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How to start an SOP

This is the toughest part. You can start with either a quote that inspired you , or that looks inspiring. Or you can start off with your inspiration of what interested you. Or it can be a plain simple introduction to yourself. The first paragraph can lead upto why you have chosen your undergraduate field of study and a general sentence indicating how desperate you are to learn further.
The flow follows. The sop should ideally be one page long.so don’t make your introduction look too flowery or outlandish. But yes, there are ways to make things sounds better than they do. Let’s take an abstract example
I’m blind . Help me “ this can also be conveyed as “It’s a beautiful day but I cant see it” That’s the power of expression. So give strong and appealing sentences. Don’t be redundant.Keep it five paragraphs long.

  • FIRST PARA: Introduction
  • SECOND PARA: Undergrad history (what you liked and what you liked in detail in whatever you liked)
  • THIRD PARA: Research You've Done (publications, projects, paper presentations)
  • FOURTH PARA: why graduate studies( your specific interests, whay you plan to research in, a small line about your ideas)
  • FIFTH PARA: Conclusion.WHY THAT UNIVERSITY. TIME TO BE NICE.
Do not use hackneyed phrases like the following

1. I always learn from my mistakes
2. I know my dreams will come true
3. I can make a difference
4. _________ is my passion
5. I no longer take my loved ones for granted
6. These lessons are useful both on and off the field (or other sporting arena)
7. I realized the value of hard work and perseverance
8. _________ was the greatest lesson of all
9. I know what it is to triumph over adversity
10. _________ opened my eyes to a whole new world

In sop’s what are the points that you need to highlight

1.You inspiration. In simple and concise sentences.
2.You research interests.
3.You research exposure, results from the projects/ publications and your ideas to ongoing projects
4.Which areas you wish to contribute to once you join the university. Mentioning lab names/ centres of research is a good idea.
5.You goal in life and how these two years of graduate studies will help you realize your goal.Donot write stuff like I want to be a good human being ten years from now. Which means you are far from being a good person now and you definitely don’t need a master’s degree to be “good”.
6.Be polite but clear. Not arrogant.
7.Any areas of concern. Like a backlog or below average marks in a semester or important subject.
8.Work Experience.
First build paragraphs around these points and them piece them together. Flow is important, hard to believe but your life has it. So just explain that in one page and you are good to go.