5 Steps to Writing Effective Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose (SOP) has major influence on your admission to study overseas in an English speaking nation such as Australia, US, UK, Canada and more. As it is the most crucial and difficult part of the entire application process, it has the power to make or break your opportunity. Therefore, it is recommended to seek help of experienced and qualified study abroad consultants to ensure your SOP is powerful and attractive. Our team of competent professionals has counseled and placed thousands of students in international universities and colleges in 2006 itself including IVY Leagues

There are some unique characters to a winning Statement of Purpose that has the capability to ensure you admission so that you can study overseas in Australia, UK, US or any other country in the universities abroad. Many students, however, fail to understand its importance and write a casual essay that comes across as monotonous and mundane to the admission committee.

The purpose of SOP is to help the committee get a detailed understanding of you as an individual. It should not be a replica of someone else’s SOP (Avoid Plagiarism). It is a powerful tool to help you stand out of the crowd and leave an impression on the reader. So, take your time and strategize how you wish your Statement of Purpose to sound.

Before starting to write the SOP, you must be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and how you are a better candidate for the program over other students. In addition, you should be able to state the contributions you would be able to make to the program. Furthermore, be clear about the reasons you wish to apply to the particular university and its specific program. You must include how your personality or past experiences make you a good fit for it.

Following are some of the common questions that must be answered in your statement of purpose :

• What you want to study at graduate school?
• Why you want to study only this degree?
• Why do you want to study at this particular college? What do you like in us?
• Why did you choose to study in this particular country? What do you like about it?
• How much and what kind of experience you have in your field?
• Is your experience related to you choice of degree?
• If you are already experienced, what additional skills are you planning to gain from the degree?
• What you plan to do with your degree after graduation?
• Would you choose to end up with a job or take up research?
• What are your expectations from both the graduate program, and the university?
• Would you like to study or do research under any particular professor? If yes, why only them?
• How can you contribute to our university and our program? What specific skills do you bring to the table?
• Apart from work and education, what are your hobbies, interests, and habits? What are you like, as a person?
• What do you understand about our student community and culture? Why do you think you will fit in?
• What is that one unique aspect/characteristic about you that we should know? Why does it matter to us or to the fellow students of your class?

Now that you understand the information to be included in your Statement of Purpose, here are a few tips to bear in mind while writing:

1. Share your story:

It is advised to first write down answers to all the above mentioned questions. Afterwards, it will be easy to structure it into an essay. Tell your story and include facts about yourself along with answers to the above-mentioned questions. It will help you connect with your audience and win the admission in return.

2. Be Specific:

Being specific in your SOP makes you sound genuine. For example, if you volunteered in a NGO during your class 10th, then you must include the following details:

• Time period
• Name of the NGO
• Location
• Your contribution / involvement

Although the aim of your Statement of Purpose is to help you gain the admission, it should not sound like a marketing strategy. Don’t just say things without facts to support it or simply to impression the committee members. The focus should be on being to the point and not beating around the bush.

3. Avoid using same SOP for all Universities:

One of the common mistakes made by most aspirants is submitting the same SOP for all universities. It is highly suggested to write different statement of purpose for each university. The universities and programs differ from each other on many aspects such as cultures, methodologies, visions, values, mottos, strengths and weaknesses. Also, your contribution and value add with also vary accordingly.

4. Be cautious of your tone:

It is suggested to maintain a formal yet conversational tone throughout the application. An occasional humor is acceptable but don’t overdo it.

5. Review, Review and Review:

You must review your Statement of Purpose several times to ensure you have met the above-mentioned criteria. Also, have several professionals proof read and critique it for you to confirm your tone and originality. So, write a draft, edit and rewrite it as many times as required. The bottom line is – Make it look GOOD & unique!
If you are still not confident about writing an effective Statement of Purpose that can win you admission in your dream University, contact mapmystudy. We are your study in Australia consultants in Delhi. We have several years of experience helping students with their Statement of Purpose and other study abroad admission process. In 2016 alone, we have placed thousands of students in the top Universities and Colleges across the globe.