Sunday, October 19, 2003
Purposeless Statements....
I have been trying to get some work done about applying to universities in the US, what we in IITM call 'apping'. Now, me being the most disinterested guy in academics, it would, I think come as a surprise to many that I am applying for MS+PhD in all the universities. Before anyone thinks that I am a changed man, I would like to tell you that, with my CGPA, the only hope I have of getting into any good university is this option, since all the toppers anyway go for the plain MS option.
Now, as everyone knows, one needs to write a Statement Of Purpose (SOP) outlining why one wants to go for graduate education in that particular field, in that particular university. My situation is this: I gave JEE because that was what was expected of toppers in school, more so in Hyderabad, where I come from. I did not take Mechanical engg. - I was given it based on my rank. After coming to IIT, I realised that the best education was the one you don't get in classrooms - in other words, I just didn't bother about my academics. This means that I obviously did not develop any interest in any field of mechanical engg. So, what do I write about what field I am interested in, and why? I can't clearly write the truth.
Regarding the university choice, I am applying to top universities in my field, without much hope of getting through. So, I guess I need not write much falsehood there as to why I chose the univ. But, as a senior suggested, the SOP should also contain what I can give the univ and what I expect from the univ. Now, what can I give the univ. except the honour of my being there, as I am gracing IITM now? What I expect from the univ, I am clear about: full tuition waiver, full living aid, and any other assistantship/fellowship. Am I greedy or is it normal to think this way? Naturally, I am not able to even start on my SOP, and the idea here is to first get the SOP ready and then go on to other app-work. Anyways, I hope that no one from any admissions committee of any univ I am applying to reads this.....
Now, as everyone knows, one needs to write a Statement Of Purpose (SOP) outlining why one wants to go for graduate education in that particular field, in that particular university. My situation is this: I gave JEE because that was what was expected of toppers in school, more so in Hyderabad, where I come from. I did not take Mechanical engg. - I was given it based on my rank. After coming to IIT, I realised that the best education was the one you don't get in classrooms - in other words, I just didn't bother about my academics. This means that I obviously did not develop any interest in any field of mechanical engg. So, what do I write about what field I am interested in, and why? I can't clearly write the truth.
Regarding the university choice, I am applying to top universities in my field, without much hope of getting through. So, I guess I need not write much falsehood there as to why I chose the univ. But, as a senior suggested, the SOP should also contain what I can give the univ and what I expect from the univ. Now, what can I give the univ. except the honour of my being there, as I am gracing IITM now? What I expect from the univ, I am clear about: full tuition waiver, full living aid, and any other assistantship/fellowship. Am I greedy or is it normal to think this way? Naturally, I am not able to even start on my SOP, and the idea here is to first get the SOP ready and then go on to other app-work. Anyways, I hope that no one from any admissions committee of any univ I am applying to reads this.....
