Writing a winning SOP (Statement of Purpose)

(For admission purposes)

When students are applying to Colleges/ Universities abroad for admission purposes, one challenging part of this process is writing the Statement of Purpose (SOP). If you’re new to how to do this, take a look at the following tips that will help you write an impressive SOP.

Personalize your Statement of Purpose (SOP) to match the needs of the Institute/ College/ University you are applying to. To do this, you will need to check out the Institute’s website and social media platforms, to understand the cultural ethos imbibed. This will give you an idea of the expectations that the admission’s committee may have of the kind of students they wish to absorb.

Geared with this information, consider your own personal qualities and values that match up with that of the Institute. Note these personal characteristics and support them with examples when they worked to your benefit in the past.

Begin your draft with an introductory paragraph, introducing your name and your field of interest. Specify the course that you intend to apply for and reason it is of interest to you. You can refer to past experiences to impress on the committee how serious you are in pursuing this field of studies.

Next, you can highlight what aspects of the course are most appealing to you and why. Make references to past experiences during your early school years or even through high school and college and how these became defining moments in helping you decide on the chosen field. Use this opportunity to create a link with the ethos of the Institute. Highlight subjects within your previous educational programs that catapulted you in the direction of this course and why this took place.

If you have internships/ training’s or any other projects or work experiences to back you up, include the same within the next paragraph.  This section should focus on how the experiences helped build up your knowledge base and gave you real world experiences that will assist you in relating with the course modules offered by the institute you are applying to. Use this opportunity to highlight any major events you were a part of.

At this juncture, express your intention and keen interest to join the Institute and how it will complete your sojourn into your favored career path. Detail your expectations of the course and how you feel it will benefit you in the long run.

Conclude with stating your keen interest in being a part of the Institute and how you hope to gain a holistic experience during your tenure there. Also impress on the admissions committee how you will hold up the College/ Universities principles and your dedication toward maintaining them.

Overall, your SOP should take up to two pages in the process of describing all of the above mentioned sub-topics.

Put your best foot forward and with an impressive SOP you could land the Institute of your choice.