We have all experienced the feeling of ultimate gloom with writing our applications; especially when it’s accompanied by that sense of blandness in spite of all your expected content sitting tight on your sheet of paper.
Well apparently, jotting down your top-notch achievements and straight aces isn’t all there is to writing a winning SOP.
We at Golden Drafts present to you our list of Dos that will help you in transforming your compilation of experiences into a smooth entry into your dream university!
- CUSTOMISE!
Most universities come with a set of instructions that need to be followed by the candidates while framing their statement of purpose. This could include anything from certain programme related questions to a fixed word limit for the application. One of the biggest mistakes committed by students while sending in their SOPs is writing one single statement for every university they wish to apply to. Your personal statement needs to be revised and customised based on the university you’re applying to, the programme they’re offering and your past achievements in sync with the opportunity you’re being provided with. The selection committee has a keen eye for spotting generalised applications, thus throwing a half-hearted one pretty low on the list.
- IT’S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP
If your natural tendency leans towards being low profile and mysterious, this might be an appropriate time to change that. When it comes to writing your statement of purpose, no amount of revision is going to prove enough. Once you’re settled with finalising a draft, it’s a good idea to seek help and ask for multiple opinions before sending it in. Getting your application proofread by your friends, family members and professionals increases the chances of coming across loopholes that were invisible to your eye. A calm temperament (+/- a tub of ice-cream) will come in handy in taking all the constructive criticism that is bound to come your way.
- DISOWN SOME BABIES
We understand how every single experience from our past shapes us into the magic we embody today. However, an SOP might not be the right stage to enlist all of them. The selection committee spends an average of 20 minutes on one single application. Hence, it becomes necessary to mention only those projects that reside the closest to your programme of interest. Assembling your SOP with three to four interesting activities and describing them in depth appears way better than cluttering it with ten different activities and doing justice to none.
- LET YOUR ACTIONS DO THE TALKING
Instead of enumerating the skills you mastered through your extracurricular activities, talk about those projects in ways that reflect your learning without you having to spare extra words for them.
For example: Instead of mentioning how efficient and responsible you are, talk about the time you lead a group of 30 students and organised a cultural festival in your college.
Writing your statement of purpose might be one of the most challenging tasks you take up in your formative years, but it will all turn out worth the effort with a little bit of guidance along the way. And we at Golden Drafts are here to supplement your journey with exactly that!
