Oh how foolish I was! While reviewing a statement of purpose for a friend applying to CMU for grad. school, I realized my own mistake. Let’s see whether I’m going to play Roark to another’s Keating (if this is to be my role in society, I’ll never forgive it).

I spoke of my goals, how my accomplishments have led me towards those goals, and, unabashed, the research training I wished to receive in pursuit of those goals. My numeric credentials were superlative and spoke for themselves, so I did not mention them. This was all acceptable.

My error was one of omission; one that became blindingly obvious after I figured out how to get academic papers accepted, as it’s of the same nature. The data, the idea, the meat is not important unless properly wrapped. I didn’t brag about my interdisciplinarity; I practiced it and relied upon it being self-evident in my actions and goals.

Just as I had previously relied on acceptance of academic papers through straight and concise representation of the ideas and results of the research before I figured out how those were accepted.

There’s a game to it. Drop names. Drop keywords. Read up on and associate yourself with current academic trends.

It’s a stupid game, but I have to play it at least one more time in the future, so I may as well learn the rules of it if I’m to succeed next time.

I have a feeling knowing someone already in a graduate program is the most significant predictor of success; moreso than any personal factor. Certainly I’ve just provided some help. And in providing that help, I’ve helped myself realize something important as well.