SOP for Masters in Structural Engineering

Hello. A little info. about me: I have no research, engineering, or technical experience to speak of; please keep this in mind when reading my SOP.

Hi Mike,

I enjoyed reading your SOP! So, you know how to write. Your primary obstacle with this SOP is 'positioning.' Most grad school engineering applicants will have significant professional and research experience, so, there may be questions about your 'investment, clarity of purpose and your raw skill set.

That being said, I think you should do everything you can here to fully crystallize your goals, and show how your career to date has prepared you for XXX graduate program. Here are some basic ideas on how to improve on the positioning of your essay:

-Do more investigation on the program to which you are applying. What is the culture like? Do students collaborate and work with eachother to develop research projects? How does your background in education prepare you for this type of environment? Does the program breed engineers for academic careers, or to return to the workforce? How might this affect your 'angle' in this SOP?

-Keep your research and long-term interests specific. In this SOP, your interests are a little all over the map, and I would state 1-2 long-term goals just to give your SOP more focus. For example, you might go with teaching and helping "the Nuclear Regulatory Commission helping design the next generation of nuclear reactors."

However, how does this long-term role relate to smart structures and toughening mechanisms? I'm not the engineering expert, so you just have to figure out how to link these intellectual curiosities to your goals, to give the whole SOP more cohesion, depth and clarity.

-So you don't have research experience--use what you have. This is great:

"My mathematics courses included work in computer programming, number theory, abstract algebra, analysis, and linear algebra. I am interested in how linear algebra along with differential equations and computer programming can be employed to optimize the design process while simultaneously maximizing structural integrity."

How can you tether this to your specific research interests? Do you know anything about the work of specific professors who might help you build on this type of interest and explore it in the structural engineering domain? Most graduate programs want students to help advance their existing research (this is where the funding comes in!), so it is important to show that you have thought about how you will contribute, and partner with research communities there.

Just a few thoughts--hope they help you!

Cheers,
Janson
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com

Thanks Ivy. Does the fact that the school I am applying to is a teaching university--and not a research university--change your opinion on the absence of a research goal?

Good point--absolutely!

I would still take a close look at their output (student careers), curriculum, and program expectations. Teaching and research are of course complementary—each in some synergistic way builds on and supports the other, and most programs will acknowledge this.

You just want to be sure that you fit into their model. So, I would just recommend that you really do your research on the program. Talk to students (there are forums for that), see what the focus is like 'on the inside,' what their career tracks are like, etc.

Best of luck to you!!!

Cheers,
Janson
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com