What is a Statement of Purpose (SOP)?
To apply to the university requires the preparation of a series of documents. One of the most important of them is the SOP, which stands for Statement of Purpose. It is a document in which you describe your motivation for choosing a particular field of study at a particular university. The SOP often has the greatest impact on admission and rejection at the university to which you are applying. It is worth mentioning that Statement of Purpose, Motivation Letter, and Letter of Intent is used interchangeably, and they are the same.
How to write an effective SOP?
To be able to write an effective SOP, you must pay attention to a series of critical points and follow the instructions. Because most people do not know what an SOP is, and write down everything that comes to their minds. Also, other groups search the Internet, find ready-made SOPs, make some changes, and send them to the university. But to have an effective SOP, no templates or copies of others must be used. For this reason, the university admission committee, after studying many SOP, realizes that the text is a copy, and this will ruin your chances.
Numerous universities around the world have their official format. However, the content of the SOP varies from program to program. While several formats and examples can be found online for SOP to use for writing, choosing the best format is always challenging. Also, you can not specify the accurate formatting required for a specific or ideal draft. Therefore, each SOP should be written uniquely and modeled only on the formats that are available or offered by universities.
The first paragraph of the SOP
This paragraph consists of two or three sentences and indicates the purpose of your writing, that is, a brief history of you and your scientific interests and future goals.
Study suggestion: resume writing | academic CV
The second paragraph of the SOP
This paragraph shows your educational background, indicating your readiness for this field and degree. This section includes the ups and downs of previous degrees, the difference between the grade point average at the beginning and end of the study, getting a good score on the entrance exam for the master’s degree (if needed) to attract the attention of the admissions committee or professor.
The third paragraph of the SOP
This paragraph is a description of your professional goals. Although the SOP is a summary of your goals and background, it can also be a testament to your eligibility for admission to a particular field of study. This paragraph, together with the previous paragraph, assures the admissions committee that you are a purposeful student.
The fourth paragraph of the SOP
This paragraph describes your favorite subject for further study. Now that you have outlined your professional interests, background, and goals in the previous sections, you should note that the best way to connect the years of study and success in your chosen profession is to study the field in which you are applying to continue your studies. So be accurate as much as possible.
General tips about writing SOP
- The length of the SOPdepends on the university but is usually between 1 and 2 pages.
- Highlight your positives and strengths in the SOP that may set you apart. Note that you should be honest about these points.
- Since each person takes a different path to success throughout their lives, do not create an SOP by copying other people’s SOPs.
- Do not use the same SOP for various universities.
- Remember that your SOP must be personal and completely flawless, especially if you are planning to apply for a scholarship. So ask experienced friends, professors, and experts to edit and correct spelling and grammatical errors in your SOP.