How to Write a Winning Statement of Purpose for Graduate School
Admission panels read thousands of applications each year, so students must find innovative ways to uniquely share their story to stand out from the pack. Instead of simply talking about the importance of sports or travel in your life, share your distinctive recollections or accomplishments.
Rather than saying you worked at a summer camp, be sure to include information such as how long, how many children, how you spent your days and any commendations you received.
In the same way that colleges and universities want students to share matchless information about themselves, they also want to see that students recognize the unique qualities of the school. Spend time with the institution’s vision plan and statement of values before writing your statement of purpose.
Don’t shy away from talking about what you learned during your undergraduate degree and how you hope to build on that knowledge in graduate school.
If you didn’t move directly from your baccalaureate program into a graduate degree, make sure you talk about how you used that time off — especially if you continued working on the skills you hope to further hone while in school.
It’s not enough to say you want to study your given topic, you must go into the specifics of the degree. As an example, students hoping to pursue a history degree should discuss specific eras, methodologies or frameworks that serve as inspirations.
Even though it can feel intimidating to condense your life into 500 words, get started with plenty of time to spare so you aren’t scrambling the day before the application deadline.
Perfection rarely takes place on the first attempt, so don’t be afraid to write several drafts of your SOP. If you’re unsure of what you want to focus on in the statement, write a few versions and then see what themes or information keeps appearing.
A quick Google search provides hundreds of sample SOPs for students who learn best by seeing examples. Read through a few to get an idea of writing style, structure and tone before you begin the process.
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