Application Essays

The essay is a very important part of an applicant's credentials. It allows you to communicate your unique qualifications--why you want to study in our program, your educational goals, career aspirations, experiences, values, and your fit with our program. Writing and conceptualizing skills are fundamental to success in graduate school. The essay is the most direct way to demonstrate those skills.

The "Statement of Objectives and Interests" questions

Answers to the following questions must be submitted as your essay.

1. What are your vocational objectives and how will your proposed plan of graduate study relate to them?

2. Within you major field, are there special areas of interest to you? Please explain.

3. Are there any special circumstances related to your academic record that you feel we should know about?

Hints for application essays

There are no length requirements, but average essays are approximately one to two double spaced letter-sized pages per question (particularly for questions one and two). Successful Ph.D. applications are generally more substantive.
Before submitting it electronically (if applicable), compose your essay in a word processing program. This will allow you to effectively edit it.
The essay questions are purposely open-ended. Admissions committees read numerous personal statements. Memorable, creative, and articulate essays will set you apart from other applicants.
If you wish to be considered for a research assistantship, consider your graduate school application to also be a professional job application. Demonstrate how you will fit into our organizational structure with respect to research assistantships and the research and public service center program areas.
Successful Ph.D. applicants will have shown how their research and/or public service interests fit with those of the faculty. This is also true, but to a somewhat lesser extent, for master's students.
Essays help us match successful applicants with an advisor and can provide information on matching applicants with research assistantship placements.
Your essay is indeed a writing sample. Writing is a very important component of graduate school. We expect students to have polished writing skills before entering our graduate program. Moreover, your recommenders comment on your writing ability, but the essay is your chance to demonstrate your writing abilities to the admissions committee. Edit and proofread your essay before submission.

Essay resources

There are a multitude of resources for writing graduate school essays. Check with your undergraduate institution's career center or see the University of Delaware's Career Services Center's web site. Some examples of resources include:

Preparing Graduate School Application Essays—The Writing Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Petersons.com graduate planner

With today's availability of essay writing services and easy access to the Web, submitting an essay that is not one's own or that is plagiarized in any way will lead to a rejected application.

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