The statement of purpose (SOP) is a document that English graduate schools expect future students to write at the beginning of their application period. It acts as an introduction and provides information about your academic and personal backgrounds, interests, and goals. The SOP is used by all departments in the admissions process, and each department may have specific requirements for the SOP. Some schools have strict guidelines, while others are less stringent. Canadian universities place a lot of emphasis on each student's statement of purpose, so it's important to know the best ways to put it forth. Here we'll be sharing tips on how to write the best statement of purpose, but before that, we'll give a brief overview of how a decent statement of purpose looks.
Structure of a statement of purpose
The structure of the statement of purpose is as follows:
- A general introduction with your name and contact information,
- A short section describing your qualifications and relevant experiences for studying in grad school
- A longer section about your specific research interests and career goals
- A few sentences give your readers an idea of why you're applying to the degree program at their institution.
Your introduction should include
- Your full name,
- Which program or department you are applying to
- Any contact information that might be useful for the admissions officer (e.g. email). If you write "to whom it may concern" as a salutation, it will immediately turn off the reader.
Next, you should give a brief description of your academic and professional qualifications. If you have already graduated from another grad program with distinction, mention this at the top of your SOP to show how serious your application is. In this section also include any research experience that you have.
Finally, you'll need to tell the admissions board why you are applying to their specific program and what your career goals are. You should choose the information that is relevant to them because they will want to know if you're likely to be a good match for their program. For example, if you're applying for an English comp-lit program and mention that you like reading philosophy, your statement of purpose will be very ineffective.
Make sure your statement is specific and tailored to each program. Don't include any extraneous information because this will make it seem as if you're trying too hard to impress the admissions board. If you're sending multiple SOPs out, don't cite specific personal information about the university or program's location, because you might leave something out and look silly.
How to write the best statement of purpose?
Now that we've given a brief overview of what to do, let's focus on how to write the best statement of purpose.
1. Start by looking through program bulletins and department websites to find out the specific requirements for each statement of purpose.
Review previous SOPs from that university because this will give you a better idea about their expectations. Next, find out more about your prospective supervisor or faculty to whom you're applying. You should connect with them by email and ask them specific questions about what they would like to see in the SOP. For example, if their department has a focus on 18th Century poetry and you want to study 20th Century Literature, it will show the admissions board that you're not interested in the program. It will also show them that you don't have much research experience or interest, so they may decide to pass on your application.
2. Organize your SOP by paraphrasing your main points within each paragraph.
This is especially important because you won't be able to use direct quotes in a statement of purpose because it will be in your own words. Remember that you should always ask yourself what the admissions board would like to know, and if they asked you these questions, how would you respond?
3. Make sure your writing is clear and direct without excess verbiage.
To make this easier for yourself, make an outline of the main points about you and your qualifications before you write the statement of purpose. This will help you draft a concise, focused piece.
4. Keep it as short as possible
Because the admissions board has to read through dozens of SOPs from qualified applicants. Remember that they have to keep your future classmates in mind as well when reading through the pile, so make them want to choose you over the other candidates.
5. When you write a statement of purpose, use simple language and avoid uncommon words.
The admissions board will be reading through dozens of SOPs so they don't have time to decipher your vocabulary. Make sure to proofread for grammar and punctuation errors. If possible, ask another English speaker (not a native speaker) to proofread your statement of purpose as well to be sure that it makes sense.
Don't forget the conclusion! The last paragraph is where you go over everything you've said in a different way and reiterate why you're applying for their program, what your research interests are, and how they fit into the department's mission. You should also express your desire to work with them, so students should mention specific faculty members they are interested in working with.
And that's it! If you're truly passionate about the course you're applying for, it'll reflect in what you write so don't worry too much, let your passion take over. We hope this blog has helped you, and that you get into your dream university! For further assistance with getting to Canada, do contact us at VCANXL. We are an immigration agency that can assist you with the process of crossing into Canada. We can assist you in feeling prepared for English proficiency tests like IELTS and PTE, allowing you to enter the country with the score that will allow you to. We also offer personality and English fluency training, which will assist you with interview visa questions as well as in the long run. Your personal information is kept private, and your needs are always prioritized.
