10 Tips to Improve your Statement of Purpose

If you are planning to apply to any international university, then you already know what’s a Statement of Purpose (SOP) and its significance. In simple words, an SOP is a 1000 words personalized essay which is a part of your admission application package. Writing a statement of purpose is not a difficult task, however, it is important to ensure that your SOP leaves an impression on the selection committee 

Yes, there are some basic guidelines that you can follow while drafting your SOP, but what does it take to write an exceptional SOP? How is it that you can ensure that your Statement of Purpose stands out and shows your intent to study the chosen program? To help you with this, here are the top 10 essential tips to improve your Statement of Purpose.

Prepare A Blue Print

First of all, note down all the points you want to incorporate in your SOP a

Most students start writing their essay right away. But you’re not most students. If you want to be smarter than the crowd and get ahead of the competition it’s a good idea to make a blueprint for your SOP before you actually start writing it. Blueprinting will allow you to create the structure for your SOP and also determine which points you want to include and which unnecessary details to scratch out.;

Do Your Research

Unlike your undergrad years, you are expected to have a clear understanding our your goals in graduate school. Universities seek candidates who have done their research about the program they are applying to. One of the easiest ways to impress your SOP reviewer is by demonstrating in your SOP you have done your homework about the course curriculum of the program and the ongoing research in your field of interest.;

Utilize The Golden Opportunity To Tell Your Story

Many students applying for a program will have similar qualifications and achievements. What makes a university pick one student from a group of similar students is how they present themselves. Utilize your SOP to let the university know what makes you unique among all the other applicants. Write your SOP as if you were narrating the story if your career to the reader.;

Find A Balance Between Being Too Formal and Too Informal

Your SOP should be engaging and make the reviewer hungry to learn more about your story. But remember, you do not want to sound too informal and come off as casual in your SOP. The best practice is to use simple sentences and a conversational tone while being wary of colloquialisms, slangs, informal abbreviations, etc. It is your job to ensure that you strike the right balance between sounding too formal and being over-familiar.;

Include Fact-Based Examples

The best way to take a story from good to great is to make it realistic and relatable to the reader. Therefore, while writing about your skills, strengths, achievements etc quantify your statements and supply verification wherever possible. For example instead of writing;

“I am passionate about dancing and I excel at it” you can write,;

“Dancing is my passion. I was first introduced to dance at 7 years of age and have worked my way up to a National Academy Certified Bharatnatyam Dancer over the course of 12 years. ”

Notice how quantification instantly makes you go from a dilettante dancer to someone who is passionate and serious about their craft.;

Write 1 SOP for 1 University

The biggest mistake any student can make is to try and reuse SOPS for different universities with little to no modifications. Remember universities look for candidates who show genuine interest in the institute. Generic SOPs with no reference to the curriculum, infrastructure culture, etc specific to the university, therefore, would straight away delegate your application to the mediocre pile. Ensure that you write a separate SOP for each university that you are applying to, tailored, and customized to the unique opportunities that they offer.

Present A Realistic Career Plan

By the time you enter graduate school, you are expected to have an idea about your professional interests and a vision for your career. Whether you want to devote your life to academics or pursue a career in cutting edge research present a structured career plan outlining your short term and long term goals. This will help convince the admissions team that you are an exceptional and ambitious candidate worthy of admission into the program.

Include Details of Extracurriculars

An effective means to impress the university is to include details of your extracurricular activities in the SOP. Many students may have similar academic records, so your extracurriculars might just earn you the added brownie points you need to stand out! Having a passion outside your field of specialization portrays you as a dynamic individual. Details of your extracurricular skills also count as a testament to soft skills such as leadership, team working abilities, etc.

Address Weaknesses in Your Academic Profile

You should use the SOP to demonstrate your strengths. However, if you are intelligent enough you can also utilize the SOP to address any serious shortcomings in your academic profile. Addressing your failures provides a context to the university. It can also identify you as a resilient individual capable of learning from their mistakes. However, remember to put a positive spin on any weaknesses that you mention. Emphasize what you have learned from the failures rather than dwelling on the failures themselves.;

Get Feedback from Professors and Peers

Students often hear that they should work on their SOPs themselves and write their own opinions and ideas. However, working upon it yourself doesn’t mean that you cannot get feedback on it.

Seeking constructive criticism from your superior, professors, and peers will help you establish that your statement of purpose is technically sound.

Once you have completed the essay check and recheck to ensure there are no spelling, grammar or structural errors. Silly spelling errors can end up jeopardizing an otherwise exceptional essay Also, ensure that you have addressed all the university prompts. Once, satisfied you may also seek constructive criticism from your superiors on how to further improve the essay.;

So there you have it, the 10 essential ingredients to convert your SOP from average to excellent! Following these guidelines will surely impress your admissions officers and might even earn you a scholarship as well as an admission offer. Go grab a piece of paper and start writing your SOP today, to get one step closer to the university of your dreams!