Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose is not a personal statement and should not be heavily weighted down with autobiographical anecdotes. It should be no longer than 1,000 words. It should focus on giving the admissions committee a clear sense of applicants’ individual interests and strengths. Applicants need not indicate a precise field of specialization, if they do not know, but it is helpful to know something about a candidate’s professional aspirations and sense of their own skills, as well as how the Harvard English department might help in attaining their goals. Those who already have a research topic in mind should outline it in detail, giving a sense of how they plan their progress through the program.
A Statement of Purpose of 1000 words, which gives a clear sense of your strengths and interests and which details what you wish to pursue in a doctoral program.
Degree Program: English (Ph.D.)
Interests: Primary interest: (1) 20th Century American
Secondary Interest: (2) Criticism and theory, the English Language, Poetry, the Literature
Strength: Self studied Japanese and Speak fluently in Japanese; moving to the U.S. could barely speak English and join the military, despite the language barrier, always succeeded in the training classes with top scores and excellent job performance. After finishing the service, immediately enrolled in college and obtained a bachelor’s degree. With all the financial hardship, continued to provide financial support to a Chinese child whose parents are alcoholics to obtain her college education. From personal experience, I learned that perseverance in any hardships, and helping others is the utmost essential qualities to live a life with….., etc.
Right now, working as a registered nurse in a nonprofit research and rehab hospital.
At age of nine, already read many Chinese famous novels and write poetries, and also published on Essay at the age of nine. The novels read at nine years old include “ Water Margin”, “Journey to the West”, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, “ Dream of the Red Chamber”.
Note: A well-crafted statement should address the following:
1. Your motivation in seeking doctoral-level training in the English Program
2. Specific aspects of the English Program that motivated you to apply (listed as primary and secondary interests above).
3. A description of any past research or writing experiences: at age of nine, cooked rice and dishes for the family of five the first time, and published an essay on a local journal named “ how to cook delicious rice right the first time”?
4. If applicable, a brief description of any hardships, adversity or extenuating circumstances that you feel provide important context for other components of your application.
5. and, …etc. Please write whatever is needed to make the paper a very good quality paper.
Statement of Purpose Document Rubric:
Organization & Flow: a well-organized statement of purpose, including a written intro, main body, and conclusion. The introduction includes the best source of information about you. ( a registered nurse, has a BSN degree; is a veteran, and before that was an entrepreneur.)
Each body paragraph has a topic sentence, develops one main idea, and has a transition sentence linking it to the next paragraph.
The conclusion brings everything together plus adds a little more.
Style, Mechanics: writing is clear, concise, and skillful, and must represent a cogent, well-articulated personal statement. Be specific!
Creativity: statement strongly conveys the individual’s voice and personality and powerfully sets the candidate apart from other candidates.
