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WritingtheStatementofPurpose
Dr.CarlaTrujillo
UCBerkeleyCollegeofEngineering
THINGSTOKEEPINMIND:
1.Whattheyreadbetweenthelines:motivation,competence,potentialasagraduatestudent
2.Emphasizeeverythingfromapositiveperspective.
3.Demonstrateeverythingbyexample.Don'tsaydirectly,forexample,thatyou'reapersistentperson;youmustdemonstrateit.
4.Youdon'twanttomakeexcuses,butyoucantalkaboutthemistakesyou'vemadeasalearningexperience.
5.Ifthereissomethingimportantthathappened(poverty,illness,excessivework,etc.),whichaffectedyourgrades,goaheadandstateitbutwriteitaffirmatively;thatis,inawaythatshowsyourperseverance.
6.Makesureeverythingislinkedwithcontinuityandfocus.
7.500-600words,1to1-1/2pagestyped,single-spaced.
ACTUALWRITINGOFTHESTATEMENTOFPURPOSE
Thereare3-4partstothestatement:
PART1:INTRODUCTION
Thisiswhereyoutellthemwhatyouwanttostudy.Forexample,M.S.degreeinMechanicalEngineeringwithanemphasisindynamicsandcontrols.
PART2:
Summarizewhatyoudidasanundergraduate:
·Importantclassorclassesyoutookwhichstimulatedyourdesireforgraduatestudy;specificprojectorclass?
·Researchyoumighthavedone.Indicatewithwhom,thetitleoftheprojectandwhatyourresponsibilitieswere.Writetechnically;it'sprofessors,notsecretaries,readingthis.
·Workexperience,especiallyifyouhadanykindofresponsibilityfortesting,designing,orresearchingaproductorapparatus.
PART3:
Ifyougraduatedandworkedforawhileandarereturningtogradschool,indicatewhatyou'vebeendoingwhileworking:company,work/designteam,responsibilities,whatyoulearned.
PART4:
Hereyouindicatewhatyouwanttostudyingraduateschoolingreaterdetail.Thisisagreaterelaborationofyouropeningparagraph.
·Indicateareaofinterest,thenstatequestionsyoumighthavewhichareassociated;i.e.whatyoumightbeinterestedinstudying.Youshouldhaveanareaselectedbeforeyouwritethestatement.
·Ifyoucan,contactthedepartmentforinformationandfindoutwhattheprofessorsaredoingforresearch.Aretherepeoplewhoseinterestsmatchyours?Ifso,indicatethisasitshowsasignthatthestudenthasdonehisorherhomeworkandishighlymotivated.(Besincere,however.Don'tmakeupsomethingbogusjusttoimpresspeople.)