Sciences Po requires a policy stream essay for some of its graduate school applicants. The prompt is as follows:
Please explain your motivations for your policy streams choice(s) (250 words)
Here are my tips for an excellent policy stream essay:
-
Write 3 paragraphs.
250 words isn’t very long. If you write more than 3 paragraphs then you’re probably not writing grammatically accurate paragraphs. If you write less than 3 paragraphs, well… you might be able to get away with just two, but one paragraph probably doesn’t showcase much organizational skill.
-
Explain what your career goal is and state that this policy stream will help you to achieve it.
This can be your first paragraph. Think of it as an introduction. Just state what your choice is and how that fits in with your broader career goals.
“I have chosen the X policy stream because I am interested in Y, and I intend to pursue a career in A.”
-
Tell what this policy stream offers.
This can be your second paragraph. Think about it as an opportunity to show that you’ve done your research and you know what your choice means.
Don’t be afraid to refer to specific classes or professors that make this policy stream stand out to you.
“The courses taught within this policy stream will teach me about….”
“Classes such as X and Y will teach me about….”
- Wrap it up.
Tell how the course offerings will help you to ultimately achieve your career goals. Given the classes you’ll be taking, why does this choice make sense for you?“By taking the courses listed above, I hope to improve my understanding of….”
“Ultimately, this will make me more prepared for a career in….””For these reasons, I think that the X policy stream is the perfect fit for my ambitions.”