The Art of a Statement of Purpose

What is the statement of purpose? 

The statement of purpose (SOP) is an essay that answers two big questions: Why? And why you? 

A graduate degree is a big commitment, both for you and the program. You will be investing years of your life into research and the program, and the program will be investing money and resources into you. Your SOP needs to demonstrate that you have thought carefully about why a graduate degree in the specific program is right for you and that you can see it through to the end. 

An SOP is a pitch of yourself and a way to showcase why you’re a good fit. 

What should I address? 

There are a couple broad questions that should be answered if they haven’t been addressed in your personal statement or anywhere else in your application. 

• Why do you want to pursue a PhD?  
• Why do you want to do a PhD in Virology and at Harvard specifically? 
• What are your future career goals and how can a PhD in Virology help you achieve those goals? 
• What are your previous research experiences?

The program wants to know if it can provide an environment that fulfills your research interests and the resources to help you achieve your career goals. 

How long should my SOP be? 

There is a 1,000 word limit, but it does not need to be 1,000 words. You can use as much or as little space you need but be concise! Like every scene in an Oscar-worthy movie, every sentence should have a purpose. 

How should I structure my SOP? 

This will depend on you and your story. You can weave in answers to the questions mentioned above as you write. Each question doesn’t necessarily need a whole paragraph dedicated to it. 

For example, some may start with highlighting why they want to pursue research and then walk through their specific research experiences. Then, they discuss how their research interests align with what the program provides and how they believe they can add to the program. Throughout, there can be mentions of how a PhD will support their career aspirations. Every SOP is unique so play around! 

How can I be specific about my interest in a program and school? 

Think about factors that are important to you for having a fulfilling research experience. Usually, it’s the faculty affiliated with the program and what kind of research is being done. It is helpful to discuss specific faculty that align with your interests because the program wants you to land in a place where you enjoy the research! 

Additional things to consider could be how the program itself is structured. Maybe certain classes on offer or rotation cycles appeal more to you than at a different program. The program may have a strong mentorship ethos or courses dedicated to building teaching skills. Take some time to dig into program and school webpages. 

Other factors could be the type of facilities or resources that are available to students. There may be special programs like Harvard’s LEDER or TGP programs that cater to specific interests. Perhaps there are state of the art microscopes! Imagine yourself as a student in a program. What will make you happy and your research sing? 

How detailed should I be about my research experiences?

Writing about your research experiences is an exercise of science communication. Treat it like writing an abstract or introduction for a published paper. Provide some concise background information without jargon. Admission committees are composed of faculty, but they may not be experts in your specific research! What was the question you were addressing? What was the hypothesis and why? What experiments did you run? What were the results and their broader implications? Did you troubleshoot anything, and if so, how?

When describing your experiments, you do not need to describe every step or reagent you used. The goal is to provide enough detail that the admissions committee can follow your experimental approach and reasoning. The readers want to know what you specifically did, not just what the lab studies or what the project was. They need to get a sense of what you are like as a scientist. 

The admissions committee is sifting through a lot of applications! Don’t bury your readers in minutiae. 

How much should I talk about my personal experiences?

Remember that the SOP is paired with the personal statement where you have space to discuss your life story more in depth. You can include your personal experiences if it is important for contextualizing your research interests and motivations. Be sincere, but don’t wax poetic. The main goal of the SOP is to present yourself as a good candidate for the program, not tell your life story. 

How is my SOP weighed in my overall application? 

The program takes a holistic approach when evaluating your application and will consider all submitted materials. If you find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time agonizing over your SOP, take a step back and take a breath. The SOP is an important part of your application, but it alone will not be the deciding factor of your admission. 

Any other writing tips? 

• Read it aloud!
• Ask if the word is necessary in the sentence. 
• Keep a separate document as your “brain dump.” You can drop in anything you write, but don’t like. You might come back to it later and find something you do like.
• Let other people read your SOP and give feedback. But remember, this SOP is about you. Don’t let your voice get lost. 
• Proofread, proofread, proofread. 

THE ART OF A PERSONAL STATEMENT

What is the purpose of a personal statement?

The goal of this essay is to get a holistic view of each applicant by learning about personal experiences that influenced you as a person. The admissions committee wants to learn how you will use the lessons learned from your experiences to contribute to the community at Harvard.

How is the personal statement different from a statement of purpose?
The difference between the personal statement and statement of purpose is the focus. In the statement of purpose, the focus is on your research background, techniques you utilized, and your role in past projects. 

The personal statement, on the other hand, focuses on your personal journey and motivations. Being scientifically qualified is one thing. But it is also important, especially for programs with smaller cohorts, to build a group of individuals that will form a cohesive and welcoming community. The personal statement is your chance to show admissions who you are as a person outside of the lab, how your experiences influenced you to pursue a PhD, and how you will enrich the Harvard community. You don’t have to avoid the topic of science altogether, but the focus should not be on experimental results or techniques. The focus is on your personal background and what you will contribute to the graduate school community.

What should I include in my personal statement?

Think about a challenge you faced outside of the lab and how it influenced your approach to science or how certain aspects of your background influenced your motivations to pursue science. What did you learn from this experience and how will you utilize those lessons to enrich the graduate school community?

If you’re having trouble, try using these questions for inspiration:

1. Have you had to communicate science to people without research backgrounds? Was this challenging? Did you learn anything about yourself through these interactions? If so, how will you act on those lessons at Harvard?
2. Have you ever had an experience that changed the way you view the role of science or scientists in society? Did that impact your motivations to pursue a career in science?

THE FINAL BOSS: INTERVIEWING/ RECRUITMENT

How should I prepare for meetings with faculty?

Don’t feel like you need to read every detail of every paper. Come with a sense of what their research topic is but avoid asking questions that are too broad such as “what do you work on.” Try skimming through a recent publication from the lab and coming up with a focused question about a specific result or future direction that you are interested in. This shows that you not only know what the lab works on, but already have an understanding of the approaches they use. The most important thing is to show genuine interest and curiosity in their work.

They also want to know about your science. Prepare a short but detailed summary of your past work. Include the initial observation that led to your hypothesis, the specific techniques you used to test this hypothesis, your results, and interpretations. Be ready to discuss potential next steps as well.

What kinds of questions will the faculty ask me?

Faculty can ask all kinds of questions, both about you and your science. Some interviews are very conversational with limited scientific discussion. Others are heavily focused on science. The style of interview depends on the faculty member. But remember, the interview is not a quiz! Professors are not looking to grill you on how much you know about a specific topic. They want to know how you think about science, how passionate you are about research, and if you would be a good fit for the program.

Importantly, if you don’t know the answer to a scientific question, use what you know to take your best guess. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know,” and do not make things up. Treat a lack of knowledge as an opportunity rather than a knock on yourself. This is your chance to demonstrate openness and willingness to learn.

What can I ask faculty members during one-on-one meetings?

You should be evaluating the program as much as faculty are evaluating your fit and capability. You can ask questions about anything, as long as it’s appropriate. For example, if you have never lived in this city or town before, ask them how they like it. If you are particularly interested in working in this person’s lab, ask if they are taking rotations with students and what their current projects are. If you have an idea about a new approach, you can ask if they would be open to trying it. Remember that these interviews are not one way conversations. These conversations are a good chance to learn more about the faculty, program, and department that you might not find online.

How should I choose which faculty members I would like to meet with?

Choose faculty members based on how well you could converse with them and how interested you are in working with them. For example, if your background is in biochemistry and structural biology, you will probably have a better conversation with a professor who utilizes those techniques compared to a cell biologist or geneticist. That is not to say that you should only talk to people who perform similar research. You should engage with and be curious about all the ongoing research at that institution. Often, when someone enters a program hyper-focused on what they think they want to do, they end up pivoting to something else. In short, be focused but remain open and curious.

Should I talk to current students before applying?

It is generally not necessary to reach out to current students before applying. But if you know a student currently in the program, it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to get their thoughts. Students can offer perspectives that program websites and faculty interviews don’t have. However, you will get plenty of chances to interact with current students during the interview process.

How should I prepare to interact with current students?

You don’t need to prepare anything for your interactions with current students. When you do meet them during the interview, ask questions about their research, what labs they joined/rotated in, and demonstrate curiosity just like with faculty. Try to talk to many students to get different perspectives. Don’t be rude or seem disinterested. Importantly, remember that every second is part of the interview. Current students are evaluating your fit in the program just as much as faculty.

What should I aim to get out of interacting with students?

Interacting with current students is very important. Students can give their thoughts on the program, coursework, labs and rotations, how they are supported, and just about anything else you can think of. Interacting with students is also your opportunity to assess the culture of the program or department. They can give you unique perspectives that are not available from program websites or from faculty. You should come away from student interactions with a sense of whether or not you could see yourself in that program. Could you envision yourself working here, alongside these people, for the next 5 years?

Do I need to do anything after the interview?

After you leave the interview, email the faculty members you interviewed with. Thank them for inviting you and taking the time to speak with you and reference something specific from the conversation you had with them. This small act may not seem like much, but this is a polite gesture reinforces your interest in the program and demonstrates professionalism.

At the end of the day, your application is more than a collection of research experiences, essays, and interviews; it's an opportunity to show who you are, how you think, and what excites you about science. Be genuine, stay curious, and remember: you're looking for a program that's the right fit for you, too! Good luck!

This article was co-written by Ashley Tseng (G3) and Ethan Leviss (G1), with input from the program administrator, Maria Bollinger.