What is an SOP?

SOP...Let’s go step by step, shall we?

Purpose is defined by the oxford dictionary as the reson for which something is done or for which something exits. It’s that exactly. It’s YOUR statement which tell the admissions committee why you want to do what you want to do.

A statement of purpose should be a document that represents you in front of the committee..whatever you want to tell them but strictly in context. Why you want to pursue graduate studies APART from the big bucks that is. What made you choose the undergraduate course that you did. How you wish to contribute further to your chosen area of interest and finally why that particular university. That’s an sop for you in a nutshell. Put in a paragraph answering each of the above questions and that’s a rough draft of your sop.

An sop , carries a lot of weightage , a well written Sop particularly to the top universities can tilt the balance in your favor.

Why is an SOP important?

The admissions committee has never met you in person, they can only gauge you so far with your academics, letters of recommendation and gre scores etc.An sop is a statement reflecting you as a person , presenting yourself before the university officials are a prospective student to their university and telling them why you want to be there and why they should consider you.

So how do you write a good SOP?

An sop should show passion, inspiration, interest, clarity and uniqueness. Easier said than done. Do not copy someone else’s sop, and even if you do , do it well. Don’t copy-paste .Put a little bit of you in it. And don’t go overboard with the inspiration and passion thingy. The people who will read your sop can sniff out “phoney-ness” in seconds. And most importantly, spend some time on your sop, it’s an essay alright but a very important one.It will take time and even a delegating a month for it is not ludicrous. There will be rough drafts, many at that.
And yes, don’t show it to fellow applicants, not even if they are you diaper-buddies.It’s a bad world out there. And don’t take too many opinions. Take a few credible opinions.