STATEMENT OF PURPOSE I

Some essential information about SOP

So what is it? And why is it needed?

SOP “humanizes” your application. Your academic capability and your achievements are mostly known from your GPAs and test scores and projects/publications. But still, how you interpret those achievements is not known to the university without a SOP. Hence SOP puts a “face’ to your application. In my opinion, it is the single most important part of any grad application packet. It is the opportunity for you to argue why is it that you are good fit into the program or why is it the program is a good fit for you. It is also an opportunity to argue why you are better than many other applicants. Remember I have used the word “opportunity”. It very much is an opportunity.

Characteristics of a good SOP:

Be future oriented – talk more about what will be done than what happened in past. While presenting evidences to support your claims is ok, it is not always useful to talk about silly achievements. So it is very important to discuss about your plans, intentions, dreams, next step etc.

Present yourself as a professional – your achievements are important. But not all of them. Only those that are of professional relevance are important. The swimming prize that you won in your high school is definitely not important.

Make specific arguments about your qualifications and abilities

Illustrate your compatibility with the program you are applying to. (needless to say, this means each university deserves a separate SOP and separate homework should be done for writing each of them.)

Understand the Essay question:

Please read what your SOP questions asks you to do. See if there are any word limits. See if there are any specific thing that they want to know. “READ”.
Now read between the lines and try to understand what is it that they want to know about you. And do a good research of their program. Doing this work is SOP half done!

Try to make the following list:

What qualities do they expect-->Poof of you having those qualities

What experience do the seek from the successful applicant -->Proof of you having that experience

What specific ‘skills” do they expect from their applicant-->Proof of you having those skills

Remember, universities do NOT expect you to have ALL of these. Hardly anybody has ALL of them. But the point is, you must try and state what are the things that you have.

Its all about YOU:

Remember, SOP is essentially a document about YOU. Its not about the university or whatever. Its all about YOU. Now what does that mean?

It means that you must explicitly state how you expect to enrich yourself after the grad program at their university, more than how the university will benefit from you. You should try and relate how you have the right skills that they expect and how you could continue your development and how their program could help you realize your plans. You should try and be explicit about specific things that you can contribute and also how their program will enrich you in the long run. You must definitely discuss your career goals and how their program could help realize those.