Write, draft, and revise your Statement of Grant Purpose. Start this process in November/early December. The Beinecke application has one essay - a 1,000 words or less statement of purpose describing your background, interests, plans for graduate study, research or creative interests, and career aspirations. The statement should include a discussion of some experiences and ideas that have shaped those interests, plans, and aspirations.
Format: Times New Roman, 12 pt., single spacing, with a line of space between each paragraph. Enter your name and the words Beinecke Scholarship Statement of Purpose as the title.
As you think about what to write in the statement of purpose, you may find it helpful to read examples of essays by winning candidates.
Writing fellowship essays often requires more work than does writing papers for a class. Reviewers read your application materials quickly, so the prose must be crystal-clear. This takes a lot of revision no matter how good a writer you are. The very act of writing and revising will help you figure out what you want to say and even what you think. Allow time for your ideas and phrasing to develop and to receive feedback. Send your essay as a Word or Google doc to Christine, and she will respond with feedback.
Once the essay is in good shape, you can turn it into a pdf for upload.
Essay all set? Move on to the next step!