Summary
The purpose of this project was to create a handbook to introduce the materials included in the graduate school application with a specific focus on the statement of purpose (SoP), the primary essay which students need to write. Todey's research shows that writers need to accomplish three goals in their SoP (experience, motivation, and fit to program), and this resource introduces these three goals and the strategies that are used to achieve these goals. The resource also provides 10 actual statements written by students who were accepted into graduate programs along with words of wisdom from students who have successfully navigated the graduate school application process.
Overall, the tool takes a process approach to writing and includes brainstorming activities to encourage writers to start thinking critically about their experiences, motivation, and fit to a specific program and how those have informed their desire to pursue a graduate degree.
Impact
As Todey shared in her final report,
"What has been most transformative about this process is that I’ve been able to take my research and turn it into a freely available resource that I can provide to my students, all students at ISU applying to graduate school, and to faculty, staff, and students from other institutions who want to know more about the graduate school application materials. To be able to support students at the start of their journey is powerful, but individual meetings are time consuming. This OER allows me to give many, many more students some preliminary guidance and direction and to demystify a very complicated, stressful, and hidden process."
Citation: Todey, E. (2025). A guide to writing the statement of purpose for graduate school applications. Iowa State University Digital Press. https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/statementofpurpose/