I can't tell you what makes an SOP win but I could send you some of mine

cezeozue:

I can't tell you what makes an SOP win but I could send you some of mine

That would be great! I'm expecting them ASAP; and i hope you'll be chanced to review mine too.

Thanks alot!!

SEFAGO, VPersiee, flo-path,, , everyone, i'll appreciate your inputs and feedback too. Let's share some ideas.

Cheers!!!

@sintame

There is really not much to add to what flo_path and cezoozue said. They hit the nail on the head. I will add that if you have an opportunity to do some practical/research work, you should take such opportunity. The top schools want proof that you can do research (if you are going for a PhD). The best proof that you can do research is by doing research and writing about it in your statement of purpose. Also tailor your statement to each school individually and make sure your recommender write excellent and excited recommendations for you.

@cezeozue

Can I see your statement too abeg. That stuff is worth gold to me I mean that is a statement that got someone accepted to Stanford and MIT, it has to be worth a lot to people that aspire like me. My email is iandexter007@yahoo.com

Hi Cezeozue, I will appreciate if u send ypur email address to me. Will like to get your view regarding my S.O.P. My email address is ignatiusez@yahoo.com. thanks

cezeozue:

I can't tell you what makes an SOP win but I could send you some of mine

I like how ceceozue is trying to humble lol. After showing how it is done, he is now acting like he doesn't know anything about the process. I like the humility thought. One thing that still bothers me is the fact that you did not get into Columbia and Johns Hopkins. When you posted your profile, I thought you'd be a shoo in at these places. Maybe your interests didn't match theirs or something weird just happened. It's not like you need to worry about it though. you already have something better.

Sintame:

Cezeozue, thanks for your responces. Can you give me an idea of what a winning S.O.P should contain?

If you go to the link I posted in my previous comment, you'll see that they discussed SOP in detail. I am not a guru in this area, but here are somethings that I can say:

Don't let it be too long. 1-2 pages.
Have a goal in mind. Don't just blab. The sop you tell a 'story', highlight your strengths and explain anything that might be a little off in you profile.
You also need to show that you understand that school's program and why it appeals to you.
If Phd, you also want to show that you understand and have an idea of what you are going into. Here, you can highlight some classes, projects and other technical experiences that have reinforced your interest in this area.

Here are some quotes about sop that I found somewhere.
"Applicants should discuss educational objectives, career plans, how their past experience contributed to future goals, why the particular program interested them, and how they will relate to the program. The applicant should show that she/he has researched the program."

Finally, PROOF READ! I can't count the number of times that I have turned in something that I thought was perfect only to later discover that it had grammatical errors. Profs tend to think the person is lazy or has problems with their English. As an international student, you probably want to reduce this perception as much as possible.

@flo_path1:

Thanks for your response.

I'm however still wondering if design projects can be referred to as research. What do you think?

Hi Cezeozue, congrats on your MIT and Stanford admissions. Sent you a post earlier but didnt get a reply from you. I intend to apply to a graduate school this year but I will appreciate if I can get your email address. I hace already written an SOP but I will appreciate your input. Thanks and God bless.

Hi Cezeozue, please i need the SOP too. My email is jeff44brown@gmail.com

Sorry guys, my statement is a little personal and I would not feel comfortable sending it to people I don't know personally. I really wish I could. I would be glad to help proof-read yours anyway.

Disclaimer: My essay-writing skills are pathetic; I don't know how MIT and Stanford were OK with it.

@flo_path: I don't understand all the rejections myself; Maybe its God's way of reminding me that the race is not to the swift, or the intelligent for that matter. I'm sha thankful for the MIT at least.

Sintame:

@flo_path1:

Thanks for your response.

I'm however still wondering if design projects can be referred to as research. What do you think?

@cezeozue, et al

Pls kindly respond to this too.

It kind of depends on what you are designing; if you have the mechanical design for flying cars, heck yeah, that's research. On the other hand, if you drew a wooden chair in AutoCAD, I would hardly call that research. Then again, this is coming from someone with no formal research experience. VPersiee, stzero may be in a better position to say considering that they've spent some time in research labs.

Please I would like to confirm from those who have experience. I have 2 schools who's informed me that I am on the waiting list and that those who were offered admission has till 15th April to accept or decline the admission. However, while I am not so hoping in that, I wrote my graduate program cordinator for Utah State University and he informed me that they are waiting for their top choice to let him know if they will be accepting their offer after which he will get back to me. Initially, when I was offered admission, the department claimed they could not fund me because my GRE scores were received late. Does this in any way suggest that I could still get funding since I already have admission though without funding for now.

GboyegaD:

Please I would like to confirm from those who have experience. I have 2 schools who's informed me that I am on the waiting list and that those who were offered admission has till 15th April to accept or decline the admission. However, while I am not so hoping in that, I wrote my graduate program cordinator for Utah State University and he informed me that they are waiting for their top choice to let him know if they will be accepting their offer after which he will get back to me. Initially, when I was offered admission, the department claimed they could not fund me because my GRE scores were received late. Does this in any way suggest that I could still get funding since I already have admission though without funding for now.

yea, while its good to be optimistic, i'd rather you write/call them to know your fate for funding.

Hey guys hope all of you are doing ok. Just wanted to make some quick statements:

1) I agree with the Ceze guy. SOP are kind of personal. For SOP examples look at http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~natalia/studyinus/guide/statement/samples.htm

Personally not my style of writing but some of you might find it helpful.

2) Design projects ideally are not what I would call research but I think its field specific. However play out whatever advantage you have. If the design relates to the research of some of the professors in the department mention and elaborate on them.

3)

Disclaimer: My essay-writing skills are pathetic; I don't know how MIT and Stanford were OK with it.

You seem to write well online u sure? Or just being selfish

@flo_path: I don't understand all the rejections myself; Maybe its God's way of reminding me that the race is not to the swift, or the intelligent for that matter. I'm sha thankful for the MIT at least.

Actually they are really self-explanatory. st zero elaborated on them quite well to be frank. 1) No research experience

What people here are glossing over is the fact that your MIT and Stanford acceptances are Masters degree acceptances. Your rejections are likely PhD rejections (in which research is very very important). You would make an excellent Masters degree candidate based on your academic record but there is no indication in your record that suggests you would pose an excellent researcher which is what you would need to do a PhD.

2) Also you are an international student. International student admissions is fierce and Africans do not register in the talent hunt compared to Asians or Europeans. Not because we cannot do it but because Asia (in the broadest of terms) have students who have engaged in research that makes them competitive candidates. Imagine people from continental Europe or Asia with two years of research plus a first class plus first author in a research paper plus similar GRE scores competing for the same spot with you. Sucks I know because I am sure if you had these opportunities in Nigeria you would have taken advantage of them. But most people on the admission committee might not see that as sufficient grounds to reject such a well qualified candidate and take you.

If you get funding at MIT (I really hope you do), take it and I am sure you will be more than capable of completing the rest.

@Vpersie

Undergrad matters contrary to what you have heard especially for the top schools. It matters a lot actually. I am sure you have heard the term "Ivy begets Ivy." Now this does not mean that people from lower tier schools cant get in (That's contradictory since the undergraduate profile of most Phd students are all over the place). It just means that their is a cluster of people from top undergrads. Also you must do more than usual if you are from a lower tier school to get noticed.

Seems you have done that already so try your best. Also apply broadly. Frankly, I dont know why everyone is fascinated with the top 10. Apply broadly and relax, even if you dont make MIT its not the[b] end of the world[/b]. As you grow older you become aware that life is too short to care about such things .


@ Someone who is applying to Berkeley
Its easier to pass through a needle than getting into Berkeley for a PhD in engineering straight from Naija. Cross it out, Try Georgia Tech, Austin et al.

I mean literally, this is no figurative talk

Your rejections are likely PhD rejections

@sefago: I might agree with you for most of my PhD rejections; then again not all were PhD rejections. I don't recall which ones in particular were MS/PhD but I'm certain that my UIUC application was for Masters only and I still got a rejection.

^ I think this has a lot to do with semantics and how departments are structured. In Engineering, sometimes, an MS degree is required to progress towards a PhD. I went to look at the UIUC website in Electrical?? And it seemed that they had two options for the MS- one leading to a PhD and another a terminal MS degree.

Ok, I now understand why you assumed that UIUC would be a safety. However, its a bit trickier than that. A lot of departments prefer MS---> PhD students as opposed to those going for a terminal MS degree. A very research oriented school like UIUC will in general only accept graduate students who are gunning for a PhD. Only very rarely do they accept students who are aiming for an MS. If you applied for an MS leading to a PhD though its still the main concerns as someone applying to just a PhD. The only additional brouhaha is that MS to phD programs are even more stressful since you have to look for a supervisor.

@ SEFAGO,

SEFAGO:


@ Someone who is applying to Berkeley
Its easier to pass through a needle than getting into Berkeley for a PhD in engineering straight from Naija. Cross it out, Try Georgia Tech, Austin et al.

I mean literally, this is no figurative talk

Thanks for your expose'. It's been very enlightening. But can you elaborate on the above statement?

@

SEFAGO

Thanks for the contribution. My suspicions were closer to your observations, but I just needed someone with experience to confirm them. I will give it my best this summer and hope for the best. I plan to approach my summer research like some sort of audition to apply whichever professor I get to work for's lab for grad school. How much clout do individual professor's have in choosing who gets to work for them?

@flo_path

I sent you a message

Thanks for the contribution. My suspicions were closer to your observations, but I just needed someone with experience to confirm them. I will give it my best this summer and hope for the best. I plan to approach my summer research like some sort of audition to apply whichever professor I get to work for's lab for grad school. How much clout do individual professor's have in choosing who gets to work for them?

Well it depends if the professor is in the admission committee and also how good the school is. Most times though the mantra especially at places like EMmm AIiiii Tea is that "students are admitted to a program and not to a research group" .

Thanks for your expose'. It's been very enlightening. But can you elaborate on the above statement?

Most students that get into Berkeley for engineering have a very interesting background. Do some research on the profiles of their current students

Hello All,
Does any1 know universities in USA that give good scholarship for postgraduate study (MSc)

rapheal2k9:

Hello All,
Does any1 know universities in USA that give good scholarship for postgraduate study (MSc)

Did you go through the threads at all?

See me, I dey find money to go to TAMU while KAUST dey beg me with $70k. No be funny world wey we dey?

I am really impressed to know that Nigerians have individually done well with their US admission processes. Our organization (BWAT) observed that Minorities-Africans are underrepresented in IVY-league schools and top schools in the US. We are currently running a program (TAP) " TALENT ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM" in some of the best selected high schools in Nigeria to train and prepare students free for this opportunities. We will be glad to know of people interested to be instructors. Our package is very attractive- salary, Accommodation, feeding and transportation inclusive. Kindly send an email containing your CV to: bwatlimited@gmail.com and copy toplink4all@yahoo.co.uk or call 01-8286108 to speak with our partner in Nigeria or 0091.443.873.1131 to speak with our vice president directly.

@fashokay: I'll be glad to help prepare "high school" students for these opportunities if I'm certain that its a totally non-profit venture. Does your organization have a website?

Thanks "cezeozue " for your propective interest.Bwat is not actually an NGO but because our Vision, is to create an opportunity and provide unique resources for talented individuals towards achieving a world class quality education irrespective of their financial status , we got the attention of some agencies and NGO to partner with us e.g Ire Educational initiative-NGO, Nigerians in diaspora organisation NIDO-ongoing consultation with vive president- Victor-NGO and Qpat solutions Limited-Company.The maiden edition of our program "Talent Advancement Program"is free and benefiary schools are:Kings College, Queens College, ISL- univ of Lagos, Lagos state model colleges and ISI-Univ of Ibadan.Due to our limited resources we are only able to take care of the few schools mentioned.Like I said Most of the bills like -Training, registration fees, application and few other bills will be taken care of by Bwat.So the maiden program (TAP) is for Non-profit but ( CSR) Coporate Social Responsibility.Thanks.let me have you email to send you company's profile containing board of trustees and board of advisors and also website who are Alumni of top business schools.

You can send it to thisbighead at gmail dot com. I'll get it from there. You realize that I don't want to put up my real email address here.

tabarity:

See me, I dey find money to go to TAMU while KAUST dey beg me with $70k. No be funny world wey we dey?

Congrats my friend. I and my friend also got their offer but I dont think I am giving it any thought. Are you and what are your reasons if yes?
Any news about Funding from TAMU?

SEFAGO:


Most students that get into Berkeley for engineering have a very interesting background. Do some research on the profiles of their current students

Thanks SEFAGO. Can you give me a link?

No link exactly, just an observation.

I dont know if you are doing Masters or PhD though- it would be great if most of you gave some sort of clarification. They also have limited funding for international students and would prefer students with very strong backgrounds both academically and in terms of research.

But you could try if you want.

@ SEFAGO

SEFAGO:

No link exactly, just an observation.

I dont know if you are doing Masters or PhD though- it would be great if most of you gave some sort of clarification. They also have limited funding for international students and would prefer students with very strong backgrounds both academically and in terms of research.

But you could try if you want.

I want to do an MSc leading to a Phd.

I understand that acquiring these books may be difficult, [b]I have a pdf copy of GRE MATH BIBLE, arco GRE, BARRONS GRE and GRE BIG BOOK, Ace the GRE writing.
I will be happy to provide this to all those who need it free of charge.
[/b]
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For those who have problems with the Verbal GRE BIG BOOK is your friend,

Once again, Practice, Practice Practice.

@atzero, pls with respect to ur post, can u forward to me these pdf books. i would appreciate it. my mail add---doziej84@yahoo.com.

thnks 4 ur insight on this topic. i appreciate it.