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Is this inappropriate?

Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 1:54 pm
by hamadahoda007
Hey everyone,

just a small question regarding SOP writing, I, I assume like many of you, have many details that I wish to include in the SOP but I can't due to the word limit. Would it be inappropriate to write something in the SOP like " more details are found in the attached CV" or " bla bla which is clear in the rest of application" or something of the sort?

Thanks in advance

Re: Is this inappropriate?

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:27 am
by ali8
Personally, I think that if they are really interested, then they should consult the resume without you asking them for. That's my own opinion, though.

Re: Is this inappropriate?

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:53 pm
by midwestphysics
hamadahoda007 wrote:Hey everyone,

just a small question regarding SOP writing, I, I assume like many of you, have many details that I wish to include in the SOP but I can't due to the word limit. Would it be inappropriate to write something in the SOP like " more details are found in the attached CV" or " bla bla which is clear in the rest of application" or something of the sort?

Thanks in advance
One of the places that's a great space saver is in reference to a specific research,, i.e. "so and so research with who, doing what, which was published in 20XX as noted in my CV", or something along those lines. Instead of wasting a bunch of space on the detail of that when all they want to know was your experience, the subject, etc, you can reference it.

Re: Is this inappropriate?

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:49 pm
by HappyQuark
hamadahoda007 wrote:Hey everyone,

just a small question regarding SOP writing, I, I assume like many of you, have many details that I wish to include in the SOP but I can't due to the word limit. Would it be inappropriate to write something in the SOP like " more details are found in the attached CV" or " bla bla which is clear in the rest of application" or something of the sort?

Thanks in advance
The following advice comes from that which I feel is a reasonable conclusion and should not be read as if to say I've ever bothered to ask any professors or AddCom folks.

Most of the major universities have a lot of stuff to read through and a lot of that information is less pertinent than others. For example, your SOP is reasonably important provided you are focusing your information on research. Your resume or CV likely doesn't say much of anything that you wasn't in your SOP (or at least that should have been) and anything that feels like it's going to be extra work for little pay off will probably just aggravate the reviewers of your application. My advice is to give them precisely what they asked for in the most concise form you can muster and if they ask for more information or clarification, then give it.