- #1
beamie564
- 144
- 64
I’m currently pursuing my master's degree in physics (in India) will be applying for the graduate course in the US for Fall 2018, and have a few queries regarding the statement of purpose.
1) Is it okay if I’m still undecided about what specific discipline I want to get into? Thing is, I have some research experience in the area of biophysics, but I don’t want to commit to it right now and cordon off other topics. (I’m assuming that it’s a common thing?)2) I had a break in my formal education after completing my bachelor’s degree. I wonder whether it’s appropriate to include the following in the SOP (hoping it doesn’t do any damage)-
Everything I’ve written above is absolutely true. I understand that it may be out of place in a SOP, but I was hoping that a tailored version of this would answer the question “Why do you want to get into the graduate program”, showing them that I have the drive to learn physics from within. Some universities require a separate “Personal Statement”, maybe I can put this there. Thoughts?
3) Being a master’s student, I’ve already had a few courses which are mandatory for the coursework in the graduate program (advanced classical mech, electromagnetism, quantum theory). Would it be prudent to point out that this gives me an advantage?
I sincerely thank those who’ve taken the effort to go through this.
1) Is it okay if I’m still undecided about what specific discipline I want to get into? Thing is, I have some research experience in the area of biophysics, but I don’t want to commit to it right now and cordon off other topics. (I’m assuming that it’s a common thing?)2) I had a break in my formal education after completing my bachelor’s degree. I wonder whether it’s appropriate to include the following in the SOP (hoping it doesn’t do any damage)-
“After completing my bachelor’s degree (triple major in physics, mathematics and chemistry) I didn’t get into any of the places that I had applied to. So I took a year off and during the next 10 months or so, every single day (almost) I sat down and worked problems. I worked through most of the problems in the undergraduate textbooks Resnick-Halliday and Mary Boas (mathematical physics), and covered major portions from Griffiths (electromagnetic theory), Kleppner (mechanics) and Eisberg (quantum theory), and learned quite a few other miscellaneous things. I had no deadlines, no syllabus or course to follow, no pressure, with only curiosity as my drive. Although I wasn’t taking any course or wasn’t part of any institution, I consider this period as the most fruitful and satisfactory time of my academic life, till now. I don’t mean to perpetuate the myth of a lone genius or project myself as one. The point I’m trying to make is that I find physics very exciting and it gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I also learned during this time, to be persistent when things don’t go your way, and that I had the ability to work hard (I used to study for about 12 hours per day).”
Everything I’ve written above is absolutely true. I understand that it may be out of place in a SOP, but I was hoping that a tailored version of this would answer the question “Why do you want to get into the graduate program”, showing them that I have the drive to learn physics from within. Some universities require a separate “Personal Statement”, maybe I can put this there. Thoughts?
3) Being a master’s student, I’ve already had a few courses which are mandatory for the coursework in the graduate program (advanced classical mech, electromagnetism, quantum theory). Would it be prudent to point out that this gives me an advantage?
I sincerely thank those who’ve taken the effort to go through this.