ability, acceptable in own program • Items on which candidates are often evaluated - Scales • Recommend, top 1%, etc.
Letters of Recommendation • Ask yourself how your professors view you • Academic achievement • Research ability, experience, or potential • Especially advanced or honors courses that parallel advanced courses elsewhere • Teaching potential or experience • Verbal skills, public speaking ability • Leadership ability • Character, honesty, integrity, ethical & moral standards
Letter of Recommendation • Sometimes letters are as important as grades & test scores • But can’t compensate for poor grades, test scores • Once initial cut, recommendation letters can be very powerful • Provide insight into the individual’s abilities, work habits, etc. • Can signal problems
Letter of Recommendation • If you ask a referee who doesn’t know you well, your letter is likely to be less than wonderful • Specificity is viewed positively, perceived credibility of referee • Longer letters for students they like & admire • Too-long, they may only be skimmed
Letter of Recommendation • Traits that are viewed most negatively • Often hands in assignments late • Is arrogant • At age 29 is a bit immature • Participates often in class, but comments tend to be off-target or rambling • Is dependent & can be “clingy” when insecure • Misses classes frequently • Requires considerable structured direction • Is brilliant but unmotivated • Likes argument for its own sake • Is poorly groomed & unkempt
Letter of Recommendation • Traits that are viewed most positively • Is a self-starter • Is highly motivated to achieve • Is responsible & dependable • Is always willing to pitch in & help out • Has a professional manner & attitude • Participates effectively in class • Is outgoing & friendly • Has a good sense of humor
Letter of Recommendation • Improvements are important, if you see a flaw, fix it • Remind professor of things that might be problematic, be sure to remind your referee of your fixing the obstacle! • If you were praised or did something, remind • Printed information: resume (CV), paper, statement of purpose, etc.
Letter of Recommendation • Best bet: professors with whom you’ve worked, taken several courses with, whose professional identity is aligned with your own • Especially statistics professors who are impressed with your abilities • Services: should be someone who teaches or works in your field and can comment, based on direct observation of your abilities
Letter of Recommendation • Best to ask professors from whom you’ve received good grades (taken a course), have a good relationship with, taken upper division courses from - especially if they’re difficult courses • Other department? • Yes, especially if relevant • Must match your goals • Child development or FES for developmental psychology • Worked with but not taken classes from • Not as good - professors need to know who you are academically
Letter of Recommendation • Field work supervisors - especially if clinical, counseling, applied programs • Employers if your job bears a clear relationship to your field • Computer programmer applying for quantitative program • Only ask your therapist if you had a dip in grades or inconsistencies that would be addressed by this person • Not family or friends • Religious schools may require a letter from a clergy member
Letter of Recommendation • Reputation of letter-writer matters • Have previous students done well? • Is the person important in her or his field? • All things being equal, a better known referee is better than a lesser known • Full-time better than part-time or teaching assistant • Fieldwork supervisor with PhD better than MA or BA
Letter of Recommendation • You have to ask a professor, don’t just leave materials • Must be respectful, careful, sensitive • List names of referees who have agreed to write you letters • SCARY? But professors are asked all of the time & understand • Reach them in person • Direct discussion of situation and needs • Office hours or call ahead • If you have to write, include a photo
Letter of Recommendation • “I’m here to ask you if you would feel comfortable writing a strong letter of recommendation for me.” • If they say yes, be ready to give them forms, other information • If some reservations, discuss, make sure that the letter will be positive • I would appreciate it if you would tell me if you will write about any reservations • Main reason professors say no is because they don’t know you well enough; May not have enough time; May have some real-world reservations
Letter of Recommendation • Three weeks is usually enough time • Complete negotiations by mid-November for December & January deadlines • Faculty don’t want to write letters over break • Providing information is important - resume (CV) statement of purpose, transcripts, GPAs, list of courses in major, courses you plan to take, papers you wrote for the professor, GRE scores, comments about other things, courses/experiences you shared with your referee, relevant work, experiences
Letter of Recommendation • Informational package - • Should be well-organized & neat • Complete & accurate • All forms should be typed; make it easy to read; Type your name on each form; Fill out waiver of rights; If no forms, say so • STATE IF LETTER IS ONLINE OR PAPER • If paper, provide addressed envelope, stamp • Cover sheet with list of schools, deadlines, type of program ONLINE OR PAPER • Give referee all the letters at one time, not a few at a time • Don’t ask for letter of recommendation; If referee wants to give it to you, they will
Letter of Recommendation • Informational package - • Waiver? • Up to you • Looks better if you waive your rights, but you should have the right to see the letter • Makes a difference in the letter • Write poorer letters if students do not waive their right • View letters where students waived as less biased, more honest • Go back to your professor and let them know how you did!
What should I consider when filling out application forms? • 8 - 16 hours per application at the beginning • Second & subsequent applications may be 4 - 6 hours • Save time by getting organized, having paragraphs written, etc. • Sometimes apply to university & department • Usually want statement of purpose as well • Most time - essays & experimenting with forms • Compute your GPA several different ways--takes time
What should I consider when filling out application forms? • Make at least two photocopies of each application form • Pencil in information at first • Second copy for trial with typewriter • Use fillable (pdf) forms if at all possible • Put N/A instead of leaving any spaces blank • If it won’t fit, continued on next page or see attached sheets and have appropriate headings • Or you can just put in what you can and say see CV for more • Neatness really counts
What should I consider when filling out application forms? • Cover letter only if needed to explain a special circumstance (my referee has just arrived back from another country or I speak English well). Only if no other place to put it • If you have a resume (CV) or other material and they don’t explicitly say not to include such things, then you should