MFitzgerald
Dec 18, 2010
Graduate / SOP for Ph.D. in Economics: "motivating and challenging" [4]
I am guessing from your writing that English is not your first language. You want to be very careful about trying to use diction that is excessively ornate if you are not comfortable with it. You want your writing to flow seamlessly and feel completely natural. To demonstrate this, I have revised your first paragraph to read as follows:
"At first glance, my academic interests may appear disconnected and perhaps even aimless: I am a mathematics student who has researched Austrian economics as well as philosophy, in addition to working as a journalist. I have found, however, that these myriad fields actually complement each other in fascinating ways. My academic career has been shaped by these wide-ranging interests, which have led me on a constantly evolving odyssey of intellectual curiosity."
Sincerely,
Martin F.
Harvard Sq. Essays Editor
I am guessing from your writing that English is not your first language. You want to be very careful about trying to use diction that is excessively ornate if you are not comfortable with it. You want your writing to flow seamlessly and feel completely natural. To demonstrate this, I have revised your first paragraph to read as follows:
"At first glance, my academic interests may appear disconnected and perhaps even aimless: I am a mathematics student who has researched Austrian economics as well as philosophy, in addition to working as a journalist. I have found, however, that these myriad fields actually complement each other in fascinating ways. My academic career has been shaped by these wide-ranging interests, which have led me on a constantly evolving odyssey of intellectual curiosity."
Sincerely,
Martin F.
Harvard Sq. Essays Editor