How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose or SOP

Write a Winning Statement of Purpose (SOP)
By Sangeeta Manocha

A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is an important and perhaps the most difficult document you need to submit when applying for graduation or higher education. While your CV recounts your skills and achievements, the SOP is the only document where you can tell your story, convey your passion, and explain any shortcoming you may have had.

But how do you go about writing this significant, and often decisive, document, while beating your own drum, yet be subtle so as not to sound pompous?

A well written SOP should convince the selection committee that you are the ideal candidate and should increase your chance of being picked up even if your scores are not too good.
Points an ideal SOP must essentially cover:
• Your introduction: A short summary of who you are, what are your interests and motivation.
• Your educational qualifications: Your skills, achievements, published papers and thesis projects. All the relevant projects and internships.
• Your Career: Work experience, responsibilities, expertise gained in each job. Important and relevant projects you handled or were part of.
• Why the course and school are the ideal fit for you and why you are a good fit for the school.

The SOP is your story to tell. Make it unique! However, don’t get into the trap of using a catchy introduction, not quite relevant to your story. If you use a catchy opening, ensure you explain it with context. Be positive in your outlook, and use the active voice.

Before you begin to write, take time to jot down all that could possibly go into the SOP. Each skill, each achievement, all the curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activity relevant to the course you intend to apply for. Follow a timeline, and everything will fall into place.

Explain your short term and long-term goals, your vision for your future, and how you will achieve that.

The SOP is the ideal place to convey your strengths; how you went that extra mile to complete that project, how you learnt that extra something to improve the results, how your inputs got your team accolades. Show with anecdotes how you took initiative to do something that earned a project of great worth for your company, how your diligence and never-say-die attitude saved the day! The reader (selection committee) will gauge your potential as a future student through the story you present.

The SOP is also the ideal place for you to explain your weakness. Do remember to show how you overcame that obstacle, and perhaps turned it into your strength!

For each school you apply to, take time to explore the website. Search for their requirements or guidelines for the Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement. Then ensure you fulfil whatever they ask for. Answer each question they have posed. Tailor your SOP to the requirements of that school. Never submit a general SOP to any school.

Edit and re-edit. Proofread. Format. Never submit a shoddy copy.
Unless stated in the requirements, make your SOP around 800 words or less than 2 pages. Never exceed 2 pages. Remember, less is more!

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