How to Write a Strong Statement of Purpose for your HDS Application

Elinor Bate, MTS ’27

The Statement of Purpose is one of the most vital parts of your application. This is your chance to allow the admissions team to get to know you. This is not a statement to be rushed. This is also not a personal essay or a life story.

Your statement is a concise and well-articulated explanation of your research interests, qualifications, and goals for pursuing graduate education. We understand that you are interested in graduate school, but we would like to know why—and how—you plan to achieve success in this endeavor.

Research is vital. Visit our website, stay informed, and equip yourself with as much information as possible. Ask yourself the simple question: Why do I want to attend graduate school? Try to create some sort of ‘answer’ to this question in your free time by brainstorming before you start writing. If you don’t have much direction in your heart, it will reflect in your writing. 

Another top tip. Consider drafting your statement by hand. You might be surprised how easily the word flows from the fountain! 

What should you avoid? I would highly discourage using the same statement for all your applications (if you are applying to multiple schools). Next: draft, draft, draft, and draft again. Just start writing. You can edit. You will edit. Your writing will be improved through edits. Share it with your mentors. Experiment. Take your time. Follow the rules. Show your passion. Try not to procrastinate. Believe in yourself. Don’t count yourself out. You’re not a terrible writer; don’t let imposter syndrome win!

We will feel your passion, goals, and interests in the energy and tone of your statement. Don’t aim for perfection; aim for passion. But don’t forget your direction. Don’t forget your why. Be specific, be precise, be organized.

Janeen Green, MTS ’26

The statement of purpose is an integral part of your application. In 1,000 words, you are given the space to express why Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is the best next step for your personal, professional, and academic career. The admissions committee wants to see your process of discernment for graduate school—so, remember to articulate, in a concise manner, the experiences and environment you are surrounded by and the future environment you hope to create through the training you will receive at HDS. When I wrote my statement of purpose, I was focused on these same points I’ve shared alongside establishing why I should be at HDS and who the faculty members were that inspired my work. You are providing the committee with a vision on how you will situate yourself within your cohort, use the resources that are available to you, and leave a positive impact on the University. It’s very easy in this process to develop feelings of doubt around your skills and essentially inhibit yourself from creating an initial draft. A statement that I always tell myself whenever it involves writing about myself, my passions, and my journey, I remind myself that there is no one out there that knows me better than me.

Lexi Kallaher, MTS ’26

At HDS admissions, we always say that during the discernment period, one should reflect on, “Why me, why HDS, and why now." In many ways, I structured my statement of purpose (SOP) like this. I wrote about how my personal and academic journey led me to divinity school, why HDS was the school for me, and concluded with a few sentences on why now was the right time. I worked hard to make sure that my SOP told a story, one that was supported and continued by the other pieces of my application. While I did not rush my writing process, I made sure I had enough time for ample edits and review. Since HDS does not have rolling admissions, I would really encourage you to take as much time as needed to compile and formulate your application materials. 

One of my biggest pieces of advice when writing your SOP is to have others review it. Not just your recommenders (although it is helpful for them to see it too), but also your friends or peers who you know will give honest feedback. There were a few trusted friends in my life that were intimately familiar with my academic journey and thought process about applying to HDS. Thus, they were able to read my SOP and offer advice on if it sounded like me, told my story in the best way, and gave general writing tips.  

Candice Mulinda, MTS ’27

Where to begin…where to begin? A blank document can feel daunting before writing your statement of purpose. Everyone has different writing methods, but you can think of your writing through 3 main phases: brainstorming, composing, and polishing.

Brainstorming - This is when your document goes from blank space to bullet points! When you’re in the early early stages of writing, don’t feel pressured to get your full essay right the first time. Just put ideas on a page, and let your curiosity and excitement guide you to the most viable ideas. 

Composing - By this point, you’ve chosen a storyline (yay!). From here, you’ll build out the meat of your argument in long form, calling out specific parts of your resume and specific aspects of HDS that make you and your desired program a good fit. It’s ok if the central theme of your essay changes over time, but the goal is to get to a solid draft that you can workshop.

Polishing - At this point, you’re taking your work from good to great! Call your friends, call your colleagues, call the people you trust to edit your work. Since you’ve probably already spent hours in the document, it’s helpful to have fresh eyes critique your statement. Work with others to fine tune your argument and prepare for submission.

The statement of purpose can feel like a big task. But once you get ideas on the page, I can assure you, the writing will flow. You can do this!