What goes into my application material?
The 4 major components of an application are essay, letters, grades and test scores.
The most important question we seek to answer when reviewing applications: will this individual excel at research. Every part of your application is helpful only insofar as it answers that question.
Essay
- This is one of the most important parts of your application.
- It lets us get to know you, and allows to create a narrative of your academic career and future plans.
- Before you write the essay, start by thinking about you want us to learn about you.
- Make a list of important achievements, perspectives and goals. Build the essay around this list. We are looking for students who have made the most of the opportunities they have had, and who are smart, creative and motivated.
- Keep in mind that we’ll also have your CV and letters, so we don’t necessarily need a list of accomplishments. However, the essay can fill in the narrative around what you did, specifically, why you did it. What motivates you? What are your research interests and why? These details aren’t found elsewhere in your application, so focus on them in the essay.
- There are a few things we suggest not including in the essay. It’s tempting to give a rationale for why you are applying to our program. But if it’s uninformed, don’t bother. Consider: “I want to apply to CLSP because it’s one of the premiere academic groups in NLP.” We know that already
- If you do have specific reasons to be interested in our program (e.g. location, specific project, faculty, etc.) be sure to mention them.
- In terms of motivation, be specific! Don’t write: “I’ve wanted to do a PhD in CS since I was 6 years old.” We don’t trust that 6 year olds make good decisions. If you write “I have always found language fascinating”, why?
- In terms of mentioning faculty to work with: it’s a good idea if you know, but skip it if you don’t. If you explain your research interests in detail, we’ll be able to do a better job matching you with an adviser.
- We suggest this post from our colleague Nathan Schneider on what readers look for in a statement of purpose
Letters
How many letters of recommendation should I get?
PhD applicants need three letters. We require that your recommenders submit their recommendations online.