Published : Saturday, 22 April, 2017 09:30 AM
How to write statement of purpose for MBA?
The Statement of Purpose (SOP) is the most important part of the application. It introduces the candidate to the admissions committee before the candidate has even met them in person. The entrance exam scores, recommendation letters, resume do not cover the entire information about the candidate that the institute would like to know, such as why does he/ she want to pursue a management degree, what is his/ her purpose of life, career goals. It is a personal statement detailing various facets of your personality, to convince the committee that you are worthy of their institute and have the potential to excel.
Considering the impact that a well written SOP has, it is essential that the aspirant drafts it seriously. The following pointers shall be of good use while preparing an impactful SOP.
1. Write well- Whatever you right, right well. The way you present your ideas in the SOP is crucial. Grammatical errors, bad vocabulary, inappropriate wording can reflect poorly on you and jeopardize your admission prospects. Don’t lose the opportunity to make an impression on the admissions committee by writing casually.
2. Clarity of thought- The SOP is a reflection of your mind. The structure of the SOP should be coherent and neat, and not seem like a puzzle for the reader. You could break down the SOP into following sub sections:
a. Introduce yourself- Very briefly, mention things about yourself, which has not been repeated elsewhere throughout the admission process. This could include your interests, what drives you and so on.
b. Past experiences- This includes your experiences in undergraduate experiences, which have shaped the person you are presently. Also include any research or projects that you may have done, responsibilities discharged and so on.
c. Career goals- Neatly define your career goals, what you expect from your life and how you intend to achieve it. Give it a deep thought as this will be considered seriously by the committee.
d. Institute choice- The candidate is expected to give the reasons why he/ she wants to enrol in that particular institute (for which he/ she is writing the SOP) and how will it help him/ her reach his career goals.
3. Be unique- The SOP is your chance to stand out of the crowd. Use this opportunity to highlight your uniqueness through creativity and examples that show your uniqueness.
4. Elaborate- Always use examples and anecdotes to elaborate on a particular point, quality or achievement. Prove to the reader that you are a hard-working, sincere, positive person with a penchant for learning and improving yourself.
The SOP is your chance to market yourself directly to the admissions committee, to distinguish yourself from the crowd. Devote special time and attention to it, so that the committee warms up to you even before meeting you.
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