A Statement of Purpose is generally a 500 to 1,000-word or 1-2-page long essay playing a crucial role in the admission in study abroad destinations. It is a brief description of the candidate profile including several aspects of the applicant’s academic and professional career such as academic interests, industrial experience, career approach, etc.
Individuals should prepare the statement of purpose in such a manner that explores all the points mentioned above without exceeding the word limit and without sounding fake. Here are some essential points to remember that will help you improve your Statement of Purpose:-
Planning
Planning is the first step to building anything new. Therefore, prior to writing the essay, candidates should make up their minds and try to make a blueprint of the SOP. In this step, they should figure out which information should be included in the motivational letter and filter out the irrelevant data.
Making a plan gives a rough idea of how the SOP would look like. This will further help in framing the sentences effectively. Also, a strong introductory paragraph and a motivational conclusion can be added with proper planning.
Introspection
Introspection is an essential step in the procedure to improve your Statement of Purpose. Sitting in silence for a while and thinking about your own achievements, likes and dislikes, strong points, and skills will fill your mind with sufficient information to be incorporated into the essay. Furthermore, having a chat with parents, friends, and teachers will also help you in telling your own potential.
Research
First of all, candidates must initiate a search program. In other words, they should look for SOP samples given on the official website of international universities. This will tell them how to make each paragraph of the SOP and also how to link things together. Secondly, aspirants must gather university-specific and program-specific information regarding the Statement of Purpose. Searching the internet will give you a format of the SOP as well as help you brainstorm new ideas.
Creativity
In order to improve your Statement of Purpose, use your entire creativity and innovation. Including innovative but realistic future plans, career aspirations, etc. are actually going to level up your SOP as these things are generally what the admission committee looks for.
Skills and interests
Make a list of your abilities and skills that are going to help you achieve success in your chosen field of study. For instance, good leadership qualities, team-building skills, analytical thinking skills, and hardworking nature are suitable for an MBA in USA.
Do not include your hobbies or personal habits in this section as you are going to add them to your CV anyway. Do not forget to highlight your academic interests.
- You can point out if you are interested in a particular subject in your chosen program
- You may also mention research areas
- Explain how the different courses of the program would help you upskill yourself for your chosen career
Motivation
As a Statement of Purpose is sometimes called a Motivational Letter, it makes it necessary for applicants to specify the motivation for:
- Choosing the program
- Selecting the field of study
- Shortlisting the particular college/university
- Pursuing research in that area
Formal Tone
It is necessary to maintain a formal tone while writing your Statement of Purpose. You can use simple and brief sentences to convey your side of the story in order to make it more understandable. However, you should avoid using abbreviations, slang, and informal language in this regard. In this way, you can increase the readability of your essay and reduce complexity.
Avoid Repetition
You should avoid repeating the same information over and over again in your Statement of Purpose. Moreover, do not incorporate redundant data that is already mentioned in your Resume. Furthermore, avoid repeating words in the essay and use synonyms, instead.
You must also avoid reusing the same Statement of Purpose for applying to each and every university. As the SOP guidelines vary with the university, submitting the same essay everywhere will surely decrease your chances of getting into the college. Instead, prepare a fresh Statement of Purpose for each university, keeping in mind their requirements and word limit.
Proofread your essay
Always proofread your Statement of Purpose before submitting it in order to ensure there are spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Submitting an essay containing many errors shows recklessness and hurry which you are surely going to avoid. You can also use tools available on the internet to find mistakes or have it read by someone else.
Personalise your SOP
You must prepare your Statement of Purpose by adding personal experiences and individual choices. This would make the essay look close to reality and add a personal touch. You may also find a way to link your personal choices to the program outcomes.
One of the best ways to improve your SOP is to keep it simple, adding a personal touch, highlighting motivation, and adding innovative ideas. A widely used way of improving a personal statement is to analyse approved SOPs or sample essays. Holding fast to the 10 above-mentioned tips would also lead you to an improved and upgraded Statement of Pur
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