Optional Essays for PhD Application: When and How to Write Them

Expert Tips on Crafting Compelling Optional Essays for PhD Application. Dive Deep into Addressing Weaknesses, Showcasing Strengths, and Providing Context for a Comprehensive Application.

Optional Essays for PhD Application: When and How to Write Them

Optional essays play a crucial role in PhD admissions as they offer you the opportunity to address any perceived weaknesses or discrepancies in your academic background or research experience. Whether explaining a lower-than-desired GPA, addressing gaps in research productivity, or providing context for interruptions in academic progression, these essays enable you to demonstrate self-awareness, resilience, and your commitment to academic and research pursuits. Moreover, optional essays allow you to showcase additional strengths, achievements, or research interests that may not have been fully captured in the required components of the application, presenting a more comprehensive and compelling case for your admission to the PhD program.

It is essential to recognize the dual nature of optional essays in PhD admissions, which typically fall into two categories. The first type involves addressing specific weaknesses or discrepancies in your academic or research background, while the second type allows you to provide additional information about your research interests, academic goals, or fit for the program. By strategically navigating these prompts and thoughtfully crafting your responses, you can effectively harness the potential of optional essays to strengthen your candidacy and convey your academic potential.

Also Read: How to Transform Failures into Strengths in Your PhD Application

TYPE 1: Explaining Weaknesses – The “Extenuating Circumstances” Essay

The “Extenuating Circumstances” essay provides you with an opportunity to address academic weaknesses, showcasing resilience and self-awareness. Common weaknesses that may be addressed include a lower-than-desired GPA, academic probation, or instances of academic underperformance. For example, you may have experienced personal or family challenges that temporarily impacted your academic performance, resulting in a decline in grades. Alternatively, health issues or extenuating circumstances may have necessitated a leave of absence, affecting your ability to fulfill academic requirements. In this essay, you can provide insights into how you proactively addressed and remediated these challenges, demonstrating your ability to overcome obstacles.

Guidelines for writing extenuating circumstances essay

1. Choosing What to Share

When you’re writing about tough situations you’ve faced in an essay, think carefully about whether it’s necessary to talk about them. Make sure the situations you’re discussing are important and actually help people understand your academic journey better. It’s all about deciding what to share and what to keep private.

So, before you include those details, ask yourself: Do these situations really explain something important about me and my academic path? If they do, then it’s probably worth mentioning them. But if they don’t add much to the story or aren’t really relevant, you might want to leave them out. It’s about being selective and only sharing what truly matters.

2. Focus on genuine, significant issues

When you’re discussing your weaknesses, think about the big issues that have actually affected your academic or research performance. These are the things that have made a real impact on your studies or projects. For example, if you struggled with a certain subject or faced personal challenges that affected your work, those are the kinds of things to talk about.

Avoid talking about small or unimportant problems that didn’t really affect your overall performance. Instead, focus on the challenges that have shaped your academic journey. By sharing these experiences, you can show how you’ve been able to overcome difficulties and grow as a student or researcher. It’s about highlighting your ability to face obstacles and come out stronger on the other side.

Also Read: Crucial Role of Leadership in PhD Application Essay

3. Avoid reiterating information already provided in other parts of the application

It’s important to avoid repeating information that the admissions committee can already find in other parts of your application, like your personal statement or academic records. Instead, take this opportunity to offer fresh insights or perspectives that give them a deeper understanding of your academic journey and accomplishments.

For example, rather than just mentioning a low grade you received, you could explain the circumstances surrounding it or how you learned from the experience. Or instead of simply stating a lack of experience in a certain area, you could discuss how you’re actively working to improve in that area.

4. Example

Consider an applicant, Sarah, who experienced a significant decline in her GPA during her sophomore year of undergraduate studies due to family-related challenges. Let’s see how Sarah phrased this essay for her PhD application.

Dear Admissions Committee,

I want to share a challenging time I faced during my sophomore year of undergraduate studies. It was a period marked by a significant decline in my GPA due to some family-related challenges.

My father fell seriously ill, and suddenly I found myself juggling caregiving responsibilities alongside my academic workload. It was an incredibly tough time emotionally and logistically, but I knew I had to find a way to balance everything and still strive for academic success.

I sought support from my professors and academic advisors, opening up to them about my situation. Their understanding and guidance were invaluable. Additionally, I made use of campus resources such as counseling services to help me manage the stress and stay focused on my studies.

Through this experience, I learned the importance of resilience and perseverance. Despite the obstacles, I never gave up. Instead, I found ways to adapt and grow stronger. This period taught me valuable life lessons about determination and prioritization.

By sharing this with you, I hope to provide context for the dip in my GPA during that time. More importantly, I want to show you how I faced adversity head-on and emerged stronger on the other side. I believe this experience has shaped me into a more resilient and capable individual, ready to take on new challenges with confidence.

Thank you for considering my application and taking the time to understand my journey.

Sincerely,

Sarah

Also Read: How to choose a PhD Program right for you?

TYPE 2: Providing Additional Information – The Open-ended Essay

The open-ended essay, often titled “Additional Information,” serves as a flexible space for you to offer context, explanations, or reflections beyond the constraints of other application components. Its purpose is to provide you with an avenue to supplement your profile with valuable information that may not fit elsewhere in the application. This essay is particularly beneficial for addressing unique circumstances, achievements, or perspectives that you believe are relevant to your candidacy but have not been adequately covered in other sections.

Examples of additional information that you may include in this essay range from personal challenges overcome to significant extracurricular achievements or experiences. For instance, you could discuss how you managed to maintain a high GPA despite facing health issues or family responsibilities. Alternatively, you might highlight your leadership role in a community service project or a research breakthrough that showcases your intellectual curiosity and problem-solving skills. The key is to offer insights that provide a deeper understanding of your character, capabilities, and potential contributions to the academic community.

Guidelines for writing Open-ended essay

When writing the open-ended essay, you should adhere to certain guidelines to maximize its effectiveness. Firstly, you should focus on highlighting aspects of your background or experiences that genuinely add value to your candidacy and distinguish you from other applicants. Secondly, strive to offer insights or information that have not been extensively covered in other parts of the application, avoiding redundancy or repetition. Finally, emphasize how the information provided in this essay enhances the admissions committee’s understanding of your qualifications and strengthens your case for acceptance.

Example:

Here is an example of additional information essay written by Ayesha to shed light on her unconventional path to academia and the unique perspectives she gained along the way.

Dear Admissions Committee,

I’m excited to share my unconventional journey to academia and the unique perspectives I’ve gained along the way. Coming from a rural community with limited access to educational resources, I encountered numerous challenges in pursuing my academic dreams. However, I want to emphasize how I overcame these obstacles with determination and resourcefulness, which I detail in this essay.

Growing up, I faced a lack of advanced coursework and research opportunities in my high school. But I didn’t let that stop me. Instead, I took matters into my own hands by enrolling in online classes, participating in community college programs, and diving into independent research projects. I made sure to seize every opportunity to learn and grow.

One of the highlights of my journey was founding a STEM outreach program for underprivileged youth in my community. Through this program, I organized hands-on science workshops and mentored aspiring young scientists. It was incredibly rewarding to see the impact we could make together.

In this essay, I want to emphasize how these experiences have shaped my academic interests and career goals. They’ve sparked a passion in me for addressing socio-economic disparities in STEM education. I’m committed to using my knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in the world.

By sharing my story, I hope to give you a deeper understanding of who I am and what drives me. I want to show how I’ve turned adversity into opportunities for growth and how I’m ready to thrive in a rigorous PhD program. Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,

Ayesha

Also Read: Top Mistakes made by most PhD Aspirants

Dos and Don’ts of Writing Optional Essays

Dos:

1. Use the essay strategically to enhance your application: Ensure that the optional essay adds value to your candidacy by addressing areas that may require further explanation or context.

2. Be concise and focused in your writing: Keep your essay focused and to the point, highlighting key aspects without unnecessary elaboration.

3. Provide context and explanation when necessary: When addressing weaknesses or providing additional information, offer clear and concise explanations to help the admissions committee understand your perspective.

Don’ts:

1. Use the essay as a summary of your application: Avoid rehashing information already provided elsewhere in your application; instead, focus on providing new insights or perspectives.

2. Reiterate information already provided elsewhere: Resist the temptation to repeat information from your CV or personal statement; instead, use the optional essay to delve deeper into specific aspects of your background or experiences.

3. Submit unnecessary or irrelevant content: Stay focused on relevant information that adds value to your candidacy, avoiding tangents or irrelevant details that detract from your main message.

Also Read: 5 Things that Admission Committees Consider

Tips for Writing Compelling Optional Essays

Reflect on your unique experiences and perspectives

Take the time to introspect and identify key experiences, challenges, or achievements that have shaped your academic or professional journey. Highlighting these unique aspects of your background can help you stand out and provide valuable insights to the admissions committee.

Consider the admissions committee’s perspective and needs

Put yourself in the shoes of the admissions committee and consider what information would be most relevant and impactful for evaluating your application. Tailor your optional essay to address any gaps or questions that the committee may have, demonstrating your suitability for the program.

Seek feedback from mentors, advisors, or peers

Before finalizing your optional essay, seek feedback from trusted mentors, advisors, or peers who can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Their perspectives can help you refine your essay and ensure that your message is clear, compelling, and effective.

Revise and edit carefully to ensure clarity and coherence

Once you have received feedback, take the time to revise and edit your essay carefully. Pay attention to the organization, clarity, and coherence of your writing, ensuring that your ideas flow logically and effectively. Proofread your essay multiple times to catch any errors or inconsistencies before submitting your application.

Also Read: How to develop research ideas for PhD

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Optional Essays for PhD Application: When and How to Write Them

Expert Tips on Crafting Compelling Optional Essays for PhD Application. Dive Deep into Addressing Weaknesses, Showcasing Strengths, and Providing Context for a Comprehensive Application.