#STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A# Statement of Purpose is an #essay that you write, addressed to the admission committees of various #Universities, stating who you are, what your academic and professional goals are and what you hope to achieve through studying the courses you wish to take at the University.

A good #SOP can be written by anyone. Take on a conversational tone and tell your story: a little bit about what kind of person you are; your academic interests; your extra co-curricular interests; your hobbies; what your professional goals are; how the University you are applying to and the courses you are taking up, can contribute to your academic and professional growth.

The subject lines mentioned above may seem a lot to you. You may wonder how to write an essay that is not too formal.Well, you can write your essay, as a story---showing how you grew from strength to strength. You can put in a few anecdotes from your childhood, college days or from work to show how you faced a difficult situation and overcame it. Talk about your leadership and team building qualities. Have you played sports? Have you led a team or been part of a team where your contribution has led to the success of the team? If you have any talent such as singing, dancing or any unique skills, mention them. The admission committee is always looking at students with different skill sets so that the University environment is enriched by their contributions.

There is no need to mention your marks, subjects of study or work experience in great detail in the #SOP. You would have already given the details in your resume. What you need to mention in the #SOP is your specific area of interest and how this aligns with your goal. Show that you are focused in your goals right from your high school years. For example, if you are applying for a Master’s degree in Architecture, do mention what made you choose that area of study in senior school and which subjects appealed to you the most and why you went on to study architecture as a subject.

Mention your career goal. What do you wish to do with the degree you get? Do you have relevant work experience? Have you excelled in a particular subject? If you have worked in a job or even in a student internship program, show how you were complimented or commended for your good work ethics. How did you motivate others at work? What leadership qualities do you have? Can you work under pressure? Show how your contributions at work helped your team or company get recognition in some way.

Build up your #SOP in such a way that it shows how all your interests and experiences match up to the area of study that you are seeking admission to. You must also show a good knowledge about the University you are applying to. Which are the majors that interest you? Please do mention the names of a few professors whose work you admire or have read about. Try and get some inputs through discussion forums in the University on the various activities you can participate in, while you are the University. Mention those also in your #SOP.

Finally, do proof-read and work on multiple drafts of your #SOP. Give it some thought. Do not write your SOP at the last moment. Most importantly, do not copy from the website or from a friend. The University will reject your application if they find out that you have copied. Your SOP should be as original and different as you are.