SOP

Students who want to pursue higher studies abroad in the next academic
session will soon be busy applying for colleges and universities of their
choice to secure admission. A number of students who decide to study
overseas approach me with requests to get their statements of purpose
(SOPs) edited, to offer them tips on how to write a good SOP, and,
sometimes, to ghostwrite their SOPs. I say yes to the first two categories
of requests but a firm no to the third category as it is unethical to write an
SOP for another person.
When such students approach me, even before looking at their SOPs or
offering them any tips, I ask them a few questions such as: Why do you
have to write an SOP? Why have you chosen a particular country? Why
have you chosen a specific university? In which field do you want to
specialise in? Why have you chosen it? When did you develop your
interest in it? How passionate are you about the field you are going to
specialise in? What is your career goal? After the informal interview, I tell
the applicant to write in a coherent manner whatever they shared with me
during the interview. I also tell them that their SOP should be between 500
and 700 words. The informal interview breaks the ice and prepares the
applicant to write it well.
What is a statement of purpose? It is an application essay a student
applying for a graduate programme at a foreign university is required to
write in order to be admitted to the programme. This important document
is also called personal statement in the U.K. Though it is not common in
most institutions of higher education in India to require students to submit
an SOP, it may be required to attend a personal interview to secure
admission.
Why do universities ask for an SOP? Applicants are required to prepare
and submit it along with other forms while applying. It helps colleges and
universities to test whether the applicants are really interested in the
programme that they have applied for, whether they are capable of
pursuing the programme and completing it successfully and whether they
will be able to contribute significantly to the institute.
Just like a good job application letter helps candidates project themselves
successfully in the job market, a good SOP helps applicants to highlight
their strengths during admission. There are over a hundred different
products in the market but consumers choose a particular product because
they think it is better than others for various reasons. Similarly, a good
SOP stands out and attracts the admissions committee which wades
through hundreds of applications. The 8 Ps that make an SOP special are
personal touch, purpose, passion, preparedness, potential, planning, plain
English and positivity.
Personal touch is the quality of being personal. An SOP is rightly called a
personal statement because it is a statement prepared by the applicants to
give an indication to the admissions committee what type of a person they
are and to express their suitability for a particular programme that they
wish to apply. An SOP, being a personal account of the applicants
academic performances and wishes, reveals the applicants attitude.
If the statement is ghostwritten by someone, the candidates personal touch
may not be reflected in the application essay. This is why it is considered
unethical on the part of the applicant to ask someone to prepare the
document. The personal document can be given to someone for editing.
Purpose is the keyword in the statement of purpose. The applicants should
state why they wish to specialise in a specific field, why they have chosen
a particular university/college, what their career goal is and so on. The
applicants should demonstrate their clarity of thought and clarity of
expression in the personal statement.
Passion is an important characteristic of a great SOP. The applicants
should show their aptitude for the academic programme they have chosen.
Only those who have a passion for something can excel in it, and,
therefore, it is important to express it in an interesting and convincing
manner.
In the extract of an SOP below, an applicant explains how passionate he is
about in the field he has chosen:
Ever since I started watching Fast and Furious movie series, I developed
an interest in automobiles. I decided to opt for the mechanical engineering
branch even when I was a pre-university student. I developed my interest
in automotive engineering after I joined the college in many different
ways
Potential is ones capacity to excel in something. The applicants should
state clearly whether they have the potential to pursue the programme they
have chosen, in a successful manner. The applicants should list some of
their achievements that will make their SOP stand out. In the extract of an
SOP below, an applicant highlights one of his achievements.
During my third-year undergraduate programme, I was involved in a
project SAE BAJA 2015 organised by the Society of Automotive
Engineers, India. This project involved a complete fabrication of an All-
Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Our team cleared the virtual round by making
innovative designs as per the rules framed by SAE. Then we started the
fabrication process that is followed by many automobile manufacturers. It
was a great experience for me as I was involved in the complete
fabrication process. It enhanced my passion for manufacturing
technology
Preparedness is the state of being ready to take off. It is not sufficient to
have passion alone. Willingness to translate passion into action is
important. Preparedness indicates how the applicants sustained their
passion for the field they intend to specialise in. The applicants should
demonstrate their preparedness for the academic programme by listing
what they have done and how they have prepared.
Planning is the process of making plans for achieving something. The
applicants should mention briefly why they have chosen a particular
university. Recently, an applicant asked me whether she should mention in
her SOP that she contacted a professor in the university she is planning to
apply for admission and enquired about her field, research facilities and so
on.
Yes, it is good to mention whether the applicant visited the website of the
university and went through the profiles of the professors of a department
to contact them and know more about the programme, research
opportunities and so on.
Plain English is characterised by easy-to-understand language, clarity,
brevity and avoidance of flowery words and phrases. The language should
be simple, direct and free from clichs. Some applicants think they should
use pompous words and phrases to show that their English is good. No.
Use of flowery language in an SOP will have a negative rather than
positive impact on those who go through it.
Positivity is the sign of showing hope and being optimistic. It is important
to end an SOP with a positive note as in the example below:
I feel that TU Dortmunds Faculty of Mechanical Engineering with its
rich blend of competent faculty, intense curriculum and the cherished
history of success, would be an ideal place to shape my career.
A great SOP speaks to the members of the admissions committee and
makes them smile and say, Here is the guy I am looking for.
The author is professor of English and head, higher education at KCG
College of Technology, Chennai. Email: rayanal@yahoo.co.uk