Statement of Purpose (SOP) is, usually a 1000 words essay which need to be submitted to the university by the student. The aim of the SOP to understand the student thinking behind the university selection, the course and what’s his/her aim after completing the course.
Benefits of Good SOP
Based on the university and the SOP may change where some universities will request for an essay and some may request answers for set questions. Irrespective of the format the student needs to portrait his/her education and career goals, past education achievements related to the selected course, his/her career goals etc. be more descriptive about the reason behind selection because university may decide to accept/reject the application based on SOP
Tips of Writing Statement of Purpose For Study Abroad
Personal & Financial Background
Personal background is a must in the statement of purpose because it is one of the things universities are looking for. If a student has overcome all adversities and continued education despite all odds, then it should be included in the SOP. If a student has proved to be brilliant in studies in spite of financial difficulties, then that too should be included in the statement.
Personal Failures
Most students wouldn’t even think of including this in the SOP. But it is in fact a must. The main purpose behind writing about one’s failures is to allow others to understand that the student has bounced back from all those failures.
Work Experience
Not all courses ask for job experience. But it is a good idea to include the same in the SOP if the student has any. This can include part time jobs and even voluntary ones. Any job, even if it lasted for only a month, should be included because it was an experience after all.
Extra-Curricular Activities
This can include anything from participating in sports activities or in college debates. This will help the university with understanding whether the student is a team player and whether he or she has leadership qualities. Extra-curricular activities also highlight how determined the student is to achieve his or her goals.
Customization
Student needs to make sure he/she customized the SOP based on the university and the course he/she apply. The university will be keen to understand why the student has selected their university and the course. It recommended to mention the evaluation process and how student decided the university
SOP needs to be written by the student as it’s a vital part of the Study Abroad application process. Some time the university or the embassy may ask questions from the student through the SOP process to see the authenticity of the document
