How to write a statement of purpose?

The biggest mistake applicants do is writing a lengthy and boring Statement of Purpose. An essay should always be memorable to the reader. The admissions committee looks for a story that is genuine and well-crafted by the applicant. Be truthful and stick to the facts. Your story should be fresh, lively, and different – to put yourself ahead of the other applicants.

Find an Angle

If you are like most people, however, your life story might well lack significant drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes a big challenge. Therefore, finding an angle is vital. Brainstorm for ideas which emphasize your exceptional qualities, goals, past performances and make your story more compelling and gripping.

Concentrate on Your Opening Paragraph

The OPENING PARAGRAPH is generally the MOST IMPORTANT. Here you either GRAB the reader’s attention or lose it. If you are telling a story, make sure that you put in most relevant things to hook the reader throughout the essay. An interesting paragraph makes the article more engrossing. Immerse your reader in the story that turns out to be one of the heart touching and welcoming stories.

Tell Who You Are

The committee needs to get a sense of who you are, what makes you tick, and how you are different from other applicants. They should be interested in you by now, eager to hear more, impressed with what you’re saying to them — the story you’re relating to – is not simply what they’ve read a thousand times before. Sometimes a SOP can be perfectly well written in terms of language and grammar, but disastrous in lacking punch or impact and in being totally off the mark concerning what it chooses to present about the applicant. Remember, what is most important about your SOP is what you say and how you say it! Be selective about what you tell to the admissions committee.

What you choose to say in your statement is, again, very much a reflection of you because it shows the committees what your priorities are, what you consider to be important. The personal statement is often an indication, too, of your judgement, so be careful and give a great deal of thought to what you write. Think about yourself, your background, experiences and abilities – as well as what you know about the profession and develop a strategy (Is it interesting, relevant, different, memorable?) Review your life very carefully (get help from family or friends if necessary) for facets or experiences that reveal an unusual dimension, related to your professional goals, or could serve as evidence of your suitability for a certain career. Try to maintain a positive and upbeat tone. While it is often useful to deal candidly with aspects of your history that might be perceived negatively, overall you still want to project confidence and enthusiasm.

What NOT to Include

Be Selective. Do not provide something more than a recitation of information available elsewhere in the application. Sometimes there will be things you want to mention because you are proud of those achievements and experiences; however, they may not belong in your statement. The information you give must support your story and/or case. You will not want to talk about every achievement.

References to experiences or accomplishments during your high school years or earlier are not a good idea. There are exceptions, extraordinary achievements or traumatic event that had a significant impact on your development or career plans. You sound very young and immature if this information does not have a big impact on your life.

Finally, do not mention subjects that are potentially controversial; it is impossible for you to know the biases of members of various admissions committees. Religion and politics normally don’t belong in these statements, although, again, there may be exceptions. Any views that might be interpreted as strange or highly unconventional should also be omitted because you want to avoid them.

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