5 Tips to write an impressive Statement of Purpose (SOP)

Many students underestimate the relevance of a Statement of Purpose, simply called by its evergreen acronym, and dismiss it as yet another essay to be included in or along with the application form. Just in case you are one of such people, I must say that you are making a huge mistake.

An SOP is not just an essay; it is a written response to some implicit questions in a typical admission process which pertain to the reasons why you wish to study in a particular university and what makes you perfect for the course applied.

While many misunderstand it as writing your biodata in an essay form, it is, in fact, more formal, organized and targeted. Due to such nonchalance, many students, even those with great potential, lose good opportunities simply because they were too cocky or careless about SOP.

If you want to write a good SOP worthy of serious consideration, you must keep in mind a few points. I have written down a few of them for you, and all you need to do is to go through them before you start preparing for an SOP.

1. Give it a storyline
   It may surprise a few of my readers, but it is one tip which can ensure that your SOP does not sound like monotonous statements without much emotional or personal impact. What I mean to say is that you must give your SOP a storyline to make it engaging.
   There are, however, certain things you must keep in mind. Giving the texture of a story does not mean that you loosen the ends on your writing and engage in a very casual, informal method of expression. Also, you cannot use slangs or colloquial words. You can write a good story using a refined language, tone and attitude.
2. Be Forthcoming About Yourself
   I understand that people want to show the best they are to the reviewers. However, driven by wanting to impress, many applicants provide details which are not true and are a forceful attempt to portray themselves in an utterly saccharine fashion.
   It is advised that you put down your details honestly. You should not hesitate in talking about any problems which might have affected your academic or work life in the past and that you would ensure that these problems do not affect your time at the institution applied for (in case, selected). Make sure you write down how you managed to deal with the problem and what you learned from it.
3. But, above all, refrain from lies.
   Everything About The University On the Top Of Your Fingers. You have to make the reviewers believe in you and your interest in studying at the University. One way of doing so is by inputting little details about it, aside from the more prominent ones. The idea is to give the impression that you have researched extensively on the university and know enough about it to inspire confidence in your choice.
   So, when crafting your story, ensure certain details which could create an impact such as the latest achievements of the alumni, or financial assistance provided by the university to research scholars every year—and you can make yourself sound smarter and serious.
4. Be Very Specific and Focussed
   Do not go astray while writing down the SOP. Yes, you are talking about yourself in it, but you are supposed to stick to the points which actually have any relevance with respect to the course and the university applied for.
   If you are applying for a graduate program in Computer Science, then you should stress more on related academic and extra-curricular achievements and skills. You can, of course, write down about other things as well such as your success in sports and debates, etc but they assume ancillary relevance to those mentioned before.
5. Proofread
   Even if you are cent percent confident about your writing abilities, it is highly advised that you proofread the SOP as many times as you can. Also, consider getting it reviewed from persons who have written successful SOPs or are very good at reviewing and editing.

Your aim should be to write a flawless SOP, and mind you, it is much more difficult than you think it is!

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