Clinical Psychology Personal Statement Criteria
Eight public psychology sources - two faculty, six programs - on what a clinical psychology personal statement gets read for, and who reads it.
11 min read
Faculty Insights
Economics PhD Statement of Purpose Guide
Economics PhD statement of purpose advice from faculty and departments: math preparation first, provisional research plans, and whether to name faculty.
10 min read
Statement of Purpose Structure: A Blueprint
Faculty publish contradictory statement of purpose structure advice: three acts or a cover letter. Here is a paragraph plan that survives either reader.
10 min read
SOP Length: 500 Words vs 3 Pages, Both Official
UCLA sociology caps the statement at 500 words. Pittsburgh biology suggests two to three pages. Both are current, official, department-published advice.
8 min read
Research Proposal or Life Story in Your SOP?
A history department wants your dissertation project. A Stanford economist says a thesis proposal is not necessary. How professors actually read the SOP.
9 min read
Should You Name a Professor in Your SOP?
One physics department urges contacting faculty before you apply. One English department says do not. Both are right, for their own admissions model.
9 min read
What CS Professors Look For in an SOP
Eight public computer science sources - four named faculty, four departments - on what the SOP is for, what to cut, and where they still disagree.
11 min read
Contacting a PhD Supervisor: Email Templates
When to email a PhD supervisor, what to put in it, and what faculty at MIT, Oxford and Cambridge say about cold emails — with templates and timing.
18 min read
Research vs Coursework — MS SOP Differences
Thesis and coursework master's programs read statements differently. See who reads yours and what each track wants it to prove.
10 min read
PhD SOP by Discipline — What Faculty Evaluate
What a PhD statement of purpose must prove in STEM, humanities, and business, with the evaluation criteria faculty actually apply.
13 min read
How Many Professors to Name in Your SOP? The 2-3 Rule
Name too many and you look unfocused. Name one and it's risky. The 2-3 professor rule, with examples from MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley admissions.
13 min read
What Faculty Look for in an SOP — 12 Professors
Faculty from Cornell, CMU, MIT, and Berkeley on what they scan for first, the 10-second read, and the openings they skip.
13 min read