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Last Updated: July 11, 2021

Statement of Purpose/Essay

The Statement of Purpose is an essay that has to be written and submitted by candidates applying to universities. The essay should speak about the major achievements in the candidate’s life which can include their academic achievements along with their aspirations and goals in life. The statement of purpose should speak about the candidate on a personal level, in a way that clearly amplifies the person they are more than what their mark sheets can do.

Candidates who are applying to high-end colleges and even candidates who have lower scores in a specific criterion, usually bank on their statement of purpose in order to receive admission. It is the SOP that lets the student stand out from other people with similar scores and hence is not a document that can be copied off the internet. While the SOP has a specific format that is generally preferred by institutions, the writing of the same is left to candidates where they can choose methods that amplify their qualifications.

Writing a Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose plays a major role in college admissions. This is the only space where candidates can express their goals and achievements impressively to the admission committee and faculty members of their field of interest. Candidates who are planning to write an SOP should start by researching the kind of SOP’s that are required for their field of interest. But at the same time, researching on the subject should not make them plagiarize the content since the subjective element of an SOP is what makes it crucial in the admission process.

Having impressive scores does not provide candidates with leeway in submitting a mediocre SOP. On the other hand, candidates who have high grades will be facing a lot of competition in the admission process thereby requiring them to submit better SOPs to stand out from the crowd and get into the institution they want.

Length of a Statement of Purpose

The length of the SOP is dependent upon the college the candidate is applying to. The expected length of an SOP can range anywhere between 200 words to 1,200 words and has to always remain within the limits specified by the institution. Exceeding the word limit, even if for relevant content, can lead to being rejected on the basis of not following instructions.

Content for a Statement of Purpose

The content for the SOP can be personalized and tailor-made for the candidate. But at the same time, there is a certain format that is followed by candidates in writing the perfect SOP that cannot be rejected. This will have-

Tips for Writing a Statement of Purpose

Pointers to Note

While writing different SOPs for institutions, candidates must ensure that they answer all of these questions before they submit them. While additional information is always good, it is important that candidates answer the most basic questions that are expected from an SOP as well as stick within the word limit specified. Brevity is one of the best tools to use while writing an SOP.

Samples for SOPs

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