Education

How to write a perfect Statement of Purpose (SOP) for Scholarships

In this article, we share how to write a perfect Statement of Purpose(SOP)…

University of California, Berkeley Graduate School Division The statement of purpose should convince the readers that you have solid achievements behind you that show promise for your success in graduate study.

How to write a perfect Statement of Purpose(SOP)…

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. This should be short and to the point; don’t spend a great deal of time on an autobiography.

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate career (a) Research you conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically, or in the style of your discipline. Professors are the people who read these statements.

(b) Important paper you completed, as well as anything scholarly beyond your curricular requirements.

(c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent activities If you have worked prior to returning to grad school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company, your work team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your studies.

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to convince the faculty that you understand the scope of research in their discipline, and are engaged with current research themes.

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(a) Indicate the area of your interests. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address, and questions that arise from contemporary research. This should be an ample paragraph!

(b) Look on the school’s website for information about the department you’re interested in. Are there professors whose research interests parallel yours? If so, indicate this. Check the specific program; many may require you to name a professor with whom you might work.

OTHER ESSENTIAL TIPS 1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student. 2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.

3. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.

4. If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles. You can elaborate more in your personal statement.

5. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus. 6. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity.

Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

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Source: UC Berkeley Graduate Division