The students often ignore the Letter of Purpose as it is misunderstood a lot. They are ignoring means that they don’t focus on it or take it as just a simple essay about themselves. 

But, is it the case? No, not at all. SOP is one of the most critical documents for winning admission to the university. Your transcript represents your academics, but which document does represent you? That is undoubtedly your SOP which you ignored. That is why university admissions committees heavily weighted the statement of purpose and its structure: they want to see if you are interested in telling them how much you want to study at their university? Nearly all of the statements now seem the same. Students frequently copy-paste and change statements of purpose from their seniors or classmates, making them appear even more generic or irrelevant to their applications. There are given some interesting tips that are very useful once you have understood the value of SOP.

• Do your homework first
• Don’t use plain statements
• Specific
• Be yourself
• Be formal with a conversational touch
• Address your problems
• Proofread, edit and re-edit. 

Do your homework first. 

This is a very crucial aspect to consider while creating a statement of purpose. Before writing the essays, you should thoroughly research all of the universities you are applying to and make a list of everything you appreciate about each one. You don’t have to keep reminding the admissions committee about how excellent their college is. But you should tell them just what it is about them that makes you want to be there. It’s crucial to pay attention to the details.

Don’t use plain statements.

Here is where your creativity comes out. Writing monotonous or words which are highly loaded and bombastic are to be avoided. Instead, it should be like reading a fascinating story where there is connectivity and a continuous flow. The fluency of language and present yourself artistically. Consider “why” you want to learn the subject you wish to study. Is there a clear cause for this? Is it for emotional, financial, or other reasons? If you think hard enough, you’ll come up with a connection. The reason may not be apparent at first glance, but if you think about it long enough, you will realize that there is a compelling reason why you want to pursue a specific course or degree.

Be specific

Yes, it would help if you were very specific about each line of your essay. Though creativity is needed, do not stray from the main point. Keep it short and precise. Well, benign short is not about the length of the essay. You need to cut short every point, keeping in mind that they do not have much time. Don’t just say something to impress the admissions committee because you believe it will. Whatever you say, you must go into great detail. Think about yourself. Don’t just say, “I chose this major because I enjoy working in this sector.” Please explain why you enjoy this field, what led you to determine that you want to work in it for the rest of your life, what skills you are attempting to acquire, and why it is essential.

Be yourself

We all have read a line in our childhood. “Honesty is the best policy.” Now, this is the time to prove it. I mean that you need to give truthful information about yourself.

It’s preferable to be yourself rather than pretend to be someone you’re not. The admissions officers are trained psychologists who can distinguish between genuine and fake candidates based on just one reading.

Be formal with conversational touch.

It may seem contradictory, but trust me, it is not. To be super formal or super friendly is not a good idea. You need to blend these two qualities. Assume you’re speaking with your college’s dean or director. What would your dialect sound like? That’s how your statement of purpose should sound. A little humor here and there is OK, but don’t try to come out as overly humorous or too intelligent. It would help if you were conversational but under formal boundaries.

Address your problem. 

The Statement of Purpose provides you with an excellent opportunity to address some of your issues. Suppose you have a questionable academic history, a gap year in your employment, or any work-related issues. In that case, you can address these in your statement of purpose to reassure the admissions committee. It would help if you strived to be as open and honest as possible and maturely discuss your issues.

Proofread, edit, re-edit. 

Well, such an important document is read after writing, which is standard practice. But you have to take care of it specially. Consult your friends’ family, let them be your judge, and understand it with a broader aspect. You can take it to a mentor or professor. They can give you some hints or suggestions which can be very important for you. Remember that your statement of purpose is a literary representation of ‘you as a person, and it speaks for you.

Avoid mistakes, misplaced commas and semicolons, overused quotations, overly wordy, too many complex words and sentences, and too direct as a high priority. If you have good terms with a professor at your undergrad institution, don’t be afraid to ask them for guidance on your statement of purpose. They are, of course, seasoned candidates who have likely seen thousands of statements of purpose and students during their employment. So, it wouldn’t harm to inquire about their thoughts.

So, these are essential aspects or tips whatever you say to enhance the effect of your SOP. There can be many others too. The list is endless, which is hard to cover here. But the points above are of high importance. SOP should never be ignored as it plays a very crucial role. It is your mouthpiece in front of the admission committee.

Also Read: HOW CAN I GET ADMISSION IN UNIVERSITY IN UK?