A Step-wise Guide on Statement of Purpose to connect with Colleges straightaway

What is the Statement of Purpose? Well, a Statement of Purpose (SOP), is an essay about – ‘who you are, what you want to do, why and how you want to do it’. It is a reflection of your personality that you want to portray before the person reading it. A Statement of Purpose is demanded by the admission authority of most foreign universities and also by some in India. Students are applying for undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, or Ph. D courses have to write one to secure admission. It is the very first impression that the admission officer has of the candidate. Below we will share a comprehensive guide to write a great Statement of Purpose.

Statement of Purpose – Importance, Format, and Tips

A Statement of Purpose is not just the academic records or mark sheets that are considered for admission in universities abroad; they also judge other factors like the candidate’s capabilities, aspirations, zeal to excel, and determination. This is where the need for a well-written Statement of Purpose arises. It might be just a document but has great value. It has the power to decide an aspirant’s admission to the top colleges.

Statement of Purpose Format

Statement of Purpose plays a vital role in admissions to universities abroad. For you to make a mark and get selected, the SOP must be written correctly. One should follow a specific format for it. The Statement of Purpose format varies for different programs and also across countries. Many universities prescribe a particular format for the same. Here, we are providing a general idea of what the format looks like.

Part 1: Introduce yourself and your field of interest

The first paragraph of your Statement of Purpose will be about who you are and what your career goal is. It does not have to be about your family background or where you live. It should focus on the field that you want to study and why. Give some idea about your objectives after you complete the course. You can provide some information about any recent activity you have done, which might be relevant to the field. This introduction must be short and crisp, too lengthy an introduction might result in loss of interest.

Part 2: Academic and Professional achievements

In the second paragraph, you can highlight your academic profile. It is better to avoid stating your marks and instead focus on what you have studied previously, from which institute/university and how it has helped you grow. The admission officer will be more interested to know how much you have gained or developed while studying in the previous courses.

After this, you can move on to the previous professional experiences you’ve had. Here, you must provide information regarding any job, internship or projects you have worked. Any such information must be relevant to the program you are applying for and the career goal you have set. Direct experiences are much preferred, so try adding those. If you do not possess any such experience, state the one which is closest to the field you’ve chosen. You must explain how it is relevant to your choice. This will show that you have an understanding of the course.

Briefly state other experiences you’ve had, which might or might not be relevant to your choice of the program but in a way have helped you understand your capabilities and choose the right program. Reveal your strengths and highlight the facts that make you an ideal candidate.

Part 3: Justify your choice of course

The college would like to know what has been the driving force behind your choice. You must explain what has inculcated the interest in you to choose this course for further studies. However, refrain from giving vague statements like “Economics is a very interesting subject and I would like to know more about this field”, instead, state specifically why it has attracted you. Discuss the course curriculum and show that you have the idea of what you are aiming to study. Explain how the course will help you grow and develop skills.

Part 4: Career goals

The Statement of Purpose must be able to depict your determination. You should include your career goals, both immediate and long term. Universities will be keen to know where you see yourself in 10 years. They will judge your capabilities and see what you are willing to achieve after completing the course. They would want to see that you have long-term vision too. Describe how you can learn and contribute to society in future.

Part 5: Justify your choice of university

Illustrate the features of the university that attracts you. Describe how the uniqueness of the course structure will help you learn more deeply about the subject. Students can also mention how a professor from the university with specialization in the subject you want to do Ph. D can later guide you. Spell out how the exposure of the university will help you substantiate your goal.

These are the main points that you must mention and elaborate in your Statement of Purpose.

Technical points to keep in mind

• The length of the SOP must be within 800 – 1000 words. However, some colleges might have different word limits.
• Keep a 1-inch margin on all sides to make it look neat.
• Line spacing of 1.5 is preferred.
• Font size must be 12.
• “Times New Roman” font must be used to write the SOP in Word format.

What do colleges look for in a Statement of Purpose?

Foreign universities have thousands of applications coming in. To make your Statement of Purpose stand out from the rest, you must know what exactly these universities look for in the SOPs.

1. Your Statement of Purpose will reflect your writing capabilities. Hence, it must be free from grammatical errors. Usage of a good vocabulary is suggested, but it must be easy to comprehend.
2. The statement of purpose must reflect your personality, your interests and your goals. It must be unique in your own way.
3. You should be able to show how you can contribute to the department. In a much wider sense, universities want to see how you can and are willing to contribute to society after studying in a particular field.
4. They would like to know what made you choose the course at their university. You should be able to justify your choice and show that you have knowledge about the department and its faculties, opportunities or student programs in the university.
5. Last but not least; they want to see through the candidate’s future aspirations. So, you must be very clear with what you want to do and how you want to achieve it.

Tips for writing a Statement of Purpose

How to write a good Statement of Purpose? Check the tips & tricks below:

1. The Statement of Purpose must not be left to be done in the eleventh hour. It requires planning and proper mindset to be written. One must take time, introspect, and understand what must be included in the SOP.
2. The introduction of your SOP is the first part to be read, and it must have a good strong impact. It should grab the attention of the officer. Similarly, the conclusion must be impressive as well. You can use interesting and powerful quotes here.
3. Usage of any informal language or slangs will result in disqualification. So, one must stick to formal language which is conversational in tone.
4. It is true that you must be honest in your Statement of Purpose, but not to the extent that it adversely affects you. Backlogs or low GPA are such things. It is advised to not state the numbers. Even if you do, you must have a strong explanation to back it, like some severe illness, etc.
5. We have been emphasizing on the fact that the SOP must be condensed and to the point, and it is a very important aspect to note. Repetitions and unclear statements must be avoided. Also, it must be kept in mind to write within the prescribed word limit.
6. Irrelevant information like your family background or financial well being of your family or the like must not be included in your Statement of Purpose. This will have a negative impact on the reader.
7. One must strictly stick to prescribed font size and type as mentioned by the university. Too much gaudy writing must not be submitted. The writing must be simple and neat.
8. You must refrain from trying to flatter the university officials. You must be authentic even when praising them for creating an impression on the admission officer. Hence, you must write it precisely, but it should have.
9. It has been mentioned in an earlier point that you must be honest in your Statement of Purpose.
10. Before you submit finally, proofread and edit your SOP a couple of times. Make sure that there are no errors in it.

We are sure that the above information about “How to write a good Statement of Purpose” is aptly presented here. The information and tips mentioned here are useful for students who are planning to study abroad. Like, share and subscribe to our blogs for more related information on the topic.