Splitting SOP into two essays

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P-representation
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:56 am

Splitting SOP into two essays

Post by P-representation » Sat Jan 12, 2013 8:11 am

Hi,

I'm applying to a university which has asked me to write a 1000-2000 word essay addressing both why I want to join that school, prior research exp. etc (standard SOP prompt)...and how my unique life experiences could contribute to their diversity, my family background etc and blah blah blah...

Since they have asked to me to address basically two distinct questions (in my opinion), I am considering splitting my essay into two parts, which address each question separately. That way I won't have to change the flow of my statement of purpose that I have written for other universities. Would it be all right for me to write two separate essays instead of a single one? Should I give some kind of a justification at the beginning of my statement?

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Tom Joad
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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:35 pm

Re: Splitting SOP into two essays

Post by Tom Joad » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:32 am

I assume you are talking about Maryland's application.

I have the same problem and I think I'm going to split the essay up at this point, primarily due to lack of time. I'll have the standard statement of purpose before about a paragraph of diversity stuff. I'll try to think of a good transition sentence so it's not completely discontinuous, but if I can't think of one it's not the end of the world.

bfollinprm
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Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:44 am

Re: Splitting SOP into two essays

Post by bfollinprm » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:01 pm

From my time in an admissions committee at the undergraduate level, I can anecdotally support the statement that for the latter portion of that prompt, they're mostly just looking for keywords which might make you count as a diversity applicant for admissions statistics, or possibly school-wide fellowships (not that anyone ever admitted this). I wouldn't stress over the latter bit.

P-representation
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:56 am

Re: Splitting SOP into two essays

Post by P-representation » Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:24 pm

Yeah, it was Maryland all right. In the end, I managed to integrate it all into one essay with 2 paragraphs about my activities in my university and my hobbies.



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