Research is strongest when it is conducted by diverse groups of people with systemically different perspectives. To that end, I am passionate about breaking down the "hidden curriculum" of academia so that it is more accessible and inclusive. In this case, the hidden curriculum refers to the unspoken, unofficial norms, expectations, and rules that academics are expected to uphold.

One way scholars can intentionally contribute to accessibility in this context is by explicitly sharing their knowledge with others. I do this below by sharing my successful PhD application materials. As I progress as a scholar, I will post my future successful application materials (e.g. grant, award, and fellowship apps) here.

*disclaimers*: these materials are specific to my field, sociology, and are tailored to the programs I applied for, though much of this can be applied to other disciplines. I have never served on a PhD admissions committee, I am sharing this information informally as an early-stage PhD student who went through the application process and matriculated into a top program.

Brief Explanation of Materials:

SOP and SOAP stand for Statement of Purpose and Statement of Academic Purpose. These are the same thing, with different names. In these essays, it is typical to propose an agenda for your graduate research career including, the types of questions you want to look into, the methodology you may employ, who you want to do this research with (which specific professors you would like to be advised/mentored by at the school you are applying to), and why this specific school is the best place for you to do so. This is largely how you signal your "fit" within the department.

PS and PHS stand for Personal Statement and Personal History Statement. These are the same thing, with different names. In these essays, it is typical to share how your life experience has impacted your journey to and within your field and your path to graduate school.

For all application essays, there is a bit of variety school to school. Different schools will word their essay prompts differently. Certain schools might call them different things (e.g. some call the personal statement a diversity essay). All schools will have slightly different required formatting (e.g. 1 page single spaced vs 3 pages double spaced, 1,500 words max vs 500 words max, specific headers, etc.). It is important to pay close attention to these requirements and make sure you are submitting your essays in the proper format for each school. I recommend keeping track of these details on a spreadsheet so that you don't have to pull up the program website every time you want to double check the formatting requirements and prompts.

Alongside these essays, you will likely also be asked to submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a scholarly writing sample. My CV at the time of submitting my applications is below.

My Successful PhD Application Materials:

I hope having this all in one place was helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]

If you want to support me during my PhD studies via caffeine, you can do so below :)