The Statement of purpose (SOP)

General Guidelines
A written statement of purpose is a standard requirement for graduate school admission. It
plays a vital role to assess your knowledge, experience, motivation, intellectual maturity and
readiness to pursue your graduation at their college.
It is an essay that you must write clearly stating your intention to go overseas. It could help
to persuade an admission officer to offer you a place. Hiding facts and dishonesty must be
avoided at all cost.
This document outlines some guidelines that you can use to draft a good SOP.
a) Mention, why you have chosen the course/s that you have listed?
b) Mention, why you are interested in the subject?
c)

Mention familys academic background if you feel it would be an influencing factor in your
academic career.

d) Briefly mention your past academic background.

e) Mention, any specific interest that you might have in your current studies.
f) Mention all projects, research, internship and training undertaken during period of studies.
g) If your work experience is relevant, please mention it and establish a connection with
proposed course of study.
h) In case of students from business families if you have worked part/full time with the
family business then highlight the scope and application of proposed course of study in
relation to the familys business interests.
i) What are your future goals with relevance to the course?
j) What characteristics of the school/department/program can help you accomplish your
goals? Talk about the research facilities available, the qualification of the faculty, the
syllabus of the program, etc.

MJA Internal

Acs_SOP_Guidelines

Useful Tips

Always use positive language when referring to yourself.

Give concrete, but concise examples.
Use short, crisp sentences.
Avoid using vocabulary that you do not know.
Change the paragraph to reflect a new idea or topic and keep paragraphs short.
Use double space between paragraphs.
Have strong opening and closing paragraphs.
Avoid repetition of the same idea in different words just to fill space.
Demonstrate that you have done your research and know what you want.
Strictly constrain yourself within the 2-3 page-limit!
Thank the admission committee for their time at the end of your SOP.

MJA Internal

Acs_SOP_Guidelines