Describe your academic background, preparation, and training Whenever possible, give specific examples and illustrate the points you are making, don't just simply tell them. Research you conducted – project title or focus, research mentor, your specific role, what you learned and the outcome.
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These documents tend to follow a straightforward format that includes a header, introduction, explanation of your research interests, what you've accomplished so far (either academically, professionally, or personally), your goals in attending grad school, and a conclusion.
Make your language more personal in tone than research writing. Use the active voice and first-person point of view more often. Write chronologically, starting from important traits and then moving on to actions and achievements. Use lots of details—list course names, scores, and specific achievements of the student.
A graduate cover letter should: Introduce them to your personality and your commitment to them. Give compelling examples of your suitability to the company as well as the role. Make references to key requirements they look for. Suggest there is even more to learn about you over a call or in person.
“A statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1,000 words,” Pierce says, noting that it should typically not exceed a single page. He advises that students use a traditional font at a readable size (11 or 12 points) and leave enough white space in the margins to make the statement easy to read.