10 Tips for Writing a Powerful Statement of Purpose (SOP)

An SOP is considered an essential factor in the application process while studying abroad. It gives the admissions committee a better understanding of who you are, what you want to study and why, any relevant work experience, and your post-application plans. Therefore, the SOP should be written with utmost sincerity and not be sugar-coated or plagiarised.  

 

Unfortunately, many students think an SOP is just a paper created according to guidelines to appear more intelligent on their applications. Most students copy and paste generic statements from online sources into their SOPs with little creativity. The university counsellors and admission officers are far too intelligent to miss plagiarised content, as these students fail to understand.

 

Keep in mind these pointers to ace your SOP:

 

 1. Write it Creatively but with facts 

The SOP must always maintain a professional demeanour. However, maintaining professionalism shouldn't be confused with an absence of imagination. The SOP must present the facts orderly while maintaining the story's interest. Make the SOP a story that describes you best. 

 

2. Be Mindful of what you are mentioning. 

You must ensure that everything you write in your statement of purpose is precise. Simply saying something because you believe it will please the admissions committee is not a good idea. Whatever you say, you need to get very specific. Be self-aware. Saying, "I chose this degree because I love this field", is insufficient. Give specific reasons why you adore this field, why you decided to work in it for the rest of your life, what skills you're trying to acquire, how it makes you feel complete, etc.

 

3. Showcase your Qualifications

 Describe your college and graduate careers in brief detail (if applicable). Talk about your study endeavours, thesis, or any publications from them. Mention any extracurricular academic pursuits that you participated in. If the programme has any unique requirements, like foreign language proficiency or prerequisite classes, you should describe how you met those requirements in your statement of purpose.

 

4. Quantify your endeavours

While writing your story, you must remember that it should not read like a thesis. Instead, it ought to act as the most reliable supply of knowledge about you. And numbers are important when it comes to knowledge. Therefore, you should include both qualitative and quantitative elements in your narrative. For the reader to grasp the depth of your story, measurable amounts rather than just stories are required.

 

5. Don't Cross the Word Limit

 For every university you apply to, there will be different word limits required for the statement of purpose. It is very important to keep in mind the rules given by the university and to adhere to them. Your application might get rejected before consideration if you exaggerate about your achievements and exceed the word limit. The AdComs are very particular about the limit and only prefer to read the statements under the given limit. 

 

6. Mention Your Problems

 You have a fantastic chance to handle some of your issues in the Statement of Purpose. To reassure the admissions committee, you can address any concerns about your academic history, a job gap, or work-related issues in your statement of purpose. You must try to be as sincere as possible and responsibly discuss your issues.

 

7. Do Not COPY 

Always remember that universities are interested in your motivations, identity, background, experiences, and plans for after school. They, therefore, do not want you to show the SoP of another person. Many students use SoPs created by other students or those that can be found as samples. However, since universities have systems to identify plagiarism and duplication, this is a bad practice that could severely jeopardise your application. If the university's admissions officers discover that you have used plagiarism or copying, you may have immediately ruined your chances of admittance, possibly to other universities.

 

8. Be Straightforward

Talk about your future goals, your ideal career, and how you plan to advance at your university, participate in the global economy, and develop the necessary skill set for various occupations. Create a map of your journey to help university counsellors better comprehend your future goals. Being yourself is preferable to trying to be someone you're not. Because the admissions officials are skilled psychologists, they can tell the difference between genuine and fake applicants after just one reading. So just be authentic and only discuss events that have occurred to you and things you thrive for.

 

9. Research Well

The applicant must do an extensive study before starting to write. It entails reviewing other sample essays, the university's core principles and motto, and comprehending the framework based on the various nations. This is a crucial consideration as you write your declaration of purpose. Before writing the essays, you should thoroughly research all the colleges you are applying to and list everything you like about each institution.

 

10. Proofread, Edit and Take External Opinion

Proofreading and editing your draft until you are confident is a must. Make sure that whatever you are mentioning is true. After you are confident enough with the SOP, ask any of your friends, family members, mentor, or anyone to review it.

 

Students also attempt to keep their writings to themselves, which is a mistake. Perhaps they are reserved or believe their loved ones need to know more about the topic. They, therefore, believe that asking peers and family to comment on their essays is pointless. Wrong. Your statement of purpose describes who you are as a person and learner. Scientific jargon is involved, and your family members might not know about it. They are, however, fundamental authorities on "you." This is precisely why you ought to speak with them.

 

Writing an SOP can be challenging, and writing the best is crucial. If you are confused about and need help with study abroad queries, we at MapMyStudy provide professional assistance to students. Contact us today!