How to Write SOP (Statement of Purpose)
The SOP is a long essay needed by foreign universities during the application process. The full form of SOP is the statement of purpose. It is an essay that indicates the purpose of applying for a particular course at a particular university. This essay consists of a general summary of who you are, who you want to be, and whether you are ready to pursue a particular course at your designated or desired institution or not. This document seeks to understand the candidate’s life, the motivations of the career path chosen in his/her life, and his goals. Therefore, you should attend a course to discuss past events that have influenced your career path in the particular area in which you want to grow. So it is very important to have knowledge about how to write a SOP.
- 1 Why is SOP important for getting admission in Canada?
- 2 How to start writing SOP?
- 3 How to write a SOP for undergraduate
Why is SOP important for getting admission in Canada?
A well-written SOP is very important for your admission to the Canadian college or university. Needless to say, there are many aspects of an applicant’s application, which are checked before a final decision is made. Academic records and transcripts are objective in nature, but the SOP is the only truly subjective aspect of the application for Canada study. This is the only document on your application that gives you a chance to prove that you have something unique that makes you stand out from the crowd. Therefore, statement of purpose is the only support list document that can greatly determine your entry to Canada.
How to start writing SOP?
There are many online SOP formats and templates that applicants can use to write SOPs, but choosing the correct format is very difficult. Also, you may not find the correct format details needed for a particular design or ideal chronology.
With traditional SOPs, you don’t have to write the name or course details anywhere in the document. Since the SOP is a part of the application / student profile, it includes the name and course date by default. However, some universities and schools may indicate in the SOP if you need your name and course details. These universities provide specific instructions on how and where to write personal information on documents. Therefore, you need to follow the instructions carefully. When writing your SOP, remember that the admissions committee will review thousands of applications for the same course. Therefore, the SOP should not only be clear and accurate, but also emphasize the uniqueness of the profile.
Things to mention on SOP
- Mention how you can contribute to the community
- Familiarity with the university facilities and curriculum
- Your motivation or inspiration for taking the course you choose
- Mention about your Gap and things you did
Your writing skills are reflected in your SOP
Your writing skills are reflected in your SOP. Therefore, your SOP should not contain any grammatical errors. The language should be clear enough to understand, but you should have a good vocabulary. Don’t use too many heavy words, as sometimes too much vocabulary makes sentences unnecessary and fails to convey meaning. They must be able to recognize you as an individual through your SOP. Your interests and goals will help them get to know you personally. Think of how and what can your talents, previous experience and interests do for the faculty and the university as a whole as a two-way process.
Mention how you can contribute to the community
Acceptance will advance your career and the faculty or the university can be benefitted from your hard work and participation. You should mention how you can contribute to the community, like in the sports, community service, society or a club. Familiarity with the university facilities and curriculum will be very helpful to get your SOP better. Be aware of student programs, faculty, internship opportunities, student institutions and societies, and traditions that set you apart from other colleges and universities. The university needs to make sure you are familiar with the department and university. Your motivation or inspiration for taking the course you choose should be clear and justified. So, keep it original, real, and free from exaggerated or arrogant claims to the department or the university.
Consider the length of your SOP
Generally, the desired statement of purpose should be about one to two pages long. However, the length of this document may vary depending on the university specific requirements. At some universities, the length and pattern of the SOP is fixed, with the SOP set to just 500 words, and in some cases 200 words. Most of the universities accept a general length of 800 to 1000 words. This can exceed 1000, but in some cases it cannot exceed 1200 words. It’s generally easy to write a life story that explains the importance of each incident in shaping a character. However, when defining a SOP within the word limits as communicated by some universities, the challenge is to express the best with a limited number of words. In such cases, it is advisable to mention the main achievements of each place you have been to, such as schools, universities, offices, etc.
Mention about your Gap and things you did
To create an SOP for a Canadian university, you need to provide detailed information about all your past experiences, while emphasizing the areas along the course that you are applying for. You should emphasize the details about the research structure, faculty or the professors, institutions, and student clubs which are provided by the university. This also enhances your profile. Moreover, if you have a delinquency or a gap year, you need to explain everything you did in the meantime. Also you should know that Canada is fairly strict about the backlog. Therefore, you need to clear all subjects and maintain the average before applying.
How to write a SOP for undergraduate
The undergraduate candidates need to emphasize their overall personality while writing about their past experiences. In order to earn a bachelor’s degree, you need to write about how participation in school and other extracurricular activities has helped in developing your overall personality. Scholars are not the only ones who play an important role in student life, especially in the bachelor’s degree program. Most universities expect undergraduates to attend events and clubs outside the classroom. As a result, they tend to look for students who have had similar experiences in the past too.
Universities are looking for the students who have experience in the research and know that they can cope with the rigors of their in-depth curriculum. Finally, anyone wishing to enroll in a Canadian university needs to write a simple and correct grammar with decorated words, one sound is gorgeous and exaggerated but short, clear sentences that convey an accurate message make the SOP more proper to read.