Statement of Purpose (SOP) Writing Tips and Format Examples

An SOP (Statement of Purpose), also known as a research statement or letter of intent, is written to the admission team and discusses career goal (purpose), interests, goals, professional contributions, and driving force for the implementation of a particular program. This is usually presented in the form of an essay; however, some universities may keep it based on questions. This is an integral part of your application that will determine your admission to the institution of your choice.

The SOP (Statement of Purpose) is the decision-maker of your application statement. It helps the admissions committee to evaluate your life, your professional goals, beliefs, subject knowledge, and vision. In short, a well-written SOP describes your overall identity for universities. This is an opportunity to explain your purpose to the committee and the reasons why they should choose you over other candidates. A good SOP works well for weak academic profiles, where you can compensate by showing your future goals and dreams. A well-written SOP also reflects how well you can express yourself using your writing skills.

There are various key points of information that describe how to organize your SOP, from an effective introduction to an excellent background and a hopeful conclusion.

Guidelines for SOP (Statement of Purpose) Guidelines

Start the SOP with an anecdote (meaning/example) of what inspired you to seek further study in this field.

Mention your source of inspiration, as well as an event or legend about it. To achieve this, you need to remember an important event or personal experience that influenced your academic or professional decisions. Choose a story that fits the theme of your program.

Provide context for what you have learned in college - through experiences and projects that demonstrate your knowledge of these topics. Explain how all of this influenced your decision to pursue higher education in this profession.

The SOP should include information on why you want to study in this field at the moment. Mention your field of study or major (if any).

Discuss the skills you will gain from this program and how joining it will help you to achieve your professional goals.

Mark your short-term professional goal. Upon completion of your degree, explain your plans, including the type of work you want to achieve, the type of company you want to work for, and the field you want to be a part of.

Mark your exact long-term goal. Explain your professional goals for the next 10-15 years, as well as how you intend to contribute to the industry during this time. Since the SOP is all about providing specific information, you need to be very clear.

Explain why you chose this country over your own country or any other international location.

Explain why you chose this university specifically. Mention the unique features of the university that best suit your needs. Mention the name of the faculty that offers this program, as well as their research interests (if needed). Discuss how university research centers / laboratories, activities, clubs, and topic / elective areas are relevant to your learning objectives. To obtain this evidence, do extensive research on the university website.

Expand your volunteer work, community service, or extracurricular activities in one paragraph and describe how these experiences have helped you grow. You can also describe how you can help the university student organization.

The main guide to the SOP statement is to understand what to include and how to create it. The statement of purpose, like every human being, is different in many ways. Needless to say, your experiences, as well as your thoughts and ideas, as well as your dreams, will be different and different. However, when it comes to writing them, there are a few rules that everyone should follow. We’ll look at them in these 5 important steps to writing a great SOP.

Step 1: Make a list of your main achievements in school

What you have to give at the Undergraduate level is not three years of job experience or four to five years of study experience. Instead, you have about 12 years of growth. Since your trip was longer, you have a lot to include. Take a look at the last 12 years; imagine the smallest pleasures and the greatest teachers, the challenges and the joys of success. Maybe it’s your victory in a state volleyball tournament or your first victory in an intra-class debate tournament in fifth grade. Regardless of whether you have 12 years of work experience. So consider all the situations and if you remember them, there is a strong reason to include them in your list.

Step 2: Don’t hunt for any subject; instead, think about your way of life to this day

Compared to the five basics of writing an SOP, this is the only step that is completely invalid. In this case, we recommend that you refrain from any other thought than the story of your life. In fact, it is a platform where you can discuss all the work you have done and how you came to this decision. You are still researching, decoding, and eager to learn. You have to cover everything, so don’t start looking for leadership patterns or any features. You are still capable; be flexible in your SOP and refrain from choosing a specific example.

Step 3: Create your first project

At the UG level, we take this step forward and ask you to start it by writing it. This is important even before you start cutting lists. We recommend that you start writing a copy as soon as possible, even before you have the opportunity to review what you want to add.

Step 4: Discuss your list and the first project

Talking to friends, family, and if you have a good relationship with your professors is a great way to start narrowing down your choices. Find out what they think about your writing, what event they prefer to leave you, and what else you need to discuss. Ask for help to evaluate and ask for your ideas. Remember that they can look at your achievements from afar and find something more interesting than others.

Step 5: Fill out your essay

Now it’s time to finish your essay after discussing copies and lists. We usually recommend writing a piece. When you’re done, just rewrite your SOP statement. Remember what you want to include in your SOP for the UG course and be very clear about your goal. When done, change the paper to remove any grammar or typing problems. Limit the number of times you can rewrite and rewrite your essay. We recommend that you continue reading it until you feel it is the same.

There are several elements that are important to your SOP Statement. These include:

• Personal background

• Financial background

• Academic details

• Professional experience (full / correspondence, optional)

• Short-term and long-term goals

• Reasons why you want to study at this particular institution

• Reasons for focusing on the selected field

• About extracurricular activities

• Printed works, if any

• Submitted documents, if any

• Interests, hobbies

Dos for your SOP (The Statement of Purpose) Application 

Bachelor or Undergraduate 

• Your goal is to get the program and opportunities you want to learn

• Your academic tour and achievements

• Extracurricular activities

• Motivation and career aspirations

• Assignments to be completed during the study

• Internships, if any

Postgraduate Study

• Your career and personal goals are short-term and long-term

• Evidence of professional achievement

• Anecdotes about teamwork, leadership, and other corporate traits

• Career expectations from institutions

• Interesting projects implemented in the workplace

• Voluntary work, if any

Here are three key steps you need to keep in mind when writing your SOP

1. Plan it well

Create your SOP plan and work accordingly. Sharing an anecdote that has increased your interest in your topic is a great way to build your introduction. Create indicators and categories, list your relevant achievements and experiences, and most importantly, list the reasons for choosing a course and university.

2. Work on the project

Focus on sharing your learning and knowledge during your study and industry experience. Limit the use of technical terms and use an active voice when writing you’re SOP. If there is a gap year or academic year, address them optimistically. Make sure your SOP has an accurate introduction and conclusion. Remember that you should always write you’re SOP in reverse chronological order.

3. Inspect before shipping

It is important to check what you have written. Repeated analysis helps to correct process, vocabulary, sentence construction errors, long sentences, and various grammar problems. Get a second opinion, maybe from a professor, senior, or MERIDEAN OVERSEAS consultant. Make sure you read it correctly and double-check before submitting it.

• Connect to the basic information and general description. Do not write a complete family history.
• Avoid sensitive financial details. If you are applying for a scholarship, a separate document is required for this.
• Professional details. Talk about learning experiences, not about colder conversations.
• Do not exceed the limit of the given word.
• Be circle; do not flatter your tongue.
• Avoid too many technical terms.
• Don’t lie in your SOP, dishonesty can lead to rejection.
• Avoid using creative fonts or colored paper
• Don’t write that the institution wasn’t your first choice.
• Be careful with humor, it can backfire!

Our experienced MERIDEAN OVERSEAS consultants can guide you in writing a top SOP to help you get accepted into the institution of your choice. Talk to your overseas education consultants today for more details.